MONSON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
MEMBERS PRESENT: Leslie Duthie, Glenn Colburn, Davis Johnson and Audra Staples.
7:09 Mr. & Mrs. Etti met informally with the Commission to discuss an unintentional encroachment onto Conservation land.
Leslie Duthie stated when the Quinlan land was surveyed prior to the sale to the Town it was determined that a swing set had been placed on the Town land. Leslie Duthie stated prior to the sale Seth Wesson was going to talk to Mr. & Mrs. Etti and explain that the swing set would have to be moved onto their property.
Maria Etti stated Seth Wesson did let them know that he was in the process of selling the property but did not mention the swing set.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission has been fortunate enough to have a base line data report done on the property and in fact may have marked the boundary with the abutting property. She stated the Commission would like to meet with Mr. & Mrs. Etti on their property and come to an agreement on the boundary line.
Glenn Colburn stated there should be red paint marking the boundaries and if Mr. & Mrs. Etti agree would bring some wooden stakes and mark the property line. The swing set should be moved and the area left to revert back to woodlands.
Maria Etti stated they would be agreeable to meeting with the Commission. A site visit was arranged for Sunday September 29, 2013 at 8:00 A.M.
7:25 NOI King Avenue, Quaboag Riders Club continued. The work proposed is the alteration of a stream crossing and relocation of an access path.
Ray Mansfield stated they propose a coarse stone drainage area on the south side and the crossing would have a stone footing with headwalls on both sides. A detail is provided looking down the slope showing a small drainage and shelf area. This will eliminate the need to cut too much into the natural portion of the hill.
Leslie Duthie questioned if the uphill side would be lower than the road bed at the finish?
Ray Mansfield stated probably not much of a crown was proposed but rather to let the water shed naturally on both the up hill and down hill side.
Glenn Colburn stated he was not convinced that a rock swale was needed if the slope of the road meets the natural terrain. A sheet flow would be better because channelizing could occur with the rock swale. He stated he believed the Commission could work with what was proposed.
Ray Mansfield stated the Club has not figured out exactly how the bridge area will look. The plan so far is to have a couple of beams on footings, but before they go forward would like to suggest that they place the stones and before starting construction on the footings have the Conservation Commission take a look.
Glenn Colburn stated it was important to maintain clearance from the stream and the higher on the north side the better.
Leslie Duthie stated over time there has been so much disturbance to the area that nothing needed to be added to the area, if a layer of rock was removed it would allow water to flow through and in an exceptionally heavy rain storm flow over the bridge. She agreed with Mr. Colburn that it was a solution the Commission could agree to and moved to close the hearing and issue an Order of Conditions.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Ray Mansfield stated the Club has already removed the stones in the buffer zone.
Leslie Duthie stated if everything within the buffer zone has been removed she would move to release the enforcement order and the Commission would check the area when it made a preconstruction visit for the bridge.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Leslie Duthie moved to accept the minutes of August 7, 2013 as presented.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Glenn Colburn moved to accept the minutes of August 28, 2013 with a correction to the name of the consulting firm for Quaboag Riders Club it should read Pioneer Environmental not Pioneer Valley Environmental and to change National Grid transfer station to substation.
Davis Johnson seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
7:45 NOI Boston Road Antonio Fernandes for work involving the construction of a building and parking area.
The Commission received a request from Antonio and Elizabeth Fernandes to continue the hearing to October 30, 2013.
Audra Staples so moved.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Leslie Duthie stated she had written a letter on behalf of the Monson Conservation Commission stating the Commissions’ strong support of the Federal FY 15 Connecticut to Quabbin (Ct2Q) Forest Legacy Program Project Proposal and has voted to hold the Conservation Restriction on properties in the Town of Monson involved in the Federal FY 15 Ct2Q Forest Legacy Program Project Proposal.
Davis Johnson moved to approve the advocacy of this initiative and sign the letter of support.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Leslie Duthie questioned if the Commissioners’ would vote to inform Town Accountant, Deborah Mahar that the Conservation Commission would like to use the money from the Fields & Ponds Grant for the trail on Margaret Street to defray costs incurred by Ct2Q for the coordinators time to prepare the federal application. This is a 1000 acre project that dovetails with a 1500 project in Connecticut.
Glenn Colburn so moved.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
8:00 RFD Bethany Road, Monson Highway Department for work associated with replacing part of a drainage culvert repaving the road Between Bethany Road and Chestnut Street.
Donald Frydryk, Sherman & Frydryk, Land Surveying & Engineering was present representing the Monson Highway Department.
Donald Frydryk stated it is proposed to replace part of a drainage culvert just north of State Street where the basins are rotting. The rotting drainage basin will be replaced and a set of basins added to address a low point in the road. The work does not involve any work to the existing culvert, the replacement stops just before the culvert. In addition to the drainage it is proposed to level and repave the roadway.
Leslie Duthie questioned if this meant the catch basin would no longer attach to the stream?
Donald Frydryk stated the culvert would connect into the pipe that eventually goes into stream deep sumps will catch anything before it gets to the culvert. The two catch basins over the culvert will remain and one of the two pipes going out will be abandoned so that everything going into the stream will flow through the culvert.
Leslie Duthie questioned if the catch basins over the culvert are to be replaced?
Donald Frydryk stated no because they are built right into the culvert and there is no clean out, currently whatever goes in there goes right through into the water.
Glenn Colburn questioned where the soils would be stockpiled when digging the trench?
Donald Frydryk stated the soils would be stockpiled within the pavement and then replaced. When the drainage improvements are completed the roadway would be paved. No other drainage improvements are proposed on the street and there is no work proposed in the flood plain or estimated rare species habitat.
Glenn Colburn moved to issue a negative determination for work in buffer zone that will not fill or alter an area subject to protection under the Act with the conditions that all stockpiled soils are kept within paved areas and removed or returned in the trench on a daily basis; erosion controls as shown on the plan.
Audra Staples seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
8:30 MAIL
- Deeds for Carpenter Road, McCray Realty have been recorded
- DCR letter Best Management Practices.
- Bethany Road, Bedrock Financial received Determination of Applicability.
- Copy of Northern Woodlands.
- Various Building Permits.
The Commission has not received any updates from Tighe & Bond with regard to the clean up of Chicopee Brook because of contamination from the old M. & M. Chemicals property. Leslie Duthie stated they are still monitoring the situation because she has observed people there switching out the absorbent pads.
Davis Johnson stated he is in the process of preparing a Notice of Intent for a drawdown at Pulpit Rock Lake to repair the dam. The residents have the impression that Dam Safety will be looking into the situation and it is better to be proactive rather than reactive.
Glenn Colburn questioned if a complete drawdown was proposed?
Davis Johnson stated not a complete drawdown, but they would need to be below the level of the gates to make the repairs to the dam.
8:45 Glenn Colburn moved to adjourn.
Leslie Duthie seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
| 
