Conservation Commission
Minutes of October 20, 2011
Public Hearings
Mashpee Town Hall - Conference Room 1
Commissioners: Chairman Jack Fitzsimmons, Vice Chairman Shaw, Lloyd Allen, Mark Gurnee and John Rogers
Staff Present: Drew McManus (Conservation Agent) and Kris Carpenter (Administrative Secretary)
Call Meeting To Order: 6:55 pm
Pre/Post Hearing Agenda:
- Minutes: Approval of the following minutes: October 6, 2011 (Cannot approve September 22, 2011 as original quorum is not available)
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of October 6, 2011
- Jehu Pond CA (Amy Brown Rd/Great Hay Rd): Gates/boulder placement update – The culvert over Abigail’s Brook has collapsed and cannot even be passed over. The Fire Chief and DPW have been notified and will place boulders on both sides of Abigail’s Brook to make sure that no cars can access as it is very hazardous. The Agent is not positive of the timeline for repairs as it is on Federal Fish and Wildlife properties.
- Town Meeting: Pickerel Cove/ Santuit Pond – The Pickerel Cove Community Preservation Act Funds were approved for approximately $63,000 to create a two acre field, establish a canoe/kayak launch area and a six car parking lot off of Pickerel Cove Road. They can also place some picnic tables and grills near the old cafeteria area. The Assistant Town Manager and the Agent have been looking over various designs for the canoe/kayak launch and will bring to the Commission for presentation and review.
Funding for the solar powered circulars for Santuit Pond was also accepted. They will not cure the phosphorous loading but hopefully eliminate the sometimes toxic algae blooms that have gotten progressively worse each year.
HEARINGS
7:00 James Devincent (122 Old Brickyard Road) Beach nourishment in perpetuity on existing inland beach/bank – NOI **Continued from August 25, 2011**
Resource Area: Johns Pond
Material submitted: Proposed Beach Nourishment 8/10/11 Cape & Islands Engineering
Jack Vaccaro from Vaccaro Environmental is representing the homeowner and explains that there is an existing sandy beach area where the owner would like to place fresh sand in perpetuity. It will consist of approximately 40 yards of clean sand. There is a driveway that leads to the rear of the house which will make it easy to move the sand by a loader. Two rows of 6” x 6” railroad ties will be imbedded at the water’s edge approximately 4” below grade. Agent McManus explains beach nourishment protocols in which Mr. Vaccaro believes the owners will not need to re-do each year; only an “as-needed” basis.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to Close and Issue
7:03 Gary Eynatian (52 Uncle Henry Road) Upgrade existing septic system - RDA
Resource Area: LSCSF
Material submitted: Site Plan 9/19/11 J.E. Landers
Mr. Eynatian is requesting approval for a septic upgrade on his property which is entirely in the flood zone. He explains that the current Title V system was installed in 1998 but due to new regulations he needed to make upgrades to make it compliant. Mr. Eynatian would like to put in a soil absorption system which will then meet the required distance to the ground water. Board of Health comments state the application is under review. Mr. Gurnee asks specifically what is being done and Mr. Eynation states that currently there are three flow diffusers that come off the tank and determined to be 27” from the ground water which
is 21” too close. They will place a soil absorption leaching field closer to the surface.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:06 James Tow (16 Metacom Road) Remove invasive vines and shrub level vegetation - RDA
Resource Area: Buffer Zone to Johns Pond
Material submitted: Town GIS & Printed Photos 10/20/11 Owner
Mr. Tow explains that there was so much invasive vegetation growth from this past spring and summer that it has taken over the vacant lot. The trees on his lot and the neighbor’s lot are being threatened by the vines.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:09 James Norton (86 Wheeler Road) Replace existing pressure treated timber retaining wall and steps in the same footprint - NOI **Continued to 11/3/11 @ 7:06pm**
Resource Area: Inland Bank Leading to Ashumet Pond
Material submitted:
Mr. Norton is not present. The Chairman asks for a continuance.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to continue to November 3, 2011 at 7:06pm
7:12 William Sandler (44 Popponesset Island Road) Remove a tree from the back yard that is diseased and hazardous to the dwelling - RDA **Continued to 11/3/11 @ 7:09pm**
Resource Area: Inland Bank Leading to Ashumet Pond
Material submitted:
The representative is not present. The Chairman asks for a continuance.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to continue to November 3, 2011 at 7:09pm
7:15 Daniel Goulet (216 Monomoscoy Road) Construct a stone and mortar retaining wall to stabilize an undercut eroding coastal bank - NOI
Resource Area: Buffer Zone to Coastal Bank
Material submitted: Plan to Accompany NOI 10/6/11 Field Engineering
Rich Riccio from Field Engineering is representing the homeowner and explains that the existing coastal bank on Great River has experienced a lot of erosion and they are proposing to install a stone and mortar wall that is about 2-3’ at the highest. All work will be done by hand. Agent McManus asks if the material chosen is better than a rock gabion wall and Mr. Riccio believes that they are the same or a little better because they mortar all the joints. They will dig down approximately 2’ which will create a good base. No change in grade behind the wall. Mr. Riccio also states that there are a couple of
dead trees hanging over the edge that may need to come down and they are proposing replacement plantings to replace the vegetation. Mr. Cook is concerned about the depth at 2’ and whether they will hit water at that depth. Mr. Riccio states that they will contain the work during low tide for the footing part of the job.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to Close and Issue
7:18 Robert & Rosemary Holland (63 Stratford Ponds Road) Vista pruning with maintenance in perpetuity - NOI
Resource Area: Buffer Zone to Coastal Bank
Material submitted: Vista Prune (Hand drawn) 10/11/11 Owner
Mr. Holland is requesting vista pruning ability for a better view of the pond. The Agent states that what is on the plan and staked in the field matches up to the 25% of the frontage that Mr. Holland has. There is no Natural Heritage jurisdiction and the permit would include maintenance in perpetuity. Mr. Gurnee is concerned that elevations are 20’ to the pond and consists of white oak, pitch pine and a variety of native shrubs but his concerns are for the mature trees. Mr. Gurnee is also concerned about the width of the corridor from the back of the house to the water front and believes that it should be trapezoidal
in shape with only 80% width at the landward side. Mr. Holland states that only the saplings will be removed and the more mature trees will consist of 30% pruning. Closer to the pond, there will most likely only be a couple of branches removed due to the 20’ slope.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to Close and Issue
- Quashnet River Steering Committee: Two new members have volunteered for the Quashnet oversight committee; one of them being Michael Talbot. The Agent has forwarded a package of information to Mr. Talbot.
- Americorps Volunteer Update: Kelsey Boyd will be present at the next meeting to introduce herself. Presently, she is working on identifying key abutters around the entry ways to the parcels to try to recruit them as land stewards. Once the list is established, they will formulate a letter and announce a public meeting. The Agent also states that they will drop some information at the library for their new kiosk. The ultimate goals are to continue to map trails and upload them online. Other initiatives, as time permits, will be parcel cleanup days and invasive species removal. They would like to get the potential stewards to commit to their chosen parcel and also to create a format for the whole stewardship program. Agent McManus would like to keep it simple and not to burden the
volunteers with boundaries determinations. He would like Kelsey to stay in touch with the land stewards by making them feel part of the program consistently throughout the year. One idea is to possibly send a monthly newsletter out that will provide updates and also steward recognition with hats or t-shirts.
Agent McManus informs the Board that he will be on vacation October 24 – 28.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kris Carpenter
Administrative Secretary
***All material submitted for hearings can be found on Conservation Flash Drive dated 7/1/10***
| 
