CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Town of Monterey, Massachusetts
MEETING DATE: 11/8/11
Present: Richard Andrus, Timothy Lovett, David Dempsey and Betty Pixley
The meeting convened at 6:00p.m.
Massachusetts Broadband Institute – NOI – Installation of fiber optic cable along existing roadside utility poles (D. Dempsey is the project manager)
Cornell Robinson of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and Lars Carlson from Jacobs Engineering came to present the project to the Commission. This is part of the Mass Broadband 123 project. The project is entirely on existing poles. The reason they had to file pertains to the tower on Mt. Wilcox which involves a wetland and several stream crossings. The time frame for the project is most likely mid next year. The Commission approved the project as submitted.
Bounous – 31 Main Rd – SMANOI – SMA11-06 – construction of shelters and equipment associated with a cell tower (T. Lovett is the project manager)
Chris Tryon of Berkshire Geo-Technologies was present to give an overview of the project and updated plans were submitted. The steepest part of the access road will have a 20-25% grade. Eugene Bounous was also present to answer questions. They would like to limit the amount of clearing and disturbance. This application is before the ZBA currently but a special permit has not been issued yet. Peter Fales and Joe Giamarcco, representative and attorney respectively for AT&T were also present to answer any of the Con Comm’s questions. The Commission’s consensus is that they would like to see the monopole vs. the monopine design. A letter was given to the Commission from the Berkshire Natural Resources Council which pointed out that the towers would be seen from highly
protected lands. The BNRC has requested that if a time comes when the tower is no longer needed that it be required that the access road be decommissioned in addition to the tower and its associated structures. The project was approved as submitted with the following special conditions:
1. A list of contractors must be provided to the Commission (construction, engineers, etc).
2. Any changes would require refiling with the Commission.
3. Copies of the maintenance contracts for the access~road and party’s responsible~for the upkeep, to~be provided to the Commission.
4. Applying engineer to be responsible for construction oversight and updating~the board with field changes.
5. Any questions, please call your Conservation Commission member project manager, Tim Lovett at 528-0644
COP, LLC - NOI – to demolish and remove an existing home and construct a new single family home with associated utilities (R. Andrus is the project manager)
Matt Puntin of SK Design and Robert Harrison, Architect were present to review the project. The existing home will be completely torn down and rebuilt. The new home will be further from the lake than the existing home. During construction there will need to be a sewer and water crossing which Matt is positive should be dry and it will only take about a day, two max. They will be tying into an existing pump chamber septic that currently serves the house known as “Shoreline”. The Commission approved the project as submitted and informed the engineer that he is responsible to ensure that the proposed wall is built as designed.
New England Keswick and AT&T – SMANOI – SMA11-07 – to construct a wireless telecommunications facility (T. Lovett is the project manager)
Jesse Moreno of AT&T Mobility was present to review the project. The maintenance agreement for the road which is the responsibility of the applicant was discussed. An abutter asked if the town was going to maintain the road all the way to the entrance to the access road or if there would be a gate so that no one would attempt to drive up there. AT&T will be putting gates at the end of the road near 23 and near the turnaround. The abutter states that the town’s turnaround is currently located on his lot and he’d like it to be moved to Keswick’s land; the Commission suggested he talk to Maynard and Keswick about this as it isn’t the Commission’s jurisdiction. A letter was given to the Commission from the Berkshire Natural Resources Council which pointed out
that the towers would be seen from highly protected lands. The BNRC has requested that if a time comes when the tower is no longer needed that it be required that the access road be decommissioned in addition to the tower and its associated structures. The commission approved the project with the following special conditions:
1. A list of contractors must be provided to the Commission (construction, engineers, etc).
2. Any changes would require refiling with the Commission.
3. Copies of the maintenance contracts for the access~road and party’s responsible~for the upkeep, to~be provided to the Commission.
4. Applying engineer to be responsible for construction oversight and updating~the board with field changes.
5. Any questions, please call your Conservation Commission member project manager, Tim Lovett at 528-0644
Anderson – 26 Bidwell Rd - NOI – construct raised staircase to Lake Garfield from Bidwell Rd (D. Dempsey is the project manager)
Tom Ingersoll was present earlier and stated that because they hadn’t received comments yet from the Natural Heritage, they were requesting a continuance. This will be continued to the December meeting.
For Discussion:
1. Mail was reviewed.
2. Minutes from 10.11.11 were approved as written.
3. Susan Bachelder was present to talk to the Commission regarding the dock repair procedure item on their agenda under misc. She wanted to know the difference between the state dock permit and the town’s. The Commission stated that an applicant first has to get approval from the state and then file with the Commission. She also inquired if they had to be renewed; the permits through the state do, an applicant only needs to file with the town again if there is work to be done on a dock or if it is changing. It was confirmed that anyone that has a dock (even temporary docks) require a state chapter 91 license. Susan also inquired about the status of the illegal handicap accessible deck/ramp on 16 Laurel Banks and the Commission stated that it doesn’t fall under their
jurisdiction and deferred any questions to the ZBA and/or Building Commissioner.
4. The Commission reviewed the special permit application for Kirson of Seven Arts Rd. The project falls within the 100foot buffer zone of the lake, the applicant will be required to file a RDA with the Commission prior to obtaining a building permit.
Meeting adjourned at 9:25pm
Submitted by: Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
cc: Conservation Commission Board Members
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