MONSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES 10/19/2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Leslie Duthie, Glenn Colburn, Davis Johnson, Audra Staples and Dana Staples.
7:00 Mark Hunter, 351 Cedar Swamp Road, met informally with the Commission to discuss a garage he would like to construct on his property. There are wetlands around the property and Mr. Hunter showed the Commission a plan of the location of the proposed garage. He stated he believed the garage was outside of the wetlands.
Glenn Colburn stated the garage would be in the buffer zone.
Leslie Duthie stated there is a buffer zone on either side, and the construction would require a Request for Determination.
The Commission signed the bill schedule
Leslie Duthie moved to accept the minutes of September 15, 2011 with a typographical correction to the spelling of Mr. Staples surname.
Davis Johnson seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Davis Johnson moved to accept the minutes of September 28, 2011 with a correction to the minutes of September 28, 2011, change language to read “issue a negative determination based on reason number three with conditions”.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
John Girard, Girard Homes requested a Certificate of Compliance for property on Moulton Hill Road. The Commission looked at the site and Leslie Duthie suggested holding a decision on the Certificate of Compliance because the hill is eroding. The lot slopes to the rear of the property and the erosion is going toward the wetlands in the back of the property. Leslie Duthie stated she would contact Mr. Girard.
Audra Staples moved to table the Certificate of Compliance to the next meeting.
Davis Johnson seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:15 RFD Cushman field, Washington Street Monson Parks & Recreation Dept. The request is for work associated with the reconstruction of two dugouts within the riverfront area.
Timothy Pascale stated the dug outs are going in approximately the same location as the dug outs destroyed by the tornado on June 1, 2011.
Leslie Duthie stated the request is for the area and work.
Mr. Pascale stated they propose to remove the cement slab that was there and put in 8 sona tubes with two feet of the previous dugout.
Leslie Duthie questioned if it was going to be a dirt floor?
Mr. Pascale stated yes.
Leslie Duthie stated it is certainly within an area under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission, because it is riverfront area.
Mr. Pascale stated the sona tubes are 8 inches in diameter and will be four feet deep.
Glen Colburn stated the work is in the flood plain and he was not sure if taking out the slab is equal to the sona tubes. He stated he did not want a loss of storage.
Mr. Pascale stated where the old backstop was there are now holes and the fill would be put in there.
Leslie Duthie questioned if Mr. Pascale was replacing the backstop?
Mr. Pascale stated yes.
Glenn Colburn stated the work for the backstop will have to be incorporated into the Request for Determination for the dug outs.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission would add the installation of the backstop at the existing baseball field, no fill or installation of poles.
Leslie Duthie moved to give a positive determination that the area is subject to protection under the act, and a negative determination for the work described in the request that is in an area subject to protection but will not alter fill or dredge and does not require the filing of a Notice of Intent.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:30 RFD Veterans Field State Street, Monson Parks & Recreation Dept. The request is for the area and work associated with the construction of dugouts at Veterans field.
Timothy Pascale stated the construction is the same as the dug outs at Cushman field but this is new construction. The dug outs will be constructed around the benches that are already there. The hole in front of the bench created by the children’s feet will be filled in and if there is too much fill it will be taken up to Rogers field on Park Avenue.
Leslie Duthie stated she recalled the playground area and area by Parks & Rec. garage are outside of the flood storage area. That would be the ideal spot for any extra fill.
Glenn Colburn stated similar to the request for Cushman field this is Bordering Land Subject to Flooding and he would move to give a positive determination for the area that is subject to protection under the act, and a negative determination for work described in the request that is an area subject to protection but will not alter fill or dredge and does not require the filing of a Notice of Intent.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:40 RFD Levesque Properties LLC, Craig Levesque Main Street.
Audra Staples stated the Building Commissioner Paul Tacy informed her he received a complaint regarding the fill in the back left corner of the property. She stated she looked at the site and the location of the fill is not jurisdictional.
Leslie Duthie stated Mr. Levesque is asking if the area depicted on the plan is within an area subject to protection and if the work described is subject to protection. The scope of work is parking vehicles on the right side of the building.
Craig Levesque stated he would like to weed and put in some stone.
Audra Staples stated half of the property is within the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission.
Leslie Duthie stated as far as the Conservation Commission is concerned Mr. Levesque can work on the north side of the building.
Mr. Levesque stated he would like to clean up 50 feet around the building which would put the work approximately 150 feet from the river.
Leslie Duthie stated she looked at the site and looked at an old plan of the site from a previous applicant. Certainly some clean up of the site could be done, but to make sure everyone is on the same page the Commission would like to do a site visit with Mr. Levesque to discuss exactly what he plans with regard to site clean up, and it should be put on a plan the Commission can keep on file. The Commission does not have a problem with parking vehicles in the degraded area of the site.
