FINAL
Present for the Conservation Commission and attending the meeting were: Sandy Broyard, Chairman, Candy Shweder, Vice Chairman, Joan Malkin, Pam Goff, Bob Hungerford, Maureen Eisner and Chuck Hodgkinson. Reid Silva, Doug Cooper, Brooks Billingham, Cilla Lavin, Ira Goldklang and Chuck Sullivan also attended. Chris Murphy was absent.
The meeting came to order at 12:31 PM.
NOI SE 12 – 742; BROOKS BILLINGHAM FOR PRISCILLA LAVIN; 1 North Slope Lane; AP 14-19.1: Ms. Broyard opened the public hearing at 12:33 PM. Mr. Billingham reviewed the plans to construct a 180 sq. ft. addition with a crawl space foundation and an 85 sq. ft. deck onto the existing residence; replace an existing deck with fill and install a 600 sq. ft. patio and install a two-tiered, 125 linear feet of stone retaining walls with an integral planting bed. The activity is within the 100-foot buffer zone of Bordering Vegetated Wetlands. An existing deck that is 26 feet from a wetland edge will also be repaired. The closest activity for the changes and additions is approximately 69 feet from the wetland edge.
Mr. Cooper described the wetlands as a wooded swamp within the Roaring Brook watershed with an over-story of red maple. The ground buffer under-story is a thicket of plants such as Inkberry and Clethera. He summarized the proposed construction will convert an un-natural, mowed lawn buffer into structure. Mr. Cooper continued stating he could not quantify the impact of the work on the performance of the altered buffer zone and thought the proposal will not change the groundwater infiltration or water drainage to the wetland.
The Commission commented it usually does not allow additional living space in the buffer zone and pointed out the existing structure is largely in the buffer zone. Mr. Cooper offered that perhaps some existing lawn could be converted into native, vegetated buffer such as high bush blueberry, winterberry, and inkberry to reduce the area of managed buffer zone.
Mr. Sullivan said the roof runoff from the addition will be guttered into a dry well. After much discussion and with no further comment from the public a motion was made to close the hearing at 1:05 PM. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. A subsequent motion was made to approve the proposal with the following special conditions:
- The addition, dry-laid bluestone patio and stone walls as shown on the site plan dated 6/24/15 are approved.
- A revised site plan shall be provided to the Commission for approval with the following additional features before work begins:
An additional area of buffer zone will be converted from lawn to a naturally vegetated buffer zone. A detailed landscape plan shall be prepared for this area using native, local vegetation. Special attention shall be given to the first 50 feet of buffer zone that is closest to the wetland edge as the most critical portion of the buffer zone to the protection of the wetland interests. As reference (and not by way of limitation) approximately 650 sq. ft. of lawn in the buffer zone is being replaced with structure. This landscape plan shall also include the details for the planned re-landscaping around the foundation.
The proposed new border of lawn on the north side of the house and the additional buffer zone vegetation as roughly shown on the existing site plan shall be delineated on the revised site plan.
- The erosion control system shall be installed and approved by the Conservation Agent (CA) before work begins.
- All excavation spoils shall be removed from the site daily or stored for re-use in a location outside the resource area and 100-foot buffer zone.
- All construction debris shall be removed from the site daily or stored in a covered dumpster located outside the resource area and 100-foot buffer zone.
- There shall be no underground storage of fuel oils.
The motion was seconded and with no further discussion passed unanimously with six in favor.
RFD REID SILVA FOR BENJAMIN & LOIS WOLKOWITZ; 6 Nickerson Farm Lane; AP 21-48.3: Mr. Silva reviewed a revised site plan to install a new water well with associated trenching. The activity is within the 100-foot buffer zones of two Bordering Vegetated Wetlands. The well location was moved ten feet further away from the boundary line which is also ten feet farther away from the wetland (now 74 feet). After brief discussion about siltation barriers to collect well cuttings a motion was made for a negative determination with the following special conditions: 1. A revised site plan dated 8/5/15 shall be prepared showing the revised well location (as approved by the Board of Health) that is approximately 10 feet farther from the wetland. The revised plan shall also
show a siltation barrier located between the well and the wetland. 2. The siltation barrier shall be installed and approved by the Conservation Agent before work begins. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously with six in favor.
DISCUSSION REID SILVA FOR KEN ISCOL; SE 12 – 713; 19 Point Inner Way; AP 33-100: Mr. Silva outlined several options to design a seasonal solution for launching rowing skulls in Quitsa Pond as conditioned in September 2014. One option is a low ramp with a fiberglass grating deck that would low at least 50 percent light penetration over the salt marsh. The owner suggested placing clam shells on the salt marsh and into the water to provide stable footing. The Commission said adding clam shells to the resource bottom is no different than placing sand over the area – which is what prompted the Enforcement Order last year. The low ramp seems to be an acceptable solution—pending the final design. Mr. Silva thanked
the Commission for its input.
DISCUSSION: SBRIGLIO ORDER OF CONDITIONS CHANGE; SE 12 – 716;
51 Putnam Road; AP 8-7: Chuck H. explained an Order was issued in November 2014 to develop this vacant lot in Spring Point. He added the Commission must evaluate the proposed changes as inconsequential and if so, approve them. The owner would like to relocate the garage and parking area out of the wetland buffer zone. The Commission reviewed a revised site plan dated 7/30/15 showing the changes. A motion was made to declare the changes as an improvement over the original plan with a recommendation to approve the changes. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved with six in favor.
ADMINISTRATION:
Follow Up Town of Chilmark - Menemsha Walkway; SE 12 – 730; AP 21-1, 3: Chuck H. distributed photos of the installed seasonal walkway and jute netting on the dune face. The required planting will be done in the fall.
Follow up Pease walkway; SE 12 – 738; AP 24-201: Chuck H. explained condition # 7 of the Order issued for a raised walkway over a salt marsh to Chilmark Pond specifies the height of the mature salt marsh shall be measured in August 2015 and the walkway shall be the lower of 3.5 feet above the salt marsh bottom or six inches above the mature height of the salt marsh grass. He reviewed photos showing the marsh grass height is 18 inches above the bottom and recommended establishing a walkway height of 24 inches above the marsh bottom. A motion was made and seconded to accept the recommendation. With no discussion the motion passed unanimously with six in favor.
The July 15, 2015 meeting minutes were reviewed and approved as presented by consensus.
The following documents were signed:
Order of Conditions SE 12 – 742; Lavin; AP 14-19.1
Determination of Applicability Wolkowitz; AP 21-48.3
The next meeting will be Wednesday, August 19, 2015 @ 12:30 PM.
With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 2:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Chuck Hodgkinson, C.A.S.
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