Minutes of Special Meeting for the DelCarte Property
April 15, 2010
To: Town Clerk
cc: Members
File
Present: J. Fournier, C.Botchis, R.Willis, J. Livingstone, A.Tolland, N. Alfieri, Conservation Agent
Absent: M. Allen, J. Senterman
Presentation by Matt Belisle and Briscoe Lang from Pare Corporation
Some major points of the discussion were as follows:
- There must be >6’ head and >15 acre-feet storage to be jurisdictional
- Dam #1 must get the following issues addressed:
- An easement must be obtained from St. John’s Episcopal Church in order to gain access
- Cost of $152K to remove
- Dam #2
o $543K to repair
- Dam #3
- Is jurisdictional; Pare prepared registration for Town and it has been filed
- Must withstand 50-year precipitation event
- $440K to repair
- $166K to remove
- 1.5’ water level difference to Pond 5 – it would not be a fetid mud flat if removed but the size of the pond if it was removed is unknown due to insufficient data
- $127K to remove
- $547K to repair
- $95K to remove
- $235K to repair
- Contours in presentation known to be inaccurate
- There is an alternate access to the dams between St. John’s Church and 241 Pleasant Street
- Costs do not include any wetland restoration/mitigation
There was an abutter to the site of 53 Pleasant Street present at the meeting and expressed the following issues:
- Appreciation of the ponds were expressed, especially for pond #5 to which they abut
- Raised concerns of an adverse affect to the property values of neighboring parcels if Dam #5 is removed
- Adverse affect to the quality of life and to public health as well due to mosquito population if this dam is removed
- Expressed the interest of their neighbors regarding this matter
Pare’s recommendation is Option #4 which is the removal of Dams 1,4,5A & 6 and repair Dams 2,3&5. If the Town of Franklin chooses not to take action, the dams will fail with the potential of losing the ponds.
- Priority if phased approach is used:
- Repair #5
- Repair #3 and stabilize #2
- Remove #5A
- Remove #4,1&6 but #6 must remain open during the project; access must be an important consideration due to cost
The management of beavers was discussed:
- Placement of rip-rap in channel in place of the removed dams
- Fishing is prohibited in pond due to deed restrictions
Mr. Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator, was present at the meeting and raised the following questions:
- Can a contractor without experience with dams be used on site?
- Pare’s response was that they recommend contractors with experience with working on dams
- Is any special equipment required to be used? Pare stated in the negative.
- Can the DPW perform some of the work? Pare’s response is possibly; working in the access roads would be a certainty
- Project would be 3 months in duration.
- There would be seasonal restrictions on construction work. U. S. Army Corps. restricts work in the July-October period
- How long would permitting take? The process would be NOI, Army Corps Permit #2, ODS permit. If no MEPA permit required, then approximately 6 months. Permitting should ideally start in Summer 2010.
- Can the permitting be done in phases or must it be done for the entire project? Approval is unlikely if in phases, best to pursue the permitting for the entire project with construction phases.
- Town Council is the body to make the decision on this proposal but recommendation from the Conservation Commission is required
- Pare’s comments – would take 3 months to have design 50% complete for 1 structure; 6 months for 50% design for the entire project.
The meeting concluded with the following comments by the Conservation Commission. We need to decide upon our recommendation to the Town Council by mid-May 2010.
Mr. Nutting questioned what are the estimated costs from Pare based upon past 5 years experience with this firm using public prevailing wage rates? The Chairman confirmed that Pare will be providing us with estimates of ancillary costs.
There was a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of
5-0-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Celorier
Conservation Secretary
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