Commission expands enforcement order to require plaza owner, tenants to remove carts and litter from brook

The East Longmeadow Conservation Commission voted May 13 to amend an enforcement order concerning shopping carts and debris in the Pequosic Brook behind 406'436 North Main Street. Staff said recent reconnaissance identified shopping carts and downstream litter concentrated near one tenant area and recommended naming the property owner and all tenants in the order to pressure cleanup.

Commissioners discussed whether to direct the property owner alone or to name all tenants; they chose to send the order to the owner and to each tenant or, where identified, to the responsible tenant/corporate owner (for example, a Stop & Shop cart would be referred to corporate). Staff proposed a deadline for submission of a restoration or removal plan by the commission's June 24 meeting; members agreed and voted to amend EO 2025-05.

Why it matters: The debris and carts in the brook create environmental and aesthetic impacts, and identifying responsible parties is a common enforcement strategy for multi-tenant plazas. The commission emphasized delivering orders to managers or corporate contacts if the listed property owner is unresponsive.

Next steps: Staff will update the enforcement order to list the owner and tenants, set a compliance filing date of June 24, 2026, and arrange delivery (in person or via corporate contacts) if certified mail is not effective.