TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
INLAND WETLANDS/CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes - 1 - June 20, 2012
MEMBERS PRESENT: Elizabeth Warren, John Blondin, Audrey Delnicki, Hugh Brower, Jack Phillips
ALTERNATES PRESENT: Art Jennings, sitting for Carol Heffler
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. Warren stated she has received a copy of the Town Council Resolution effective July 1, 2012, approving the transfer of any funds generated as a result of leasing Town-owned open space land for agricultural use into a new account named Open Space Maintenance Account which will be administered by the Conservation Commission.
2. Warren discussed the From the Bench article “What to do with Your Board’s Alternate Members” that Jeff Folger had included in the meeting packet. The article clarified that an alternate can participate in a public hearing whether seated or not, but can only participate in the deliberative session if seated for a commissioner. (see attached)
ITEM: BONDS: none
ITEM: MINUTES: Minutes from 5/16/2012
Motion to: approve the minutes from 5/16/2012
Was made by: Commissioner Blondin
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
ITEM: CONSERVATION COMMISSION:
Folger stated that scouting projects continue, with work on the connector trail through the Priest property coming along very well.
Folger mentioned that attendance was down about 75% at Trails Day on June 3. The weather was good until the end of the day.
Warren stated that Bill Aman was told in a discussion with a CL&P crewman, that if the Town wants more trails, CL&P would be glad to help by clearing more brush along transmission lines. This information is opposite from what has been said in the past. Warren thought from the substation on Barber Hill Road to Nevers would be a good idea.
ITEM: WETLAND OFFICER’S REPORT:
Folger stated that due to low ground water all the vernal pools are dry at this time.
Folger advised the Commission that the larvacide mosquito treatment has been applied at Rye Street Park, Nevers Road Park and Philip R. Smith so far. Due to climate conditions, the mosquito population is expected to be less than last year. The larvacide will kill the mosquito larva, thus preventing them reaching adulthood. There will be additional applications of the treatment necessary. Additional applications may be made with a treatment that can last up to 30 days at some point in the future.
ITEM: PUBLIC HEARING: 7:18
Appl. #12-28P – Nutmeg Village – 388 & 428 Pleasant Valley Road, 100 South Satellite Road – Inland Wetland/Conservation Commission application for the construction of a 155 unit multi-family development and associated improvements on property located northerly of Pleasant Valley Rd and southerly of South Satellite Rd. Multi-Family (MF) Zone, A-20 Residential Zone, Industrial Zone.
Commissioner Delnicki read the Legal Notice into the record.
Folger presented a Request for Intervener Status from Jeremy Baver, which he received via fax at 4:21 pm on June 20, 2012. Upon reviewing this request, the Commissioners found that the Verified Pleading had not been sworn to, subscribed or witnessed as required.
Motion to: deny intervener status to Mr. Baver due to failure to have request sworn to, subscribed and witnessed, and to proceed with the public hearing for Appl. #12-28P
Was made by: Commissioner Blondin
Seconded by: Commissioner Phillips
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Mr. Baver intends to resubmit his Request for Intervener Status completed as required.
Representing the applicant, Horseshoe Lane Associates/Robert Urso: from Design Professionals - Peter DeMallie, Andrew Krar and Ben Wheeler; also, Kim Bradley from GEI. Mr. DeMallie, Principal of Design Professionals, began the presentation. The residential portion of the development will be done in up to 15 phases moving from east to west, beginning in late 2012 and finishing in 2016. The only direct wetlands impact will be the proposed stream crossing. Possible disturbance could be 4/100 acre or 1900 square feet or 70 lineal feet. A contact bridge is proposed to be built over the stream to allow for a road into the development. The abutments supporting the bridge will be placed on either side of the brook within the upland review area. Also proposed are streambank improvements, which
will be enhancements to existing conditions. The development is almost 62 acres, with approximately 18.9% being wetlands. The residential portion of the development, which is just under 50 acres, is on Pleasant Valley Road between Nutmeg Road South and Hilton Drive with the proposed entrance to the development off Pleasant Valley Road. The residential portion, a Planned Unit Development, will consist of a club house, single family residences, 2 family duplexes, and attached townhouse units, totaling 155 homes. Fronting on South Satellite Road will be the industrial portion of the project, consisting of 6 lots totaling approximately 11 acres. The original proposal of 202 residential units on approximately 55 acres fronting South Satellite Road with both entrances off South Satellite Road was turned down for a zone change by the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). The businesses in the area felt this industrial zone was not appropriate for a
residential development. PZC decided that South Satellite Road was not to be used as an access for a residential development and that another entrance would have to be found if possible. Use of an industrial development road posed safety concerns especially for school buses and children. The original proposal would not have a created a wetlands issue by needing the stream crossing. The design of the development was changed to reflect access off Pleasant Valley Road which was acceptable to PZC for the zone change but now creates the wetlands issue with the need to cross the stream for the roadway. The development of the industrial lots will necessitate site plan applications to various commissions at the time development is proposed, which could be quite some time in the future.
