413-267-4111
Meeting Minutes, July 15, 2015
Members present: Glenn Colburn, Leslie Duthie, Davis Johnson
7pm: Richard Johnson, 20 Cushman Street
Mr. Johnson was asked to attend the meeting due to clearing within 100’ of the intermittent stream at the back of the property. Mr. Johnson didn’t think he was violating the act. He was concerned that Randy Pascale, his neighbor, had encroached on Mr. Johnson’s property. There were piles of material that that Pascale had dumped over the boundary, Johnson then wanted to “clean up” downed trees as a result of the tornado damage from 2011 so he hired Pete Lloyd to come in and remove the vegetation and the broken trees. Johnson had him leave 75’ to 100’ of vegetation in the northwest corner of the lot near the intermittent stream we had discussed several years ago.
LD says that the area he cleared used to be brushy and now it looks like lawn.
GC remembers the former site and that we determined that it was jurisdictional and Mr. Johnson should file. Brush and thick vegetation is valuable as habitat not only at the wetland line but within 100’ of the wetland. Buffer zone is important and all work should stay 50’ away from the resource area because it serves a function.
Mr. Johnson states that much of the area is Japanese knotweed and he would like to mow this area every few weeks.
Commission sets a site visit on Monday July 20th at 5pm to view the site.
7:30 Cheryl Medvetsky 3 Pond Road
Mark Farrell shows a new sight for the garage, 20’ from the wetland. Proposes using straw waddles as a work limit line, he feels these will be easier to use than silt fence and will prevent any impact to the wetland area.
GC – will Cheryl be using sauna tubes rather than a full foundation
Cheryl states that is possible, she has not decided on a building yet.
GC – would like to square off the access to the garage, rather than having an extended area of cutting around it. Clearcutting this area will have an effect on the wetland, preserving the forest around the garage will protect the wetland.
Cheryl wants to know if she will be able to cut trees all around the garage?
GC – Tree cutting could be allowed within 10’ or 15’ around the perimeter of the garage, but otherwise she would be cutting trees in the wetland.
Mark Farrell asked about allowing the shrub layer to grow in? Ms. Medvetsky is worried about large trees falling on her new garage and has just had a costly tree removed from near her home.
GC – The area should be allowed to grow back in after construction, would she consider limbing trees up rather than removal? Removal would be work regulated in the buffer zone.
Cheryl wants to remove trees
GC – we should set a work limit line and asked Mark to flag the permanent work limit and the individual trees that Ms. Medvetsky would like to cut, once this has been done the Commission will make a site visit and look at the line.
LD – motion to continue, GC seconds – AIF
7:48 Town of Monson, Cote Road
Don Frydryk can’t do the culvert replacement without a water quality review and an Army Corps review. DEP began reviewing the project and suggested that Don wait until the new regulations were set in January. New regulations will allow installation of new culverts without Army Corps review as long as the Don can show that the project cannot meet the stream crossing standards. In January, Don submitted paper work for all the culverts and justified the reasons why they cannot comply with the stream crossing standards.
Mark Stinson asked a number of questions and suggested using elliptical culverts. Mark is willing to do a site visit with the Conservation Commission and the Highway Department to see the site. Don feels this is the best option so that Mark can see the constraints of the area and understand why they cannot comply with current stream crossing standards.
Site visit set for July 27th at 5pm
LD makes a motion to continue the project to next meeting. DJ seconds. AIF
7:55: Signed bill schedule
Mail – Haynes Hydrologic received their Determination Resource Area Delineation.
8:00: Solar Farm, Upper Palmer Road
Bertin design for detention basin is much better, but the overflow is still being directed toward the stream
GC – would like Mark Stinson to review. Glenn makes a motion to continue hearing for review, DJ seconds. AIF
LD makes a motion to release the final Certificate of Compliance for 56 Margaret Street because we have received the As Built plan for the property. GC seconds. AIF
Mikki Lessard would like to schedule a site visit after August 5th to look at things they would like to do at the Silver Street Conservation Area.
Tim Pascale would like to know how to proceed, he would like to put new clay down on the base lines in Veterans Field.
Commission determines he should file an RFD to do the work.
Silver Street, Howard Glenn talked with Mark Stinson about Howard. Mark wants us to include work in the enforcement area that is necessary to protect the wetland, then ask Howard to file an NOI for the work that is not immediately necessary for reducing impending erosion into the wetland. Glenn re-wrote the enforcement, but fees we should meet at the site with Mark Stinson. Commission scheduled a site visit for August 11th with Mark Stinson and JMP.
LD makes a motion to accept the minutes as corrected, GC seconds, AIF
8:30 –adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Leslie A. Duthie
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