The town council is revisiting the need for wetlands ordinances, but this time it is forming a Bedford Conservation Commission subcommittee to further study the issue.

At its Dec. 21 meeting, the council approved the subcommittee, which will be made up of four residents. Commission member Kermit Zerr said the subcommittee will study the need for the regulations around wetland areas.

“I made it very clear that we wouldn’t be seeking some other form of amendment to the ordinance. That it would be a forum that would allow us to gather input from the general public and explore all options,” said Zerr.

The subcommittee will recommend what is best by “balancing the needs of the towns and the commission, versus the rights and the respect of specific landowners,” said Zerr.

The recommendations may include education rather than increased buffer zones, Zerr said. In early 2006, the planning board recommended creating setbacks and buffers for wetlands of exceptional value, prohibiting the building of certain structures and cutting of trees within a designated area – a move that angered many residents.

Resident William Dermody Jr. said the council might want to limit the scope of the subcommittee’s study because voters have already weighed in on the issue.

“In March this year, there was a vote taken and 80 percent of the voters -- over 3,700 of them -- said ‘no’ to any additional buffers on the 20 significant wetlands,” he said.

The proposed zoning amendment would have prohibited the construction within 100 feet of 21 town wetlands. Also, no tree could be cut down within 50 feet of one of these wetlands.

Councilor Paul Roy said the subcommittee will address voter concerns. Roy is the council’s representative to the conservation commission.

“One of the big issues that transpired at the last election was the change in the setbacks for the wetlands. So, they wanted to take that study that was done and try to present it in a more open and understandable forum,” he said.

The conservation commission is looking for candidates to serve on the Wetlands Conservation Work Plan Subcommittee to assure preservation of the values and functions of Bedford’s wetland resources.

Interested parties should send a brief letter describing why they would be a good addition to the subcommittee. All letters should be sent to the Bedford Town Council, 24 N. Amherst Road, Bedford, NH 03110, no later than Friday, Jan. 12.