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1. When is the deadline to submit materials?

Please see our 2022 Submission Schedule (PDF) to see the deadlines to file all requests, when the item will go in front of the Conservation Commission, and the legal ad publication date.

2. When do I need to file with the Conservation Commission?

There are several types of applications that are filed with the Conservation Commission. Any application should be filed well before starting any work because the permitting process takes time.

Any proposed work within a wetland (swamp, marsh, bank, water body, land subject to flooding, river, stream, brook, etc.), within 100 feet of a wetland, or within 200 feet of a river or perennial stream needs to be filed through a Notice of Intent (NOI) and Application for Grafton Wetlands Protection Bylaw Permit.

If you are unsure if the property or the proposed work are subject to the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act or Grafton Wetlands Protection Bylaw, you may file a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA). An RDA may also be filed when work is proposed within 100 feet of a wetland but you are unsure whether the work will affect the wetland. Additionally, an RDA may be filed to verify the location of wetlands before proceeding with further planning or work.

Any land-disturbing activity (whether new, development, or redevelopment) which disturbs greater than either 40,000 square feet or 1,000 cubic yards needs to be filed through an Application for Grafton Stormwater Management Bylaw Permit.

Any project that requires both the NOI/Application for Grafton Wetlands Protection Bylaw Permit as well as the Application for Grafton Stormwater Management Bylaw Permit may file the combined application.

3. What do these signs mean?

These signs indicate the presence of a resource area protected under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and the Grafton Wetlands Protection Bylaw. Under the Bylaw, the Conservation Commission prohibits alteration and disturbance within twenty-five feet of resource areas. This area is called the no-disturb zone. As a condition of a Wetlands Permit, the Commission may require signage to ensure notification, recognition of, and respect for, resource area boundaries. These signs shall not be removed or relocated without written authorization from the Grafton Conservation Commission.