Stow Conservation Commission
Minutes
July 20, 2010
A meeting of the Stow Conservation Commission was held at the Stow Town Building, 380 Great Road, Stow, Massachusetts, on July 20, 2010 at 7:30 in the evening.
There were present: Rebecca Mattison, Chair
Helen Castles, Vice-Chair
David Coppes
Ingeborg Hegemann Clark
Doug Moffat
Kathy Sferra
comprising a quorum of the Commission; also
Patricia R. Perry, SCC Coordinator
Maureen Trunfio, SCC Secretary
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.
Notice of Intent (299-0524)
72 Pine Point Road
The public hearing for this project was opened without testimony on July 7, 2010 and continued to this evening since abutters had not been notified in time for the hearing nor did DEP issue a file number.
Steve Poole, Lakeview Engineering, presented plans on behalf of the homeowner, Kenneth Allen Rogers.
The existing concrete wall that was poured over the original stone wall that had previously retained the bank and provided for erosion control. The wall is severely cracked and has damage from frost action. David Coppes inspected the site and presented photos that supported this case.
As submitted in the Notice of Intent, the project design includes the restoration of the existing retaining wall to provide soil containment/erosion control and protect the shoreline from wave action that previously under mined the existing wall. Repairing the wall will require the temporary installation of an erosion control barrier and concrete forms at the edge of the lake to allow for the work area to be dewatered and the wall work to proceed in dry conditions. The erosion control barrier will consist of a staked silt fence within the lake, with an anchored bottom. This will prevent any silt from leaving the work area. Dewatering discharges will be made to a temporary “Birds Nest” type dewatering basin to prevent silt from being discharged into the lake. Once the work area is dewatered, continued pumping of groundwater will
be required to maintain dry conditions in the work area. This discharge can continue to the “Birds Nest” or be directed back to the lake with the use of a silt sack or other protective device, as the flow will be small and silt levels very low.
Poole confirmed with the Commission that the concrete will be pumped down to the site and all work will be done by hand. No large equipment or trucks will be brought down near the shore line.
Doug Moffat made a motion to close the public hearing for a Notice of Intent filed for proposed work at 72 Pine Point Road. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Kathy Sferra made a motion to approve the Findings and Special Conditions drafted and to issue the Order of Conditions for proposed work at 72 Pine Point Road. Helen Castles seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Notice of Intent (299-0523)
60 Pine Point Road
The public hearing for this project was opened without testimony on July 7, 2010 and continued to this evening since abutters had not been notified in time for the hearing nor did DEP issue a file number. Steve Poole, Lakeview Engineering, presented plans on behalf of the homeowners, Neal and Alison Phelan.
The project includes the restoration of the existing retaining wall to provide soil containment/erosion control and protect the slope from wave action that previously undermined the existing wall. The new wall will be a 3-foot high knee wall and will be anchored into the slope with helical screws.
Repairing the wall will require the temporary installation of an erosion control barrier and concrete forms at the edge of the lake to allow for the work area to be dewatered and the wall work to proceed in dry conditions.
The erosion control barrier will consist of a staked silt fence within the lake, with an anchored bottom. This will prevent any silt from leaving the work area. Dewatering discharges will be made to a temporary “Birds Nest” type dewatering basin to prevent silt from being discharged to the lake. Once the work area is dewatered, continued pumping of groundwater will be required to maintain dry conditions in the work area. This discharge can continue to the ”Birds Nest” or be directed back to the lake with the use of a silt sack or other protective device, as the flow will be small and silt levels very low.
The Commission expressed concern regarding erosion on the existing slope. Poole said they will use slope stabilization techniques. The Commission suggested planting drought-tolerant, native shrubs on the slope and netting. Poole agreed and reported they also plan to hydroseed the slope.
