TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
INLAND WETLANDS/CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes - 1 - September 21, 2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Kelly, John Blondin, Jack Phillips, Audrey Delnicki, Hugh Brower, Carol Heffler
ALTERNATES PRESENT: Adam Reed sitting for Elizabeth Warren, Richard Muller
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
Vice Chairperson Kelly called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm
ITEM: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: none
ITEM: PERMIT EXTENSIONS: none
ITEM: CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS: Folger distributed copies of a State of CT DEEP Memo dated 9/8/2011 re: a 2011 Legislation and Regulations Advisory. This memo addressed the changes in state statutes regarding: 1) the limits of approvals – any application approved after 5/9/2006 up to 7/1/2022 has an additional 4 years added to the approval period, automatically making the approval period 9 years; 2) Any kind of withdrawal of water for fire purposes, such as a dry hydrant, is considered a non-regulated use. The Town will be updating it’s regulations to incorporate these changes.
ITEM: BONDS: none
ITEM: MINUTES: Minutes from 7/6/2011 were approved by consensus.
ITEM: CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Folger reviewed a new color-coded, user-friendly map designating the different types of open space in town. This map will be made available to the Open Space Task Force and the Parks & Recreation Department along with a color-coded binder containing aerial photos and property descriptions for each parcel. This information may be made available on-line at some point.
ITEM: WETLAND OFFICER’S REPORT: Made it through Tropical Storm Irene in remarkably good shape. Due to the advance warnings received, construction work sites were “buttoned down” sufficiently and clean up after the storm was minimal.
ITEM: PUBLIC HEARING: none
ITEM: NEW BUSINESS:
Appl. #11-29P – CREC Magnet School – Long Hill & Chapel Roads – IWA/CC application for the construction of an elementary magnet school, grading, parking, playing fields, stormwater utilities and associated improvements on property located west of Long Hill Road and south of Chapel Road. Rural Residential (RR) Zone (GD).
Representatives for the CREC application were: Fritz Morris, Scott Waitkus, Mark Friend and David Fresk.
Fritz Morris, architect and principal of Perkins Eastman, began the presentation, stating that the proposal is for a new magnet elementary school on 14.3 acres that are fairly wooded at this time, with a sewer easement thru the center of the site connecting onto Chapel Road on what was once a tobacco farm. Currently doing 1, 2, and 3 phase environmental review to analyze the soils. Proposed school size is 63,000 sq ft, split between 3 levels. The grade is high along Long Hill and drops down significantly - approximately 40 ft. The building is designed to “step down” as well, following the contour of the land. The primary entrance and exit for buses will be Chapel Road. Parent entry will be off Long Hill Road, with pick up/drop off at the rear entrance of the school. The building has two
primary entry points, one in the front and one in the rear. There are several surface parking lots. There will be some surface detention. The two playing fields will be terraced - sculpted to conform to the site contours. The plan was to eliminate any retaining walls on the site. There will be some exposed foundation wall in one area that will act as a retaining wall, but everything else will be done by berming and grading as much as possible.
