MONSON CONSERATION COMMISSION
MINUTES JANUARY 28, 2015
MEMBERS PRESENT: Glenn Colburn and Leslie Duthie.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Davis Johnson.
7:00 Scott Tetreault Fenton Road met informally with the Commission to discuss property owned by his family on Fenton Road. He gave the Commission a copy of an unrecorded plan of the property stating he thought the Commission may be interested in land that runs along the river and in the rear of frontage lots on Fenton Road that are also owned by his family. He stated John Prenosil flagged the wetlands on the property but that was as far as it went. The pipeline also crosses the property. Mr. Tetreault stated he would include one lot for access and the property in the rear that runs along the river.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission was interested but it is all about the money. When the Commission purchases property an appraisal is done and this is what is considered as fair market value and the Commission cannot pay more than that. The Commission would like to have something on the river especially with access for a boat launch.
Scott Tetreault stated there would be access from one front lot and there are two more access points
Leslie Duthie stated the purchase of property is not a fast process so, as long as there was no rush on this the Commission would look into it.
Scott Tetreault stated the whole property is for sale. The homestead consists of 129 acres and he hoped to start logging in the fall and selling it in the interim.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission recently purchased land locked land on Cedar Swamp that connects Conservation land and Norcross land.
Scott Tetreault gave the Commission a copy of a plan of the property that was done approximately 2 – 3 years ago.
Glenn Colburn questioned the plan for the rest of the property?
Scott Tetreault stated it would be sold. He questioned why the Commission purchased land?
Leslie Duthie stated to preserve land for passive recreation, wildlife corridor, open space and stated this particular parcel would be a fabulous boat launch.
7:35 Ken Lacourse Protect Energy met with the Commission to discuss the erosion problem at the solar facility on Macomber/Upper Palmer Roads. He submitted a plan that was prepared to address the problems.
Leslie Duthie stated the plan shows a swale with a pipe, where is the pipe outletting?
Ken Lacourse stated the pipe outlets into the lower part of the swale that will be rip rap.
Glenn Colburn questioned why not infiltrate rather than discharge?
Ken Lacourse stated when the engineers developed the plan they thought this was the best solution because of the soils.
Leslie Duthie stated this is an area where water stands.
Glenn Colburn stated his concern that a direct discharge into swale was proposed with no effort to retain anything.
Ken Lacourse stated the water is pooling in one corner and they want to catch all of that. There is a high ground water table and in order to get depth they would have to take it down a foot or more to be at the top of the water table.
Leslie Duthie questioned if the swale would hold water for a period of time so there would not be a rushing flow, and if this was the only area for discharge?
Ken Lacourse stated this is the only safe area any closer to road would put the discharge right in the wetlands.
Leslie Duthie stated the positive is that the water is flowing down onto a rip rap pad, which should remove some of the solids, however, as soon as spring comes this area has to be re-vegetated. She stated this seems like a rock and a hard place situation.
Ken Lacourse stated there was no water management plan in place for this area, and he thought when he joined the project it would be an area of concern. When this property was a working farm the farmer drained to this area.
Leslie Duthie agreed that this has always been wet area. She stated she felt the rate of flow would be handled and saw no sense in enlarging the rip rap area.
Glenn Colburn stated he wanted to make sure that as much silt was being removed as possible.
Ken Lacourse stated they would put a jute mat down in that area and go heavy on the conservation mix.
Leslie Duthie stated it is not what the Commission would like but it seems we are stuck with this.
Glenn Colburn agreed stating the ideal is to infiltrate rather than discharge but we now have discharge from a twelve inch pipe into a swale. Before the solar array project the water would spread out but now it is being concentrated in a small area.
Ken Lacourse stated once the area is vegetated and grown in it will not be an issue.
Glenn Colburn stated that is the reason erosion control is needed. He stated he did not like the idea of putting everything into a twelve inch pipe and concentrating it into a swale.
Leslie Duthie suggested that Mr. Lacourse stay in touch with the Commission and as soon as the weather permits get the area vegetated as quickly as possible in the spring. Everything is sheet flowing to the corner and taking the soil with it. Once the basin is vegetated it will ultimately act as a natural small pond.
Ken Lacourse stated SunEdison shares the concern about erosion because it could cause screws to wash out. He stated they would like to monitor the weather and see how it goes and get the erosion controls in while there is still some frost in the ground.
Glenn Colburn stated he would like to think about it rather than make decision and accept it tonight. This is the first look the Commission has had at it and he would like to take his time and give careful consideration to what is being proposed.
Ken Lacourse stated he would get a seeding list to the Commission.
Leslie Duthie stated something that germinates quickly. She questioned if he had the stormwater reports?
Ken Lacourse submitted stormwater reports and copies of the erosion control plan.
Glenn Colburn questioned if the north westerly corner was the end of Phase I?
Ken Lacourse stated yes.
Glenn Colburn stated he went back on site last Thursday and Friday and saw other areas of concern that were further north.
Ken Lacourse stated that area is now part of Phase II.
Glenn Colburn stated the haybales are located about 75 feet from the line and in poor condition, it is important that whether the controls are taking a lot of water or not they should be maintained in good condition.
Leslie Duthie stated the Commission wants to protect whatever resource areas are there.
Glenn Colburn stated he also saw a lot of stone there.
Ken Lacourse stated they put in 2 inch stone as the road base and now you have gullies, if asphalt had been used you would not have the gullies, but it is a cost factor.
Leslie Duthie stated Jake Rudisill contacted her with information on how to get access to the property. She suggested keeping the lines of communication open and make a site visit when possible and look at other areas of concern.
Ken Lacourse stated when Phase II is done it would address a lot of the issues, but he suggested the Commission make it clear that if the owners want to move forward with Phase II they would have to address the issues and clean up Phase I first. He stated that SunEdison was responsible for the stormwater reports and Dan Jordan and Dan Diamond are the gentlemen overseeing the project. Ken Lacorse suggested that the stormwater reports are best after every significant rainfall.
8:05 MAIL
- Notification from Lycott Environmental that they are now known as Aquatic Control Technology.
- Request from Aquatic Control Technology for a three (3) year extension to the existing Order of Conditions DEP 228-45 for Paradise Lake.
Glenn Colburn moved to extend the Order of Conditions for 3 years with the understanding that the Commission continue to receive the results of the annual water sample analysis of Total Phosphorus and notification of annual treatments.
Leslie Duthie seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Leslie Duthie moved to accept the minutes of January 5, 2015 as presented.
Glenn Colburn seconded, it was so voted.
Leslie Duthie stated she would send a letter to Mr. Farquhar about withdrawing water from Temple Brook and also having a pump and pipe on Conservation land.
Leslie Duthie moved to continue the NOI for Pulpit Rock Pond to May Continue Pulpit Rock NOI and NOI cote road to May 13, 2015.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Leslie Duthie moved to continue the NOI for Cote Road paving and culvert repair/replacement to May 13, 2015.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
The Commission discussed the Enforcement Order that was issued to Gail Howard for property she owns on Silver Street. Leslie Duthie stated she recently tried to contact Ms. Howards’ consultant John Prenosil but has not had a response to her e-mail. The last time Mr. Prenosil responded to an e-mail he stated he had been in hospital. It has been a year since the Enforcement Order was issued and the Commission has been patient in light of Mr. Prenosils’ illness. The decision was made to send Ms. Howard a letter to appear before the Commission to discuss the Draft Restoration Plan and establish a timetable by which the work must be completed.
8:15 Leslie Duthie moved to adjourn.
Glenn Colburn seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
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