Minutes of Meeting
February 14, 2013
To: Town Clerk
cc: Members
File
Present: R. Ballantyne, A. Tolland, J. Livingstone, M. Allen, Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent
Absent: J. Fournier, M. DePoto, R. Willis, P.Stolfa, Associate Member, A. Riordan, Associate
There was a motion to accept the minutes of the January 31th, 2013 meeting with the edits as discussed. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 4-0-0.
Ms. Michele Grenier’s Agent’s Report has been appended to the minutes.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Minor Buffer Zone Activity: 49 Hutchinson Street
Ms. Beth Kennedy and Mr. Fran Molla, the property owners, both appeared before the Commission for the construction of a 14’x18’ shed. The shed will be located outside of the 25 ft. no disturb area without a foundation. There is a stream that runs through the property.
A Commission member questioned what will be stored in the shed.
Ms. Grenier visited the site and stated that there is a trailer parked near the stream that may need to be moved.
There was a motion to issue a Negative Determination with 5 conditions; the applicant shall notify the Conservation Department at the start of the work, the applicant shall notify the Conservation Department when the work has been completed, the work shall be completed in accordance with the plan submitted with the application, no more than 5 gallons of gasoline may be stored in the shed and no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers may be stored in the shed. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 3-1-0; 3 Yes, 1 No, 0 Abstentions.
Public Meeting – Request for Determination – New England Power Company – Line Optical Groundwire Replacement
Mr. David Cowell, Ecologist of the BSC Group, appeared before the Commission for line optical groundwire replacement work to be conducted by New England Power Company. Mr. Cowell stated that this work is the final phase of the project conducted over the past 2 years for the installation of swamp mats across the ROW to install the optical groundwire.
Mr. Cowell provided the Commission with an overview of the proposed work. All of the work proposed is overhead and routine maintenance. There will be no ground disturbance associated with the project aside from the installation of the swamp mats.
The Corps of Engineers permits actually have methodology in place for the decontamination of the mats prior to installation in the wetlands so there is no invasive species introduced.
A Commission member questioned if a different access point could be used from the downhill section of Upper Union Street to minimize the number of swamp mats that would be required.
The work will start in late March and will end in early May.
There was a motion to issue a Negative Determination subject to 3 standard conditions; that the applicant notify the office when you begin work, when you finish the work and all of the work shall be conducted according to the plan. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote
of 4-0-0.
Continued - Public Hearing – Amendment Request to Orders of Conditions – 96 Populatic Street – O’Connor - CE159-991
The Conservation Chair opened the public hearing and stated that a letter has been received from the applicant’s representative, United Consultants, requesting a continuance of the hearing until the next available meeting on March 7th, 2013.
There was a motion to continue the public hearing until March 7th, 2013. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 4-0-0.
Discussion: DelCarte Recreation Park Project
Ms. Beth Dahlstrom, Town Planner, Ms. Maxine Kinhart, Assistant to the Town Administrator, Mr. Ryan Jette, Recreation Director, and Mr. Mike Maglio, Assistant Town Engineer, all appeared before the Commission for a discussion regarding a proposal for site improvements to the DelCarte recreational park located on Pleasant Street.
The site is a 1.5 acre Town owned parcel which abuts the larger conservation parcel. There is a parking lot and playground area. The trail network will also be reviewed along with the boardwalk portion on the Conservation controlled parcel on the site.
Mr. Jette gave the Commission an overview of the proposed plans for the playground, canoe and kayak launch and also the boardwalk that will connect it to parcels of land on the south side of the parcel near the MBTA tracks.
The playground will be approximately 42’ x 55’ in size with climbing apparatus. It will be fenced in for safety purposes. Recycling containers will be placed in the area to minimize the trash blowing out of the open barrels.
There will be a floating dock system used with a ramp constructed on both sides. Recycled plastic will be used rather than pressure-treated wood.
Mr. Mike Maglio gave the Commission an overview of the concept plan. There will be a 20 space parking lot in this area using the existing entrance off of Pleasant Street; it will be paved with a bio retention area on the downstream side to treat any runoff in this area. He stated that he has visited the site with Michele Grenier, Conservation Agent, and it was determined that this is outside the resource areas. There will be some large trees taken down for this project but leaving the stumps in place.
Beth Dahlstrom asked if the Commission has walked the trails. Could the DPW start the work and asked for input from the Conservation Commission members.
The Commission Chair expressed thoughts on the trail maintenance and asked Ms. Dahlstrom what is being planned.
A Commission member expressed concerns regarding foul excrement when the dams are completed.
No trees will be taken down in Conservation jurisdiction. There will only be the clearing of brush on the trails to allow access.
Permission was requested for the placement of the boardwalk from the Conservation Commission members.
The Commission members stated that a Request for Determination should be filed for the boardwalk as there will be no earth removal work. The trails and canoe launch could all be included in this 1 filing.
A site walk of the trails will be conducted by the Commission in April or May to discuss trail design and OEM plan.
Comments: A Commission member stated that while he was happy with the result of the Negative Determination, I am distressed that Mr. Hoffman appeared to have left with the impression he’d done nothing wrong, and disappointed that I had been unable to articulate that he’d violated the local bylaw. He got a real good deal from us.
Signed Order of Resource Area Delineation & Determinations of Applicability
ORAD – Cook’s Farm – 636&664 East Central Street - CE159-1039
Determination of Applicability – Negative – 49 Hutchinson Street – Kennedy
Determination of Applicability – Negative – Groundwire replacement - New England Power Co.
There was a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded and accepted with a vote of 4-0-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Celorier
Conservation Secretary
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