MONSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES AUGUST 29, 2012
MEMBERS PRESENT: Glenn Colburn, Audra Staples and Davis Johnson.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Dana Staples and Leslie Duthie.
7:10 The Commission discussed the status of Ray’s Mobile Home Park. The Commission received a request from Mr. Lavallee’s counsel for all paperwork pertaining to his clients’ property. This was sent but to date there has been no further contact from Mr. Lavallee or his attorney and the Commission is still waiting for a Notice of Intent to be filed. Glenn Colburn stated he believed the Commission should go back and take a look because it has received information that Mr. Lavallee is working in the wetlands.
The Commission tabled the minutes of August 8, 2012 because Davis Johnson was absent from the meeting.
7:15 NOI Flynt Park, Park Road, Monson Parks & Recreation Department present: Tim Pascale, Parks & Recreation Director, Dan Laroche, Disaster Recovery Manager and Donald Frydryk, Sherman & Frydryk, Land Surveying and Engineering.
Donald Frydryk stated the proposed work is to improve the existing drainage and driveway and make parking improvements. The replacement and improvements of the drainage and parking will occur on all three levels of the property. Mr. Frydryk stated the Monson Highway Department is doing the work and he believed that they were starting at the lower field and working up. Mr. Frydryk stated on the lower field the drainage will run along the base of the slope and out in the same location with a level spreader. On the middle field the drainage is essentially the same and runs into a spreader down to the lower field. The top field is the wettest with wetlands on the north and south sides the work will be in the buffer zone and will come no closer than 50 feet. The sub surface drains
outlet into a level spreader and into catch basins. Each field will have two or three catch basins.
Audra Staples questioned if the improvements would make the upper field usable?
Mr. Pascale stated yes.
Donald Frydryk stated the lower field will drain as it does now, the middle field will drain to the north and upper field to the south.
Glenn Colburn questioned how the wetlands were determined? He stated he went to the site prior to the meeting and there was standing water in the swales and vegetation in some of them and questioned why the swales were not counted as wetlands?
Donald Frydryk stated the wetlands were determined by vegetation. The areas observed by Mr. Colburn were small isolated areas that are not regulated and the reason there was standing water is because the drainage system is not working properly.
Davis Johnson stated it would appear that there is a high water table at the upper field.
Donald Frydryk stated there is a steep slope from the top to the bottom field and when the ground water comes down it hits the flat areas and starts to rebound up, the sub drains will hopefully keep the water from getting back up to the levels in the field.
Glenn Colburn stated in the shed area there is serious erosion.
Tim Pascale stated the Highway Dept cut the road so they could get in and cut some vegetation but in the process eliminated the swale that was there.
Donald Frydryk stated the swale that is grown in is where the water outlets now, the plan is to try and replicate that.
Glenn Colburn stated he saw drainage and square catch basins.
Davis Johnson questioned if the seeps were coming from the catch basins?
Donald Frydryk stated he did not notice.
Glenn Colburn questioned what was proposed in the swale on the lower field?
Donald Frydryk stated grass.
Glenn Colburn questioned if the swale was going to pick up more water would a grass swale be adequate?
Donald Frydryk stated he thought a grass swale at this slope would be adequate.
Davis Johnson questioned if that would still be the case when the new drainage was focusing more water there than before?
Donald Frydryk stated the water is concentrating in that area now.
Audra Staples questioned how far the logging was from the proposed work?
Dan Laroche stated the landing area for the logging is at the upper field and that is why that field will be done last. It is proposed to install the drainage for the lower field and middle field this fall and complete the upper field in the spring of 2013. The majority of the clearing is at the top of the hill. It is hoped that there is money enough to clear 40 – 60 acres, at this point most of the trees are already down. There will be some erosion during the operation when the wood is hauled out but Scott Gerrish is utilizing some of the trails and will use the road to pick up the logs at the landing area. It is proposed to return skid roads to hiking trails at the end of the project.
Glenn Colburn stated the majority of the work is in uplands with some buffer zone work. He stated he saw a significant amount of water and wondered if there was some interception of ground water.
Timothy Pascale stated the holes are where the old basins have collapsed.
Donald Frydryk stated he believed that Mr. Colburn was correct and that possibly deficient soils added to the problem.
Glenn Colburn questioned the length of time it would take the Highway Department to do the work?
Mr. Pascale stated he thought the Highway Department would be in and out of the lower field in about four days.
Donald Frydryk stated he thought it would take about a week in each section.
David Cantwell stated he had no questions just really wanted some information as to what exactly is happening because this property is behind his home.
Dan Laroche stated there are two project proposed on this property both related to damage from the June 1, 2011 tornado. Firstly a forest cutting plan has been prepared to clean up the tree damage that will involve logging and clearing of trails. This is separate from the project that is being reviewed by the Conservation Commission that involves repairs and replacement of existing drainage and the creation of a paved parking area.
7:45 Glenn Colburn moved to close the hearing and issue an Order of Conditions.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:45 NOI Macomber Road /Upper Palmer Road Cornerstone Power Monson, LLC.
