Are you buying undeveloped land, building a home, a retail center or simply adding an addition to your house?
In every case, the presence of the wetlands may affect where to build, buy or develop. For many years wetlands, sometimes falsely considered valueless and unproductive, were drained or filled for farms, residential developments, commercial buildings, highways and roads. During the past several decades our understanding and appreciation of wetlands have increased.
The City's Wetlands Board has jurisdiction for non-vegetated wetlands that lie between mean low water and mean high water, and for vegetated wetlands, from mean low water to an elevation one and one-half times the mean tide range. Permission to fill, alter, or build in or around wetlands is usually required. To learn more about the permitting requirements,
click here.