Auburn Conservation Commission Hires Consultant to Assess Rockland Road Erosion Controls

AUBURN — July 8, 2026 — Auburn Conservation Commission votes to hire consultant amid ongoing Rockland Road erosion dispute. The commission voted unanimously at its July 8 meeting to hire an independent consultant to determine whether erosion control measures at a Rockland Road recycling facility are adequately protecting a neighboring resident's property and Kettle Brook, after abutter Mr. Chandler presented photographs and video of muddy runoff reaching his yard during a July 7 rainstorm. Chairman Michael Garland said the site remained in legal limbo because a pending state DEP appeal — which he estimated could take until late fall 2026 to resolve — bars the property owner from completing the permitted construction work that both sides agree would permanently fix the erosion. In separate unanimous votes, the commission issued a negative wetland determination for 39 Prospect Street after Conservation Agent Nat Bickford found no hydric soils or wetland vegetation at the site, and directed Triton Storage to inspect its erosion controls and clean up road sediment roughly three months after a prior letter went unanswered.