Salem Conservation Commission
Minutes of Meeting
Date and Time: Thursday, February 28, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Third Floor Conference Room, City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street
Members Present: Chairperson Kevin Cornacchio, Michael Blier, Keith Glidden, Amy Hamilton, David Pabich
Members Absent: Joseph Furnari, David Summer
Others Present: Carey Duques, Conservation Agent
Recorder: Andrea Bray
Chairperson Cornacchio calls the meeting to order.
1. Approval of Minutes – February 14, 2008 Meeting
Pabich: Motion to approve the minutes from the February 14, 2008 meeting, seconded by Glidden. Passes 5-0.
2. Continuation of a Public Hearing – Notice of Intent – City of Salem, 12 Swampscott Road, Salem, MA 01970
Cornacchio reads the project description which describes that the purpose of this hearing is to discuss the proposed project which includes capping and closing the abandoned landfill as well as constructing and operating a new transfer station at 12 Swampscott Road. Work proposed is located within a 200 foot Riverfront Area and 100 feet of an inland bank at 12 Swampscott Road.
Hanscom states that he has provided Duques with a set of stamped drawings, as well as a document responding to the questions listed by Duques. He reviews all of these items.
Hanscom states that all of the waste will be incorporated under the cap, and they will remove 60 feet of culverted river at the upstream end of the culvert.
Pabich asks about the headwall.
Hanscom states that there will be a headwall at about that 74’ contour line.
Cornacchio asks if that will compromise the road.
Hanscom states that it will not because the slope will be about 4:1.
Hanscom points out the detail of the guardrail to be placed along the side of the steep slopes has been provided as an attachment.
Pabich asks if they need to have footings along the guardrail that are above the cap.
Hanscom states that they wouldn’t put a slab on top of the cap. He adds that he doesn’t think that they have ever done this before. Hanscom mentions that occasionally a geotextile fabric is sprayed on to create a seal around the footing of the guardrail. Hanscom and Pabich discuss this issue at length.
Hanscom describes the profile of the cap while referring to the diagram. He adds that they will use a slope-mix seed for grasses that have a deep root system. He says that this grass will need to be mowed to avoid having any deep-rooted trees or shrubs set in. He states that any waste in the river above the water level will be removed and put under the cap, except for white goods, which will be removed and disposed of properly. He confirms that the material to be capped is mostly inert, and that borings have been used to establish the contour plan. Hanscom states that the diagram provided is not correct and that the rip-rap will go right down to the river and no portion of the cap will be exposed.
Pabich asks Hanscom if he has a sense of the amount of waste that may be under the water.
Hanscom states that he doesn’t know, but the cap will extend below the water and it would be unusual to have significant waste beyond the cap.
Regarding the existing catch basins, Hanscom states that they will be removed, ground-up, and placed under the cap.
Hanscom says that the cape-cod berms will be inspected after each winter to determine if there has been any plow damage and, if necessary, repaired.
Hanscom references the diagram of the boring sites, stating that there is a lot of sand, gravel, glass, and slag, but no PID hits or VOCs on the site.
Regarding the abutting storage facility, Hanscom states that a construction easement will be obtained.
Pabich confirms that this must be done before the Order can be issued and Hanscom agrees to this.
Hanscom states that there will be no vegetation except grasses. He adds that on the west side of the property, they can install plantings of the Commission’s choice. Blier states that this area is pretty-well vegetated anyway.
Glidden asks if the road to the future salt shed could be been removed from the plan, and Hanscom agrees.
Hanscom states that they will use a sock instead of hay bales.
Dugues asks why they will only sweep only once per year.
Hanscom says they will sweep as necessary, and at a minimum once per year. He adds that this could be specified in the Order.
Cornacchio says that he would like to install some work limits zone for the area where the neighbors will dump their things. He says that the Order should state that this area will be cleaned-up. He asks if they have videotaped the culvert.
Hanscom states that a registered PE will inspect the culvert to assess its condition and, if necessary, they will replace or repair it. He adds that the bigger question is how fast they want the water to pass through that culvert, and they might need to install a 36” or a 28” pipe there, to replace the existing 48” pipe.