Scott Waitkus, civil engineer with DVH – The site slopes from east to west – high at Long Hill, low at the new property line established by the subdivision. The low point wetland takes primarily half the surface runoff from the existing site. There is a little bit of a valley on the west side that collects the remaining runoff from the northern portion of the site. Eventually, all the water collects in a very flat point further down the site along Ellington Road where it migrates through an existing field at a very slow rate. There are some channels along 291 that might take some of the water in a larger storm event. The proposed storm drainage collection system is meant to replicate the existing drainage patterns currently on the site. All increase in flows from the north side will be directed
to the south side, where management of the flows will be handled in that detention basin. On the north side, once the water is collected, a hydrodynamic separator will be used for water quality treatment. In addition, there will be deep sump catch basins. To try to imitate the current flow pattern, a level spreader will be created to maintain the current low velocity spread out type of flow. On the southern side of the property, everything is being collected through the same sewer catch basin system and being routed into a first flush forebay, which will handle the water quality from the first inch of runoff. This first flush forebay will then overtop into the lower detention basin. Where there is a small natural valley, another level spreader will be created to reduce the velocities to a non-erosive rate when reinitiating the water back into the wetland areas. The staging plan for construction will be done in three separate phases: 1)
initial phase – build construction road into the site, build a level pad which will be in the area of the future parking lot, create a sediment trap in the location of where the permanent plunge pool will be, work on temporary and permanent stabilization of the disturbed areas; 2) cutting new road in from Long Hill Road, sediment trap in area of permanent detention basin, temporary pipes, swales; 3) permanent stabilization plan – maximum slopes are 3 to 1 and will have erosion control matting, an emergency spillway from the detention basin which is rip rap and was designed for a 100 year storm, detention basin was designed for 10, 25, 50 and 100 year storms. Trying not to do any disturbance within the 80 ft upland review area. The detention basins are designed to be slow draining.
Mark Friend, soil scientist/professional engineer with Megson & Heagle – There are no wetland soils on the site. There are wetlands and vernal pools to the west of the site. The site does not have any direct drainage to either these wetlands or the isolated vernal pools. The proposed plan will not have an impact on these areas. There were no sedge plants or habitat for the dune beetle found in the area.
Commissioners questioned if anything different could be done in the north part of the property in the way of drainage. Scott: The drainage plan is pretty tight the way it is designed. If it was changed at all concessions in other areas would have to be made. The State only allows a certain size property for the school and this design is the best fit.
Folger: A way to try to maximize the pollutant renovation on this site is to target the structures for the nature of the pollutants expected. On the north side, with sanding operations and automobile fluids, there would be a mostly floatable pollutant train. Within the limited space available, they are concentrating on storage structures to target floatables and maximize the containment of the road sand and floatables with the trap hoods and then with the separators. Using the open retention basin down in the southern end, where we would expect to get more nutrient loading from the fields, would be where you would expect to get more benefit from a wetland plant community.
Gary Pitcock, resident at 87 Long Hill Road, was concerned about water flow with more changes being made in this area. When I-291 was built he lost his drinking water and had to change his well from an above ground pump to a submerged pump at a depth of 70 feet. Mr. Pitcock stated that there are a number of wells in the neighborhood that could be affected. Waitkus stated that the ridge line will be maintained and there should not be any more water directed that way.
In addressing Commissioner’s concern about chemical runoff from the school fields: Folger: It is illegal now to use chemicals on school grounds. David Fresk: The State requires use of only organic treatment on school grounds.
Motion to: to approve Appl. #11-29P – CREC Magnet School – Long Hill & Chapel Roads – IWA/CC application for the construction of an elementary magnet school, grading, parking, playing fields, stormwater utilities and associated improvements on property located west of Long Hill Road and south of Chapel Road. Rural Residential (RR) Zone (GD), 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 September 21, 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: $30,000 to ensure proper placement and maintenance of erosion and sediment controls and $15,000 for construction of stormwater system.
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.
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
ITEM: OLD BUSINESS: none
ITEM: APPLICATIONS RECEIVED:
Appl. #11-26P – Tuscan Hills (Carter Mario) site plan – 218 Buckland Road – IWA/CC application for the construction of an office building, grading, parking, stormwater utilities and associated improvements on property located east of Buckland Road. Buckland Gateway Development Zone (GD). Postponed to October meeting.
Appl. #11-30W - Redland Brick, Inc., 1440 John Fitch Blvd.- modification of site plan approved 1/16/2008 as Appl #07-67P, proposing a 4.82 acre conservation easement associated with a Blue Heron rookery instead of creation of a 1.2 acre pond as mitigation – Application will be presented 10/5/2011.
ITEM: ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to: adjourn the meeting at 7:55 pm
Was made by: Commissioner Heffler
Seconded by: Commissioner Delnicki
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Thompson, Recording Secretary Approved: October 5, 2011
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