Salem Conservation Commission
Minutes of Meeting
Date and Time: Thursday, February 9, 2012, 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Third Floor Conference Room, City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street
Members Present: Chairwoman Julia Knisel, Amy Hamilton, Dan Ricciarelli, Gavin McAuliffe
Members Absent: Michael Blier
Others Present: Tom Devine, Conservation Agent
Recorder: Stacy Kilb
Chairwoman Julia Knisel calls the meeting to order at 6:06 PM.
Meeting Minutes—January 26, 2012
A motion to accept the minutes is made by Hamilton, seconded by McAuliffe, and passes unanimously.
Public Hearing—Notice of Intent—Boston Gas Company d/b/a National Grid, 170 Medford Street, Malden, MA. The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the proposed installation of a new gas main within riverfront area and buffer zone to coastal bank, coastal beach, and floodplain at Lafayette Street between Raymond Road and the Marblehead line.
Here for the applicant is Mike Toohill with Coneco Engineers and Scientists. Mr. Toohill confirmed with DEP by phone that their file number is 64-521, since the online listing is down.
National Grid is proposing a new gas main from Raymond Road to the Marblehead line under via Lafayette Street. It is near the Forest River. All work will be done in the street. He shows a schematic drawing and detail. It will be an 8” plastic gas main connecting to existing mains at the above locations. There are smaller mains in the street, but this would be a larger interconnect. They will open 20-40’ of road at a time; the work zone is 50’ long and the trench 4’ wide to accommodate the box. They will bring it down the paved roadway until they approach the Forest River, then it will come out of the road toward the coastal bank side and be hung on the downstream, north face of the Bridge across the Forest River, then will go underground again.
There are no alternatives to putting it in the riverfront area – there are too many other utilities and it must go in the road. It is all curb and gutter so they will use silt sacks to protect the catch basins.
The trench will be closed every night and then paved with binder course until next year for final paving. It must settle for a year. Erosion controls are limited to silt sacks. If needed, there can be hay bales and silt fence, but there are only two areas where there will be ground disturbance outside of the road. The trench will be shallow, only about 3’ deep. Clean material such as gravel will be put back in. Material removed will be brought offsite and tested.
Pabich asks about the transition where the pipe leaves the ground. They will remove a section of guardrail and the area will be loamed and seeded. They will only dig up what they can work on that day. Plates will be used in the evening for manhole covers, but there are none at this location. David Knowlton, the City Engineer, is also being consulted because a road opening is required.
McAuliffe asks how long the bike path will be inaccessible; a police officer will reroute bikes and cars around wherever the work area is on a given day. The bike path entrance will only be obstructed one day. They hope to begin this project in March and it will take about four weeks to complete it.
Knisel opens to the public. Fred Harney of 474 Lafayette St. speaks. He asks about a permit for the bridge, which is state property. According to Dave Knowlton, this road is maintained and owned by the City; Mr. Harney says the bridge is owned by the Commonwealth. He asks for clarification – the new pipe will be hung from the bridge.
Pabich comments on the supports of the bridge; from a visual standpoint there is some screening by a concrete wall on either end; he would like to see the pipe screened by it. Mr. Toohill will ask the engineer.
Mr. Harney says that there is a water main in the bridge, but it may not be in use. Can they use that utility bay rather than hang it from the bridge? He also says that there is a problem with gas in the area. The smell of gas has been there for 30 years and they’ve only ever made one repair.
Larry Dennison of 12 Sunset Rd. asks about existing service to his neighborhood. It is not affected, but the purpose of this project is to replace a small pipe connecting two larger ones; the existing pipe is too small. Pabich asks if it is low or high pressure; it is high pressure at 60lbs. Hamilton asks about surfaces; what will protect the pipe if a car has an accident? Mr. Toohill will find out if there will be a bollard.
The Commission does not feel a site visit is necessary.
A motion to close the public hearing is made by Ricciarelli, seconded by Pabich, and passes unanimously.
