Littleton Board of Health Approves Two Permits, Defers Room Count Policy Decision

LITTLETON -- August 28, 2024, Littleton Board of Health approves two basement permits and defers room count policy to a fall retreat. The three-member quorum, Chair Matt Wasson, Kevin Davis, and Dan Kane, unanimously approved a finished-basement plan at 6 Porter Road, finding the 10-to-11 room count compliant with the property's five-bedroom septic system, and approved a Presby replacement septic system at 510 Great Road with a two-foot groundwater offset reduction allowing gravity-fed operation, presented by Evan Carloni of Innovative Septic Design. Extended deliberation on the board's draft room count policy produced no vote; Health Director Francis Daigle reported new construction foundation data showing a mean of 1,450 square feet and median of 1,394 square feet, which members used to debate whether a large open basement should count as one room or several, with Kane warning that any numeric threshold "can be gamed" and risks ceasing to function as policy if waivers become routine. The board also discussed drafting a strongly worded letter condemning the closure of Nashoba Valley Medical Center, expected August 31, with Davis volunteering a draft; Kane, citing his EMS background, warned the closure could extend regional ambulance turnaround times from 45 minutes to two hours per call.