Minutes of Meeting
November 29, 2012
To: Town Clerk
cc: Members
File
Present: R. Ballantyne, A. Tolland, R. Willis, M. Allen, M. DePoto, Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent
Absent: J. Fournier, J. Livingstone, P. Stolfa, Associate Member, A. Riordan, Associate Member
Ms. Michele Grenier’s Agent’s Report has been appended to the minutes.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Certificate of Compliance: 4 Longobardi Drive
Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent, informed the Commission that she has visited the site. The house is approximately 20 years old and it has been built according to plan.
There was a motion to issue a Certificate of Compliance for 4 Longobardi Drive. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 5-0-0.
Certificate of Compliance: Lot 6 – 15 Cotton Tail Lane
Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent, informed the Commission that the house is completely finished and the occupancy permit has been received by the applicant. She recommended that the Commission issue the Certificate of Compliance.
There was a motion to issue a Certificate of Compliance for Lot 6 – 15 Cotton Tail Lane. The
motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 5-0-0.
Enforcement: 360 West Central Street – Akin Bak Farm
Ms. Bette Crawford Rousseau and Mr. Seth Rousseau of the Akin Bak Farm both appeared before the Commission on an Enforcement Order issued by the Commission regarding alteration of the riverfront.
The Commission Chair stated that there was a recent site walk conducted by the Commission.
A Commission member who attended this walk informed the Commission that it is an agricultural operation with a buckwheat field and in the rear, there is a potato field. A brook runs through the farm. Although, there is an agricultural exemption for normal maintenance activities, it was discussed that the expansion of the geographic area of these activities is not exempt. They have encroached into the riverfront area by approximately a 25 ft. wide strip from the rear to the edge of disturbance. The undisturbed area is overrun by invasive species.
This is the extent of the violation; the expansion of the above-mentioned area.
The applicants from Akin Bak have submitted a letter to Michele Grenier at the request of the Commission during the site walk.
Ms. Rousseau informed the Commission members that she is submitting a Farm Plan, which has been prepared by Tim Tucker of USDA–NRCS and this has been submitted to the Conservation file. In the Farm Plan, there is a 25-50 ft. barrier between the working fields and the stream on the site. Mr. Seth Rousseau gave the Commission an overview of the contents of the Farm Plan.
Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent, will write a Memo of Understanding directed to the applicant stating the following: removal of the slash piles by April 1st, annual maintenance of the unfarmed area, update the operations and maintenance section of the farm plan to include manual cutting of the bittersweet within the 0-25 ft. area in perpetuity, replanting of the area that was cleared beyond the 25 ft. with appropriate ground cover ; i.e., vetch, legumes and/or clover, yearly brush cutting of the open unfarmed area, the Commission will revisit the site at the end of next year’s growing season.
There was a motion to maintain the initial $75 fine and to suspend the remaining days of the fine. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 4-1-0; 4 Yes, 1 Abstention, 0 No.
Public Hearing – Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation – Cook’s Farm – 636 & 664 East Central Street – CE159-1039
There was a motion to open and continue the public hearing for the Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation for Cook’s Farm until December 20th. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 5-0-0.
Signed Certificates of Compliance
Certificate of Compliance – 4 Longobardi Drive – Kelleher – SE159-537
Certificate of Compliance – 15 Cotton Tail Lane - Lot 6 – Maple Sands - SE159-905
There was a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 5-0-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Celorier
Conservation Secretary
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