TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
INLAND WETLANDS/CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes - 1 - May 18, 2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Kelly, John Blondin, Jack Phillips, Art Jennings, Carol Heffler
ALTERNATES PRESENT: Adam Reed, sitting for Audrey Delnicki
Richard Muller, sitting for Hugh Brower
STAFF PRESENT: Jeff Folger, Environmental Planner
Donna Thompson, Recording Secretary
THE FOLLOWING ARE MOTIONS MADE DURING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE INLAND WETLANDS AGENCY/ CONSERVATION COMMISSION – MADDEN ROOM
Chairperson Warren called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm
ITEM: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: no
ITEM: PERMIT EXTENSIONS: no
ITEM: CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS:
1. Spring 2011 Issue of The Habitat was distributed at the meeting.
2. Folger presented a request from resident, John Phillips for permission from the Conservation Commission to remove some Norway Maples that have started growing on the conservation easement associated with his property. Boy Scouts working on merit badges would be willing to do the work in removing the trees. Commissioner Phillips recused himself as he is the owner of the property and the individual making the request.
Motion to: approve activity to remove the invasive Norway Maples in conservation easement on property located at 200 McGrath Road.
Was made by: Commissioner Kelly
Seconded by: Commissioner Blondin
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
ITEM: BONDS: none
ITEM: MINUTES: Minutes from 5/4/2011 were approved by consensus.
ITEM: CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Folger informed the commissioners that Trails Day will be held on June 5 from 1-4 pm at the Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve. Open Space Task Force is sponsoring the annual event and will provide current trail maps and information on wildlife certification for residents and the Town at tables in both the Sullivan Avenue and West Road parking lots. There will be activities for both kids and adults.
ITEM: WETLAND OFFICER’S REPORT: Folger told the Commission of a potential project that the Wapping Church is considering on property adjacent to Plum Gulley Brook. The church would like to clear the area of invasive species, stabilize the brook and clean out debris to create a pedestrian park for church members’ activities. Folger advised the church not to due too much more in the area without a plan for land stabilization; he will work with them to come up with a plan.
ITEM: PUBLIC HEARING: 7:15
Secretary Heffler read the Legal Notice pertaining to Appl. # 11-11W.
Appl. #11-11W – Town Square at Evergreen Walk – 151 Buckland Road – IWA/CC application for the construction of a multi-family residential and commercial complex, grading, parking, stormwater utilities and associated improvements on property located west of Buckland Road and north of Smith Street. Buckland Gateway Development Zone (GD).
Alan Lamson, applicant representing owner, Evergreen Walk LLC. West of Tamarack – construct mixed use retail, residential, hotel, parking, town square, 5000 sq ft building in center.
Phil Forsley (Fuss & O’Neill), Josh Wilson, Ron Bomagin, all represented applicant. Wilson – soil scientist, verified location of existing wetlands that had been delineated in the beginning of the initial Evergreen Walk project. These initial reports were submitted this time because the area is the same except for the farm field that is now mostly fallow. The site will drain to tributaries of Plum Gulley Brook. Wetlands # 9 & 9a are wet meadow system; #9 is to the north, goes into Plum Gulley Brook - good wildlife habitat; #8 – forested wetland with red maples, cottonwoods, spice bush understory – great wildlife habitat, sediment nutrient retention; #8a – low quality wetland, farmer had ditched it, which dried it up, goes to Plum Gulley Brook; final wetland is forested, good shrub
understory, ground water discharge, wildlife habitat, good vegetation to slow discharge. Plan to minimize impact on wetlands.
Forsley: prudent and feasible alternatives submitted to Army Corp of Engineers. DEP and Army Corp told them where they could and could not develop. Also, there is a 100 meter offset from Plum Gulley Brook. Overall site hydrology report, stormwater master plan model has been followed – drainage outfalls: 1 onsite by LL Bean onto Tamarack discharges onto ground – it’s a mess, stone check dams didn’t work. Two more drain from parking lot – vegetative swale into detention basin. To develop the site they will have to fix the erosion, plunge pools, construct two new detention basins. This appears in the phase construction plan submitted to Town. Turf grass basin will bring most of drainage to the 2 new basins, A small portion will sheet flow to a grass slope into a level
spreader – slow velocities (perfect area). They intend to fill in the existing detention basin (it is a statutory watercourse), 0.7 acres and will create a three acre wetland to replace it. The adjacent Jacques property has some problems with drainage, they don’t want to add to it. The 18.6 acres watershed will be reduced to 16.9 acres. The drainage system is sized for a 25 year storm event, for water quality, they will use a treatment train approach, rain gardens for infiltration, overflow system, bioretention, and forebays in all basins.
