GCC MEETING MINUTES
October 19, 2006
Attending: Carl Shreder, Paul Nelson, Mark Gauthier, Paul Nelson, Tom Howland, John Bell, Mike Birmingham, Charles Waters, Steve Przyjemski, Laura Repplier
BUSINESS:
MINUTES
MOTION to approve the minutes of August 24 – Mark / John / Unam
MOTION to approve the minutes of September 7 – Mark / John / Unam
MOTION to approve the minutes of September 21 – Mark / John / Unam
MOTION to approve the minutes of October 12 – Mark / Tom / 4 Aye, 3 Abstain
WEST STREET FIELD MAINTENANCE
Reps: Brad Shores, GAA
Brad Shores, GAA – I’m here regarding the West St soccer fields and the proposal from Prescription Turf for both the maintenance project for this November and the ongoing maintenance plan. Want to know if we can start the November work. The November project is to fill in the non-level areas of the field – it is a lot of sand currently so we’d be using dirt from the field to level the surface - & slice seed & then re-seed in April. We need to slice seed before the winter so it will be ready for grass in the spring. We will also add lime as per soil test results.
Carl Shreder, GCC – We are concerned with the impact on the turtle habitat in that area.
Brad Shores, GAA – The turtles are typically not in the area we’re working in. The fill areas are on the fields & not the edges where the turtles have been. We are staying within the fields. We’re not going into the field at the top – it wasn’t even used for practice this year as there were so many turtles this year. We want the fields up to the same standard with everyone else in the league. There are no turtles in the soccer field areas.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Do you mean you haven’t had them there or they’ve been gone over in activities?
Brad Shores, GAA – We haven’t had many on the fields. The turtles are gone now & were nowhere near where we’re proposing to be doing this.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – The whole field is their perfect habitat. It’s incorrect to say that it isn’t habitat – they like sandy patches. When the grass got longer on the slope they went and nested there. We will not mow the slope areas in future to lure them over there, away from the field areas. I have no problem with adding soil or seed at this time of year. Normally you need to do slice seeding for tight material but it’s just loose just sand out there.
Brad Shores, GAA – Only 20% of the land needs to be covered with soil.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Are your landscapers aware of the situation?
Brad Shores, GAA – Yes. In June the plan would be for slice seeding as needed, with no slice seeding in other times. The proposal says to slice seed in June but only as needed & not in the areas typically habituated by turtles.
Mike Birmingham, GCC – Can you evaluate on the fly according to what is happening at the time?
Brad Shores, GAA – Yes. If we lay the seed on top (without slice seeding) it will take longer to germinate. We’ve spent $8k to get the sprinkler system working & want to get it to work well. It’s so sandy out there the water will disappear – 20-30% of field is sand.
Mike Birmingham, GCC – The slicing is only for whatever didn’t take?
Brad Shores, GAA – Yes.
Mike Birmingham, GCC – So you can evaluate it at that time.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – I emailed their proposal to the turtle group.
Carl Shreder, GCC – We have to look at the middle ground.
Brad Shores, GAA – In June the nesting turtles are not endangered – does that matter?
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – They might be mis-identified. We can’t be sure.
Brad Shores, GAA – We have 600 kids on the fields at the weekend, it will still damage the field areas. We slice down 1-2” – it’s the same depth for the eggs.
Mike Birmingham, GCC – Kids with cleats are damaging to that depth anyway.
Brad Shores, GAA – We’re just talking about the middle of the fields. We want approval for the November plans now & will research other methods for the long-term plan.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – How large are the spot treatment areas?
Brad Shores, GAA – As needed, and it might not be needed. It might take 2 years to get that grass back to being good at the goal mouth and lacrosse areas. We are trying to move the fields around to save the goal mouths year to year. We can move the areas back & forth. But we’re still not going towards the edges where the turtles are.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – We also discussed trying to increase the area of habitat where the turtles are away from fields – playing to their natural preferences.
Brad Shores, GAA – The landscapers have done a perfect job since we went down there & talked about it.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – Yes, and we need to remind them every Spring. ATVs are the other big problem.
Carl Shreder, GCC – And the disturbance and illegal removal.
Brad Shores, GAA – We can cable off the accesses and post with signs to keep them off. We need these fields so we’re happy to do what you think needs to be done. We wouldn’t do slice seeding in season.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Have you had multiple proposals for this work?
Brad Shores, GAA – Only Prescription Turf as they do all the soccer fields all over this area.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – We need to examine alternative options as well.
Brad Shores, GAA – They know about the situation at this field. They also know that the grass has to withstand all those kids playing on it. They’re using 40% blue grass and others.
Carl Shreder, GCC – That’s a standard mix though other grasses are more drought resistant etc.
Paul Nelson, GCC – If you don’t slice seed it in it doesn’t take.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – We’re looking at having to add loam out there every year.
GCC – Let’s go ahead with the November plan & reconsider the spring plan when the time comes.
MOTION to approve the November landscaping project contingent on the turtle experts’ OK – Paul / Mark / Unam
HEARINGS
5 HART CIRCLE (GCC-2006-25) RDA (Cont)
MOTION to continue to November 16 at 7:15 – Tom / John / Unam
BROCKLEBANK MUSEUM (GCC-2006-32) RDA (New)
Reps: Nora Cannon, Georgetown Historical Commission / Society
Nora Cannon, Historical Society – This landscaping plan was approved for a CPC grant to enable us to get ADA compliance for the Brocklebank Museum.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – As far as the grading goes the ground has gentle valleys & peaks. They’re just cutting off & adding 1 inch – it’s not major just leveling an uneven walking surface.
