Auburn Pond Vegetation Management
At a glance
- What: a town request for determination of applicability to clear brush around Auburn Pond so it is visible and walkable from Auburn Street and Goddard Park.
- Where it stands: continued to October 28 at about 7:10 p.m.; commissioners will visit first. The motion names the address as "396 Southbridge Street" (as heard).
- Presenter: Stephen Coleman, Fire Chief and Assistant Town Manager.
The proposal
- Cut vegetation down below the guard rail on town-owned land; possibly a 2-3 ft riprap edge along the grass near the municipal lot. Vegetation has not been trimmed in decades; the Parks Department would maintain it.
Concerns
- What plants are there; regrowth; invasive bittersweet seen in a photo, which is hard to eradicate.
- Riprap could exceed a negative determination and require a notice of intent; the commission may use its consulting funds.
Discussion time
About 8 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-14 - Conservation Commission | 8 |
Log
- 2026-10-14 - Conservation Commission - Presented; continued to October 28.
- 2026-09-21 - Economic Development Committee - Dell'Aquila said Fire Chief Stephen Coleman is working with the Conservation Commission on permission to trim vegetation along the pond; a stopgap, not a permanent fix.