MINUTES
INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015
PRESENT WERE: Skip DiCamillo, Janet Bechtel, Evan Griswold, and Christian Tompkins.
MINUTES
Minutes of Regular Meeting dated May 26, 2015
Janet Bechtel made a motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes dated May 26, 2015 . Christian Tompkins seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Minutes of Sit Walk Meeting dated May 13, 2015
Evan Griswold made a motion to approve the Site Walk Meeting Minutes dated May 13, 2015.
Janet Bechtel seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Minutes of Site Walk Meeting dated June 15, 2015
Janet Bechtel made a motion to approve the Site Walk Meeting Minutes dated June 15, 2015. Christian Tompkins seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS
15-4– Peter and Constance Ross – 37 Browns Lane – Proposal to add breezeway, mudroom, two car garage and breakfast area. The garage and breezeway within the regulated area.
Robert Pfanner and Jerry Karpuska submitted revised plans of the site as requested by the commission. Robert Pfanner submitted an A-2 Survey of the property along with a report from Ian T. Cole, a registered Wetlands Soil Scientist. The commission reviewed the report from Ian T. Cole.
Karpuska stated the applicant has reduced his proposal from a three car garage to a two car garage. He noted the wetlands have been flagged at the site and noted the nearest corner
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would be 34.7 feet and the furthest away would be 46 feet. He stated in the worst case there would be about 2 ft. of fill required in the rear corner.
The commission asked the applicant if he had considered using some sort of pervious surface for the additional 400 sq. ft. of driveway area that would capture some of the runoff toward the wetlands.
The commission agreed to walk the site on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. The applicant agreed to have the garage staked prior to the site walk.
15-6 – Kathleen Gregory Gordon – 10 Sunset Drive – Proposal to construct a two story addition within the upland review area. .
Seamus Moran, P.E. with Indigo Land Design was present to discuss the application.
Moran stated there is an existing 2 bedroom dwelling on the parcel centrally located along the western setback line. He further stated the eastern side of the property is pretty open and contains a gravel driveway. He said the proposal is construct a two story addition on the eastern side of the dwelling with a crawl space and no footing drains. The first floor would consist of a 2 bay garage and the second floor will be storage space. He stated in the future they would like to convert that area to a bedroom but noted the existing bedroom would be converted into den/office space therefore the house would remain a two bedroom.
Moran also noted the septic was redone last year for a 3 bedroom dwelling therefore oversized for a two bedroom dwelling so no changes are proposed at this time. The proposed addition is 49 feet from the nearest wetland and the existing house is currently 54 feet from the wetland. Moran noted that within the 100 ft. review area there is .10 acres of disturbance which includes the silt fence and a potential drain. He also noted that the gravel drive will be reconfigured to the front of the addition; therefore the proposed addition will be placed over the existing crushed stone.
The commission agreed to set a site walk for Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. The applicant agreed to stake out the proposed improvements.
15-5 Kathy McKeough – 10 West Joffre Road – Proposal to demolish and construct single family residence.
Tony Hendriks the applicants representative stated there is currently an existing house on the property. The commission reviewed the site plan submitted with the application. He noted the
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proposal is to build a new home over the top of the existing footprint. He stated he has received Coastal Management approval from the State. He noted they are adding a driveway with pavers. Hendriks noted there is a slight ban shown on the plan that is inland wetlands and the remainder is tidal wetlands.
The commission agreed to set a site walk for Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
OLD BUSINESS
15-3 Brent & Michele Harrington – 4 Short Hills Road – Proposal to thin trees in the interior of their property through a non-invasive logging technique.
Keith Rosenfield stated he had left a message with the applicant stating if they had not received a report from their Soil Scientist that it was not necessary to attend and we would see them at the July Meeting and he would be in contact with them prior to the meeting. Bechtel stated she felt it was a difficult piece of property and not well suited for farmland.
Skip DiCamillo noted he had driven further up the roadway and expressed concern about the amount of clearing within the wetlands. Bechtel stated at the site walk the neighbors present were informed about the jurisdiction of this commission.
DiCamillo asked Keith Rosenfield to visit the area and determine if there are any areas of concern and if so advise the necessary parties involved that they need to submit a wetlands application.
ROGERS LAKE WEED STUDY.
Roger Bruenig – 72 Grassy Hill Road
Mr. Bruenig stated he is committed to the Town of Old Lyme and has served as a member of the former WPCA , Rogers Lake Authority and is currently on the WPCA Appeals Board.
Mr. Bruenig stated he came to the lake in 1945 at the age of six. He stated they have never really been able to treat the weeds. He said there have been many consultants and studies. He said they have used numerous methods of removal none of which have been successful.
Bruenig stated with all these delays in trying to solve the problem it has gotten really bad. He noted he is not able to swim in front of his house. This type of weed is very heavy and can really pull people down in the water. He pleaded with the commission to allow the application to be used beginning on the test site.
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DiCamillo noted that he and Janet Bechtel attended the April meeting of the Old Lyme IWWC at which NEE Environmental Consulting presented their Rogers Lake Non-Chemical and Chemical Vegetative Control Assessment and Options.
Griswold stated that he read the “Old Lyme Conservation Commission” statement and it mentions about the chemical Clipper and he said he recently attended a meeting in Lyme with Steve Gephardt from the DEEP and a researcher from Yale whom is doing the work on the introduction of alewives’ into the lake from the fish ladder. He said he asked them the question directly about the chemical having an adverse impact on the fish or resident alewives and both did not feel there would be any impact Griswold stated there is conflicting opinions about the toxicity of the chemical to be used at the lake.
Keith Rosenfield read the commission a statement from the Nuisance Aquatic Vegetation Management Guidebook published by the DEEP and revised on April 24, 2014. He stated it talks about all the ways the DEEP manages nuisance aquatic vegetation. He said it outlines the permitting process through the DEEP. He stated under the section that is Local Authority it says you the applicant must send a copy of your permit application to the town Inland Wetlands Agency at the time you submit your application to DEEP. Local commission do not have the authority to unilaterally deny a permit but DEEP does seek their input. Therefore local commissions are advisory and have no regulatory jurisdiction.
Respectfully submitted,
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