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Conservation Commission Minutes 03/21/12
FINAL
Present for the Conservation Commission and attending the meeting were:  Sandy Broyard, Dick Smith, Wesley Cottle, Caitlin Jones and Chuck Hodgkinson.  Chris Alley, Matt Dix, Tom Tate, Joe Wahler (Stephen Stimson Associates), Josh Scott, Jen Jamgochian and Tom DellaRocco also attended.  Richard Steves, Pam Goff and Donald Poole were absent.  

The meeting came to order at 12:30 PM.  The Commission appointed Sandy Broyard as acting Chair.   Wesley Cottle and Caitlin Jones were appointed as voting members for the day’s agenda. The site visits were made on March 20.  

NOI SE 12 – 649; MATT FLANDERS FOR BLUE SKY MV, LTD.; 40 Cobbs Hill Rd.; AP 11-23.3:  Ms. Broyard opened the public hearing at 12:32 PM.  Mr. Flanders summarized the plan to remove 25-30 pitch pine saplings (less than 6” diameter) and understory growth to create an open space for re-vegetation and perpetual maintenance.  The tree stumps will be left in place and all work will be done by hand.  An existing wooden fence enclosure will be expanded to screen pool equipment.  Evergreen vines and several varieties of Rhododendron will be planted in the cleared area.  The disturbed area will be covered with aged wood chip mulch.  New plants will be inoculated with mycorrhizae to aid in root establishment.  A temporary drip irrigation system will be installed for the first three years of growth.   The activity will take place in the 100-foot buffer zone of the Wades Cove Coastal Bank.

The Commission discussed the observations made at the site visit.  With no public comment a motion was made to close the hearing at 12:37 PM.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.  A subsequent motion was made to approve the plan as presented.  The motion was seconded and with no comment unanimously approved with four in favor.

RFD MATT DIX FOR MV LAND BANK COMMISSION; off Tea Lane;               AP 12-4.1, 38.2:  Mr. Dix summarized the plan to construct a 1000 sq. ft., 3-car trailhead off Tea Lane in the buffer zone of a Bordering Vegetated Wetland.  The  parking area will be 50 feet from the wetland edge.  In addition, an existing bar-way will be relocated to an upland location.  This will greatly reduce the impact on a wetland.  A 200 ft. connector trail is proposed and will run along the the field edge.   The trail is in the buffer zone of a Bordering Vegetated Wetland.  The closest section of the connector trail will be 10 feet from the wetland edge.  Lastly, a small stand of invasive trees along Tea Lane near the Middle Road intersection will be removed and mowed 3-4 times per year.  This work is also in the buffer zone of a Bordering Vegetated Wetland.

After brief discussion of the site visit a motion was made for a negative determination.  The motion was seconded.  In discussion Ms. Jones mentioned she did not like the possible use of Rodeo to inhibit the re-sprouting of the invasive trees along Tea Lane.  Mr. Dix said he will discuss its use with the NHESP and if done, make sure they obtain the necessary licenses.  The motion came to a vote and passed unanimously with four in favor.

DISCUSSION TOM DELLA ROCCO FOR ROCKEFELLER; SE 12 – 536;             6 Greenhouse Lane; AP 33-31:  Review maintenance plan for approved coastal bank stabilization plan as specified in Order of Conditions.  Mr. DellaRocco summarized the work that has been performed and shared pictures of the successful establishment of the beach grass.  He then reviewed the additional 80 feet of maintenance work that is needed to the property line.  After brief discussion a motion was made to approve the maintenance plan as presented.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved with four in favor.

DISCUSSION JOE WAHLER OF STEPHEN STIMSON & ASSOCIATES AND TOM TATE FOR ADAM ZOIA; SE 12 – 604; 18 Point Inner Way; AP 33-114:     Mr. Tate reviewed the history of the original location and the revised, final and approved location for the four air conditioning “chillers” that will service the main house.  He added they would like to keep the chillers in the approved location but install them in a below-grade, concrete bunker with a steel grate cover at grade level.  This will reduce the mechanical noise of the chillers.  The area will have shrubs around its perimeter to visually screen the bunker.  The Commission asked how the rain water will drain from the bunker.  Mr. Tate added the chillers will be on concrete slabs and will have gravel drainage around each slab within the concrete vault.  

After much discussion a motion was made to declare the change as inconsequential with the condition that a hardware cloth with a maximum ¼ inch mesh size be permanently placed over the steel grate to allow for wildlife passage.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved with four in favor.

Mr. Wahler reviewed the overall site plan and the approved landscape features as signed by the Commission and dated 6/2/10.  He compared the features with a new, color site plan the Commission subsequently hand-dated 3/21/12.  The purpose was to review the sequential installation plan and features to re-landscape the entire parcel of land including the final driveway and parking area.  

  • Mr. Wahler indicated the four large, Norway Maple trees that are outside the established work area and within the buffer zone that slopes down to the fresh water pond will remain in place.
  • He said the previous 2.1-acres of lawn will be reduced to 0.75-acre as originally approved.
  • He confirmed an additional 15,000 sq. ft. of woody buffer zone will be planted along the northern edge of the wetland and fresh water pond edge.
  • The buffer zone along the top of the Quitsa Pond coastal bank near the main house will be increased to the retaining wall and become a blue stem meadow that will not be mowed.
  • The small remaining stand of bamboo that is on the edge of the fresh water pond will be removed by hand.  No herbicides, fertilizers or chemicals of any kind will be used on the entire site as previously conditioned.
  • The new water well that was drilled in the fall of 2011 (SE 12 – 644) will be abandoned along with the associated water and electrical lines as the water quality was no different than the existing well.
  • The two underground 5,000-gallon water storage tanks and their intended use were discussed.  The previous meeting minutes outlining the approved cistern-supplied irrigation system were also reviewed.  The two underground water storage tanks are to supply filtered water for domestic household use.  They are not intended to supply water for a permanent underground irrigation system.  The Commission explained it is also responsible for protecting the ground water resource.  The neighborhood has a history of water well quality problems as experienced with the abandoned new water well.  After much discussion the following was confirmed:
  • One ground water supplied 5,000 gallon storage tank may be used for a temporary, above-ground irrigation system for the first two years after planting to ensure sufficient water is available to establish the root systems.  This water source may only be used for irrigation until July 2014.  This above ground system and its connection to the 5,000 gallon water storage tank shall be dismantled no later than August 2014 and before a Certificate of Compliance may be issued for SE 12 – 604.
  • A permanent, underground maintenance irrigation system may be installed provided its water is supplied from a network of cisterns as originally approved.  The cisterns will collect the storm water runoff from the three buildings and the tennis court—to protect the ponds and wetlands.
  • The applicant shall return to the Commission with an overall site plan that outlines both the temporary above-ground irrigation system and the permanent underground cistern-supplied irrigation system.  This site plan shall be reviewed and approved before the systems are installed.  
 ADMINISTRATION:  

The March 7, 2012 Meeting Minutes were approved as presented by consensus.  The following documents were signed:  

Determination of Applicability MV Land Bank; AP 12-4.1, 38.2.
Order of Conditions SE 12 – 649; MV Blue Sky, Ltd.; AP 11-23.3.

With no further business to conduct the meeting adjourned at 2:15 PM.

Respectfully submitted by Chuck Hodgkinson, C.A.S.