MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Elizabeth Warren, Phillip Forzley, William Grace, Carol Heffler, Barbara Kelly, Richard Muller, Jack Phillips and Audrey Wasik
STAFF PRESENT: Jeffrey H. Folger, Environmental
Planner/Conservation Officer
Debbie Reid, Recording Secretary
ITEM: Correspondence and Reports
Chairperson Warren asked the Commission if there were any comments in regards to the outline that Commissioner Kelly will follow at the Leadership Roundtable on 5/22/03?
Commission members had a lengthy discussion regarding a statement that read “regulations of wetlands on an application is independent of zoning”. Commissioner Forzley felt this statement to be too broad. Commission members discussed different wording that cold be used instead of independent of. It was then decided that the statement should be left as it is currently.
ITEM: Permit Extensions
Appl. #99-22P – Unity Church
Motion to: transfer appl. #98-22P from River Baptist Church to Unity Church.
Was made by Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by Commissioner Wasik
The motion: carried
The vote was as follows: unanimous
Motion to: grant permit extension for appl. #98-22P – Unity Church for five years.
Was made by Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by Commissioner Wasik
The motion: carried
The vote was as follows: unanimous
ITEM: Minutes
The April 16, 2003 minutes were approved by general consensus of the Commission.
ITEM: Conservation Commission
An Eagle Scout created an outdoor classroom in the detention basin at the Timothy Edwards Middle School. A trail system was constructed, as well as bridges to cross watercourses. A local Landscaper donated woodchips. The wood for this project was donated by Lowes and Plunkett Webster.
A riparian planting has been created at the VMP’s southwest portion of the parking lot. There was 150 River Birch and 50 American Cranberry bush planted in order to re-establish the riparian area of the stream.
At the Wildlife Sanctuary a Cub Scout pack picked up trash and did trail maintenance.
There is a trail system being established on the Major Michael Donnelly property. The trail will be from Sullivan Avenue to West Road. There are eight crossings, three of the crossings will have bridges, and five will have boardwalks. An Eagle Scout is interested in building a bridge across the Podunk on the West Road side. A wetland application for the bridge will be coming before the Commission.
There is a proposal to do a bridge across the ponds at Lake Street which would cross to the Nevers Road trail system. This will also be coming before the Commission for wetland approval.
ITEM: Wetland Officers Report
A minimal impact permit application was completed for a storage shed on Gilbert Lane.
In areas, some leaves that were not picked up this winter have been dumped in conservation easements and Town open space. Calls have gone to home owners requesting that they be removed.
ITEM: Public Hearing
Appl. #03-21P – The Casle Corp.
Town Attorney Barry Guliano came before the Commission. He explained that there has been a petition to intervene on this application. Town Attorney Guliano suggested that no action be taken on the petition and that the public hearing be kept open. Presently, there has been a challenge made to a virtually identical petition before the Planning & Zoning Commission. The applicant will be presenting briefs and the Town Attorney will be giving a legal opinion in regards to this situation. Attorney Guliano recommended that IWA/CC wait for the briefs and his opinion to make a determination on intervenor status.
Mr. Allan Lamson, President of FLB Architecture & Planning in East Hartford came before the Commission to represent this application. The application is for approval to construct a 40,000 square foot medical office building. The building is proposed to be located at the southwest corner of Deming Street and Buckland Road. The building will be one story on one side and two stories on the other side.
Mr. Jay Giles from Fuss & O’Neil came before the Commission. He explained that the site is 4.26 acres in size. The site slopes from the east towards the west. Currently, the property is used as agriculture fields. There is a watercourse that runs along the southern portion of the site. The ground floor of the building is 14,855 square feet and the second floor is 24,965 square feet. Two hundred and two parking spaces are being provided for this building. The entrance drive will be off of Deming Street from the main access drive and will connect the overall Evergreen Walk. A fire protection line will be brought into the south side of the building and domestic water service will be brought in through the existing main on Deming Street on the north side of the building. Sanitary
sewer service will be provided at the western end of the building through a lateral out to a main line in the main access drive and down into Deming Street into the existing truck sewer that is located on the west side of the brook. The impervious surface coverage on the site is approximately 2.6 acres. There are 4’ sumps in catch basins proposed for the parking area, which are capable of removing 20-25% of suspended solids in the stormwater. Rain gardens are proposed in two locations. They will provide some infiltration of stormwater into the ground prior to its piping into the stream. Also being proposed is a 350’ long swale from the rain garden down to the detention basin. The grass swale will reduce the total suspended solids by as much as 40%. The detention basin and rain gardens could provide 80% removal of total suspended solids.
Erosion control measures that will be provided are silt fence around the entire site, double silt fence around stockpile areas, and hay bales around all of the catch basins.
There is 2.1 acres of wetlands that will be disturbed. The total disturbance for the upland review area is 1.54 acres. Proposed mitigation consists of 2.1 acres. The building has been located in the proposed area because it is felt that the wetlands are not functioning wetlands.
