Clinton approves Old Nod Road landfill closure plan

Inland Wetlands · Meeting of July 8, 2026

CLINTON — The Clinton Inland Wetlands Commission approved a plan to close and cap the former Old Nod Road landfill and accepted a new application to replace the deteriorating Country Village Lane bridge. Engineer Emily Kelting of Loureiro Engineering told the commission the 9.26-acre site, a former town landfill operated from 1960 to 1979, remains under a 1990 state consent order and needs a new two-foot cover system with regraded slopes and storm water detention basins sized for a 100-year storm. Construction is expected to take about two years and will disturb 0.1 acres of a low-functioning wetland.

A commission member pushed back on the storm sizing standard itself, saying "there's no such thing now as a 100-year storm," citing a recent July 4 storm. The commission approved the application unanimously with six conditions, including town engineer review of storm water plans and submission of as-built plans within 90 days of completion. Separately, engineer David Chichia of BL Companies presented a plan to replace four failing 1970-era culverts under Country Village Lane with a single 20-foot box culvert; the commission scheduled a site walk for July 23 at 6 p.m.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,952 words

Source: the Inland Wetlands meeting of July 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Country Village Lane Bridge Replacement

Background and stakes: The four corrugated metal culverts carrying an unnamed brook beneath Country Village Lane were installed in 1970 and have deteriorated to the point that the streambed material beneath them is washing away. The town applied for a regulated-activity permit, designated IWC 26-6, covering the roughly 10 Country Village Lane parcel, Assessor's Map 20, Block 6, Lot 117, in the R-30 zone.

The question before the body: Whether to accept the application for review and schedule the required site walk.

Substantive content: Principal engineer David Chichia of BL Companies, appearing virtually from the firm's Meriden office, told the commission the existing structure consists of four pipe arches roughly five feet wide and three feet tall, rated structurally at a two, meaning replacement is necessary. The proposed replacement is a single precast concrete box culvert 20 feet wide and six feet tall, buried under two feet of natural streambed material, leaving an effective hydraulic opening about 20 feet wide and four feet tall. The project includes roughly 400 linear feet of roadway reconstruction, new drainage outlets, and reconstruction of affected driveways. Chichia said the 100-year design storm would leave 1.8 feet of freeboard below the roadway's low point and about one foot of clearance beneath the culvert's low chord. During construction, flow will be maintained through a 36-inch bypass pipe while the roadway is rebuilt in two stages to keep one lane of traffic open at all times. The project recently received a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pre-construction notification and involves just over 4,000 square feet of wetland impact. Chichia estimated one full construction season, likely 2027 or 2028.

The deliberation: Commission members asked whether the brook's course would change (Chichia said no, it will remain in its existing location) and about the project timeline. One member disclosed a potential conflict of interest, noting personal property near the project, and was advised by colleagues that recusal would likely be warranted for a future vote given the direct property involvement, though attending the site walk as a homeowner was permissible.

Procedural steps and outcome: The commission voted to accept the application and scheduled a mandatory site walk for July 23 at 6 p.m., with a rain date of July 30 at the same time. The motion was seconded by Mike Florio following a motion that commission discussion attributed to Christopher Horvath; the vote carried unanimously by voice vote with no recorded opposition or abstention.

Implications and what is next: The site walk on July 23 will let residents of Country Village Lane and commission members inspect the condition of the existing culverts and the proposed work area before the commission schedules a public hearing or further review.

Cow Hill Road Public Hearing Continuance

Background and stakes: A public hearing on application IWC 26-2 for a Cow Hill Road project had been opened at a previous meeting but was not concluded.

The question before the body: Whether to continue the hearing to a later date.

Substantive content and outcome: The chair told the commission the applicant had requested the hearing be pushed to next month's meeting. Because the hearing had already been continued procedurally, no formal vote was required; the commission simply noted the continuance for the record.

Implications: Residents interested in the Cow Hill Road application will need to watch for the hearing's rescheduled date at the commission's next regular meeting.

Correspondence

The commission received two routine notifications: one from the Silverbrook Lane homeowners' association regarding chemical treatment of a pond, and one from Riverdale Farm Campground. Both were described as standard notifications requiring no commission action.

Old Nod Road Landfill Closure

Background and stakes: The roughly 9.26-acre former town landfill on Old Nod Road operated from 1960 to 1979, accepting both municipal and industrial waste. A 1980 earthen cap, ranging from six inches to two and a half feet thick, does not meet current state regulations. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued a consent order in 1990 requiring remediation, and that order remains open. At the commission's previous meeting, members determined the project does not constitute a "significant activity" under town wetlands regulations, meaning the item would not trigger a formal public hearing, a point the chair said generated public questions ahead of this meeting.

The question before the body: Whether to approve the application, designated by the commission as a regulated activity within an inland wetland and watercourse area, for closure and remediation of the former landfill, owned by the town of Clinton, with Alex Healey listed as applicant.

Substantive content: Licensed professional engineer Emily Kelting of Loureiro Engineering, appearing with colleagues identified as Dave (surname not given in the recording), Steve Diaz and John Sullivan, walked the commission through the closure design. The site is characterized by poorly drained forested wetlands with reduced ecological function due to historic disturbance and invasive vegetation, according to a soil scientist's investigation referenced in the presentation; the wetlands in the southern portion of the site were found to retain the highest ecological value and will remain undisturbed. The closure plan calls for placement and grading of fill material in two-to-three-foot lifts compacted with a vibratory roller, working from south to north across the site; installation of a minimum two-foot cover system (18 inches of low-permeability material plus six inches of topsoil and seed mix); regrading of existing one-and-a-half-to-one slopes down to a maximum of three-to-one; and construction of permanent storm water infrastructure, including detention basins sized for the 100-year storm with high- and low-level outlets. The project will disturb 0.1 acres of what the soil scientists determined is a low-functioning, man-made wetland, necessary to grade the landfill cap properly.

