TOWN OF PRINCETON
BOARD/COMMITTEE: PRINCETON CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES
DATE: March 19, 2019 TIME: 7:00 LOCATION: Town Hall Annex
Attendance: Chairman Brian Keevan, John Vieira, Barbara Laughlin, Ron Thompson, and Rachael Catlow
Brian Keevan called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.
Votes taken in the following actions are “all in favor” unless noted otherwise.
Public Hearings and Meetings:
Item 1: 7:02 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). Mike Turgeon from Jacobs Engineering presented on behalf of the applicant. Revised plans were submitted to the Commission, showing bank resource locations where previously BVW had been delineated. The applicant also has permit-related reviews with the Department of Conservation Recreation and a Water Quality Certification will be required from DEP. The Commission voted to approve an Order of Conditions (OoC) with Special Conditions including: breakdown of bank impacts, a discussion on bank protection measures and restoration, any changes being
proposed that differ from the accepted plan that the Commission be provided a copy of changes to for review, and statement regarding how stream crossing standards have been met to the maximum extent practicable.
Item 2: 7:48 – A public meeting was opened for a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) from DCR at 52 Redemption Rock Trail North. Commissioner Keevan recused himself from deliberations. Proposed work is demolition of an abandoned house and cleanup of additional debris to restore the parcel to a more natural state. All hazardous materials have been remediated according to applicable regulations. The Commission voted to issue a Negative Determination #2.
Item 3: 7:54 PM – A public hearing was opened for a Notice of Intent (NOI) filed by Mohamed Samoda for 77 Main Street for a septic repair within Riverfront and buffer zone (DEP File# 267-0423). David Asmus and William Kuriger presented plans and information related to a Microfast system on behalf of the applicant who was also present. The DCR and Princeton Board of Health have approved the design. All work will be performed in an area of the property behind a stone retaining wall, and the proposed limit of work will be 10 feet downgradient of the rock wall. Ann Marie Hurley, an abutter at 81 Main Street had some questions about the means and methods of Microfast system installation. The Commission requested a revised NOI application be submitted, a
revised plan showing extended erosion controls and a sugar maple tree located near the retaining wall and the septic tank, and requested that the applicant address Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) technical comments. The Commission voted to continue the public hearing until April 16, 2019.
Item 4: 9:07 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 is still revising engineering designs for the site. The Commission voted to continue this hearing at the April 16, 2019 meeting.
Item 5: 9:08 PM - A public hearing was continued 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). The Commission has not been able to conduct a site walk due to snow cover. The Commission voted to continue this hearing at the April 2, 2019 meeting.
Item 6: 9:09 PM – A public hearing was continued for the Calamint Hill Conservation Area proposed trails (DEP File# 267-0422). Brian received revisions from Rick regarding the proposed trails and will forward via email to the Commission members. The Commission voted to continue the hearing at the April 16, 2019 meeting.
Item 7: 9:12 PM - A public hearing was continued for a NOI (DEP File# 267-0418) filed by the Ben Whitaker for property located at 143 Calamint Hill Road N (Lots 1 and 2). The Commission was provided with revised plans, but the applicant was not present so deliberations were postponed. Digital versions were distributed to Commissioners for further review. The Commission voted to continue this hearing at the April 2, 2019 meeting.
Item 8: 9:18 PM – A public meeting was continued for a NOI (DEP File# 267-0419) for 16 Pine Hill Road filed by Paulette McGaw. The Commission was provided with revised plans with updated notes. The Commission briefly reviewed the revised plans and notes, but the applicant was not present so deliberations were postponed. Digital versions were distributed to Commissioners for further review. The Commission voted to continue this hearing at the April 2, 2019 meeting.
Commission Other Business, Mail, Procedures, etc.:
The Commission reviewed and approved a draft warrant article for a new lease of the Four Corners property to be included in the Annual Town Meeting in May 2019. The Commission discussed researching agricultural land values for determining fair market value. The Commission voted to adopt the language of the proposed warrant article with a minor edit at 9:47 PM.
The Commission reviewed parcels of Town-owned land to see if any were suitable for conservation purposes, and no parcels met what the Commission sees as suitable for town conservation.
Next Wednesday, March 27, 2019, Ron will be attending a meeting about invasive plants in work areas of the Route 140 paving project in East Princeton.
The Commission discussed possible encroachment activity in a buffer zone at the Conway property located on Hubbardston Road. The Commission will review any possible past Orders of Conditions for this property.
The January February 19 and 26, 2019 meeting minutes were reviewed and approved with minor edits.
The next PCC meeting is scheduled for April 2, 2019.
Forest Cutting Plan: None
Meeting Adjourned at 10:09 PM.
Respectfully submitted, Barbara Laughlin
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