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Order of Conditions
On May 25, 2000 the Pittsfield Conservation Commission
held a public meeting concerning the BCC soccer field project. The college's
engineer Donald Chester told the Commission the project would be completed
"without changing elevations or grades."
There was still no wetland delineation, a point commented
on by agent Caleb Mitchell at the hearing. But despite the strangely
altered map, despite a worksite that extended into endangered species
habitat, despite the lack of a wetland delineation, the Commission gave
the college permission to begin work. The Pittsfield Conservation
Commission issued an Order
of Conditions for the project on June 12.
By issuing the Order of Conditions, the Commission was stating that
as far as the Commission was concerned, the college could begin work
(after a 10-day appeal period) as long as the workers and the college
adhered to that list of conditions. One of the conditions, number 38
in the list, required that "The finished grade of all disturbed areas
shall match the original grade that existed prior to construction unless
shown on the approved plan as otherwise." According
to the Pittsfield Conservation Commission, the approved plan refers
to the Notice of Intent filed by the college and the two maps referenced
in the Notice of Intent (L-1 and S-1).
It should be noted that it was not only the Order of
Conditions that prohibited adding fill, but also the law, since most
of the project was in the floodplain. How much fill was added? According
to the engineer who would soon take over the project from Mr. Chester,
there were about 110 truckloads of fill added. The fill was sufficient
to raise the grade by 2 to 3 feet. Of course, map S-1 already represented
the south side of the fields as being about five feet higher than the
city map indicated. Was any regulatory agency concerned?
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