Site inspection of wetlands for open space housing development off Perkins Street draws crowd

Todd Clark, land surveyor for a housing development that is seeking to build 16 homes off Perkins Street, addresses Inlands/Wetlands committee members and members of the Friends of the Hoppers-Birge Pond Preserve on Monday. | David Fortier

Posted By: David Fortier August 28, 2024

The on-site inspection of wetlands on private property off Perkins Street that once belonged to the Schaffrick family but is now owned by P & B Properties drew a crowd of around 30 people on Monday, Aug. 26.

Among those gathered were members of the Inland/Wetlands Commission, which was conducting the inspection, representatives of P & Properties, some neighbors and members of the Friends of the Hoppers-Birge Pond Preserve.

The Friends wore green t-shirts with “Save the Hoppers” in large white lettering.

P & Properties representatives included attorney Timothy Furey and land surveyor Todd Clark, who provided the members of the commission with information about how the builders will manage wetlands on the property, specifically, the construction of a bridge at the entrance of the property, at 260 Perkins St.

Access to the rear lots, where the open space development of 16 homes is being proposed, is solely through the 260 Perkins St. entrance.

Since the inspection is considered a public meeting, comments and questions were restricted to the presentation by the builders’ representatives and members of the commission.

A public hearing about the P & B Properties’ inlands/wetlands application is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m.

The private property abuts the Hoppers-Birge Pond Preserve, which contains rare geological formations dating to the Ice Age and several paths, one reputedly part of the Old Colonial Highway that President George Washington might have traveled during Revolutionary War time.

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