Conservation Commission
Minutes of November 3, 2011
Public Hearings
Mashpee Town Hall - Conference Room 1
Commissioners: Chairman Jack Fitzsimmons, Vice Chairman Shaw, Lloyd Allen, Mark Gurnee, John Rogers, Brad Sweet, Patty Jalowy and Steve Cook
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: September 22, 2011
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of September 22, 2011
- Update on Jehu Pond Parcel: Abigails Brook/ USFWS plans – There have recently been boulders placed across Great Hay Road due to the sink holes on Abigails Brook and because it is no longer safe for traffic. Federal Fish and Wildlife are working on a solution and once they have decided, they will be in before the Board for permitting. Tom Eagle, Director for the Refuge stated that they will be placing a gate at Amy Brown Road and another gate at Red Brook Road. The Agent is not sure if they will remain open or closed as the schedule is still up in the air.
- Mashpee Environmental Coalition request for Ed Baker memorial boulder at MRW South entrance – Chairman Fitzsimmons states that he received a letter from Beverly Kane, President of the Mashpee Environmental Coalition, requesting the Boards permission to place an engraved boulder at Mashpee Neck Road entrance to the Mashpee River Woodlands as a memorial to the late Edward A. Baker. Agent McManus says that they have done this in past for previous Commissioners and he believes it is a good idea as Mr. Baker has done a tremendous amount of environmental work and he is the founder of the Mashpee Environmental coalition. The Agent feels that his work over the years deserves recognition.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to approve the placement of an engraved boulder memorial for the late Edward Baker
- Funding for Moody Pond Project: Barnstable Coop Extension Service – Agent McManus states that they have received a check from the Barnstable Cooperative Extension for $3000 for the Moody Pond Project. The $3000 is 75% of the total and the remaining balance of $1000 will be issued when the project is complete. The Agent and the DPW Director will be making a site visit soon to find an area suitable for the parking lot. Tom Fudala from the Planning Department recently dug up an old plan that was part of a John’s Pond management plan that shows where erosion control can be put in. Agent McManus states that the run-off channel is almost 2’ deep so the need for erosion control is important and needs to happen before winter.
HEARINGS
7:00 Paul Sugarman (83 Tide Run) Remove broken/damaged pilings on fixed pier and replace in the same footprint – RDA
Resource Area: Land Under Ocean, LSCSF, Salt Marsh
Material submitted: Plan Accompanying Petition 11/17/94 Baxter Nye (Little River Boat)
Mark Burtis from Little River Boat Yard is representing for the homeowner and states that the end of the pier where the ramp ties into has fallen approximately 10” lower. The piles are white oak and are about 25 years old. All 12 of the piles beyond the salt marsh need to be replaced. There is a Chapter 91 license that allows for repairs but because it is in ACEC jurisdiction, it should be presented before the Board. Mr. Burtis explains that they will extract the old poles and put new poles in the same exact place using a pile driver.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:03 Louise Doolin (56 Quail Hollow Road) Upgrade failed septic system - RDA
Resource Area: Buffer Zone To Pondfront (Johns Pond)
Material submitted: Septic system Upgrade 10/5/11 CGE Engineering
Ron Bukoski from CGE Engineering is representing for Ms. Doolin and explains that the original septic system was constructed in 1974 and consisted of a 1000 gallon tank and a 4’ precast leaching chamber. They are proposing to pump, fill and abandon the old tank and leaching pit and install a new Title V system with a 1500 gallon septic tank and leaching field designed for a three bedroom home. The new activity is taking place on the street side.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:06 James Norton (86 Wheeler Road) Replace existing pressure treated timber retaining wall and steps in the same footprint - RDA**Continued from October 20, 2011**
Resource Area: Inland Bank Leading to Ashumet Pond
Material submitted: Hand Drawn 10/5/11 Owner
Mr. Norton is requesting applicability to replace a 25 year old retaining wall that due to age and raised water levels, have broken down the railroad ties. The replacement wall will be the same material and everything will be done by hand. It is recommended to Mr. Norton to use a different material such as foundation grade PT level which is much more durable and more likely to last approximately 40 years. Agent McManus informs Mr. Norton that he will need to fill out a form for the records that will show the old material is being disposed of properly.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:09 William Sandler (44 Popponesset Island Road) Remove a tree from the back yard that is diseased and hazardous to the dwelling - RDA **Continued from October 20, 2011**
Resource Area: Buffer Zone to Coastal Bank (Poppy Bay)
Material submitted: Town GIS
Scott Campbell from Cardinal Tree and Excavation is representing for the home owner and explains that there is a tree on the property that is covered in moss and diseased. The roots are all exposed and it is now leaning towards the house. The homeowner is afraid that it will not make it through the winter and would like permission to remove it.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried for a Negative Determination
7:15 Richard Maganiello (56 Kim Path) Demo / Rebuild single family three bedroom home - NOI ***Cont’d to November 17, 2011 @ 7:09pm***
Resource Area:
Material submitted:
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to continue to November 17, 2011 at 7:09pm
- Kelsey Boyd (Americorps Volunteer) Update on Stewardship program
Agent McManus introduces Kelsey Boyd to the Board. Kelsey is from Americorps and will help the Land Stewardship program get back up and running. Ms. Boyd informs the Board a little bit of her back ground history. Agent McManus also says that Ms. Boyd has experience with GIS which will help with mapping the trails and to place them online. They will also place an online form that residents can fill out if they are interested in the Land Stewardship program that will import all their information to a document or database instead of hand writing the submissions. The Agent explains that they will be targeting homeowners at the entrances to specific parcels. Mr. Sweet suggests contacting people that had signed up for the program three years ago. Agent McManus states that they still have the
database with all the names and they will be contacted. He also says that he and Kelsey will be attending the Mashpee Environmental Coalition next week. The Agent is hoping to tie in all three entities; The Refuge Partnership group - The Friends of the Natural Wildlife Refuge, the Mashpee Environmental Coalition and the Mashpee Land Steward Program because the more you can pull resources together, the more you can accomplish.
Agent McManus states that things are really coming together with the Refuge Partnership where they are working on a “Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan” for the refuge that includes the possibility of using an existing house that is owned by Federal Fish & Wildlife and turning it into a nature center. Also, they are working on getting feedback back from all the partners on what the management needs are for the entire refuge.
Mr. Gurnee asks Drew about the letter that the Town Manager had sent to DEP and if there have been any comments and the Agent states that he has not heard anything as of yet. The letter asks if DEP can send a representative to one of the Board of Selectman’s meeting to explain why Richard Cook who received an aquaculture grant has to complete an environmental notification form where other aquaculture grants throughout Southeastern Massachusetts did not have to go through that process. Chairman Fitzsimmons asks about Mr. Cook having to move the location of the farm and Agent McManus confirms that is true. Mr. Cook was actually scoping out an area today.
Motion made, seconded and unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting at 7:29 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kris Carpenter
Administrative Secretary
***All material submitted for hearings can be found on Conservation Flash Drive dated 7/1/10***
| 
