Southwick Conservation Commission Approves $95,000 South Longyard Road Drainage Fix

Conservation · Meeting of March 2, 2026

Southwick Conservation Commission unanimously approved a $95,000 stormwater drainage repair at 7 South Longyard Road, clearing the way for spring construction. DPW representative John Goddard and Director Rich Bosack told the commission that fine, sandy soils exposed by breaching stormwater flows have carved deeply incised gullies near Great Brook over the past year, destabilizing slopes and toppling mature trees on property owned by Gary and Deborah Yellen. The project would extend roughly 300 feet of new pipe to the eroded area and remove 24 to 30 trees, disturbing approximately 4,750 square feet of riverfront.

A commission member raised the question of whether the town was being held to the same stormwater treatment standard as private applicants, a point Goddard called "fair" but said was beyond his license authority to address within the existing budget. The commission also issued negative determinations for tree-removal requests at 11 Berkshire Avenue and 3 White Street, continued a three-lot subdivision filing on South Loomis Street to April 6, and voted unanimously to proceed with a special act article seeking a voting alternate member for the seven-member board.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,119 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of March 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.