Stow Conservation Commission
Minutes
October 16, 2012
A meeting of the Stow Conservation Commission was held at the Stow Town Building, 380 Great Road, Stow, Massachusetts, on October 16, 2012 at 7:30 in the evening.
There were present: Ingeborg Hegemann Clark, Chair
David Coppes, Vice-Chair
Cortni Frecha
Serena Furman
Doug Moffat
Absent: Rebecca Mattison
Doug Morse
Associates: Jeff Saunders
Andy Snow
comprising a quorum of the Commission; also
Patricia R. Perry, SCC Coordinator
Maureen Trunfio, SCC Secretary
The Conservation Commission meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.
Approve Minutes
Serena Furman made a motion to approve the minutes of October 2, 2012 as drafted and amended. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Certificate of Compliance Request (#299-0546)
161 Old Bolton Road (R-3 #41-3)
Steve Poole, PE requested a Certificate of Compliance for Order of Conditions File No. 299-0546 for the installation of a new septic system at 161 Old Bolton Road. Serena Furman conducted the site inspection on behalf of the Commission and found the area stabilized and in good condition. The Commission agreed to issue the Certificate of Compliance.
Serena Furman made a motion to issue the Certificate Of Compliance for work satisfactorily completed at 161 Old Bolton Road in compliance with Order of Conditions File No. 299-0546. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Violation Lundy Property
Joanne Drive (R-13 #11-1)
On July 14, 2012 members of the Commission visited the disturbed site with the owner, Frank Lundy to review the work on the culvert conducted without a permit from the Conservation Commission. The Commission had asked Lundy to file an after-the-fact Request for Determination of Applicability for the work on the culvert. The deadline for Lundy to file that form was September 15, 2012. During the meeting Serena Furman called Mr. Lundy and left a message reminding him of the missed deadline and asking him to contact the office of the Conservation Commission.
Notice of Intent Continuation (#299-0553)
320 Hudson Road (R-12 #17)
At 7:45 PM Ingeborg Hegemann Clark reopened the public hearing continued from October 2, 2012 for a Notice of Intent (NOI) filed by Andrianne Snow for the proposed activity of constructing an 11’x 22’ addition to the existing house with an attached 8’x10’ deck. Steve Poole represented the applicant and submitted revised plans showing the installation of down spout from the gutter system on the southern corner of the house furthest from the wetland area requested and agreed upon on October 2, 2012. A DEP file number was also issued for the NOI.
David Coppes made a motion to close the public hearing for a Notice of Intent File No. 299-0553 filed by Andrianne Snow for the proposed activity of constructing an 11’x 22’ addition to the existing house with an attached 8’x10’ deck at 320 Hudson Road. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Cortni Frecha made a motion to approve and issue the Order of Conditions as drafted for a Notice of Intent File No. 299-0553 filed by Andrianne Snow for the proposed activity of constructing an 11’x 22’ addition to the existing house with an attached 8’x10’ deck at 320 Hudson Road. David Coppes seconded the motion and it was passed. Doug Moffat abstained.
Public Water Supply
Heritage Lane Open Space
The open space behind Heritage Lane was transferred to the Conservation Commission when the subdivision was developed. This open space is connected to Gardner Hill Conservation Land. The land is protected by Article 97 of the Constitution and would require a vote of the Conservation Commission, Town Meeting and the State Legislature to allow a use such as a public water supply. Rich Presti, the owner of the parcel where Stepping Stones School was formerly located, has been approached to allow a restaurant on his site. This would require the installation of a public water source. The Planning Board, Bill Wrigley and the Conservation Commission have been working toward finding solutions to provide water for the businesses in Lower Village. If Mr. Presti decides that it is too costly for him, personally, to install an adequate well, a request has been made to the Conservation Commission to allow a public water supply on the open space behind Heritage Lane. The town’s stance on the
subject is that in order to attract viable businesses to the district, it must offer a reliable water source.
Bill Wrigley is asking the Commission to sponsor or support a warrant article for town meeting authorizing the Selectmen to petition the General Court to permit the development of a public or private water supply system on the Heritage Lane property subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations.
The Conservation Commission did not feel it had enough information to take a formal vote on the language suggested relative to development of a well on the open space behind Heritage Lane.~ However, the Commission understands the need to find water for Lower Village and is supportive of activities necessary to conduct further investigation,~including due diligence and feasibility~studies,~for the development of a public or private drinking water well to be located~fully or partially on land behind Heritage Lane, with the understanding that, depending on the ultimate site~chosen, and the ultimate scope of the well (for the restaurant or for~Lower Village),~the zones of influence may extend onto the Gardner Hill property.~
OARS Warning Signs at Gleasondale Dam
Ingeborg Hegemann Clark received an email from Alan Fierce, a Stow resident of 284 Red Acre Road. Fierce stated that while paddling down the Assabet River from Hudson above the Gleasondale dam in Stow, he noticed that there is very little warning of the existence of the dam until paddlers are possibly too close.
Shortly after receiving the email from Fierce, Hegemann Clark received an email on the same subject from Julia Khorana, Development Director of OARS. Khorana stated that a few paddlers have contacted her organization with concerns that when coming from the direction of Hudson toward Stow it might be possible to accidentally paddle over the dam. Khorana told Hegemann Clark that she recalls that at some point in the past there may have been a warning sign regarding the dam. Khorana asked if this is something that the Stow Conservation Commission would look into.
Hegemann Clark wrote back to Khorana and said that the Commission would discuss this issue at tonight’s meeting. The Commission agreed that they could not make a decision since there were too many unknown factors such as “who owns the dam” and who owns the bank on each side of the river”. Hegemann Clark volunteered to contact Khorana and ask related questions prior to the Commission taking
responsibility for installing warning signs.
Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation (ANRAD)
33 & 45 Walcott Street (R-1 #64A & 63)
On October 14th, members of the Commission only completed half of the site. It was agreed to finish the site investigation for the wetland delineation as proposed in the ANRAD submitted by Bentley Builders on Sunday, October 21st at 9:00 AM. Perry will notify the applicant’s engineer.
If the fall Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, October 29, 2012 goes two nights the Conservation Commission will have to postpone the public hearing scheduled for October 30, 2012 with Bentley Builders for the ANRAD/Walcott Street. The Commission agreed on November 13, 2012 as an alternate meeting date.
Adjournment
Ingeborg Hegemann Clark made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 PM. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
The Commission adjourned at 8:45 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Trunfio
Stow Conservation Commission Secretary
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