By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD – The Conservation Commission wants more details on the plans to eradicate Japanese knotweed from the area of 572-596 North Ave., just to the north of the Knights of Columbus building. The site is the future location of a 36-unit 40B affordable housing project, which was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals earlier this year.
Tuesday night’s continued hearing before the Conservation Commission related to a Notice of Intent for the construction of the apartment building, parking, stormwater management and invasive species management.
Representing developers Dana Lopez and Ray Nickerson, civil Engineer Chris Sparages presented a revised plan for the site.
He said that a tree inventory for the site had identified 18 viable trees, all of which were of the deciduous variety. He said that the development plan calls for planting 30 new trees.
Much of the hearing was devoted to the plan for dealing with the abundant Japanese knotweed on the site. He noted that the Commission had previously requested a detailed plan for the removal of the Japanese knotweed, which is currently tall and dense over much of the site.
Sparages described the plan to eradicate the invasive plant species by first cutting it down and then treating the stems with herbicide. The root systems would then be dug up and removed. After treatment and removal, he said, a series of native shrubs would be planted.
Conservation agent Rebecca Davis wondered if smothering the root systems would make more sense than digging them up, although she acknowledged that it would take longer and may not be as effective.
Sparages said that the plan is to remove the root systems by hand using shovels to avoid bringing in mechanical equipment which might cause more disturbance near the wetland. He said that his preference would be to stick to his previously described removal plan. But after further discussion, he indicated that he was leaning toward eliminating the herbicide treatment from the plan due to the proximity to the wetland. He admitted that Japanese knotweed can be very difficult to eradicate completely but said that he has had success in the past. The key, he said, is to keep after it.
Sparages said that he would contact the state DEP for their advice regarding the herbicide treatment and report back to the Commission at their Aug. 15 meeting.
Last February, the Zoning Board of appeals approved the 40B project. An earlier proposal for this site had called for three two-family homes. But at Town Meeting in 2020, voters defeated a minor zoning change that was needed to allow the three duplexes. The developers then came back with the proposal for a 40B project with 36 units in one large building.