The commission suggests putting the pipe in the roadbed if feasible. It is also preferable to avoid disturbing the bike lane in order to preserve the smooth surface for cyclists. However, these are merely recommendations. The commission proposes the following conditions:
- Catch basins must be working properly before start of work. If they need cleaning, either the city or the applicant may clean them.
- Silt sacks shall be installed in the catch basins before starting work.
- The applicant must notify the commission if there is to be any in-water work.
A motion to issue the Order of Conditions is made by Pabich, seconded by Ricciarelli, and passes unanimously.
Changes to the project will require coming back to the commission.
Illustrations:
Lafayette St. Tie-in; National Grid, Coler & Colantonio 10/31/11
Old/New Business
- Update on repair of Forest River Park’s southeastern seawall
A meeting was scheduled for Devine to go out there with Parks and Recreation to see the seawall, near the pool, but the meeting did not happen. There are gates around the expanding sinkhole behind the wall. They tried to fill in with gravel, but it went under the wall and onto the beach. It could be repaired without a permit as long as the wall is not expanded or rebuilt.
- Update on wetlands violations
Salem State University has committed to cleaning up the yard waste in the salt marsh along Monroe Rd. and installing signs to discourage further dumping Residents received a letter letting them know that dumping yard waste there is illegal.
At 77 Valley St., the owner is reluctantly cooperating and removing various items from the stream. He should come in for a permit to keep his footbridge, but prefers to just remove it. He complained about sewage coming through the stream and Devine is working with DPW to address that.
70A North St. – The City has struggled to address problems at this property in the past. Devine is working with the Building Inspector and Board of Health to determine what can be done. This situation requires more research into zoning and healt7h regulations. McAuliffe checked the stored equipment for leakage; the only material posing an environmental risk was rubber and plastic material piled on the edge of bank and used as a shelter by homeless people. The worst part is the trash issue. If the owner ever wants to sell the property, removal would make it more marketable. Devine will continue working with Inspectional Services and the Board of Health before considering any action. It is preferable to have a coordinated approach if the city wants to address this.
Devine has been in touch with people representing Camp Lion, where there was an alleged stream cut. He believes there is now a better understanding that further work requires consultation with the commission.
At Robinson and Swampscott Roads there may be some unpermitted activities occurring. There is an ongoing draining problem there. Gravel has washed across the road and a new pile of gravel was deposited across the street from the marsh to compensate what was washed away. Also a driveway was dug up and repaved where it meets the road and it is unclear what this was for. Devine will talk to the DPW or to the property owner, whoever it is that did the work. Pabich says the road regularly washes out, that this is a wetlands violation since roadway material washes into Thompson’s Meadow. The road is dressed twice a year. There are no controls in place and gravel continually washes away. Pabich suggests sending a letter notifying the owner that the situation with the gravel is unacceptable.
There is a large, uncovered pile of material resulting from building demolition at 401 Bridge Street, the site of the planned Gateway Center. The contractor proposes stabilizing the material with winter rye in addition to the erosion controls already in place in the catch basins and along the site’s perimeter. The exact contents of the pile are uncertain. Pabich comments that it is open soils in a riparian zone and there is a standing order not to leave such materials. We don’t know how long it will take them to develop the site and remove the soils. Chair Knisel suggests that Devine ask them to come before the Commission. Pabich wants to hear not from someone in the development group, but from a specialist or engineer with a license. Stabilizing with winter ryegrass is not a solution – it must be
removed or covered, or have an engineer assess the situation. It is part of the larger redevelopment project, but they did not expect to demolish the building so soon. Devine will inform the owner that the material must be covered or removed, or a professional must come before the commission to discuss protection of riverfront area.
A motion to adjourn is made by Ricciarelli, seconded by McAuliffe, and passes unanimously.
The meeting ends at 6:57 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Stacy Kilb
Clerk, Salem Conservation Commission
Approved by the Conservation Commission on February 23, 2012.
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