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.