Norton Conservation Commission Orders Peer Review for Old Colony Road Commercial Building Revision

NORTON — June 8, 2026 — Norton Conservation Commission requires stormwater peer review before advancing Old Colony Road commercial building amendment. The commission voted unanimously at its June 8 meeting to require an independent peer review of stormwater plans for a proposed two-story commercial building at 416 Old Colony Road, after engineer Rob Luce of CMG Engineering presented a revised design that would increase impervious surface by approximately 2,500 square feet — from roughly 20,000 to 22,600 square feet on a 1.5-acre parcel, or about 10 percent — to accommodate an electrical contracting firm rather than the originally planned restaurant and retail tenants. Members Lisa and Joe led the push for review, with Lisa arguing the commission is "the only line of review" after the Planning Board approved the modification without a stormwater peer review of its own. The hearing was continued to July 13. The commission also voted unanimously to issue a full certificate of compliance for a completed project at 257-259 Mansfield Avenue, which Conservation Agent John Thomas described as "probably one of the most buttoned-up sites I've seen," and approved a $5,000 transfer from the Wetland Protection Act fund — current balance over $50,000 — to support conservation department salaries.