Government
Excavating Company Disputes Town’s Claims in Wetlands Violation, Roadway Damage
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The foreman of a Norwalk company accused of violating local wetlands regulations in New Canaan in one case and damaging a public road in another says his crews are not at fault in either matter. Town officials last month assessed a $1,000 fine against M. Lato Excavating & Tree Service, saying that on Aug. 5 inspectors checking on an entirely different project at 86 Hoyt Farm Road (a swimming pool and pavilion installation) noticed that fill had been “graded, topsoiled and seeded in large areas on either side of the existing driveway and down to and partially in wetlands.”
“No soil and erosion controls are installed,” town officials said in a Municipal Citation letter sent to Mike Lato, head of the company. (The specific regulation violated is contained in sections 5.4 and 7 of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations, officials say.)
Separately, town officials are seeking $3,500 from the same company for damaging with heavy excavating equipment the visibly scarred roadway near 131 Soundview Lane, site of another Lato project. Bernard Esposito, manager for Lato on both projects, told NewCanaanite.com that the company didn’t do what the town believes it did.