Stone, Water & Votes: Inside Farmington’s July 16 Wetlands Marathon 🪨🌱
Roll Call and Ground Rules
The Inland Wetlands Commission opened at 7:01 p.m. sharp on July 16, 2025, with Chair Ned Stachin wrangling a hybrid quorum. Microphones crackled, members waved, and absentees were duly excused—standard Farmington theater, on YouTube for posterity. Meeting video.
Riverside Cemetery: Roads Move East, Water Flows South
Applicant: Farmington Cemetery Association (board trio Evan Coles, Kevin Ray, Jim Rose)
Proposal: Repave every roadway at Riverside and nudge the lower lane “a couple of feet” away from the Farmington River. A new stone verge will drain storm‑water by sheet flow—goodbye, clogged catch basin.
Highlights
- Site walk: July 2—commissioners kicked the gravel.
- Erosion controls: straw wattles + silt fence, all blessed by staff.
- Timeline: two‑week closure of the cemetery; paving crew “in and out.”
Vote: Not a significant activity → Unanimous approval with erosion conditions. 😇
Crosswood Road: One Garage, One Tree, Zero Fuss
Applicant: Greg Taylor, 26 Crosswood Road
Proposal: Add a single‑bay garage; fell a dying maple “whether or not we have a garage.” Stone drip edge handles runoff; no grade drama.
Vote: Not significant → Approved, tree removal included. 🌳✂️
Hill‑Stead Museum: A Historic Path Meets Modern Wetlands
Applicants: Anna Swinborn (Executive Director) & Siobhan Towers (Landscape Architect)
Proposal: Re‑establish a 4‑ft stone‑dust loop mirroring Theodate Pope Riddle’s 1901 design—think Millennium Falcon in mulch. Phase 1 hugs the driveway; Phase 2 (future) would bridge wetter ground.
Commission Concerns
- Wetland line discrepancies; David Fox asked for clearer mapping.
- Commissioners want flags in the field—no guesswork.
Action: Application accepted; site walk scheduled for late July/early August. Public hearing decision deferred to September. 🏛️
Scout Troop 68: Benches for the East Farms Pond
Applicant: Evan Guerrero (Eagle Project)
Proposal: Install four ADA‑compliant Polywood benches with ground anchors, replacing weather‑beaten seats near the school pond.
Ruling: Classified as a non‑regulated use—no wetlands triggered. Permission granted; Guerrero to keep staff updated on disposal of old benches. 🪑👍
Odds, Ends & Hazardous Trends
- Planner’s Report: 666 vehicles (yes, really) joined the June 7 regional hazardous‑waste day; 91 hailed from Farmington.
- Minutes from July 2 and the July 9 site walk sailed through.
- Meeting adjourned 8:06 p.m.—the Conservation Commission clocked out three minutes later.
🙏 Sponsor Shout‑Out
Need space for cemetery records, garage tools, or Polywood benches still in their boxes? Farmington Storage (155 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington • 860‑777‑4001) offers climate‑controlled units, 24/7 security, and staff who never mute themselves mid‑sentence. Tell them the Wetlands Commission sent you and they’ll probably let you borrow a dolly. 😂
About the Author
Jack Beckett covers Farmington’s boards so you don’t have to. He files dispatches powered by a bottomless cup of coffee from the Einstein Bros. ☕—and yes, he’s on a first‑name basis with the barista.
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© 2025 The Farmington Mercury / Mercury Local
This article, “Farmington Wetlands Panel Approves Cemetery Road Shift, Garage Build, Scout Benches; Hill‑Stead Path Heads for Site Walk,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY‑ND 4.0.
“Farmington Wetlands Panel Approves Cemetery Road Shift, Garage Build, Scout Benches; Hill‑Stead Path Heads for Site Walk”
by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY‑ND 4.0)