GCC Meeting Minutes
Oct. 30, 2008
3rd Floor Meeting Room
Attendance: Carl Shreder, John Bell, Paul Nelson, Tom Howland, Charles Waters, Steve Przyjemski, and Sharon Munro.
Signing:
- Bills
MOTION to pay the bills. Paul/John B. all/unam
Discussions:
Camp Denison’s manager, Don Anderson, was never given a term on his contract. We need to make a motion to make a term for his contract. Carl recommends Don Anderson as manager at Camp Denison.
Reappoint Don Anderson for another calendar year from the date of the signing of the original contract July 26th. Paul/Tom all/unam
Littles Hill Management Plan – Mrs. Tollman made a request and this is attached to the actual plan and we could address this separate from the plan itself. Steve Przyjemski – I can work with the Tollman’s on this issue. There was some discussion about mountain bike restrictions and flora and fauna studies but I believe we all did not find that we wanted to pursue this. We should have this committee come in before us. Put the plan on the next agenda and we could review the plan again since it has been awhile since we have looked this plan.
Hearings:
Lake Ave. and Old Jacobs Road (Roadway)
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – Peter Durkee was not able to be here tonight but I have worked with him on this and am familiar with the work that is proposed. Water is flowing directly into the pond and causing erosion.
Bob O’Hanley, Rep. from Gtn. Fish & Game – The original turn around was smaller when it was originally built but with the plowing and other work it is now much bigger. Through the years it has eroded down to the boat ramp. It needs to be stabilized and properly repaired.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – So, the plan is to re-grade the turnaround and create a catch area to prevent the runoff from going directly into the pond.
Paul Nelson, GCC – Wouldn’t there still be a component of the water that will still run down the ramp?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I did discuss this with Peter and ideally I would like it if we had no water running down the ramp but once they get out there we will be able to see how we can prevent it. Once we repair the area we can then go back and request permission to clean up the boat ramp area, as well. I am looking for a negative determination with conditions and that I over see the project.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Where is he getting the re-ground asphalt?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – It was given to Peter. He already has it.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Is this going to be done before the area freezes?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I hope to have this done within a month.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Do we need an abutter notification?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – Yes, we notified everyone within 300’ of the project but we are asking to waive notification of residents across the pond.
Motion to waive the abutter notification for residents across the pond. Charles Waters / John B. /Tom Howland/Carl Shreder. Paul Nelson - Abstains
Motion for Negative Determination with two conditions: one: work is not to be done around rain events and two; work is to be done with the discretion of Steve the agent. Charles/John Bell/Tom Howland/Paul. Carl – Abstains as a member of the adjacent gun club.
Motion to close hearing. Charles/John B. all/unam
Brook Street (Culvert)
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – This work was already done because we needed to do this as an emergency situation and because it was replacement of the exact same size, shape and elevation.
Carl Shreder, GCC – In the future we need to address these issues in a different manner.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I agree, Peter Durkee is willing to work with us in future projects. He does have more proposals for more work that will need to be done in the near future and I have asked him to supply a list and some ideas of what he will be proposing.
Charles Waters, GCC – I just want to be sure that you, Steve, oversee these future projects.
MOTION to waive notification to abutters through emergency circumstances of this project. Charles/John B. all/unam
MOTION to issue a Negative Determination. Charles/John B. all/unam
MOTION to close hearing. Charles/John B. all/unam
Georgetown Wetland Protection Regulations
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – This is in response to comments at the last Town meeting. We have heard a lot of comments regarding the regulations. I have invited the Selectmen and the public was notified in the newspaper. We are here to focus on the regulations right now.
Carl Shreder, GCC – We need to clarify the regulations before we should even look to modify the Bylaw.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I would like to discuss the Horsley Witten Study regarding the recommended modifications. There are two citizens here to discuss this.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I am interested in modifying the ILSF. This is a recommendation of the Horsley Witten Group Study.
Carl Shreder, GCC - I believe that the idea behind this is to be clearer and therefore more specific.
