MONSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Leslie Duthie, Glenn Colburn, Audra Staples, Dana Staples Davis Johnson
7:00 Glenn Colburn stated he would like to amend the minutes of August 17, 2011 with regard to the discussion relating to the proposed driveway on Bumstead Road requested by Raymond Wallach. On page two the next to last paragraph should read “prolonging the project and unstable site conditions which could cause an erosion problem”.
Audra Staples moved to accept the minutes of August 17, 2011 with the amendments.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted by majority vote.
Voting aye: Glenn Colburn, Audra Staples and Dana Staples.
Leslie Duthie and Davis Johnson abstained.
Leslie Duthie stated William Dominick contacted her regarding the property at 99 Main Street. The owner of the property removed trees and stumps damaged in the tornado and that has resulted in water flowing out of the stump locations and running down the driveway. Mr. Dominick questioned if there was anything that the Commission could do?
Glenn Colburn stated if this is not a jurisdictional area there is nothing the Commission can do.
Leslie Duthie stated she spoke with Carl Tassinari who owns property at 21 Washington Street and asked him to file a Request for Determination for re-construction of the building.
7:15 RFD Lots 4 & 5 Whitney Avenue filed by CIL Realty for work involving a single family home. The property is owned by Gary Pfisterer.
Donald Frydryk stated the only work proposed in the riverfront area is the driveway and sewer connection. The applicant has combined two lots on Whitney Avenue for the construction of a single family home. There is a stream on the other side of Main Street and the driveway for the new building and sewer connection will be in the outer riparian zone.
Davis Johnson stated for clarification that it is just the access to the lot that is jurisdictional.
Donald Frydryk stated the driveway to access the property is located to avoid a retaining wall that runs along one side of a portion of Whitney Avenue. The property is located in the Water Supply Protection District, which requires the property owner to infiltrate the run off to meet the Zoning Bylaws. It is proposed to create a rain garden that will catch water from the slope and off the roof. The rain garden is basically a depression that will have gravel/stone material for drainage with soil, mulch and plants. The erosion control extends all the way to the westerly boundary and wraps around a little on the northerly side.
Glenn Colburn questioned if the rain garden was sized to hold a certain amount of water?
Donald Frydryk stated it is sized for two year storm anything more than that the water will overflow and go where it goes now.
Davis Johnson questioned if that was the minimum requirement?
Donald Frydryk stated yes.
Davis Johnson questioned how much more room would it take to make it larger?
Donald Frydryk stated they could probably double it in size.
Davis Johnson stated he would feel more comfortable with an increase in size because in time with the development of the other lots someone down slope could have problems.
Leslie Duthie questioned if there was a connection between the roof and the rain garden?
Donald Frydryk stated the roof leaders direct the water to the rain garden.
Leslie Duthie stated enlarging the rain garden to handle the down slope flow is probably a good idea. The rain garden at the property on McCray Circle does a nice job it accommodates the water and has native grasses and wildflowers.
Donald Frydryk stated the bonus here is that the soils are gravelly.
Glenn Colburn stated there is a significant parking area proposed 5 parking spaces and access for a handicap space, is there any provision for catching the contaminants from this many vehicles.
Christopher Gonzales stated the property will have residents who need round the clock care and there will be three shift changes.
Glenn Colburn stated this would result in a lot of vehicles going in and out that is more like a commercial operation than a private situation.
Donald Frydryk stated they have proposed the pervious surface to infiltrate the water to comply with the Water Supply Protection District Bylaw.
Glenn Colburn stated the idea is to infiltrate clean water.
Leslie Duthie stated it is proposed to use a pervious surface in the parking area to meet the Water Supply Protection District bylaw but this would allow any oils or leakage from the large number of vehicles to infiltrate also.
Glenn Colburn questioned if instead of a pervious surface it could be re-designed to an impervious surface with a way to trap the oils.
Leslie Duthie stated it could be handled with a catch basin if the run off could be pitched to one side or the other.
Donald Frydryk stated it could be pitched to the east.
Glenn Colburn stated he was concerned with the possibility of oil or gas leaking from a vehicle. If the parking surface was impervious it would be seen but with the proposed pervious surface no one will know and it will leak into the ground.
