Salem Conservation Commission
Minutes of Meeting
Thursday, December 15, 2006
A regular meeting of the Salem Conservation Commission was held on Thursday, December 15, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. in the third floor Room 311 at 120 Washington Street.
Those present were: Kevin Cornacchio, Joseph Furnari, Amy Hamilton, Keith Glidden, David Pabich and David Summer. Also present were Carey Duques, Conservation Administrator and Julie Quinn, Clerk.
Members absent: Michael Blier
Meeting Minutes—November 30, 2006
The minutes of the Salem Conservation Commission meeting held on November 30, 2006 were presented for approval. Joseph Furnari moved to approve the minutes with typo corrections, seconded by David Summer and approved (4-0).
Continuation of a Public Hearing— Request for a Determination of Applicability— Osborne Hills, P.O. Box 780, Lynnfield, MA 01940.
Kevin Cornacchio read aloud a letter from Attorney John Kelty on behalf of the Applicant requesting a continuation of this item until January 11, 2007.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to continue to January 11th. The motion was seconded by David Summer and approved (5-0).
Continuation of a Public Hearing— Request for a Determination of Applicability— Osborne Hills, P.O. Box 780, Lynnfield, MA 01940.
Kevin Cornacchio read aloud a letter from Attorney John Kelty on behalf of the Applicant requesting a continuation of this item until January 11, 2007.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to continue to January 11th. The motion was seconded by David Summer and approved (5-0).
Continuation of a Public Hearing— Notice of Intent— Osborne Hills Realty Trust, P.O. Box 780, Lynnfield, MA 01940.
Kevin Cornacchio read aloud a letter from Attorney John Kelty on behalf of the Applicant requesting a continuation of this item until January 11, 2007.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to continue to January 11th. The motion was seconded by David Summer and approved (5-0).
Continuation of a Public Hearing— Notice of Intent— Osborne Hills Realty Trust, P.O. Box 780, Lynnfield, MA 01940.
Kevin Cornacchio read aloud a letter from Attorney John Kelty on behalf of the Applicant requesting a continuation of this item until January 11, 2007.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to continue to January 11th. The motion was seconded by David Summer and approved (5-0).
Continuation of a Public Hearing— Notice of Intent— Osborne Hills Realty Trust, P.O. Box 780, Lynnfield, MA 01940.
Kevin Cornacchio read aloud a letter from Attorney John Kelty on behalf of the Applicant requesting a continuation of this item until January 11, 2007.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to continue to January 11th. The motion was seconded by David Summer and approved (5-0).
Old /New Business
Keyspan, Notice of Project Change
Ken Lento, representing Keyspan, described the progress of the project, noting that they were in the remediation stage of the coastal work, and that 30% of the tidal flats had been removed. He continued that Keyspan is running into the following problems that require field changes.
First, Mr. Lento noted that the Order states that they must use soil removed from the work area to refill. Upon excavation of the soil, they found that it was more contaminated that they had expected. This being the case, Mr. Lento stated that Keyspan does not want to put the contaminated soil back on site. Instead, he proposed that Keyspan remove the contaminated soil from the site.
Second, Mr. Lento stated that the tundra mats that were placed in the tidal flats were ineffective; the equipment is so heavy that the mats are being pushed into the ground. Mr. Lento requested the Conservation Commission allow Keyspan to build a stone road using rip rap, as they had been permitted to use on the beach.
Carey Duques noted that the Conservation Commission had to decide if they wanted to issue a Notice of Project Change, which would not allow the Conservation Commission to add conditions, OR to open a public hearing to issue an Amendment.
David Pabich asked if the footprint of the proposed road change would be the same as the permitted road, and then covered with a cap. He also asked if the grades would remain the same.
Mr. Lento responded that the stone road might be 2 to 3 feet outside of the tundra mat footprint and that, yes, the area would be capped. He also replied that the grades would stay the same.
David Pabich asked if Keyspan had to dig deeper than 6 inches would they reach clean soil.
Mr. Lento responded that the Risk Assessment did not show that the contamination was a risk to human health, but that they would rather not put the dirty soil back.
Carey Duques asked why Keyspan could not bring in clean soil to fill.
Mr. Lento responded that if you lay fresh soil, it will become contaminated by existing contaminants.
Mr. Lento noted that if Keyspan did not put in the roadway soon, their dredging schedule, carefully tied to the fish spawning schedule, would be impacted. He noted that if Keyspan were allowed to put down the gravel, they would be willing to cap with top soil and then seed. A fabric barrier would be placed between the contaminated soil and the new top soil.
Mr. Lento also noted that the Army Corps required Keyspan to place sand bags at the toe of the slope, but they were using jersey barriers instead and that they had provided a letter to the Army Corps noting the change.
Kevin Cornacchio asked if the jersey barriers would be covered at high tide.
Mr. Lento replied that they would.
Kevin Cornacchio also noted that jersey barriers are easier than sand bags to clean up at the end of the project.
Keith Glidden stated that he did not feel that this change required an Amendment.
David Pabich asked that Keyspan include the topsoil and seed mix in a letter to Carey Duques for the file.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to approve the Notice of Project Change, seconded by David Pabich and approved (6-0) with the stipulation Keyspan provide the Conservation Agent a letter noting the project change, including a description of the topsoil and upland mix to cap the road.
Keyspan/National Grid
Carey Duques stated that Ms. Oosting called to inform her that they had removed a tree from their property. Ms. Oosting told Carey Duques that the tree had been removed for security reasons. In exchange for the loss of this tree, she offered to plant a tree somewhere else in the City.
The Conservation Commission thought this was a good idea and instructed Carey Duques to have Ms. Oosting contact Dick Rennard.
Request for a Certificate of Compliance DEP #64-29—Pickering Wharf Realty Trust, 84 Wharf Street, Salem, MA.
Kevin Cornacchio read the legal notice aloud.
Carey Duques recommended issuing a full Certificate of Compliance.
Keith Glidden asked when the project had been approved.
Carey Duques replied that the project had been approved in 1996.
Joseph Furnari made a motion to issue a full Certificate of Compliance for DEP #64-29, seconded by Keith Glidden and approved (6-0).
Review and approve the 2007 Conservation Commission Meeting Schedule
Joseph Furnari made a motion to approve the 2007 Conservation Commission Meeting Schedule, seconded by Keith Glidden and approved (6-0).
Palmer Yacht Club, Pre-Construction Meeting
Carey Duques updated the on the Palmer Yacht Club’s plan to rebuild the seawall and pier. She noted that they were scheduled to being work very soon.
Open Space and Rec Plan, Public Forum date change
Carey Duques noted that the public forum would be held on Monday January 8, 2007 instead of Tuesday January 9, 2007 because that date conflicts with a meeting regarding the Salem Courthouse project.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission this evening a motion was made by David Pabich to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Joseph Furnari and approved (6-0).
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
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Julie Lynn Quinn, Clerk
Salem Conservation Commission
Conservation Commission121506
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