Charles Waters, GCC – So, this modification on the ILSF is to expand it to 200 cubic feet vs. our current 25 cubic feet?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I don’t want to get into detail on these, yet. I just want to point out my hit list at this point. These are my recommendations at this point in the discussion. The agricultural regulations are another point I think we should have a discussion on.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – We can create a draft on the regulations and if it goes through the next town meeting we can then create a draft of modifications on the Bylaw.
Charles Waters, GCC – What else are you thinking for modification?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – Well, there was some discussion on climatic change.
Charles Waters, GCC – This may me a difficult one to address and it is very political.
Carl Shreder, GCC – I think that could be very difficult to measure scientifically.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Does anyone else have any specific discussions on the regulations?
Paul Nelson, GCC – It seems to me we need to justify the setbacks – and this was one of the major reasons to perform this ‘study’.
Charles Waters, GCC – Why wouldn’t we include the support from these sources? I would like to show that we actually have data and information to support the regulations we have.
Paul Nelson, GCC – We should hear what the audience has to say.
Carl Shreder, GCC – Yes, however, I want the Commission’s input, first. I was also interested in the ILSF issue on the regulations as well.
Tom Howland, GCC – One of my pet peeves on the vernal pools is the 100’ buffer of a vernal pool. In the regulations there was some wording that was questioned at one time and there could be some re-wording of some of these things.
John Bell leaves the meeting at 8:13pm.
Paul Nelson, GCC – The hardship statement is also ambiguous. There should be some additional clarity.
Charles Waters, GCC – We should leave this to some discretion of the Commission because it could be a varied distinction. Perhaps, including evidence of hardship and the wording of “demonstrated” hardships.
Charles Waters, GCC – The analysis on back deck situations as a disturbance. I wonder if we could simplify this type project.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I think we should still have them come here before us for these projects.
Charles Waters, GCC – Oh of course, what I am saying is that we should lessen the burden.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – I am not sure how you are suggesting how to do this because I think we are already doing this. I am not sure how we can put this as a narrative.
Charles Waters, GCC – I am just trying to think of the more popular small projects and how we can look at those.
Paul Nelson, GCC – I think swimming pools are a concern and that there is more potential damage. Also, the Rivers Protection Act is a little different in the Bylaw vs. the Regulations. There are some contradictions with the Rivers and Intermittent streams definitions.
Carl Shreder, GCC – I will now be opening this discussion to public for comment.
George Cominski, Resident – Regarding the recent study of storm base flows, I had gone to seminar regarding storm water flows and if it is a stressed basin It should be clear as to what mitigations we could have to protect the watershed not just the recharge.
Paul Nelson, GCC – They say it may be difficult to establish the recharge in this area due to the positioning of the wells which extract the water.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – Maybe we could tie this in with the Water Department regulations and work with them.
George Cominski, Resident – There are some things in the regulations that are not clear about what is acceptable in terms of roofs, windows and etc.
Charles Waters, GCC – Yes, I agree.
Bob Morehouse, CDC – Are you working from a draft?
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – We are looking to modify the regulations and we have asked for a study to be done and we are just simply trying to get this out there for discussion.
Charles Waters, GCC – When we have a final draft we could post it on the web site and have it available to the public.
Bob Morehouse, CDC – Some of what I have to say you may have already heard but I do have more to say about the regulations…
Carl Shreder, GCC - I apologize Mr. Morehouse but we no longer have quorum with Charles Waters leaving. We will have to continue this discussion to our next meeting. Steve, you will have to do this administratively.
Steve Przyjemski, Agent – Mr. Morehouse, please email me the specific comments and we are still going to be discussing this further. Our next meeting will be Nov.13th.
Charles Waters left for the night at approximately 8:35pm.
No quorum.
Administratively continued to Nov. 13th at 7:30pm. Steve P.
47 West Street
Administratively continued to Nov. 13th at 7:45pm & 7:50pm. Steve P.
Executive Session regarding litigation – cancelled due to no quorum
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