Pepperell Planning Board approves water plant conditions, pipe waiver

Planning Board · Meeting of March 16, 2026

Pepperell Planning Board closes water plant hearing, sets conditions for 13 Jersey Street project. The board voted unanimously to close a continued public hearing on the town's proposed water treatment plant, case Nos. PMAJ-25-1 and LDP-25-2, after peer-review firm VHB scrutinized Stantec's stormwater design.

DPW Director and town engineer Paul Brinkman said he was "concerned at the depth" of the review given the project is primarily a water treatment facility. The board granted a waiver allowing HDPE drainage pipe instead of concrete and set three conditions: a construction general permit, seasonal clearing limits to protect long-eared bat habitat, and resolution of remaining stormwater comments. Members also debated updating the town's table of uses and Urban Residential setback rules ahead of a March 26 joint meeting with the Select Board.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of March 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.