Mr. Krar, Professional Engineer with Design Professionals, reviewed the storm drainage report for this application. The surface drainage of the area currently discharges into one of fourteen different areas. This site currently discharges to seven locations on adjacent properties and six wetlands areas on site, as well as a drainage ditch/stream. The majority of the site discharges into this stream which flows east, ultimately into the Podunk River. The storm drainage design is meant to decrease the peak rate of runoff to the adjacent properties; maintain the existing drainage volumes/hydrology of five on site wetlands; mitigate the dehydration of the eastern wetlands adjacent to Hilton Drive; and to reduce the peak runoff into the drainage ditch/stream so that there will be less peak discharge downstream into
the Podunk. The use of a subsurface storm drainage system consisting of catch basins, manholes and pipe is proposed. To the north, ultimately the storm drainage discharges into a pond one and a half acres in size, which will fill up to a depth of three feet and then discharge into the stream through a three inch hole. This will reduce the peak discharge to the stream. The second system is to the south of the brook, where the clubhouse, three single family homes and the roadway are located. A series of detention ponds will be used to attenuate the peak runoff into the brook. These ponds will utilize the three inch hole discharge point design also. The design is meant to reduce the runoff into the stream once the development is complete and fully occupied.
To address the issue of steambank stabilization, the installation of core logs is proposed in certain areas along the stream bank which are experiencing quite a bit of erosion. As the bank is eroded, sediment flows downstream into the river. The core logs will be installed along the sides of the streambank in several places for a total of approximately 115 feet.
Utilities will be subsurface. The public sewer system will be mostly gravity flow to a pump station just north of the stream. The sewage will be pumped through a force main underneath the wetlands adjacent to the bridge. They will not need to dig a trench, will core through the bottom - minimal impact to the wetlands during installation of the sewer line.
Grading of the site will entail approximately 14, 000 cubic yards of material in and approximately 12, 000 cubic yards of material yards out.
Mr. Krar stated that they have addressed all comments noted in Mr. Folger's memo and that they are reflected on the site plan. Mr. Folger did suggest hydrodynamic separators upgradient to the raingardens but they feel that with the raingradens designed to a capacity that would be able to hold the water quality the hydrodynamic separators will not be necessary.
Mr. Wheeler, Landscape Architect with Design Professionals, reviewed the landscape plan for the development. This plan is designed to help mitigate disturbance on the site and enhance the site once the site is developed. There are three basins on the site - a larger basin north of the ditch, a smaller one on the south side and one directly behind the community building. All the basins will be planted with the Retention Basin Wildlife Mix - a seed mix of native species that provides cover and a food source for wildlife. Pond 1 north of the stream and Pond 3 behind the community building will be wet basins, with the water level deep enough that it will not support wetlands type plantings. The basin south of the brook will be planted with the New England Wet Mix - a mix of native plantings that thrive in varying
water conditions. All of the disturbed areas on the site will be seeded with a lawn mix. Ten feet outside of the proposed walking trail and eighty feet beyond the units, a Native Upland Wildlife Forage and Cover Meadow Mix, another seed mix of native species that provides cover and a food source for wildlife, will be used. This mix will also provide a vegetative buffer between the lawn area and the wetlands in the western portion of the site to help filter any runoff in that direction. The western raingarden will be planted with trees such as birch and sweet gum. The second raingarden and the remainder of the western raingarden will be planted with a mix of berry producing plants. The wetlands on the eastern end of the site may be indirectly impacted at some point and to compensate for this possibility wetlands will be created on the western portion of the site at a 2 to 1 ratio. It will connect the wet meadow area that exists now to the larger
forested wetland at the southern end of the site. It will be seeded with the New England Wet Mix. It will be specified that the area be mowed at least once every two years in the winter as a maintenance plan. This will help provide a diversity of higher quality wetlands on the site.