Kelting said the town has already secured a storm water construction general permit from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, approval of its material acceptability protocol for incoming fill, and authorization to begin stockpiling material. A Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing on the project was scheduled for the Monday following this meeting. Kelting emphasized the town will not mobilize construction equipment until it has full approval from both the wetlands commission and Planning and Zoning.

The deliberation: Commission members pressed on storm water adequacy and monitoring frequency. One member raised climate concerns directly: "I'm just a believer that there's no such thing now as a 100-year storm. They happen much more frequently, more intense," referencing a recent July 4 storm event. Kelting responded that a full hydrologic model was submitted with the application and that post-construction monitoring will occur quarterly for at least two years, then shift to semiannual monitoring indefinitely, using a mix of existing and, where damaged during construction, replacement monitoring wells. Another member asked whether the two-year construction period meant clear-cutting the entire site at once; Kelting said work would proceed sequentially from south to north, with storm water basins installed first to serve as temporary sediment control during construction. Members also asked about truck traffic tracking mud onto Old Nod Road, with Kelting noting an anti-tracking pad at the site entrance and daily cleanup protocols. On final stabilization, Kelting said the cap will require a maintained grass cover rather than reforestation, because tree root systems could disrupt the cap over time, though perimeter trees will provide visual screening.

Procedural steps and outcome: Commission member Christopher Horvath read a detailed motion into the record incorporating six findings, including that the project addresses the 1990 state consent order, that the existing cap does not meet state regulations, and that the proposed closure would sufficiently protect adjacent wetlands by meeting state construction and storm water requirements. The motion included six conditions: town engineer review of storm water design and as-built plans; submission of contractor information and a schedule at least two weeks before work begins; delivery of permit copies to contractors; wetlands enforcement officer inspection of erosion controls before construction; no deviation from reference plans without prior authorization; and submission of as-built plans within 90 days of completion. Mike Florio seconded the motion. The commission voted unanimously in favor by voice vote, with no recorded opposition or abstention.

Implications and what is next: Approval clears the town's primary wetlands hurdle for the landfill closure, though construction cannot begin until Planning and Zoning also approves the project at its upcoming public hearing. The commission's conditions place ongoing oversight responsibilities on the town engineer and the wetlands enforcement officer throughout the roughly two-year construction period.

Commission Reports and Personnel

The wetlands enforcement officer reported no new applications pending and no appeals filed on two recent enforcement decisions — one involving a property referred to as "Pepper Bush" — meaning those matters are considered resolved absent further action, with an August 2 compliance deadline noted for the next meeting. Commission members also discussed, informally, a process question about how alternates become regular members, noting that such appointments are typically made through town political committees and confirmed by the town council, with one member indicating uncertainty about their own pending status.

Public Comment

A resident in attendance asked about a bridge project connecting toward a farm property and a public beach, apparently conflating it with the evening's business. The chair clarified that project falls under Planning and Zoning and a separate town initiative, not before the wetlands commission, and offered to show the resident where to find related information at the town office.

Scott Harley — member, present Mike Florio — member, present Christopher Horvath — member, present Thomas Welch — member, present Mark Berno — member, present Amy Handler — member, present, seated as alternate in place of absent member Larry Edwards Douglas Elliott — member, absent Larry Edwards — member, absent Staff member identified only as Kathy — assisted with scheduling and Wi-Fi/Zoom logistics David Chichia — principal engineer, BL Companies, applicant representative for Country Village Lane bridge replacement (IWC 26-6), appeared virtually Emily Kelting — licensed professional engineer, Loureiro Engineering, presented on behalf of the town of Clinton for the Old Nod Road landfill closure A colleague identified only as Dave, described as president of Loureiro Engineering — present for landfill closure presentation Steve Diaz — Loureiro Engineering, present for landfill closure presentation John Sullivan — Loureiro Engineering, present for landfill closure presentation Alex Healey — listed as applicant of record for the Old Nod Road landfill closure application; did not speak Unidentified resident — public comment, asked about a separate bridge project

BL Companies — engineering firm representing the Country Village Lane bridge replacement applicant Loureiro Engineering — engineering firm representing the town of Clinton on the Old Nod Road landfill closure U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — issued a pre-construction notification for the Country Village Lane bridge project Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection — issued the 1990 consent order on the Old Nod Road landfill and approved the project's storm water construction general permit and material acceptability protocol Connecticut General Statutes Section 22a-430 — cited as the statutory basis for the DEEP general permit for storm water discharge associated with construction activities Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual — cited as the design standard for the landfill closure's storm water infrastructure Clinton Planning and Zoning Commission — scheduled to hold its own public hearing on the landfill closure the Monday following this meeting Silverbrook Lane homeowners association — submitted correspondence regarding pond treatment Riverdale Farm Campground — submitted correspondence noted by the commission IWC 26-6 — Country Village Lane bridge replacement application, accepted this meeting IWC 26-2 — Cow Hill Road application, continued to next month Old Nod Road landfill closure application — approved this meeting with six conditions