Medford Conservation Commission Approves Mystic River Tree Removal, Continues Older Case

MEDFORD — September 15, 2021 — Medford Conservation Commission approves tree removal along Mystic River, stalls on 14-year-old compliance case. The commission voted unanimously Wednesday to issue an order of conditions allowing Michael Serabian to remove all trees behind his apartment building at 74-76 High Street, within the 200-foot Mystic River riverfront area, after arborist Sean McDonald determined that all four trees posed a structural risk to the property's stone retaining wall. Special conditions require the conservation agent to inspect jute netting placement and switchgrass planting density before the project closes. On a second item, the commission voted to continue a certificate of compliance request from Lan Wang for a 2007 enforcement case at 19 Winford Way — involving an unpermitted pool and patio that encroached on DCR land — after the conservation agent reported that original approved plans and portions of the project file could not be located. The matter was continued to the commission's October 6 meeting pending receipt of 2007 drawings referenced in an engineer's letter. The case prompted commissioners to call for a shared tracking document to flag other outstanding orders of conditions that may lack certificates of compliance.