Town of Bellingham
Conservation Commission
North Community Building
Bellingham, MA 02019
Minutes of the meeting of March 14, 2012
Project: 105-615 Project Description:
CNOI Hartford Avenue / Shoppes at Bellingham Phase I
14 building, parking areas, stormwater & wastewater mgt., & new access road off North Main Street
Applicant: Representative:
Robert Frazier ERM / Ann McMenemy
W/S Development 399 Boylston St.
1330 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Plans: Proposed Site & Roadway, notice of Intent Permit Plans, Revised 4/27/2011
Drainage Report, The Shoppes at Bellingham, Appendix A & Appendix B, rev 4/27/2011
Continuation time: 7:30 PM
Attending the hearing were Austin Turner, Ann McMenemy, and Tom Sexton. After the continuation was opened, Austin Turner presented copies of the results of the boring groundwater elevations taken last Saturday, March 10th on the Hartford Avenue site with several members of the Commission, Bob Frazier and Austin Turner. He stated there are still some disagreement between the Commission and the applicant regarding the bottom elevations of some of the infiltration basins especially considering that the borings do not take into account mottles and actual groundwater. He also stated that Tom Sexton recommends placing more credence in the test pits. For instance Tom recommends an elevation of 218.6 in Infiltration Basin 1 whereas Austin has designed it at 211.6 based on test pit data for groundwater elevations in close
proximity to that proposed basin. Mr. Turner stated that DEP standards require two feet of separation and he believes that he not only has met that requirement, but also the four feet of separation required under the Water Resource Bylaw. Cliff Matthews explained that the local wetland by law also requires four feet of separation. Cliff was insistent that the science must be accurate so as to avoid another basin design similar to what the town experienced recently with the Pulaski Boulevard reconstruction project. Ann McMenemy stated that since the applicant is filing under the WPA only, perhaps the Commission would accept the applicant’s basin design as proposed and place a condition in the Order of Conditions that requires modifications to the basin during construction in the event that groundwater elevations are not as assumed. Cliff Matthews responded that this was not an option as this would require significant changes to other site grading. Tom Sexton then
remarked that, after reviewing TetraTech’s data, he does not believe that the data is concise in that there are no soil colors or structure of soils. He stated that he tends to have less confidence in the submitted data. He added that after many hours of review of the logs, he recommends that all data should be reviewed for the design. Austin Turner stated that he would approach Bob Frazier to see if more testing could be performed on the site. Ann McMenemy then distributed information relative to the non-applicability of Area T to Section 401 Water Quality Certification. Her conclusion was that wetland T does not receive any additional protection even though it is a vernal pool. The Commission checked the plans to confirm that Are T is not proposed as a settling basin. Cliff Matthews then stated that the Commission would not likely permit any activity in Area T. By unanimous vote, the hearing was continued to March 28th at 8:00 PM for one half
hour.
289 Hartford Avenue Informational meeting/ Medway Mulch proposal/ Matt Fasolino and Paul DeSimone (Colonial Engineering)/ not scheduled on agenda
Matt Fasolino and Paul DeSimone approached the Commission to discuss the 289 Hartford Avenue Medway Mulch proposal. Mr. DeSimone stated that George Holmes had just recently informed Mr.
Conservation Commission
Minutes of the meeting of March 14, 2012
Page 2
Fasolino that he had to file with the Commission. Mr. Fasolino was also contacted by the Planning Board and told that he had to obtain a Bulk Storage Permit for the site. Cliff Matthews then informed Mr.
Fasolino that the Commission was unsure if Mr. Fasolino had encroached onto property owned by Charles River Center held as a Conservation Restriction by the Conservation Commission. Paul DeSimone stated that he did a very thorough deed research and he believes that the survey is correct. Cliff will get the CR plan name and date to Paul so that Paul can confirm that there is no encroachment onto that abutting property. Paul DeSimone then stated that a small wetland depression exists on Mr. Fasolino’s lot and that wetland flags have been placed by someone other than the applicant (most probably the electric company). He requested that the Commission meet him on site on Saturday, March 17th to review the wetland flags and to confirm the location of proposed erosion controls. Mr. DeSimone will submit a Notice of
Intent under the local bylaw early next week in order to be scheduled on the April 11th meeting.
128 Mechanic Street/Wickett property
Mr. DeSimone then requested some time with the Commission to discuss the recent request of Mr. Wickett to remove the Enforcement Orders on his property. Paul presented a plan dated August 17, 2010 that showed the location of a six foot chain link fence as agreed upon in the field by Mr. Wickett and the Commission on August 16, 2010. Cliff Matthews made a note that this plan was never submitted to the Commission. He stated that the plan that was submitted in August of 2010 showed the fence located on the 25 foot no disturb zone and was never accepted by the Commission. Mr. DeSimone stated that at that time, Mr. Yorkis had told Mr. DeSimone to revise the plan to relocate the fence to the 25 foot no disturb zone and submit that plan to the Commission. Mr. DeSimone therefore never submitted the August 2010 plan that showed the
location of the fence that was agreed upon in the field in 2010. The Commission asked Mr. DeSimone to contact Mr. Wickett to tell him that he should file a Notice of Intent seeking removal of fill, the result of a previous long standing violation and placement of a fence on the site as referred to in Cliff’s letter at or around that time.
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The minutes of the meeting of Feb. 8, 2012 and Feb. 22, 2012 were accepted with minor corrections.
George Holmes presented a plan showing two addition proposals to the Georgia Pacific Blue Linx facility. George also presented a plan and pictures showing existing trees located on 30 S. Main Street. The Commission agreed that tree removal must be addressed in a filing with the Commission.
Attending the meeting were: Cliff Matthews, Barry Lariviere, Neal Standley, Brian Norton, Michael O’Herron, Anne Matthews, and George Holmes.
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