The Commission received a request from the applicant to continue the hearing to Wednesday September 19, 2012 at 7:15 P.M.
Audra Staples so moved.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Glenn Colburn stated the Commission did a site visit with the wetland consultant who stated the applicant wanted to use two more areas on the property, one a wet meadow and the other a wet area beyond the houses.
Audra Staples stated her concern that the wet meadow is beaver habitat and this year two beaver are sharing the space. The property owner Mr. Arooth applied for trapping permits to the Board of Health but was denied because it does not encroach on his crops. She stated if the applicant is given permission to use the meadow she would like some kind of protection put into the Order of Conditions for the beaver in that area.
8:00 RFD 6 Mill Street, Danil Kishko continued. The work involves construction of a shed and improvements to the existing yard.
Glenn Colburn stated the meeting was continued for more information.
Mr. Kishko stated he proposed to construct a garden shed that would be placed on cinder blocks, level the garden bed to the height of the driveway and cover with gravel or pea stone because they need more off street parking and create a dirt walkway to the existing shed and partially dig in wood beams. He also proposes to create a gravel pathway to the proposed shed.
Davis Johnson questioned if any soil would be disturbed creating the pathways?
Mr. Kishko stated no. Mr. Kishko submitted a plan showing the layout on his property of the work proposed.
Glenn Colburn stated he believed that with erosion controls the stream would be protected and would move to give a negative determination for work in a resource area subject to protection under the Act that will not alter dredge or fill and does not require a Notice of Intent and a positive determination for the area. The area described is subject to protection under the Act and the boundaries are not confirmed by this determination. The motion also includes a condition that the Commission would watch the project and require more erosion controls if necessary.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted.
8:25 RFD 241 Silver Street Matthew Guthrie continued. The work involves the removal of trees and grading.
Glenn Colburn stated the meeting was continued because the applicant used the wrong form and the Commission wanted a plan showing the wetland boundary.
Glenn Colburn questioned how the wetland boundary was determined?
Matthew Guthrie stated he put markers at the last skunk cabbage he saw.
Glenn Colburn stated the wetland line may not be accurate because when he walked the property with Ms. Guthrie he saw sedges, rushes and moss all species you would find in wetlands. He stated he walked to the back corner and looked at trees, and walked south of the driveway where there are large stones.
Mr. Guthrie questioned why the Commission was talking about the back of the stone wall?
Glenn Colburn stated because the question came up about where the stones are going.
Mr. Guthrie stated most of the work is in the front.
Audra Staples questioned why Mr. Guthrie was removing trees?
Mr. Guthrie stated he has had trees fall on the house, and an arborist advised that the maple, oak and hickory will fall. He stated one tree is dead and the other two are leaning.
Davis Johnson questioned if the dead tree was a danger to the house?
Mr. Guthrie stated it is within feet of the house.
Glenn Colburn stated when he was at the site he thought it looked like wood pecker habitat. Leslie Duthie was concerned about the giant oak tree by the stone wall, a limb has already been taken off of that and the Commission would like that tree left alone as it provides shade for the intermittent stream and looked healthy other than the damaged limb.
Audra Staples stated she was more concerned with the maple tree than the oak.
Glenn Colburn stated the Commission would make a determination this evening but would not issue the determination until the applicant had mailed the correct form to the DEP.
Audra Staples moved to give a positive determination for the area described in the request that is subject to protection under the Act and a negative determination for work in the buffer zone that will not alter, fill or dredge the area and does not require the filing of a Notice of Intent.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted.
Davis Johnson stated he would be working with other residents of Pupil Rock to put together a Notice of Intent to address issues with the dam.
Glenn Colburn stated he had two emergency certifications for the Commission to sign.
- Park Street. The drainage swale on the west side of the road washed out and the Highway Department has repaired the eastern side of swale with stone but the western side of the swale is still eroding. The Commission added a condition that asks the Highway Surveyor to return to the Commission with a plan to stabilize the western side of the swale.
- Homer Drive. The Highway Department repaired the culvert using smaller stone mixed with a lot of stone dust and chips; it solved the emergency but needs more work to stabilize it properly. The Commission added a condition that asks the Highway Surveyor to return to the Commission with a plan to stabilize both up and down stream on both sides.
The Commission signed a Certificate of Compliance for William Russell, Stebbins Road.
8:50 MAIL
- RFD from Lauriston Moore 95 Wales Road to remove trees.
- 332 Lower Hampden Road Kevin Carney received his determination.
- Notice from Erica Haug that herbicide treatment of Dean Pond would occur in August.
- NHESP re: cutting plan for Polly Gustafson, Pease Avenue. The property is in priority habitat and to avoid a take the operation motorized vehicles may occur only between December 1, and March 31 and soil scarification my not be conducted with equipment.
- Copy of a revised forest cutting plan for Polly Gustafson, Pease Avenue.
- Copy of forest cutting plan for Suzanne Markham Waid Road.
Glenn Colburn moved to adjourn.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
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