INLAND WETLANDS COMMISSION
MINUTES
Regular Meeting of February 13, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Council Chambers, Municipal Center,
3 Primrose Street, Newtown, CT
These Minutes are Subject to Approval by the Inland Wetlands Commission
Present: Pat Boily, Mary Curran, Katja Pieragostini, Anne Peters and Sharon Salling. Absent: Kristen Hammar and Ed Bryan. Staff Present: Steve Maguire, Land Use Enforcement Officer and Tammy Hazen, Clerk
Ms. Peters convened the meeting at 7:35 pm.
PENDING APPLICATIONS
IW #13-01 148 Taunton Hill Road, Meghan Beard & Tom Gavanti. Application for a pool/pond restoration.
Note: Files for #13-01 should reflect that this property is located at 148 Taunton Hill Road. Jim McManus, from JMM Wetlands, distributed “Description and Assessment of Proposed Natural Swimming Pool” dated 2/13/13 and Figure 3: an overhead picture of property with labels designated property identifications. Mr. McManus provided an overview of the application explaining the BioNova natural pond system.
Tara Vincenta, Artemis Landscape Architects, discussed the BioNova system and details of the application. All native plants will be used in the regeneration part of the pond where wetland plants serve as a natural filter for the water. The plans include mitigation plantings (trees, shrubs, ferns, etc.) and the removal of non-native and invasive plants. Other improvements and added structures were discussed. The commissioners will visit the site if possible (because of snow). The applicant will return in two weeks.
IW #13-03 188 Mt. Pleasant Road, Richard Keiser. Application for the correction of a violation for clear cutting and commercial logging.
Mr. Maguire provided a background on the violation that included clear cutting and excavation with substantial logging being done partially in a wetland pocket.
Tracy Lewis, land surveyor from Monroe, representing the applicant discussed Mr. Keiser’s log-splitting and firewood business on the site. Mitigation plans were discussed. The site contains gravel roads, trails, and two large wetlands. He said there is approximately 50 cords of wood currently stacked on site. Mr. Maguire asked how many trees were harvested from the site. Mr. Lewis said he was unsure, that a forestry of the site was not their original intent and that most of the logs were trucked in to be processed.
The commissioners asked that the site be staked. They will do a site walk. The commissioners will need to determine if this requires a Forestry permit. The applicant was asked to provide more detailed mitigation plans for the next meeting.
IW #13-06 (Det) 9 Point o’Rocks Road, Bill and Katja Pieragostini. Inland Wetlands determination related to Forest Practices FP #12-01.
Commissioner Pieragostini recused herself. Bill Pieragostini was present to discuss this matter. Commissioner Peters opened by discussing the request by the applicant to waive fees. Two portions of the application were discussed; the cottontail initiative and the farmland portions of the application. It was determined that the applicant has not established enough information regarding the wetlands or whether there is a substantial public benefit to create the cottontail habitat. After a long discussion between the applicant, the commissioners and staff, the applicant asked the commission to table consideration of this application. He will return with two different Inland Wetlands applications, one for farmland and one for cottontail with a waiver of fees request for each. The third application will be
the Forest Practices application.
FOREST PRACTICES
FP #12-01 9 Point o’ Rocks Road, Bill and Katja Pieragostini.
After discussion, Commissioner Boily moved that the applicant will require a full forestry application. Commissioner Curran seconded the motion and all were in favor.
ACCEPTANCE OF NEW APPLICATIONS:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Ms. Curran motioned to approve the minutes of January 23, 2013. The motion was seconded by Ms. Curran. Commissioner Boily abstained. The minutes were approved as written.
POCD – An item will be added to the next agenda to review and discuss the POCD recommendations to Planning & Zoning.
ADJOURNMENT – Ms. Salling motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:20pm. Ms. Curran seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Tammy Hazen
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