Wilson: The existing pond is a temporary retention basin. It will be transplanted to another area, bigger and better. Pond is not very useful to area, it has poor ecological development. The benefit is to create something more effective for water quality treatment, different vegetation for better filtration, more nutrient removal, more/better habitat for wildlife, etc. The basins are designed to contain and hold all water quality volume; emergent vegetation will be planted in the bottom and will vary with the estimated water depth, which will vary. An invasive species plan is proposed to keep unwanted species out.
Forzley/Wilson: With the level spreader there will be very little impact for erosion into stream, which is very well stabilized, flows out of basins will not create any issues, all tributaries will remain as is, design is to contain suspended solids in the basins, and reduce nitrogen, etc.
Scott Andrusis, resident – 58 Ridgefield Drive, asked if there will be an impact to the wetland on the south. Wilson: no significant change to what is happening there now, peak flow rates will be reduced.
Forzley: Some drainage from Tamarack, flows are being reduced; erosion control: construction entry off Tamarack, silt fence, dewatering of pond for clean water, everything is outside of DEP buffer line; feasible and prudent alternatives: not filling 3200 sq ft of wetland that DEP said they could – they chose not to touch that because they don’t need the land area to make the project work. Rain gardens will mitigate impervious surface.
Folger: Wetland delineation is accurate; on 8a the farmer lowered the ground water with a ditch, but also created better wildlife habitat by doing that – high quality wildlife habitat; avoiding any disturbance in there is very good; the temporary basin being removed and relocated – was originally created as a temporary basin; and stabilized with a grass species, it will develop into a more diverse, higher quality habitat area. Is it sized for a full buildout? Yes. Is swale temporary? Forzley: Yes.
Folger: Area is flat, not like previous development with red sandstone parent material, very high in silt, hard to keep from leaving site. Parent material is silty, but with more sand, flat, no red material, perimeter controls are good, southern access road will have retaining wall, adequate erosion controls but maintenance plan is more significant.
Kelly: What is the current impervious coverage of subwatershed? What is the resulting impervious after buildout and after full buildout? Forzley: Will get that info. Lamson: Will base it on original general plan approved. Bomagin: We use 80%.
Warren: On application, impervious is 26% of what? Answer: It is for entire site.
Muller: Additional flow from east side of Buckland Rd? Forzley: That side is totally built out already. Muller: Will have to be addressed going up Buckland? Forzley: All drainage basins are oversized, should accommodate all of it.
Folger: Any east side development would have to handle their own drainage on-site.
Muller: Did the original Evergreen Walk plan work? Forzley: Worked based on reports and evidence. What didn’t work will work now because it’s a different design. Muller: 2.7 acres disturbed, what are we getting for it? Forzley: Not piped discharge, very diffused discharge, minimized impact, this kind of mitigation will create a lot of wetlands. Muller: Wants to know how much is wetlands in the end; coming out with more than started with? Forzley: Will provide the amount. Folger: If require them to qualify, we don’t allow them to count stormwater structures as mitigation. Provided this plan is successful the result will be some higher quality wetlands from Evergreen Walk.
Muller: The detention areas should b considered wetlands. Folger: They are. Looking at a very diverse planting plan.
Phillips: The watercourse being disturbed is a stormwater structure. Forzley: It was meant to be moved one day.
Kelly: At some point there will be overflow, are there emergency spillways? Forzley: Basins are big enough to never spill over (100 yr event), but there are spillways present.