Mr. Richard Snarski, a Soil Scientist explained that the wetlands on this site do not have the hydrology of a wetland, it is strictly classified as a wetland because of the soil type. In the mitigation area, there will be three types of wetland systems created which will consist of a wet meadow, a shallow water marsh and a deep-water marsh. It will be planted with a variety of native herbaceous species and will provide food, cover and habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
Mr. John Manners an Architect for the Casle Corporation came before the Commission to describe the proposed building. He explained that the Casle Corp. is the designer as well as the builder for this building. The entrance points to the building are approximately at the mid point of the long access of the building. The parking scheme has been designed in order to get people as close to the building as possible. There are commitments for 80% of the floor area on the main level and the lower level has been designated by ECHN for future use. The exterior material of the building is tan brick with precast accents. The entries will be covered with canopies. Around the perimeter there has been a parapet condition developed, which will help screen roof top equipment. The windows will be a tinted
glass.
Mr. Steve Selger, President of LADA Landscape Architects in Simsbury came before the Commission to present the landscaping plan for this site. Mr. Selger explained that along the roadway coming into the site and along Buckland Road there was a master list of landscaping materials that was used, and will be used throughout the Evergreen Walk project. Mr. Selger listed a variety of landscaping proposed for this parcel:
Zelkovas along the drive.
Pears in the islands, as well as along Buckland Road.
Forty-seven different varieties of trees.
Four hundred and seven perennial type plants.
Three different varieties of grasses.
Mr. Allan Lamson came before the Commission to summarize this presentation. Mr. Lamson stated that the proper erosion control measures have been put into place during construction. Best management practices have been provided where appropriate. Detention of stormwater has been provided, mitigation for the proposed disturbance has been provided, and design work meets the applicable State and Town standards.
Jeff stated the items he would like to see something different happen or areas where there should be more clarification:
The travel path in the detention basin needs grading done.
Landscaping plants around the basin which will provide wildlife habitat benefits.
More detail of wetlands on or associated with this site along with the described impacts for long term and short term development on the adjacent wetlands.
A detailed plant and animal inventory on this site.
The speed of velocities within the swale.
Dr. Clausen to report on the proposed rain gardens.
Separate roof runoff from the storm system and try to infiltrate more of the roof runoff.
More detail topography on the design of the mitigation area, more edge areas, and have the area not be so saucer shaped.
An accurate representation of the foliage boundary.
How much of the shrub area is proposed to be disturbed.
Requested an earth and berm to be placed along the western edge of the proposed construction area. The berm that was placed up was rather small, would like the berm to stretch the entire length of the area.
Answering questions from the Commission, Mr. Giles explained that the 4.2 acres is the area ECHN will occupy. The impervious coverage calculated for this site and the entire Evergreen Walk project is 60%. The percentage for just this site will be addressed at the next scheduled meeting.
Commissioner Phillips stated that he has seen no alternatives presented. He would like to know what alternatives were considered and why this plan is the most prudent & feasible? Mr. Giles responded, saying one alternative is not to build on this particular piece of land. In their opinion, the wetlands being disturbed is not a functioning wetland and will never return as a functioning wetland.
Jeff asked the applicant if they would consider stabilizing the banks where necessary? Mr. Giles explained that the area is a federal wetland and the applicant is trying to avoid all wetland encroachments, so at this time they did not want to do that.
With no further comments, the public hearing was continued until the next meeting on June 4, 2003.
ITEM: New Business
Appl. #03-28P – The Shops at Evergreen Walk
Commissioner Phillips felt this application has a potential for significant public interest as well as impacts to the wetlands.
Motion to hold a public hearing on June 18, 2003 due to potential significant impact to the wetlands and public interest on appl #03-28P – The Shops at Evergreen Walk – Buckland Road – Inland Wetland/Conservation Commission application to construct a multi-building retail complex, parking lots, stormwater structures, and associated improvements on property located westerly of Buckland Road, and northerly of Smith Street, GD, Gateway Development zone.
Was made by Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by Commissioner Kelly
The motion: carried
The vote was as follows: unanimous
ITEM: Old Business
Strategic Planning
Commissioner Kelly explained there would be a Leadership Roundtable/Strategic Planning on May 22, 2003. Commissioner Kelly informed IWA/CC members that she will be giving an overview of the Inland Wetland Agency/Conservation Commission.
Commission members set up a sub-committee to review wetland issues that are in the zoning regulations. Jeff will coordinate the time and date to meet and will contact members.
ITEM: Adjournment
Motion to: adjourn the meeting at 7:37 p.m.
Was made by Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by Commissioner Forzley
The motion: carried
The vote was as follows: unanimous
Respectfully submitted
_________________________________ ___________________
Deborah W. Reid Date Approved
Recording Secretary
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