TOWN OF PRINCETON
BOARD/COMMITTEE: PRINCETON CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES
DATE: February 19, 2019 TIME: 7:00 LOCATION: Town Hall Annex
Attendance: Chairman Brian Keevan, John Vieira, Barbara Laughlin, and Ron Thompson
Brian Keevan called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Votes taken in the following actions are “all in favor” unless noted otherwise.
Public Hearings and Meetings:
Item 1: 7:00 PM - A public hearing was continued for a Notice of Intent (NOI) filed by the Princeton Highway Department to replace the bridge located on E. Princeton Road over East Wachusett Brook (DEP File #267-0420). The applicant is currently revising the plans and will submit complete plans for the March meeting. The public hearing was continued until March 19, 2019.
Item 2: 7:03 PM - A public hearing was continued for a NOI (DEP File# 267-0414) for a house and septic system on Map 8B, Lot 21 located on Merriam Road for Jennifer Greene. The applicant requested the hearing be continued pending revised engineering designs for the site.
Item 3: 7:05 PM - A public hearing was opened for a driveway construction through a bordering vegetated wetland (BVW) of an Outstanding Resource Water (ORW) for a new house and septic system on Lot 4, Country Lane for Mike Pucko (DEP File# 267-0421). Kent Olfield presented plans revised June 4, 2019. There is a proposed a 1.5:1 replication of 415 square feet (sf) for alteration of 225 sf. The wetland is described as Bordering, and it appears that the wetland may contain an intermittent stream although there was a question about visible banks. An abutter, Scott Copec of 16 Country Lane asked questions regarding runoff from the proposed driveway and developed areas of the site. The Commission will need to schedule a site visit prior to the next meeting.
This public hearing was continued until the March 19, 2019 meeting.
Audio recording did not occur until 7:28 due to replacement of batteries.
Item 4: 7:28 PM - A public hearing was opened for a NOI from the Princeton Open Space Committee (OSC) on the Calamint Hill Conservation Area trails project, specifically the east side trails. Commission members Brian and Barbara attended a site walk on January 12, 2019 to inspect the proposed trail locations. Rick Gardner provided a presentation overview of the proposed east side trails. The Commission previously issued a Negative Determination #5 for the west side trails for the following exception: 310 CMR 10.02(b)(2)(a) - Unpaved pedestrian walkways less than 3 feet wide for public access on conservation property. A total of 16 8-foot long bog bridge sections will be utilized for five stream crossings. The bridges are about 20-24 inches wide. Sharon
McCallum of #58 Calamint Hill Road North, an abutter to the project, asked questions during the presentation. In order to answer DEP comments made regarding the initial filing, the Commission recommended that the OSC calculate the square footage of all wetlands that will be disturbed/filled by the concrete footings and the board pathways. The NOI should be amended to be a Limited Project, with updated narrative, calculations, and/or tables as needed. The plan should be revised to show proposed wetland replication area(s). The OSC will submit a revised application to DEP and the PCC prior to the next meeting. A 401 Water Quality Certificate will also be needed to begin work on the project. The hearing was continued to the March 19, 2019 meeting.
Item 5: 9:08 PM - The property owner, Mohamed Samoda, at 77 Main Street, requested a Certificate of Compliance (COC) following the completion of a buried propane tank (DEP #267-0395). Several Commission members have viewed the work area. A Certificate of Compliance was issued for work completed as required.
Item 6: 9:19 PM - The property owner, Dix Davis, at 46 Pine Hill Road, requested a Certificate of Compliance (COC) following the completion of the construction of a single family house and septic system (DEP #267-0295, issued 12/17/2003). Commissioners Brian and Ron inspected the property in late January. A Certificate of Compliance was issued for work completed as required, including a condition in perpetuity from the Order of Conditions for the maintenance of a 35-foot wide strip of land to be left in a natural state with semi-annual mowing.
Item 7: The property owner, Marsha Dowdy, at 247 East Princeton Road requested a Certificate of Compliance (COC) following the completion of septic repairs (DEP #267-0396). No action taken due to current snow-covered ground conditions. This meeting will be continued until the March 19, 2019 meeting.
Commission Other Business, Mail, Procedures, etc.:
Brian attended a January 16, 2019 pre-construction meeting for the East Princeton Village Road Repair.
Brian updated the Commission that the APR on Fieldstone Farm has been finalized, and that a public event to commemorate all the partners is being planned for some time this spring.
The Commission discussed the lease status of Four Corners since the lease expires at the end of the calendar year. Brian has corresponded with the Town Administrator and Town Counsel regarding options for renewing the current lease versus issuing a new lease. The current opinion is that a new lease will require a vote at the Annual Town Meeting, but that there may not necessarily be a requirement to seek new bids under a new RFP. Farm lease rates were discussed.
The January 15, 2019 meeting minutes were reviewed and approved with no edits.
The next PCC meeting is scheduled for February 26, 2019.
Forest Cutting Plan: DCR off of Gleason Road.
Meeting Adjourned at 10:03 PM.
Respectfully submitted, Barbara Laughlin
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