INLAND WETLANDS COMMISSION
DRAFT MINUTES
Regular Meeting of January 25, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Shared Meeting Room #3, Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown, CT
Commissioners Present: Salling, Curran, Hammar, Bryan.
Staff Present: Steve Maguire, Wetlands Enforcement Official, Ann Mazur, Clerk.
Commissioner Salling convened the meeting at 7:30 pm.
PENDING APPLICATIONS
IW #11-45, Marlin Road, Application by Blakeman Construction. Application for resubdivision of Rollingwood Subdivision, Lots 65, 103, 104, 105, Marlin Road. The application will be tabled until the February 8, 2012 meeting.
IW #11-48 4 Turkey Hill Road, Application by OPEL Solar/Newtown Public Works. Application for a Photovoltaic Installation at the Newtown Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Commissioner Hammar motioned to approve this application with standard conditions, A, B, C, D, and
1. The approved plans are “Town of Newtown, Solar Photovoltaic System.” Commerce Road Newtown, CT. dated 11/08/2011, scale 1”=20’, Revised location outside of wetlands, with associated support documents.
2. Quarterly reports on forms provided on the Town of Newtown website or available in the Land Use office will be submitted to the Commission until the project is complete.
Commissioner Bryan seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
IW #11-51, 81 Birch Hill Road, Application by Ronald and Dees Auriana. Application for a drain installation. Culver Bolmer, 38 Berkshire Road, represented the applicant. He said that the applicant called him because of a flooded basement. He said that the drains placed by another contractor were dead ended into the embankment so that the water backed up and came into the basement. Mr. Bolmer placed six inch pipes to daylight alleviate the situation. The water also bubbled into the road. The water now goes into the brook. Stone and pipe was placed. The ground is what was originally there. There will be rip rap installed. Mr. Bryan noted the fact that this work was already done results in a need for mitigation because the water cannot flow into the stream.
Rob Sherwood, 16 Ox Hill Road, said that these are footing drains to keep the water away from the house. This Is not storm water. This is ground water. Mr. Bolmer ran a curtain drain for underground water.
Mr. Maguire said that the main problem is the sediment and erosion into the storm drains. There are no silt controls and the water is running into the stream. The Commission asked Is there now a constant flow and how heavy is it? Mr. Bolmer said a couple of gallons a minute in front and none in back.
Mr. Bolmer will return to the Commission on February 8 with information on the rip rap location and amount of flow of water. Mr. Bryan said we must also know where the water is coming from. Mr. Maguire said it is ground water flowing under the house and under the ground into the front. Mr. Bolmer said that the ground is too hard for galleys. A sketch with measurements and a narrative are requested by the Commission for the next meeting, including the mitigation to be performed. Mr. Maguire said that silt fences have been installed. Mr. Maguire does not feel this is a candidate for a rain garden. He feels that the yard must be stabilized and rip rap installed.
Discussion on the application will continue at the February 8 meeting.
IW #-11-56, 10 Ox Hill, Kevin Grover, application to allow dredging a pond. Mr. Grover noted that Ox Hill Road is a dirt road with no drainage. When Ox Hill washes out all the sediment from the street fills his pond. He has requested that the Town install drainage on a few occasions which they have not done. He keeps cleaning out the pond. The water then goes down to Eleanor Mayer’s pond which is below his. There is grass around the pond as well as invasives. There is a catch basin to catch the sediment before it gets to the pond which he said that the Town has not regularly cleaned out, and that he has been cleaning it out. He said that the road has now blown out. Mr. Maguire said that a permit would allow the work that Mr. Grover has done and he feels that no further
mitigation is n necessary. Mr. Grover dredges the catch basin a few times a year. Mr. Grover presented photos of the site taken by Mr. Maguire that are part of the file.
Commissioner Salling will visit the site. She noted that other Commissioners may want to visit the site also. Mr. Maguire feels that the first catch basin should be made as beneficial as possible so as to catch the sediment before it gets to the pond. Mr. Grover said that he feels that he needs the permit so that he can continue to maintain the first catch pond. He continues to talk to the Town about cleaning the catch basin area.
Commissioner Curran suggested that the permit allow Mr. Grover to maintain the pond as necessary without having to obtain a new permit each time. The other Commissioners agreed that this should be noted in the decision if the application is approved.
The application will be continued at the February 8 meeting. Mr. Grover does not need to attend that meeting unless he changes anything in the application.
IW #11-57, 17 Sweet Meadow Road, Jacob Schwartz, application for disturbance in a regulated area and to correct a violation. Mr. Maguire said that a deck was being built and in the process there is disturbance in the lower wetland area. Mr. Schwartz had Steve Danzer mark the wetland area. There is a 10x5 foot area that is wetlands that his fill runs up to. But he did not fill in the wetlands according to what Mr. Danzer marked. Mr. Schwartz said that Mr. Danzer suggested he replace plants that were originally there. He invited the Commissioners to visit this property and see where Mr. Danzer marked. He said that Mr. Danzer can use his GPS system to digitize Mr. Schwartz’ survey and show the markings rather than providing an A-2 survey as is requested for this type of application.
Mr. Maguire will ask Mr. Sibley if the GPS would be an adequate substitute for the survey. Mr. Danzer could also digitize his markings. Mr. Schwartz read a description written by Mr. Danzer that Commissioner Salling requested he provide to Mr. Sibley and Mr. Maguire for their determination.
Commissioner Salling noted that even though there is not fill in the wetlands, the Commission does regulate areas outside the wetlands.
Mr. Schwartz said that the pile of sawdust on his property was left there by the Town when they removed this mulch from the road and asked Mr. Schwartz’ permission to deposit it
on his property. Mr. Schwartz would like to plant evergreens and ferns where the drop begins as these were the plants that were originally in that location. Mr. Schwartz removed trees that fell with the rains though he noted he should not have removed them.
Mr. Schwartz will return on February 8 with a detailed map of what he would like to plant and where. He would like to pull the silt fence in tighter. Commissioner Salling noted that the Commission is usually not opposed to mulch unless it is close to the water.
ACCEPTANCE OF NEW APPLICATIONS.
IW #11-58, 10 Abbotts Hill Road, Application by John Zaharek to build a barn. Commissioner Bryan will review the application.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES. Commissioner Hammar moved to approve the minutes of December 14, 2011 as presented. Second by Commissioner Curran and unanimously approved. Commissioner Bryan abstained. The minutes of the regular meeting of January 11, 2012 will be amended to note that Commissioner Curran moved to accept the slate of officers, second by Commissioner Boily . Commissioner Curran moved to approve the minutes of January 11, 2012 as amended. Second by Commissioner Hammar and unanimously approved. Mr. Bryan abstained.
ADJOURNMENT.
Commissioner Hammar motioned to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Bryan seconded the motion. The motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.
Ann M. Mazur, Clerk Pro Tem
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