Cornacchio asks what will happen to the ruins from the demolished building.
Hanscom states that the disposal of the ruins is stipulated by the DEP, and essentially they will remove any toxins, then crush the asphalt, brick and concrete and lay it in the area or under the landfill.
Cornacchio asks if there are any plans to fuel the trucks there, and Hanscom states that they will not do any fueling on site.
Hamilton asks if they will recycle any of the concrete, and Hanscom says they will if there is enough.
Cornacchio asks if they will save any of the granite, and Robert George of Northside Carting states that they will save any that they find.
Pabich asks the location of the drainage system to the cap.
Hanscom states that the drainage will be below the cap and the pipes will have gaskets. He adds that the structures will be below the cap with a one-foot sump. Pabich and Hanscom discuss this at length.
Cornacchio opens to the public.
Cheryl Budaj of 15 Fortune Way, unit 15, asks about the environmental impact of this project.
Hanscom says that any asbestos will be contained during removal so there will be no loose fibers of asbestos. He adds that with the regular building materials there will be dust and they will spray it with a fine mist to control the dust. He says that all toxins will be abated under DEP supervision and after completing that clean-up, what’s left will include concrete, brick and asphalt. He states that they have evaluated all of the waste on this site and there is no environmental contamination, and the ground water is essentially clean.
Pabich says that Hanscom should include specifics on the stormwater system and the guardrail support.
Hanscom states that the pipes will be above the cap and he will have the details at the next meeting.
Glidden says that the proposed location for the headwall and the intake should be detailed.
Pabich says that the hydrology as it pertains to the culvert should be detailed.
Hamilton says that invert elevation should be included.
Cornacchio reads the following letters:
From N.E. Animal Shelter, Randi Cohen
From Hutchinson Medical, Thomas McAuliffe
From Irving Oil, Lou Beam
From David Shea of 1 Dibiase Street
Glidden: Motion to continue this hearing until March 13, 2008, seconded by Pabich. Passes 5-0.
3. Continuation of a Public Hearing – Notice of Intent – Dana DiLisio, 100 Swampscott Road, Salem, MA 01970
Cornacchio reads the legal public hearing notice which states that the purpose of this hearing is to discuss the construction of a paved go-cart track and parking lot expansion within vegetated wetlands, bank resource area, and buffer zone to bordering vegetated wetlands at 100 Swampscott Road.
Duques states that the applicant has requested a continuance until March 13, 2008.
Glidden: Motion to continue this hearing until March 13, 2008, seconded by Pabich. Passes 5-0.
Old/New Business
4. Request for an Extension to an existing Order of Conditions – DEP #64-391 – Witch Hill Sub-Division, Located off Durkin Road and Dell Street
Cornacchio reads a letter requesting an extension from Attorney George Atkins.
Attorney George Atkins states that this is complicated because there are several deceased abutters that are still listed as owner and it has taken some time to sort this out. He adds that some work has already been done.
Duques points out the property on the assessors map.
Owner Kenneth Steadman states that the area next to the street has been roughed out and graded and a hydrant has been installed.
Pabich asks for specifics about the land court problem and whether the application was valid.
Atkins states that they came in with every parcel that they controlled but some of the abutters are now deceased.
Pabich: Motion to grant an extension for three years, seconded by Hamilton. Passes 5-0.
5. Request for Certificate of Compliance – DEP #64-366 – Salem Willows Seawall
Duques distributes photos of the seawall.
Cornacchio states that they did a beautiful job.
Glidden: Motion to issue a Certificate of Compliance, seconded by Hamilton. Passes 5-0.
6. Notice that Salem Sound Coast Watch in conjunction with Dominion and City of Salem will be conducting an Earth Day Clean-up of the South River
Cornacchio states that he will be heading the clean-up.
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7. Other Items
Duques states that the City will go with Landworks Studio Team to design and oversee the construction of a park at 15 Peabody Street.
Pabich states that the seawall at Cat Cove is falling into the ocean.
Duques states she will look into some grant opportunities, possibly similar to the one used to repair the Willows Seawall.
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Pabich: Motion to adjourn, seconded by Glidden. Passes 5-0.
The meeting is adjourned at 7:45 PM.
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