Conservation Commission

Conservation Agent

 Kate Van Olst

email: conservation@townofgbma.gov

Office Hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:00 am -3:00 pm; and Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm; however, the office may be closed during site visits. Please note that the office is now in the Building Department, on the 2nd floor.

If you have any questions concerning a project, you can call the office or fill out a WPA Form 1 Request for Determination of Applicability. This form is designed to answer any questions on whether your project is in a protected area and whether the work will affect the environment or not.

Filing Deadline: Friday at noon, two and a half (2 1/2) weeks before the public hearing. Nine copies must be delivered to the Town Hall on or before the deadline. Please call the office at 413-528-1619, press 2, 8 with any questions.

Meetings

  • 6:30 pm
  • 4th Wednesday of the Month
  • Town Hall

Members Appointed

  • Jeffrey Cohen, Chair
    Term Expires: 2028
  • Andrew Didio, Vice Chair
    Term Expires: 2028
  • Michael Lanoue, Member
    Term Expires: 2026
  • VACANY, Member
    Term Expires: 2027
  • Andrew Mankin, Member
    Term Expires: 2028
  • Kate Van Olst, Member
    Term Expires: 2027
  • Ashlee VanDeusen, Member
    Term Expires: 2026

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available before the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Overview

Function

The 1957 Conservation Commission Act authorized each city and town in Massachusetts to establish a locally appointed municipal agency to plan for natural resource protection, acquire important land and water areas, and manage these properties for conservation and passive recreation. It is also the work of the Great Barrington Conservation Commission to locally administer the Wetlands Protection Act (WPA; MGL Ch 131, S40), the Rivers Protection Act (Acts of 1996, Ch. 258), and the Great Barrington Wetlands Protection By-laws (Ch. 168). The purpose of the Regulations is to protect public and private water supply, groundwater supply, flood control, storm damage protection, prevention of pollution, protection of land containing shellfish, protection of fisheries, and protection of wildlife habitat. The Regulations prohibit any filling, excavation, or other alteration of the land surface, water levels, or vegetation in or near wetlands, without a permit from the local Conservation Commission. Our responsibility is to review project plans, including construction, renovations, alterations, additions, pruning, tree cutting, land clearing, river clean up, and any activity within 100' of a lake, pond, vegetated wetland, or intermittent stream, within 200' of any perennial river (except for any river, lake or pond that is a public or private water supply, where the set back is 500'), and any work within floodplains.