Bruce Cyr
Coverage (12 articles)
Farmington Approves the West Avon Road Wetland Restoration, One Letter Short
The wetland being restored at 114 West Avon Road does not stop at the property line. Farmington's Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission tabled the plan on July 8 until both abutting owners sent letters of approval. Two weeks later it had one of the two, and approved anyway, without settling on the record what the missing letter is worth.
A Farmington Homeowner Dug a Pond in What She Thought Was Her Yard. It Was a Wetland.
The owner of a West Avon Road house bought her first home, was told a grassy bowl out back was hers, and dug it into a pond. A neighbor's complaint and a cease-and-desist order later, she came before Farmington's Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission on July 8 with a 575-plant plan to put it back. The commission liked what it saw, and held its vote for next month.
Noble Energy Withdraws Its Farmington Truck Stop Applications, Ending the Fight Without a Vote
Noble Energy withdrew both its wetlands and zoning applications for the proposed diesel truck stop on 86 acres above Batterson Park Pond, ending a fight that drew an intervener, dueling hydrology experts, and unanimous Town Council opposition. The company gave no reason. The project dies without a vote.
Farmington's FEMA Flood Maps Are About to Change. Here's What That Means for Your House.
FEMA has finalized new Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Farmington, with an effective date now expected in fall 2026. Some homeowners will be required to carry flood insurance who weren't before — some will be released. Here's how to check your address, how the appeal process works, and what the TPZ has to do before the maps take effect.
Farmington TPZ Approves Reservation Road Staircase 6-1, With Davidson Dissenting
The Farmington Town Plan and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 Monday to approve an exterior staircase at 6 Reservation Road, with Commissioner Josh Davidson casting the only audible no vote in a sustained argument that the application is "an end run around our ADU regulations." Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Bobby Canto had asked Davidson to recuse himself over social-media moderator work, then withdrew the request after staff confirmed the documents Davidson had referenced were publicly posted.
Farmington Wetlands Commission Accepts Intervener Petition in Noble Energy Hearing
The Farmington Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission unanimously accepted Stephanie Roman's intervener petition Wednesday in the continuing public hearing on Noble Energy Real Estate Holdings' proposed travel center, warehouse, and diesel fueling facility on the upstream edge of the Batterson Park Pond watershed. The petition's expert, Carya Ecological Services principal Sigrun Gadwa, flagged a state-endangered wetland plant — Saururus cernuus, lizard's tail — on the applicant's own plant inventory. The hearing was continued to May 20, with both commissions attaching conditions to anything they eventually approve.
Farmington Wetlands Commission Approves Three-Year Restoration Plan at 24 Somersby Way
The Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission signed off on removing twelve inches of fill and a three-year monitoring schedule at 24 Somersby Way.
Noble Energy Brings a Smaller Plan to Farmington Inland Wetlands
Noble Energy returned to Farmington Inland Wetlands with a smaller plan for 8261 Fienemann Road: no restaurant, a shrunken warehouse and travel center, and wetlands impact cut from 3,700 square feet to under 1,000. The public, when its turn came, wanted to talk about four schools within a half mile. The hearing was continued to May 6.
Farmington's $125,000 Conservation Blueprint Is 25 Years Old. The Commission Is Deciding What to Do With It.
Farmington's Conservation Commission is reviewing a 25-year-old, $125,000 natural resource inventory that quietly guided two decades of land protection. With the town's Plan of Conservation and Development due for an update in 2027, the commission is weighing whether the 800-page study needs a refresh.
Farmington's Last Fully Remote Commission Is Going Back to the Table
Farmington's Inland Wetlands Commission will return to in-person meetings starting April 15, ending its fully remote format. Chair Ned Statchen and Commissioner Robert Isner cited litigation risk as the primary driver, noting the commission was the last in town — and possibly the state — still meeting entirely online.
Farmington Wetlands Commission Approves Batting Cage at Wolf Pit Road for Little League, High School Use
Farmington's Inland Wetlands Commission unanimously approved a 70-by-15-foot batting cage at 20 Wolf Pit Road for Little League and high school use. The commission also tabled the JBS Developers application at 598 Plainville Avenue to April 15.
Farmington’s Bicycle And Trails Advisory Committee Weighs Trail Repairs, Safe Routes, And A 15 MPH E-Bike Limit
Farmington’s bike committee reviewed trail fixes, school walking audits, business outreach, and a possible 15 mph e-bike speed limit, then set a date for a March 2026 public forum. 🚲