Mr. Andrusis: Where are construction roads and permanent road to be located? Forzley: Off Tamarack for construction, permanent will also be off Tamarack (30-40 ft of tree line will be removed). Lamson: There will be 3 entrances. Forzley: 1 existing, 2 more added off Tamarack near Smith Street. Non-working system will be paved over.
Kelly: Wants reassurance that levels will work. Forzley: Impervious is really low %. Bomagin: Existing – 8.38 acres; proposed – 18.48 acres; 31.6 old, 33.6 new. Kelly: More than 50-60% impervious going to that one point. Forzley: Required 80%, have done all required for water quality
Kelly: So this is more than 80% now because it will handle full buildout.
Motion to: close public hearing for Appl. #11-11W at 9:02 pm
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Heffler
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Motion: based on record of whole as presented, move a finding of no prudent or feasible alternative
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Heffler
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Motion to: to approve Appl. #11-11W, with the following conditions:
1. The final approved copy of the entire set of plans and this letter reproduced thereon must be submitted to the Planning Department. This must be completed within 65 days of approval prior to any construction activity on the site. Plans submitted to Planning & Zoning Commission shall be considered having met this requirement.
2. The application shall indemnify and hold harmless the Town of South Windsor against any liability, which might result from the proposed operation or use.
3. The permit is valid for five years and shall expire on May 18, 2016. It is the landowner(s)/applicant(s) responsibility to track expiration dates and notify the Commission of a renewal request at least 65 days prior to expiration.
4. Bonds shall be collected in the amount of $50,000 to ensure proper placement and maintenance of erosion and sediment controls; $50,000 for construction of stormwater systems; and $30,000 for wetland plantings.
5. All approvals required must be obtained and submitted prior to any activity on the site.
6. A contact person shall be identified on the plans.
7. An invasive species management plan put in place for detention basins 2 and 2a, approved by town staff, considered to be for 3 full growing seasons.
8. Soil amendment within the basins should be increased from 12% organics to 30% by volume.
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Secretary Heffler read the Legal Notice pertaining to Appl. # 11-15W.
Appl. #11-15W – Town of South Windsor – Kelly Road Reconstruction Project – IWA/Conservation Commission application for the reconstruction of Kelly Road including associated improvements to the drainage and stormwater structures The site located easterly of Avery Street.
Representatives for Town: Jeff Doolittle and Joe Perna. Area involved - Kelly Road crosses Avery Brook, 80 ft upland review, 5 acres of project, State and Feds require all approvals, The plans is to smooth out bumps and curves, make the road a uniform width, replace storm drains.
Perna: The project will involve 3800 ft of road, install curbing, replace sidewalk, install traffic calming measures, landscaping and signage, build a landscaped island at Vernon end, and replace most of the drainage system. The system will involve catch basins with sumps, hydrodynamic separators, and rip rap at the Vernon end. Swales are not feasible. This is in line with DOT requirements. There will be 13,000 sq ft of disturbance in the URA encompassing roadway.
Doolittle: We will be installing 2 hydrodynamic separators. Most construction will be next year. State & Fed funded so normally they would oversee and the project, but in this case Town requested to do it – will have a better handle on it.
Muller: Utilities being moved? Doolittle: Electric, gas line, water line are being moved
Phillips: Any alternatives? Doolittle: Leave as is. Road will be lower than it is now, getting higher than driveways.
Muller: Why textured concrete? Doolittle: Residents are concerned with more/faster traffic – this should help.
Commissioner concerned about closeness of sidewalk to road. Perna: There will be a grass area between road and sidewalk.
Folger: All basins will have sumps? Yes.
Motion to: close public hearing for Appl. #11-15W at 9:19 pm
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Motion: based on record of whole as presented, move a finding of no prudent or feasible alternative
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Heffler
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Motion to: to approve Appl. #11-15W, no conditions, no bond.
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
ITEM: APPLICATIONS RECEIVED:
Appl. #11-09W – Satellite Tool Co.– 185 Commerce Way – IWA/CC application for the construction of a building addition and associated improvements on property located north of Commerce Way. Industrial (I) Zone.
ITEM: ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to: adjourn the meeting at 9:27pm
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Thompson
Recording Secretary
Approved with corrections: July 6, 2011
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