Lenox Conservation Commission
April 19, 2012
Minutes
Town Hall
Members present: Chair Neal Carpenter, NC; Joe Strauch, JS; Vince Ammendola, VA; Tim Flanagan, TF; Dick Ferren, DF; Rose Fitzgerald Casey, RFC; David Lane, DL
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, PA
Also present was Greg Federspiel, Town Manager. There were two members of the public present as well.
Kennedy Park Committee for property known as Kennedy Park, RDA, West Dugway Rd., Map 22 Parcel 21, performance maintenance improvements to an existing +/- 6 foot wide pedestrian foot trail. Continued from November 3 and December 1 in 2011; January 19, March 15, and April 5 in 2012.
This meeting had been continued while awaiting review by NHESP. Comments were received this week, and they had no issues as presented. The Commission requested that the only change required was to change the material for the path from gravel to mulch. There is to be no excavation, simply spreading the mulch on the path’s surface.
TF made a motion to issue a Negative 3 Determination with the condition that there would not be any excavation. VA seconded the motion. The Commission voted to agree 7-0.
Minutes- April 5, 2011- JS made a motion to approve the minutes with two minor edits. TF seconded the motion. The Commission voted to agree 5-0-2. DL and RFC abstained as they were not present at that meeting.
Kennedy Park, Belvedere aka Overlook: Status update Order of Conditions.
Mr. Federspiel presented modified drawings which incorporated measures suggested by the Conservation Commission at their site visit on April 11, 2012 that was attended by Mr. Federspiel, Dr. Terry Weaver of the Kennedy Park Commission, NC, JS, DL, VA and TF.
The modifications include:
- Removal of eight stone pavers to the north and six stone pavers to the south which brings to a total of approximately 120 square feet of impervious surface.
- Installation of plate on south end where the wall has separated at the corner to retain gravel and ground cloth.
- Installation of elbows on drains and vertical pipes to carry water onto rip rap beds or other force breaking structure to slow water to prevent erosion. This will be at the north and south ends of the wall.
- Modification to the path leading from the old hotel site to the paved portion of the path going to the Belvedere. The modification consists of a gentle swale some 20 feet long, with a low point of about six inches which directs the flow into the wooded area.
- After inspecting presented drawings, TF commented that while walking below the wall he noticed another pipe had been installed in a pre-existing weep hole and that the drainage was going around that pipe and not through it. He suggested that the pipe should be sealed into the wall to guide the drainage through the pipe and that an elbow be installed and a vertical pipe to carry the drainage to a rip rap bed or force breaker. Mr. Federspiel agreed that this would be done.
Mr. Federspiel advised that the work would be completed within the next six to eight weeks. He will advise the Commission when the work commences. When the work is complete, he will provide “as installed” plans.
TF made a motion to approve the project as presented with the inclusion of the modifications discussed at the meeting. DL seconded the motion and the Commission approved 7-0.
8:15 pm Hillcrest Educational Centers, Kemble St., Right of Way. The project consists of excavation of several test pits within the paved portions of the street to determine conditions for a future water line replacement.
On April 11, 2011 there was a site visit attended by Bob Fournier, NC, VA, JS, DF, and TF.
Bob Fournier of SK Design Group made the presentation. He said that once the test pit project is complete a design would be drawn up and an NOI will be presented.
TF noted that the buffer zone and intermittent stream were not shown on the plan, but were mentioned in the RDA; therefore a determination could not be made.
Discussion ensued with Mr. Fournier arguing that it was not necessary for an RDA to depict the resource areas and buffer zones. Both NC and TF stated that since they were mentioned in the RDA, they must be shown on the plans.
After further discussion, the Commission agreed that they could approve with the condition that a new drawing which would include the resource area and buffer zone be submitted.
DF made a motion to issue a Negative 3 Determination with the condition that updated drawings be submitted showing the areas mentioned in the RDA. JS seconded the motion and the Commission voted to agree 7-0.
8:15 pm Valley Mill, Lenox Valley WTF, LLC, 64-68 Willow Creek Road Map 9 Parcels 7&8. , Matt Puntin of SK Design Group, Inc., submitted a written request to Extend Order of Conditions issued May 2009.
DF made a motion to grant the extension for two years and JS seconded the motion. The Commission voted to approve 7-0.
Other Business:
- JS will go to the site of the MA Audubon to inspect the area where beaver have caused the level of Pike’s Pond to increase to the point of creating damage. MA Audubon has submitted an RDA requesting permission to install a water level control device.
- TF will review before the next meeting the results of last year’s draw down at Laurel Lake to determine whether the required information was included in Dr. Wagner’s report. This is a result of an inquiry by Mark Alimansky of Laurel Lake, LLP.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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