Milford inland and wetland 7- 16- 2025

The Milford Inland Wetlands Agency held a public hearing and regular meeting on July 16, 2025, focusing primarily on two major agenda items involving wetland-related development projects. The first was a proposal by Bethany Farms and Nursery to reconstruct a garden center at 945 North Street, which included stormwater management improvements. The agency approved this application with conditions including construction plans, erosion controls, and mitigation bonds. The second and more extensive item was a public hearing on a 53-unit residential development at 34 Buick Avenue by 34 Buick Avenue LLC. The discussion centered on the project's impact on wetlands, stormwater management using permeable pavers, tree removal, and potential flooding concerns. Numerous public comments were heard both in support of affordable housing and expressing concerns about environmental impacts, stormwater runoff, maintenance of the permeable paver system, and preservation of existing trees and wildlife. The agency voted to continue the meeting past 11 p.m. and decided to hire an independent third-party consultant to conduct a peer review focusing on hydrology, hydraulics, floodplain impacts, and wetland biology to ensure thorough evaluation of the project's environmental effects. The meeting concluded with motions to adjourn after addressing all procedural matters.