Whitman Conservation Commission advances draft wetlands bylaw, plans dam steering committee

WHITMAN -- February 3, 2026, Whitman Conservation Commission reviews draft local wetlands bylaw and plans dam committee presentation. The commission spent its February 3 meeting working through a color-coded draft bylaw modeled on East Bridgewater's wetlands regulations, debating a fee schedule that would set a $100 flat fee for resource-determination applications and graduated fines of up to $300 per day for violations, with $100, $200, and $300 penalties for successive unauthorized tree cuts within wetland boundaries. Members voted to drop a proposed certificate-of-compliance fee, reasoning it would deter applicants from closing out projects properly. A member announced plans to attend the February 17 Board of Selectmen meeting to propose a Hobart Dam Replacement Steering Committee, citing the complexity of a related ECO grant requiring broad community engagement. A four-person open-space implementation steering committee has also been formed, including members identified as Ryan Tully and Jason DeRosa. A notice-of-intent hearing for the Bright Hill property is tentatively set for February 17, pending a site inspection that may be delayed by two feet of snow on the ground.