Ayer Conservation Commission Votes to Issue Orion Park Drive Road Extension Order

AYER -- June 11, 2026, Ayer Conservation Commission unanimously approved an Order of Conditions for a cul-de-sac road extension on Orion Park Drive and recommended Andy MacGregor to fill its vacant seat. The 4-0 vote on the Notice of Intent filed by Sawyer May, LLC clears most hurdles for the project, though the commission will not sign the order until its June 25 meeting, pending receipt of a formal determination letter from the state Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program regarding a vernal pool and a conservation restriction recorded on the deed 19 years ago. Joe Cataldo, manager of Sawyer May, LLC, said the Natural Heritage reviewer "needs a little bit of time to confirm that everything is in order" and hoped to deliver the letter before a vacation beginning around June 30. Special conditions added to the order include a snow storage plan, no-dumping signage on catch basins, and a prohibition on calcium chloride applications near the cul-de-sac. In a separate 4-0 vote, the commission chose MacGregor, a newly arrived electrical engineer who moved to Ayer in December 2025, over Jacob Solon, a Sandy Pond-area resident and member of the 71 Sandy Pond committee, citing MacGregor's technical background as the deciding factor; the recommendation goes to the Select Board on Tuesday, June 17. George Bacon was also elected Vice Chair unanimously.