Nora Cannon, Historical Society – We are improving small areas. A large tree was taken down about 7 years ago and the ground has sunk where the roots were. We’re putting a handicapped entrance there so this will be a stone pathway to the new handicapped entrance. We will also put in landscaping.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Will you be using heavy equipment?
Nora Cannon, Historical Society – No, we’re doing it mostly by hand, hopefully not using heavy equip. We’re only talking about a couple of inches of soil. It’s a bumpy old lawn that needs some tlc. We need to do it for safety.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – The grading could be done with wheelbarrows of soil – it’s very minor. The path is more. It’s about 50-60’ from the wetland.
Mark Gauthier, GCC – Does that parking area exist now?
Nora Cannon, Historical Society – Both of them are new & are part of new town road project – done by the state. We have people who want to walk around the grounds so we want to make it safer. The state project left rocks & lumpy grade at the front so we want to even it out.
Paul Nelson, GCC – What will the path be made out of?
Nora Cannon, Historical Society – Crushed granite with metal edging. It is a pervious surface. It’s what the federal & state parks use – it’s finely crushed so wheelchairs can go over it.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent –I don’t see many issues with this. It could have some conditions like a silt fence. They are also proposing a path to the school house but are only doing the other one now.
MOTION to issue a negative determination, with conditions for siltation control to be determined by the agent – Tom / John / Unam
MOTION to close hrg – Mike / John / Unam
10 BARTLETT DRIVE (GCC-2006-31) NOI (New)
Reps: Marty Halloran, T-Square Design; Mr. Leonard Laing, Owner
Marty Halloran – This is a repair of an existing retaining wall along Pentucket Pond, originally built in 1974. The wall will go where it is now. We are requesting permission to repair the wall. It will be about 4’ high, similar to what it was.
Leonard Laing, Owner – During the May flood the water came over Pond St & came behind the wall & bowed it out. It has collapsed.
Marty Halloran – The new wall will be built with new segmental retaining blocks.
Paul Nelson, GCC – Are you constructing it with a base?
Marty Halloran – There will be a gravel base with crushed stone.
Paul Nelson, GCC – Won’t that have same issues as the old one?
Stve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – If you put a membrane behind it it would be more stabilized.
John Bell, GCC – You also need the weight of earth on top of it.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Will you put it in by hand?
Leonard Laing, Owner – No, we need to use a machine to dig out the old blocks.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – The old foundation is masonry.
Marty Halloran – We will only use a small backhoe because of the size of the site & location of the septic system
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – So you will be digging out the old blocks & foundation with a backhoe.
Mark Gauthier, GCC – How will you keep water from getting behind this new one?
Marty Halloran – The new blocks aren’t mortared in so the water can come through. They are keyed together instead with good crushed stone behind it so the water will come through. We could add piping as well.
Leonard Laing, Owner – This block is used by Groveland behind their town hall.
Carl Shreder, GCC – The block is an improvement but the equipment should be used cautiously.
Marty Halloran – You could condition it to have Steve confer with the contractor.
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – Fortunately the water is currently low from beavers so it is ideal for working. I suggest keeping it at 3’ high rather than 4’ to prevent needing additional fill. If it goes higher you will need more fill. Keep it the same height as now.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Are you proposing to use fill?
Marty Halloran – No, we’ll use whatever fill is in front of the wall. The water was about 10’ away recently but sometimes it touches it, depending on the conditions.
Leonard Laing, Owner – We are going through the Beach Association’s property & taking part of my fence down to get on site.
Marty Halloran – We could outlet the pipe at the side where the boat ramp is.
Paul Nelson - Given that the crushed stone at the bottom of the wall is directly exposed to the pond, won’t it erode quickly. The brochure from the manufactures of the wall material show the crushed stone at the bottom of the wall entrenched below the floor of the pond to eliminate this issue.
Marty Halloran – We will update the cross section view of the wall on the plan to submerge the base of the wall below the floor of the pond.
GCC – Drop it down at the front to make sure there is no water exposure. Perhaps add plantings at the end opposite the beach.
MOTION to continue to November 16 at 8:30 – Tom / Mark / Unam
10 SEARLE STREET (GCC-2006-27; DEP 161-0650) NOI (Cont)
Rep: Jim Bussing, Owner
Paul Nelson, GCC – We went on a site walk and didn’t see any trees they would drive over that were very big. It seems innocuous. They will access through the neighbor’s driveway.
Carl Shreder, GCC – I didn’t think was essential to do a 3rd party review for this phase. It would be for a NOI in spring but not now for this. Do you want to do this this fall?
Jim Bussing – Yes, we want to do the test pits asap.
Paul Nelson, GCC – If there is any place where the tracks gouge areas you could put plantings back in there. The border area won’t be disturbed by the house so you could put it back after. If it goes through carefully it shouldn’t do too much damage.
Mark Gauthier, GCC – Should Steve review the site after?
Steve Przyjemski, GCC Agent – Yes, I could go out with the BOH.
MOTION to accept the plan dated 9/20/06 showing proposed path, not the accepting wetland line – Paul / John / 5 Aye, 2 Abstain
MOTION to close the hearing – Paul / John / 5 Aye, 2 Abstain
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