How do I apply for an Order of Resource Area Delineation?

Several weeks before the application: obtain a list of abutters from the Assessor's office in Town Hall; fill out the Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Determination (ANRAD) application form; and prepare site plans and other supporting materials. Wetlands boundaries should be marked by a professional wetlands scientist, and the scientist should provide a report describing the basis for the delineations. Site plans must be surveyed by a Professional Land Surveyor.

Submit the application materials to the Conservation office in Town Hall two weeks before a regular Commission meeting date. (View 2015 Meeting Dates (PDF)). Also, send a copy to DEP Northeast Regional Office in Wilmington, and submit the State filing fee to DEP.

Upon receipt of the application materials, the Commission and Administrator will schedule site inspections, mail the legal notice to the abutters, publish the legal notice in the newspaper, and place the matter on their next agenda for a public hearing.

After conducting the hearing, the Commission will issue an Order of Resource Area Delineation (ORAD). At a minimum, the process takes about 4 weeks from submittal to date of issue. The ORAD will include findings concerning the types of wetlands present on the site and the accuracy of the delineations, based on the information submitted by the applicant, observed during site inspections, and provided by other reliable sources.

If information is not sufficient for the Commission to confirm a delineation, the Commission may continue the hearing and request additional information from the applicant, or may make findings related to the incompleteness of the information. It may be particularly difficult to confirm delineations during the winter months when plants are dormant and snow hides soils and topography. Applicants are best advised to file an ANRAD between April and October.

An ORAD is valid for three years. It may not be revised or extended. If delineation is not complete in the ORAD, further boundary confirmation may occur when a Notice of Intent is filed for work on the site.

Show All Answers

1. What are wetlands?
2. Why are wetlands important?
3. What laws apply to wetlands in Reading?
4. How can I tell if there are wetlands on or near my property?
5. When do I need to get a wetlands permit?
6. What kinds of permits are there, and which one should I apply for?
7. What happens after I receive the permit?
8. Where can I obtain further information?
9. How do I apply for a Minor Project Permit?
10. How do I apply for a Determination of Applicability?
11. How do I apply for an Order of Resource Area Delineation?
12. How do I apply for an Order of Conditions?