Donald Frydryk stated he thought a grass swale going into a grass infiltration basin would work.
Glenn Colburn stated an ongoing condition for this property will be to control the pollutants in the parking area.
Leslie Duthie moved to continue the meeting to September 28, 2011 for a new plan showing a larger rain garden and a solution to the potential for parking area pollution.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:45 RFD Lots 8 & 9 Main Street filed by CIL Realty for work involving the construction of a Single Family Home. The property is owned by Gary Pfisterer.
Donald Frydryk stated this is the same as Whitney Avenue the only work proposed within the riverfront area is the entrance for the driveway and the sewer connection. The same pervious pavement is proposed for this site.
Glenn Colburn stated the concerns are the same.
Leslie Duthie questioned if these lots were in the middle of the frontage?
Donald Frydryk stated there is one lot to the north and one to the south.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission is going to ask for the same thing change the parking area to impervious surface.
Donald Frydryk stated he believed they would be able to do that and stay under the 15% required in the bylaw.
Glenn Colburn questioned how the parking areas were managed in the winter for instance?
Christopher Gonzales CIL Realty stated they are plowed similar to any other driveway and a salt sand mixture put down if it is icy.
Leslie Duthie moved to continue to September 28, 2011 for an amended plan.
Dana Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
8:05 Certificate of Compliance for R. J. Anderson Lamcotec, Bethany Road DEP 228-221.
Leslie Duthie stated she inspected the site and would recommend the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance.
The Commission signed the Certificate of Compliance with Conditions 31, 40, 43 and 45 of the Order of Conditions to remain ongoing.
Glenn Colburn prepared the Order of Conditions for Bumstead Road, Raymond Wallach. He stated the special conditions include that in consideration of the steep slope of the driveway the Monson Conservation Commission requires that once started work on the wetland crossing and grading for the driveway shall be completed within 30 days. If the work is not completed and stabilized within this time frame the applicant shall notify the Commission in writing and appear before the Commission at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Other special conditions are: due to the steep grade of the driveway the driveway shall be paved within 30 days of the start of driveway construction; an anti-tracking pad shall be installed at the road entrance and maintained; drainage swales on both sides of the driveway shall be
lined with stone of a size suitable to withstand expected run off volumes; maintenance of the bio-engineered and mechanically stabilized slopes and the stability of the driveway is the responsibility of the owner of record of this property; the low spot of the driveway shall be closed with hay bales at the end of each workday to prevent erosion.
The Commission signed the Order of Conditions.
8:40 Leslie Duthie stated she responded to Richard Courchesne’s request for a one year extension for 83 Lakeside Drive, DEP 228-249 asking him to attend a meeting. The property owner is requesting an extension due to the tornado and loss of power to the property.
The consensus of the Commission is that an extension has been granted for this property and no progress was made even before the events of June 1, 2011. The Commission would like Mr. Courchesne to attend a meeting of the Conservation Commission to discuss a timetable for work on this property.
Leslie Duthie stated she spoke with Dennis Haley regarding his parents’ property on Silver Street. Mr. Haley wanted to inform the Commission of a problem with beaver. There is a small brook just off of the rear of the Haley property that the beaver have built a dam on and that is causing water to flow down the Howard’s driveway. This is nothing that the Haley’s have done it is nature.
Leslie Duthie stated she understood that some of the Commissioners were concerned with the request for an Emergency Certification for Eric & Suzanne Markham, Waid Road. She stated that she visited the site with Audra Staples prior to the tornado and discussed with Mr. & Mrs. Markham the area they could clear cut making sure it was out of the buffer zone. They are going forward with a cutting plan for a different area of their property.
Leslie Duthie stated there are many properties with significant tree damage from the tornado and a limited number of foresters to do the work. Certainly three months on from the tornado it is not an emergency but these property owners have been waiting a long time to have the trees removed. Ms. Duthie stated she is working closely with the State Forester Carmine Angeloni and Brian Tetreault and visits all of the sites. If the property is on the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species map Fish & Wildlife have to be contacted and she always requires that Best Management Practices are followed.
