MINUTES
Becket Conservation Commission
Becket Town Hall 6:30 PM
November 18, 2010
The Meeting is called to order at 6:30 PM.
Commissioners Present: Richard Pryor, Vice Chair, KathyVsetecka, Commissioner and Agent; Bud Moylan; Marty Winters
Member absent: Scott Morley, Purr McEwen
1. Approval of October 21, 2010 Minutes
Motion to approve by Budd, seconded by Richard, all in favor.
2. Continued Request for Determination of Applicability Nancy Bridges 20 Spruce
Dr. Map 408 lot 42 Possibility of dredging pond
A site visit was done by Kathy, Bud and Purr. They looked at the pond and there is no inlet—the pond is there due to underground springs. There were no wetlands in the area and it is under 10,000 sq ft therefore it is non jurisdictional. There is an outlet pipe that controls the level of the pond. The Commission will advise the contractor that if he was to dig and enlarge the pond, it could bring it under conservation’s jurisdiction.
Bud motioned to issue a Negative Determination that this is non-jurisdictional, Kathy seconded, all in favor.
3. Continued Request for Determination of Applicability Crystal Pond Homeowner
Association Crystal Pond spillway Map 413 lot 75 Cleaning of spillway and adding rip rap
Mr. Harvey Lerner representing. He intends to go with the original plans he submitted. The site visit was done. Bud commented on the rip rap work to be done. At the high water mark of the pond, the back is considered wetland and the applicant was advised to not go near that area where the tall weeds are. Therefore start at the existing rip rip and go south avoiding the weeded area.
Bud motioned to issue a Negative Determination with the conditions that this project stays away from the high water mark of the lake and 20 feet back from the existing rip rap; he needs to reseed and clean up the damage done by the small excavator. Note: the spillway is actually the overflow. Seconded by Richard, all in favor.
4. Continued Notice of Intent Robert Hayes King Richard Drive Map 216 lot 323
DEP #102-370 Construction of a single family house with associated amenities
Ann Bruzzi representing from Berkshire Engineering. The Commission did a site meeting. A single-family, 1 bedroom residential house with a deck is proposed with a driveway, septic area with a pump leading to the leaching field, well and a 3-4 foot tall retaining wall. Erosion measures are outlined on the map. A silt fence will go around the whole lot and where there is potential for silt runoff, straw wattles are proposed. There is a roll-out, aluminum dock with DEP specifications outlined; this is not a Great Pond therefore no Chapter 91 approval is necessary. There is a wetland in this area. They will go to the Zoning Board the first week of December to discuss setback issues. If zoning doesn’t approve of the proposal, the house will be moved but the limit of work will remain the same. There is a
daylight drain with a slurry pit for the well and dewatering. Once the well is drilled the erosion controls will be moved up as well as double erosion controls implemented due to the grade of the slope. Brandon Bailey, of Benton Hill Road, an environmental student at Westfield State College, asked about the dock being brought in and out of the wetlands and what kind of damage it would incur. Ann said that a 15 minute process conducted twice a year will not permanently impact the wetlands. The plants will grow back. Filter fabric could be used to distribute the weight of the wheels of the dock and removed once done. Prior to approval, Richard wants to know the specifications of the dock including the make and model. Ann also assured him that the dock must meet the specifications as outlined in the NOI. As for the question regarding Land Under Water Body numbers that was requested by Kathy, Ann said to check with DEP regarding temporary disturbance and whether numbers are necessary.
A motion was made by Marty to approve with the conditions that there is 6 sq feet of LUWW being temporary altered along with another set of erosion controls---silt fence with straw bales—15 feet from the deck, if the dock requires movement through the wetland than road stabilization fabric measures be implemented, the dock be stored out of the wetlands and Becket Standard Conditions. After the well is installed, the construction to install the well should be removed to the inner limit of silt fence, the area seeded and stabilized. Prior to the installation of the dock, new plans need to be submitted. Seconded by Richard, all in favor.
5. Request for Determination of Applicability Mark Millett (Alan and Monica
Benedict) 255 Beech Tree Lane Map 407 lot 71 Extending existing parking area
into buffer zone to a resource area
A site inspection was conducted. The different maps used by the builder and the building inspector show a discrepancy regarding the setbacks from the other lot. The addition may need to be closer to the lake which will expand the parking area but this will not affect the wetlands. The changes that might be necessary due to the discrepancy was outlined on the plans and signed.
A motion was made by Bud to issue a Negative Determination with a possible extension of 6 feet into the lawn area for parking, with a silt fence from the corner of the screened porch to the wooded area, along with Becket Standard Conditions, Seconded by Richard, all in favor.
6. Other Business/Administrative Business
a. Reports have been received from Greenwater Pond regarding the weed pulling and drawdown.
* The progress is positive. There will always be weeds there but the phragmities have been reduced 85-90% by the hand pulling, plant cutting, etc. The milfoil is still there.
b. Report received from Becket-Chimney corners YMCA Camps—“Work
Plan for Expanded Initial Site Assessment Becket-Chimney Corners
YMCA Camps Old Dump Areas 10/22/2010
* Work plan has been submitted and is on file.
c. Other
* Center Pond Weed Pulling Aquatic Control report submitted by Mercedes Gallagher and is on file. There still exists purple loose strife down at the lake along the shoreline and east of the town beach. Permission has been received by Ms.Rosner to cut back the phragmities; and Dave McWilliams came in with his weed whacker to cut some of them.
· The Pinkus property was inspected, everything looks fine. Area has been restored satisfactorily. The footbridge will be restored under a permit.
· Becket Woods Culverts inspected and rip rap needs to be applied.
· The Becket Woods Lake had stairs removed and rebuilt without Conservation being notified. Erosion has already been noticed; Kathy will contact John Amato.
A motion made to close the meeting by Bud, seconded by Richard. All in favor. Meeting closed 7:33 p.m.
Scott Morley, Chair Date
Richard Pryor, Vice Chair Date
Kathy Vsetecka, Commissioner/Agent Date
Bud Moylan, Commissioner Date
Purr McEwen, Commissioner Date
Marty Winters, Commissioner Date
Respectfully Submitted,
Martie Martin
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