About

Overview

It is the Conservation Commission’s primary responsibility to protect and preserve the wetlands in East Longmeadow and to this end prohibit disturbance of certain areas. The Conservation Commission is charged with administering and enforcing the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act within the town.

Massachusetts has been at the cutting edge of environmental protection for over half a century. The Commonwealth invented the municipal Conservation Commission — a key element in the framework of its protective laws and programs. First authorized under state law in 1957, Conservation Commissions have since gained additional authority from the Massachusetts General Court, from amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution, and from municipal bylaws and ordinances. A full awareness and understanding of the range of powers and duties, as well as the limits, that derive from each of these sources are essential to Commission effectiveness.

  1. Wetlands Development
  2. Authority

Request for Determination (RDA)/Notice of Intent (NOI)

Any proposed alteration of Wetlands, Buffer Zones or Riverfront areas should be described in a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) Mass DEP form WPA 1 and submitted to the Conservation Commission.  In certain cases, a Notice of Intent (NOI) Mass DEP form WPA 3 may be required.  A public notice will be placed in a local newspaper at least five (5) business days prior to the hearing date.  Therefore, the applicant should file at least two weeks prior to the target meeting date.

Building permit applicants are advised that any projects within wetland buffer zones or within 200 feet of a perennial stream or river must be approved by the East Longmeadow Conservation Commission.  Map views of approximate wetland or river resources can be found on MassMapper. Commissioners are also willing to review draft building plans and provide advice to applicants during a regularly scheduled meeting. The granting of a building permit does not confer or imply any approval with respect to wetland regulations.

For submittal requirements and other pertinent forms please refer to the section for Conservation Commission Submittals.

The applicant is responsible for sending a copy of the Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) or Notice of Intent (NOI) to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection office in Springfield as well as providing the original form and supporting materials to the Conservation Commission.