Conservation Commission in brief: No barrier to Riverview Avenue wall replacement and other action items

By ARTIE KRONENFELD

The Conservation Commission determined that the owners of a house in the South Side’s Island neighborhood can renovate their property’s landscaping, pending state approval. 

The commission discussed the project at 32 Riverview Ave. at its June 4 meeting. The project would replace a retaining wall surrounding the property, extend the driveway and renovate the deck and yard. It would not add more impermeable substances that would block drainage.

The project still needs state Department of Environmental Protection approval, so the commission couldn’t take a final vote. Commission Chair Bill Doyle said he anticipated approving the project at its next meeting, with a provision to allow the lot owners to replace an invasive Norway maple bordering the street with a native tree without additional city permission.

Additionally, the commission:

• Confirmed it would not be involved with a development plan to renovate a Main Street building into mixed-use housing, which falls outside of the city’s conservation zones.
• Certified that a project permitted on the Watch Factory property to restore the buffer zone behind the building was never started so the commission’s project filing could be resolved. Commissioners explained that if there are open projects on a lot, the owner can run into issues financing and selling the property.
• Heard updates about testing work at 222 South St. for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s Water Tunnel Program happening this summer.