Mr. Krar stated that the drainage ditch turns into a small pond just off the property which has accumulated a substantial amount of sediment due to the erosion of the streambank. As part of this development, with permission of the landowner, portions of the pond will be dredged to clean out the extra sediment. Prior to construction of the development, a sediment trap/check dam will be installed to the west of this pond. The check dam will remain and be maintained through all phases of construction and cleanup of the pond, then be removed.
Ms. Bradley, Scientist/Wetland Scientist/Ecologist with GEI, reviewed the wetland ecology and endangered species found on the site. In 2008, a small patch of endangered sedge was identified in the western wetlands. A full floral and fauna inventory, and threatened and endangered species review was conducted of the site. A representative from the CT DEEP and Town Conservation Officer Jeff Folger were present when it was confirmed that Barrett sedge was present at this location. Folger recommended that this area should be left untouched, hydrology should be maintained to the area and removal of some of the forest canopy would benefit the sedge. The state was contacted and a representative confirmed the existence of the sedge and also identified that there was the potential habitat for the Big Sand Tiger Beetle, Bog
Copper and Dwarf Fresh Water Mussel. Julia Victoria, from the State, agreed that the habitat within the site and any area that would be impacted from the site did not have habitat requirements for the Bog Copper or Fresh Water Mussel. Two small patches of Tiger Beetle habitat were identified and it was noted that this habitat was growing in quickly and soon would be unable to support the Tiger Beetles. Mitigation for the Tiger Beetles will be done at the time the last phase of development approaches if they are still there at that time.
The raingarden approaches and infiltration design for the base portion of the site will restrict and reduce the potential for additional runoff to the drainage swale. With best management practices in dealing with the crossing, and also the potential maintenance of the downstream basin off site, there would be very minimal impact to no impact down toward the Podunk.
Mr. Wheeler stated that many alternatives were looked at for developing this site. Since PZC denied the original application for a zone change due to adverse impact on the industrial neighborhood, this proposal is the best use of the site with the least amount of wetlands impact. The only direct impact to the wetlands is associated with the stream crossing. In order to eliminate that direct impact, the crossing would have to be eliminated. Since the majority of the development is north of the stream crossing it is not a prudent alternative The expense to the developer would not be justified if ended up with only the three lots on which to build south of the stream. If the crossing was left in place but the number of units was reduced, there would still be the same amount of direct impact to the wetlands
from the bridge. Reducing the number of units will not lessen the impact to the wetlands at the crossing.
Mr. DeMallie requested the Commission to consider a special meeting for the continuance of this public hearing on July 11, 2012, if the public hearing is continued this evening. All comments from Mr. Folger and Jeff Doolittle, Tow Engineer, will be addressed to their satisfaction.
Mr. Folger, Commissioners, and residents requested additional information regarding the water line coming from South Satellite Road, the need for hydrodynamic separators, curtain drains, the Tiger Beetles, drainage to Hilton Drive, the core logs, the bridge construction, contamination of the Podunk, Town Engineer's recommendations. Appropriate individuals responded to these requests: the water line will feed the entire site, may come from Pleasant Valley Road at beginning of construction, will consult with MDC prior to starting, may be done as phasing necessitates; with the extent of water in Hilton Drive yard there is question whether drainage is currently functioning, wetlands in the east are in jeopardy, if the raingardens are sized per DEEP regulations, then hydrodynamic separators will not be necessary; need an answer
regarding whether the curtain drain will wick the ground water from the area - the engineering reports will address the ground water issue at the next meeting; the core logs will be staked in place to prevent them being swept away and will allow stabilization while vegetation grows in; the alternative to the bridge crossing would be a culvert which would have more wetlands impact; native seed mixes, raingardens, lawn area - all these will help filter runoff to Podunk; all Town Engineer's comments will be addressed at the next meeting.
Motion to: continue public hearing for Appl. #12-28P
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Delnicki
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
Motion to: schedule special meeting for July 11, 2012 to continue public hearing on Appl. #12-28P, and for possible action on Appl. #12-28P
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Delnicki
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous
ITEM: APPLICATIONS RECEIVED:
Appl. #12-31W – Michaelson Residence – Pierce Rd – Inland Wetland/Conservation Commission application for the creation of a single family house lot and site plan. Located southerly of Pierce Rd. Rural Residential (RR) Zone. Application will be heard July 18, 2012.
ITEM: ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to: adjourn the meeting at 10:24 pm
Was made by: Commissioner Phillips
Seconded by: Commissioner Delnicki
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Thompson
Recording Secretary
Approved: September 19, 2012
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