Audra Staples stated she had a different interpretation of Emergency Certification, but now had a better understanding.
Davis Johnson stated it would appear the emergency is still valid because of the limited number of people performing this type of work.
Leslie Duthie stated all of her work for emergency certification has been with Brian Tetreault and she always confirms the information with the forester.
Glenn Colburn stated he was concerned that emergency certificates were still being requested. At this point in time the normal procedure should be followed and if the property owner has under 10 acres file an RFD.
Leslie Duthie stated she met with John Morrell on Washington Street to look at the restoration work he performed after the rains from storms Irene and Lee. Water came down from Ely Road clogging up the culvert that runs under the road the water did not go into the other culvert so Mr. Morrell put in rip rap right against the wall to prevent the water from undermining the wall. There is a dirt swale between Cushman field and Washington Street and the trees along the wall that were damaged in the tornado have been removed and a berm installed and the area smoothed out between the swale and Cushman field. John Morrell did not replace or change the pipe.
Leslie Duthie stated she has contacted two or three companies regarding the restoration at Cushman field. At this time she has two quotes for removal of invasive species close to the wall and along the field but there is a big disparity in price and one quote did not give a great deal of detail regarding the work that was proposed. The higher quote was detailed and also included another treatment next year. Ms. Duthie stated she has one more company to meet with. Ms. Duthie stated she would be responsible for the filing.
Dana Staples stated if the area is wet an excavator or bobcat will make a trench because they are heavy.
Leslie Duthie stated the tree planting on Veteran’s field and Cushman field is planned for October 15, 2011. On Cushman field two hybrid trees will be planted and 30 shrubs, on Veterans field along the State Street side 6 large elm trees will be planted inside the fence.
Leslie Duthie stated Colonial Village has requested permission to remove some tree stumps and after looking at the site one can be removed because it it’s a big open area.
Tim Pascale has plans to replace the dug outs at Cushman Street and build new ones at Veterans field there will be 16 sona tubes for each dug out.
Glenn Colburn stated Mr. Pascale should file an RFD for the work.
Pia & Harry Rogers Bethany Road submitted a plan showing the location of the house destroyed by the tornado and where they propose to rebuild on the lot. The question for the Commission is do they have to file?
The Commission stated an RFD should be filed for the work.
9: 20 MAIL
- Richard Johnson received his Request for Determination for work on Cushman Street.
- Rocky Mountain Wood Co has submitted a bid for Flynt Park.
- NHESP cutting plan Carpenter Road Celeste Gould. Fish & Wildlife have reviewed the plan and activity may proceed until May 31, 2012.
- Cutting Plan for Sandy Bailey, Wilbraham Road; Robert & Jennifer Dold, Carpenter Road; Stephen Phillips, Upper Hampden Road, Rogalski, 87 Main Street; Michael Bergeron, Paradise Lake Road; Kirwan, Carpenter Road; and Staback, King Street.
- Carpenter Road Andrew Beaulieu Fish & Wildlife have reviewed the plan and activity may proceed until May 31, 2012.
- Various Building Permit.
- Copy of MACC.
- Copy of Northern Woodlands.
- Copy of MACC.
- Copy of Northern Woodlands
9:30 Leslie Duthie stated she happened to be at a conference and heard about a new law pertaining to ATV activity that requires the operator to have specific permission from the landowner to ride on property and there are significant fines for violations of this law.
Glenn Colburn stated there is still illegal ATV use on the property on Nieske Road that was owned by Jean Porwoll. The operators of the vehicles are going around the large boulders that were placed there. He suggested sending a letter to abutting properties to notify them that no ATV use is allowed on the property, this is not to say that they are the responsible parties but the more the Commission can spread the word the greater chance that it will stop. Glenn Colburn stated he noted there was a portable paddock on an abutting property that appeared to be very close to wetlands.
The Commission set a site visit for 225 Palmer Road for Monday 26th September at 5:00 P.M. for the Certificate of Compliance.
Leslie Duthie stated she will be working on several grants over the next few weeks.
9:45 Audra Staples moved to adjourn.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
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