David Coppes made a motion to close the public hearing for a Notice of Intent filed for proposed work at 60 Pine Point Road. Helen Castles seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Kathy Sferra made a motion to approve the Findings and Special Conditions as drafted and to issue the Order of Conditions for proposed work at 60 Pine Point Road. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Amendment to Order of Conditions
Center School Project
At 8:05 pm the Commission opened a public hearing to consider a request to amend the Order of Conditions issued to the Stow Elementary School Building Committee. The proposed activity is consideration of a wetland enhancement project to mitigate encroachment of 1,650 square feet of bordering vegetated wetland for renovations to the existing Center School. Jamie Warren and Lorraine Finnegan of Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates Inc. (SMMA) were present, along with their environmental consultant, Terry Gensel of AECOM.
Warren explained that while preparing final hay bale placement at the work site, contractors realized wetland lines, as surveyed, were not correct and contacted SMMA. On July 6, prior to the Conservation Commission meeting, Ingeborg Hegemann Clark visited the site with Terry Gensel, Senior Wetland Scientist and environmental consultant for the project. Together they confirmed that wetland lines were shown incorrectly on the site plans and the proposed fire road would be built in the wetland area. The school itself would sit ½ foot from the edge of the wetland line.
In an attempt to rectify the situation, Warren said he tried to minimize the fire road, but found that there were limited options. SMMA plans to reduce the grading impact along the fire lane and introduce a retaining wall to minimize the overall impact to the wetlands
Seeking to minimize the impact of the wetland intrusion, SMMA proposed the idea of a ditch area that might be excavated and an attempt made to establish an ephemeral pool. SMMA thought a pool like this could be utilized for educational purposes. The Commission raised the question of access to the pool and asked whether a boardwalk could be constructed. The Commission thought this might be a better way for the children to visit the site without disturbing the water’s edge. Finnegan did not agree to this and went on to say that they’re not necessarily calling this an educational tool and that
they’re not introducing the habitat immediately.
This discussion raised the point that SMMA may actually want to request that there not be future restrictions placed on the replicated wetland area. The Commission expressed concerns regarding potential future regulatory jurisdiction associated with an ephemeral pool at the school location. They would like to discuss this point further and said they will need to talk about the concept of what the “new” wetland will become.
Gensel and Warren explained that in the area where the new pool would be created, large invasive shrubs will need to be removed by the contractor. More than ¾ of the required shrub removal will be in the resource area. Warren and Gensel suggested having the shrubs flagged and approved by the Commission before the actual removal occurred. Gensel suggested replanting with gray dogwoods (Cornus Racemosa Lam.) that would provide thicket patches that would make it difficult for other invasives to pervade. Additionally, the gray dogwoods provide a hard mass in Winter for birds.
Gensel used a reference pool from which he modeled his drawing and explained it, in detail to the Commission.
SMMA will revise sketches and details and will return for our August 3rd meeting. Finnegan summarized that by that date they are proposing to reduce the grading impact along the fire lane and introduce a retaining wall to minimize the overall impact to the wetlands from 1,650 to 680. They plan to clearly identify the specific invasives that will be removed in order to create the pool. Finally SMMA will reassess at the shape and area outside the wetland area grading of the pool area to ensure that they’re altering less than 5,000 s.f. and still meet the 110% ratio requirement for mitigation. Finnegan was most concerned with being able to lay hay bales in order to be able to begin foundation work as scheduled on August 9th. The Commission hopes to close the hearing at the August 3, 2010 meeting and
issue the decision.
Kathy Sferra made a motion to continue the public hearing for a Request to
Amend the Order of Conditions filed for proposed work at 403 Great Road to August 3, 2010 at a time to be determined. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously
Highgrove Estates/Sweeney Property
West Acton Road
Perry informed the Commission that another NOI filing is expected for this property located on the Acton/Stow line. The Planning Boards in Stow and Acton have seen the ANR Concept plan proposed by Jim Fenton.
Approve Minutes
Kathy Sferra made a motion to approve the minutes of June 22, 2010 as drafted and amended. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed. Doug Moffat abstained.
Ingeborg Hegemann Clark made a motion to approve the minutes of July 6, 2010 as drafted and amended. Helen Castles seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Adjournment
Ingeborg Hegemann Clark made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Doug Moffat seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
The Commission adjourned at 9:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia R. Perry
SCC Coordinator
Maureen Trunfio
SCC Secretary
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