Developer ordered to stop land clearing in Hopkinton – MetroWest Daily News

Jonathan Phelps @JPhelps_MW

HOPKINTON With questions lingering around repeated violations to the town's scenic road bylaw on Saddle Hill Road, the Planning Board ordered a Framingham development company Monday night to stop all tree clearing and site work on the 60-acre property.

Planning Board members are disputing the removal of one or more sections of a stone wall along the designated scenic road, which isn't allowed without a permit from the board.

Representatives of Parsons Commercial Group will return to the Planning Board on Sept. 11 after the board inspects the area and gathers more information. The company is building 11 homes on the property, each of which will have its own driveway. The driveways will require Planning Board approval to remove sections of the wall under the bylaw.

The board will inspect the property Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. The scenic road bylaw applies primarily to removing stone walls and trees along the roadway.

Two weeks ago, principal planner Jennifer Burke learned about the violation. Without a permit, contractors removed a 23-foot section of stone wall so equipment could enter the property. Burke called a halt to the work and Parsons rebuilt the wall with the same stones and used different access for tractor trailer trucks. In a memo to the board, Burke recommended the board fine Parsons $6,900.

"That was a clear violation," she told the board. "They admitted to that."

Planning Board member Frank D'Urso said at Monday night's meeting that he thinks there are at least two violations, and a third possible violation that should be reviewed. He made the motion for all work to be stopped until the next meeting.

"I don't see why they are able to violate scenic road law in three separate places and still be allowed to do whatever they want without answering for what they've done wrong," he said.

John Parsons, president of the company, disagrees with D'Urso.

"I think there is the ability to access the site without breaking the scenic bylaws from the standpoint there was an area located on the street that permitted access because there was no stone wall there," Parsons said.

Saddle Hill Road resident Josh Deisenroth said the company is entering the property from other points.

"There has been a high 18-wheeler in a different spot which had another breach," he said. "They chip all the trees into it and it pulls out and they'll move the rock wall back."

Dave Anderson, project manager for Parsons, said he was on vacation last week and unaware of such activity. He said nothing was done with ill intent.

D'Urso told his fellow board members he has photographs and video of the work.

"I can factually prove what I am saying," he said.

The company previously withdrew a plan to build a 19-home subdivision on the property.

Jonathan Phelps can be reached at 508-626-4338 or jphelps@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JPhelps_MW.

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Developer ordered to stop land clearing in Hopkinton - MetroWest Daily News