OLD LYME INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
PRESENT WERE: Sabine O’Donnell, Linda Krulikowski, Dave McCulloch, Evan Griswold, Janet Bechtel and Skip DiCamillo.
Vice Chairman O’Donnell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING DATED APRIL 24, 2012.
Evan Griswold made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Linda Krulikowski seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
MINUTES OF SITE WALK MEETING DATED MARCH 29, 2012
Linda Krulikowski made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Janet Bechtel seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
REGULAR MEETING
12-6 – ENOK PEDERSEN – DUBOIS FORESTRY – 1 BURR ROAD – REQUEST FOR FINDING OF NO JURSIDICTION FOR FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR TWO TEMPORARY STREAM CROSSINGS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE SILVICULTURAL WORK.
Donald A. Dubois of Dubois Forestry and Management was present to discuss the application with the commission on behalf of the applicant, Enok Pedersen. Dubois stated the property is located at 1 Burr Road. He noted the application is to conduct a silvicultural thinning in accordance with a ten year Forest Management Plan. The commission reviewed the maps submitted with the application. Dubois stated the entire parcel is 89 acres with two forest management units on the property. He noted there is 72 acres including 6 acres in open field and 7 acres in the wetlands and 4 acres of house and building lot.
He said they would be removing primarily black oak trees with defect, deformity, disease and die back and of course any trees that were wind damaged from last year’s hurricane.
He said they proposed a selective thinning of oak, saw timber and firewood. He said it would be reduced by about 32 percent by basal area (B level stocking). O’Donnell asked Mr. Dubois to explain full stocking. Dubois stated that full stocking is just the right number of trees on a specific soil to fully occupy the growth potential of that soil. Therefore you have the right numbers of trees by species, diameter and size. He noted that currently the property is overstocked and has never been thinned so the growth potential is going to waste therefore within 10 years it will return to A level stocking.
He said the proposal is to cut 102,000 board feet and approximately 300 cords of firewood.
O’Donnell asked about the 3 wetlands crossings shown on the plan. Dubois said there are two wetlands crossing. He also noted the old woods road is also shown on the map as a dash line. He noted they are both seasonal streams and indicated they would not flow in the summer months. He stated they would be following Best Management Practices which includes installing temporary wooden bridges (8 x 8 timbers strung together). He further stated the machine drags them into place and lays them across so the material being extracted as well as the machinery stay up out of the water.
Dubois stated the proposed activity would take place mid-summer (July & August). He further stated the operation will take approximately 4 weeks. He also noted there was a low swale on the property which he would corduroy to be on the safe side.
Griswold asked if any of the roadways would be in steep slopes. Dubois noted that the wood quality in that area was very poor so they would not be thinning in that area.
Dave McCulloch made a motion that this is a jurisdictional finding of a permitted use by right activity. Linda Krulikowski seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
12-7 MARY C. BERRY – WILLIAM H. OGLE PROPERTY – 235 BOSTON POST ROAD – PROPOSAL FOR AN 8 X 24 ADDITION AND A FREE STANDING SHED SURROUNDED BY A CHAIN LINK FENCE.
Mary Berry stated that she and her husband have lived in Old Lyme at Point of Woods Beach for over 25 years and are looking for a retirement home with some nice land. She stated the house met their needs with one exception it has only one bathroom, therefore they have a proposal for an 8 x 24 addition on a full foundation. Berry said they are also proposing a pre-built shed. O’Donnell asked if there were any alternative locations for the shed due to its proximity to the pond. Berry said they would be open to an alternative location for the shed.
The commission agreed to set a site walk for Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. and asked the applicant to stake out the location for the proposed shed.
Brown also noted that a more complete plan will ultimately be required that would show the stockpile and silt fence locations, and how the digging would be done.
OLD BUSINESS
ROGERS LAKE WEST SHORES ASSOCIATION – WETLANDS AND DRAINAGE PLAN
O’Donnell confirmed that the commission members had an opportunity to review the correspondence dated May 12, 2012 from Tom Metcalf.
Stuart Fairbanks, of Angus McDonald & Gary Sharpe Associates and Dave Evers were present to discuss the application with the commission. Fairbanks submitted revised maps (Wetlands and Drainage Compilation Plan prepared for the Rogers Lake Trail Association revised through May 21, 2012) which included addressing the items outlined in Metcalf’s letter to the commission.
O’Donnell noted the commission walked the area. She further asked Fairbanks to explain the changes to the plans since the last meeting. Fairbanks stated that three pipe clean-out locations along the 366 ft. run have been added. Fairbanks also noted that a simple plastic manhole cover with a 3 ft. sump that will pick up any sediment will be installed.
Brown asked if the association would maintain the clean-outs. Fairbanks stated the association is responsible for everything on the side roads and the town is responsible for everything on Rogers Lake Trail. Brown asked Mr. Evers if the association currently maintains their drains. Ever stated the two drains they have are not working so they do not need to be cleaned. Ever stated there is one by the Osceola right of way which the town maintains. Brown asked Evers if the association planned to hire someone to maintain the clean outs. Evers indicated he would be asking Ed Adanti, Director of Public Works and see if the town could incorporate this as part of their cleaning process. Brown stated that at the last meeting he indicated that the town has not maintained the catch basins
very well. Brown expressed concern that the association is relying on the town to maintain the clean outs when it is not currently being done. Krulikowski suggested individuals in the association call the Board of Selectmen and make a complaint and felt that would rectify the situation. Evers concluded by saying he would ensure that everything is maintained and done correctly. He also noted that there will be further work down the road and he will be meeting with the association on an ongoing basis.
O’Donnell stated she felt the applicant had addressed all the concerns raised by the town engineer. O’Donnell asked the commission if they would like Ann Brown to be involved in the construction process. Fairbanks stated there is a note on the plan for a pre-construction meeting. O’Donnell also asked the commission if they wanted to bond the project. Griswold asked how long the project was expected to take. Fairbanks stated he felt it would take two to three weeks. The commission decided that bonding would not be required.
Janet Bechtel made a motion to approve the application of Rogers Lake West Shores Association as presented. Linda Krulikowski seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
JOHN AND WENDY VISGILIO – 6 WHITMAN LANE – INSTALLATION OF AN INGROUND POOL WITHIN THE REGULATED AREA.
O’Donnell noted that the commission walked the site. She further stated that the applicant submitted updated photographs of the area for the commission to review as well as an updated plot plan.
Brown asked if the applicants proposed to relocate the existing shed. Mr. Visgilio stated he had received some quotes to move the shed. O’Donnell asked where the shed would be relocated. Visgilo stated the proposed location would still be about the same distance to the wetlands as the existing location. O’Donnell stated concerns were expressed during the site walk that a tractor was stored in the shed with gasoline in it. Visgilio noted the shed is approximately 98 square feet and if required by the commission the shed will be relocated. Krulikowski asked if the main concern was the storage of tractor containing petroleum in the shed. O’Donnell stated the concern was the tractor leaking because the gas cans were stored in the garage. Visiglio
stated he would be happy to store the tractor in the garage. McCulloch stated it has never leaked and gas cans don’t leak so he felt the shed could remain in its current location. Griswold stated he was not overly concerned because its proximity was not that close to the wetlands. McCulloch stated that any gasoline on the floor of the shed would probably evaporate before it leaked. Krulikowski stated the disturbance of moving the shed would probably cause more disruption to the wetlands.
Skip DiCamillo made a motion to approve the application of the installation of an inground pool and allow the shed to remain in its current location as shown in pink on the plan. Evan Griswold seconded the motion. The motion passed. 5-0-1. Bechtel abstained.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Groves
Land Use Administrator
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