Resident told to hire soil scientist after placing crushed stone in wetlands; show‑cause continued

The Thompson Wetlands Commission continued the show‑cause hearing for V27027 after property owner Theodore Mataxis acknowledged placing crushed stone and clearing brush in an area that appears to include regulated wetlands.

Mataxis said he did not know the area was wetlands and that he had only put down crushed stone to avoid muddying his truck: "I had no idea that I was disturbing my own wetlands ... I had no idea that I was doing such a thing," he told the commission. He said he has stopped work and is reluctant about the cost of professional delineation but agreed to pursue the town’s suggested next steps.

Wetlands enforcement officer Margaret Washburn explained the commission’s standard process for smaller after‑the‑fact disturbances: in lieu of a full engineered plan the town often accepts an initial wetlands delineation by a soil scientist and a narrative/sketch remediation plan for modest disturbances. She explained that the town needs a delineation to quantify how much of the 25 by 65 foot area (approximate) is wetlands so the commission can evaluate an after‑the‑fact permit or remediation, and staff offered names of soil scientists and assistance with the permit process. The commission continued the hearing to allow the owner to secure a delineation and to submit a remediation plan or application.

Staff described photographs and GIS mapping showing areas of scraped ground, dumped stone and exposed wetland soil and emphasized that removal of fill from wetlands or stabilization measures are typical corrective steps. The commission said it would work with the owner to keep the process as least burdensome as practicable while ensuring protection of wetland resources.