The Conservation Commission - Its Roles and Responsibilities
With nine state-designated "Great Ponds," more than any other town in Berkshire County, the West Branch of the Farmington River, and a significant amount of protected state forest land - Otis State Forest, Tolland State Forest and Beartown State Forest - Otis has earned a reputation as the "outdoor playground of the Berkshires." Vacationers and day-trippers flock to the town, drawn by its water resources and undeveloped woodlands.
An estimated 60 to 70 percent of the town's residences are owned by second-home owners. Some are drawn by opportunities to hunt and to fish in pristine waters. Others are attracted by a variety of water-based recreational opportunities: waterskiing, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing. Many come simply to relax and enjoy lakeside vistas.
Protection of the town's water resources is the primary responsibility of the Conservation Commission, which serves as the permitting (issuing) authority for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection under the commonwealth's Wetlands Protection Act and its regulations, 310 CMR 10.
The commission strives to work with its residents, property owners and taxpayers - and with their agents, consultants and contractors - to ensure the protection of our wetland resources. Only through communication and collaboration can we ensure the preservation of our pristine water bodies, the wildlife that is dependent on them, the groundwater that supplies our private wells, the wetlands that provide flood control superior to any devised by man - and the property values that are inextricably connected to protection of the natural resources that make Otis attractive to residents and vacationers alike.
Meetings: 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
*Meetings and office hours are rescheduled when dates fall on a legal holiday. Click here for the 2009 meeting schedule and current agendas and minutes
The deadline for submission of applications to be heard at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting is 3 p.m. on the first Monday of that month (or the following Tuesday, if the first Monday falls on a holiday).
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