Conservation Commission votes to pursue litigation over West Street wetlands violations

MANSFIELD — May 18, 2026 — Mansfield Conservation Commission votes 5-0 to pursue court action over ongoing wetlands violations on Forbes Boulevard and West Street. The commission authorized Town Counsel to seek Select Board approval to initiate litigation for injunctive relief under the town's Wetlands Protection Bylaw, the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, and the February 17, 2026 enforcement order covering 120 and 130 Forbes Boulevard and three West Street parcels. Commission agent Caitlin Healy said a memorandum of understanding submitted by one West Street party the night of the May 6 deadline was unsigned, incomplete, and contained no deadlines or identified remediation professionals, in contrast to detailed, signed letters from Forbes Boulevard property owners Dogwood Tac Prop Co. and Brickman Forbes Boulevard LLC, who were represented by attorney Michael McDermott of Dane Torpy. The commission also continued, to June 29, a hearing on an amended Order of Conditions for a New England FC soccer complex at 283 Gilbert Street, pending stormwater engineer sign-off and a redesign of auxiliary parking near the wetland buffer, where applicant Rich Richio of Field Engineering proposed a 2.1-to-1 wetland replication ratio on 5,980 square feet against 2,800 square feet of fill.