Conservation Commission

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The Waltham Conservation Commission is an appointed board of up to 7 local residents whose primary charter is to protect the city’s natural resources in a regulatory and advisory manner. The Commission is responsible for locally administering the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 131, section 40). All projects in the city that involve removal, alterations, dredging, or fill within 100 feet of wetlands or intermittent streams or 200 feet from rivers and perennial streams, must come before the Commission for formal review.  Alterations are defined in the Wetlands Protection Act Regulations (310 CMR 10) and include, for example, excavation, re-grading, or other ground disturbance; adding impervious area such as pavement or roofed structures; cutting trees or removing more than 10% of their crown; or clearing brush. 

The Waltham Conservation Commission is also concerned with environmental planning, accepting gifts of land and money for conservation purposes, acquiring grant money for town acquisition of open space, and advising other city boards on environmental concerns. Of special interest to the Commission are the Charles River, Cambridge Reservoir, Hardy Pond, Chester Brook, West Chester Brook, Beaver Brook, Clematis Brook, and other significant wetlands and streams in the city.  The Commission also has oversight responsibilities for the Storer Conservation Land, defined in the deed restriction from when the city acquired this property in the mid-1970s.

The Commission is proactively working on several projects to steward Waltham's natural resources including:

1. Storer / Paine Estate Property Line Surveys - Surveyor hired and completed Phase 1 fall 2019; follow-up with abutters is ongoing.  Funding requested for Phase 2 (including adding granite property markers) in FY2021 budget request.

2. Storer / Paine Estate Invasive Wisteria Removal - Our contractor completed the city-funded Phase 1 in 2020. A private nonprofit (Friends of Stonehurst) is funding Phase 2 in 2021.

3. City-Wide Natural Resources Inventory - In-house project with assistance from the city's GIS Coordinator; work began November 2019 and is ongoing.

4. Storer / Paine Estate Conservation Land Stewardship Plan - Funded by CPC in December 2019; an RFP will be issued to 3 pre-qualified consultants in winter 2021.

5. Hardy Pond Shore Restoration Study - Our consultant completed their report with recommendations and cost estimates in fall 2020. The Conservation Commission is discussing next steps with other stakeholders. 

6. Mt. Feake Cemetery Riverfront Ecosystem Study - Conservation Commission voted in 2019 to fund with filing fees. Consultant proposal received; pending City Hall approval.

To email the Conservation Commission Click Here.
[If you experience problems with the linked form, use your email application to send directly to Chris Daly: cdaly@city.waltham.ma.us]

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Christopher Daly Principal Office Assistant (781) 314-3846
Meghan Sullivan Conservation Agent (781) 314-3046

Commission Members

NameTitle
Philip Moser

Chair

William Doyle

Vice Chair

Gerard Dufromont

Secretary

Mike Donovan

Member

Louis Andrews

Member

Alexander Sbordone

Member

Gloria Champion

Member