Leslie Duthie moved to continue the hearing to November 9, 2011 to allow time for the site visit and for the applicant to supply more information and a plan.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
8:15 RFD Carl Tassinari, 21 Washington Street. The request is for work associated with the reconstruction of a home destroyed by the June 1, 2011 tornado.
Carl Tassinari stated he would like to move the house back 10 or 15 feet. The footprint of the house is the same as before.
Leslie Duthie stated on site the Commission talked about a silt fence.
Mr. Tassinari stated he would install a silt fence on the north and east side of the property.
Leslie Duthie made a motion to give a positive determination for the area that is subject to protection under the act and a negative determination for the work referenced in the request that with the installation of a silt fence the work will not alter an area subject to protection and does not require the filing of a Notice of Intent.
Davis Johnson seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Leslie Duthie removed herself to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
8:25 NOI Monson Parks & Recreation Dept. Washington Street, DEP Number 228-337. The work proposed is the restoration of tornado damaged wetlands at Cushman Field on Washington Street.
Timothy Pascale submitted notification that all abutters have been notified with the exception of 33 Washington Street who did not respond.
The proposed wetland restoration will be done as minimally invasive as possible. The invasive species will be cut and an application of herbicide applied that is non-toxic to wetlands to each cut stem. The applicant has submitted the notice to Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. NHESP has indicated approval but work cannot proceed until the written notification is received. The project will be funded by a grant from Norcross Wildlife Foundation and they will also pay half of the cost to replace the trees and shrubs planted at Cushman Field. It is hoped that the removal of the invasive species will allow the water to flow a little better.
Glenn Colburn stated Mark Stinson made a comment about additional spot treatment in the spring of 2012. The Commission should include a condition in its decision to allow spot treatment if required in the spring of 2012. Mr. Stinson also questioned if fill was going to be brought onto the site.
The applicant stated absolutely no fill.
Glenn Colburn moved to continue for 30 days to allow time for Natural Heritage to respond.
Davis Johnson seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
The applicant asked if the Commission would consider preparing the Order of Conditions to issue at the next meeting contingent upon hearing from Natural Heritage.
The Commission stated it would have no problem with that.
Leslie Duthie returned to the meeting.
Audra Staples questioned if the Monson Highway Dept. filed for the berm that was put in on Washington Street?
Leslie Duthie stated no the work was authorized under an emergency certification.
Audra Staples stated she has a problem with the material used to make the berm scrap metal and other material has been mixed in.
Leslie Duthie stated she would speak with John Morrell.
8:45 The Commission met informally with David Chapdelaine regarding tornado damaged property at 103 Lakeside Drive. Mr. Chapdelaine stated it is the intent to take the existing house down but the owner would like to increase the footprint of the new home.
Leslie Duthie questioned if there was a basement for the existing home?
Mr. Chapdelaine stated that the existing structure is on piers and they would have to put in a basement.
Leslie Duthie stated because of the excavation and it is right on lake the Commission would ask for a Notice of Intent to be filed.
Audra Staples questioned if the house could be rebuilt on piers?
David Chapdelaine stated the existing piers are six inches to one foot deep the new piers would have to be four feet down.
Leslie Duthie stated if the house were to be rebuilt on piers the Commission may consider a Request for Determination. The existing structure is close to the dam that was repaired approximately 6 years ago.
Mr. Chapdelaine stated they are leaning toward a foundation.
The Commission issued a Certificate of Compliance to Richard Cordner Lower Hampden Road.
Leslie Duthie stated she sent a letter to Richard Courchesne Lakeside Drive dated 8/23/2011 asking him to reply no later than 9/17/2011 with regard to his request for an extension of his Order of Conditions. As of this date the Commission has not had a reply.
Audra Staples stated based on the letter from Conservation Commission dated 8/23/2011 she would move to deny the request to extend the Order of Conditions.
Leslie Duthie seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
9:15 Leslie Duthie stated Frank Hull contacted her about removing the wood from the lots on Carpenter Road (McCray lots) mostly damage from the tornado. He wants to take a backhoe and remove 7 or 8 cords of wood. This qualifies for review as part of an expedited process response to the June 1, 2011 tornado.
Audra Staples stated he cannot create new roads he must use the existing driveway.
9:25 MAIL
- Martin Pikul Brimfield Road Forest cutting plan 22.5 acres.
- Forest cutting plan for Jack Carter 55 acres on Cote Road. This has been forwarded to Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
- Forest cutting plan 8 acres East Hill Road Jeffrey Robinson.
- Forest cutting plan 5.8 acres 73 Carpenter Road, Angela Talbot.
The Commission scheduled a site visit for Main Street, Craig Levesque for Monday November 7, 2011 at 5:00 P.M.
9:35 Glenn Colburn moved to adjourn.
Dana Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
| 
