The Conservation Commission welcomes and encourages public participation.

• Please register here to attend an upcoming meeting.
• See here for permit filing instructions and deadlines.

The Conservation Commission protects and manages Arlington’s wetlands and conservation lands. The commission issues permits for projects that follow state and local wetland regulations.

• Landscaping
• Cutting trees or shrubs
• Building an addition
• Building a deck or patio
• Expanding or changing driveways
• Grading, excavating, or filling
• Changing stormwater runoff patterns
• Any other activity that may affect wetland resource areas or buffer zones

You can use the town’s wetlands and floodplain map to determine if your project needs a permit from the Conservation Commission. Then, follow these instructions to file your wetland permit application.

Find out more about which activities need a permit and how you can help protect wetland health. Read Living in Environmental Resource Areas.

If you have questions, contact us at 781-316-3012 or concomm@town.arlington.ma.us.

At any time, there are seven Commissioners and one or more Associate Commissioners. Associate Commissioners are appointed by the Town Manager with the approval of the Select Board and do not vote.

The Conservation Commission usually meets the first and third Thursdays of each month beginning at 7:00 pm. Meetings are open to the public and agendas for meetings are posted on the Town website. This Conservation Commission meeting guide describes what you can expect to encounter during a Conservation Commission meeting.

Legally, the term wetland includes more than the areas we tend to think of as wetlands. The law includes streams, ponds, and marshes, but also areas that may be dry for a significant part of the year. The Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and its regulations contain the definitions. Wetlands are often defined by the occurrence of surface water and/or the presence of wetland plants.

A floodplain is an area that experiences surface flooding during storms. State law protects two types of floodplain areas. The more common floodplain areas are next to ponds and streams. The areas are defined by calculating the effects of a 100-year storm. A 100-year storm is the worst storm that can be expected to occur, on average, once every 100 years.

The law says that no one may "remove, fill, dredge, or alter" any wetland without a permit. This includes any floodplain or any land within 100 feet of a wetland. The term "alter" includes activities like:

• destroying or removing vegetation
•  changing drainage characteristics or flow patterns
•  causing any change in the water table

Why are wetlands and floodplains so important?

The Conservation Commission also manages many conservation lands. These are basically undeveloped natural areas maintained for passive recreation and habitat value. Some, but not all, are also in regulated areas. We welcome the involvement of volunteer stewards to help care for these areas. Visit the Conservation Land Stewards page for more information.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer