Conservation Commission
Email Addresses: The Conservation Commission meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Purpose of Conservation Commission The Rochester Conservation Commission & Town Forest Committee was formed in 1963 as a broad based committee responsible for protecting open space and promoting land conservation. The Commission is a seven-member board that is charged with administering the interests of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, MGL Chapter 131, Section 40 and the Rochester Wetlands Protection By-Law. Wetlands and floodplains are extremely valuable for public and private water supply, ground water supply, flood control, storm damage prevention, pollution prevention, protection of fisheries and shellfish, and wildlife habitat. The Conservation Commission reviews projects that involve work in or near (within 100 feet) wetlands that will result in an adverse impact. Commission members and agents/consultants visit each site to determine the limits of wetland resource areas to be protected. The Commission issues a permit that sets conditions by which work must be done to protect wetland resource areas. |