Stow Conservation Commission
Minutes
November 19, 2013
A meeting of the Stow Conservation Commission was held at the Stow Town Building, 380 Great Road, Stow, Massachusetts, on November 19, 2013 at 7:30 in the evening.
There were present: Ingeborg Hegemann Clark, Chair (arrived at 8:20 PM)
David Coppes, Vice-Chair
Cortni Frecha
Serena Furman
Doug Morse
Jeff Saunders
Associate: Sandra Grund
Absent: Andy Snow
comprising a quorum of the Commission; also
Present: Kathy Sferra, Conservation Coordinator
Maureen Trunfio, SCC Secretary
The Conservation Commission meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.
Approve Minutes
Cortni Frecha made a motion to approve the minutes of October 29, 2013 as drafted and amended. Serena Furman seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
At 7:30 PM Cortni Frecha recused herself the meeting.
Municipal Certifications
Heath Hen Meadow Conservation Restriction
The Stow Conservation Trust (SCT) is moving forward with three Conservation Restrictions (CR) along the Heath Hen Meadow Brook Corridor. The property owners involved with the CR’s are Cortni Frecha, Kathy Sferra/Jim Salvie and Don MacFarlane. Although the CR’s will be held by the SCT, the Conservation Commission will need to sign a municipal certification regarding the resources on the properties, and the Board of Selectmen will need to sign off on the CR’s.
Bob Wilber was present at this meeting as a representative of the SCT. He explained the importance of these parcels such as protecting the watershed at Heath Hen Meadow. He mentioned that Botanist Fran Clark touted the biodiversity and value of this particular area of Stow. He also explained that this property falls in the Freedom’s Way Landscape. Wilber explained that the SCT would like a certification from the Commission agreeing to the value of placing these parcels under CRs. Kathy Sferra noted that a cairn was incorrectly noted on the Frecha land. This wording was removed from the final document.
Associate member, Sandra Grund, questioned whether language regarding climate change should be written in to the CRs. Wilber responded that he feared that any controversial language might slow down the approval process.
Serena Furman made a motion to approve the municipal certification for the Frecha land on Boxboro Road as drafted and amended. Jeff Saunders seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. (4-0)
Serena Furman made a motion to approve the municipal certification for the Sferra/Salvie land on Boxboro and West Acton Roads as drafted and amended. Jeff Saunders seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. (4-0)
Serena Furman made a motion to approve municipal certification for the McFarlane land on Boxboro Road as drafted. Jeff Saunders seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. (4-0)
Cortni Frecha rejoined the meeting at 8 PM.
Certificate of Compliance Request (#299-0460)
Fire Training Academy, 664 Sudbury Road/State Road (R-26 #3)
Nitsch Engineering contacted the office requesting a Certificate of Compliance for the property located at 664 Sudbury Road. The property is the site of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Dave Coppes and Cortni Frecha conducted the site inspection on behalf of the Commission on Saturday, November 2, 2013. He found the area in stable condition. Coppes mentioned that they had resolved level spreader, snow storage and high observation pipe issue issues. Coppes recommended and the Commission agreed to issue the Certificate of Compliance.
Cortni Frecha made a motion to issue the Certificate Of Compliance for work satisfactorily completed associated with OOC #299-0460 at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy located at 664 Sudbury Road in compliance with Order of Conditions File No. 299-0511.
Jeff Saunders seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously. (5-0)
At 8:20 Ingeborg Hegemann Clark arrived.
Conservation Coordinator’s Report
Kathy Sferra reported that she spoke with John Melone of 497 Great Road and he said that all work on his property has been completed as instructed by the Conservation Commission. Ingeborg Hegemann Clark and Doug Morse have offered to inspect the site.
Sferra spoke to the Commission regarding baseline documentation on CR properties. She told the Commission that documentation is need for seven properties and that she believes that all seven can be completed for under $25K. The money will be drawn from the Conservation Fund. The Commission reviewed an invitation for bids which will be distributed to at least three qualified firms/individuals.
Dave Coppes made a motion to authorize Kathy Sferra to begin the process soliciting bids from three qualified bidders in order to begin the process of baseline documentation on seven properties on which the Conservation Commission holds Conservation Restrictions. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Sferra told the Commission that Lenny Rodriguez, farmer at Captain Sargent Farm/Tuttle Lane
contacted her and asked for permission to modify original plans for an enclosure that would contain two cows. Rodriguez would like permission to enlarge the proposed area for the two cows from a fenced area of 32’x32’to an area of 48’x48’. He explained that the larger area would be make keeping the cow area clean much easier. The Commission agreed to allow the enlargement, but requested that Rodriguez be certain not to block any public trails on the property.
Sferra informed the Commission that she and Serena Furman met Tim Castner, a Science Teacher at Nashoba Regional High School on Friday, November 1, 2013 at Town Forest. She showed photos and explained his proposed project that addresses long term patterns of forest inventory and growth. The Commission said they believed the project would be beneficial, but they were concerned with the large red markings on trees and would like more information on tree tags. Ingeborg Hegemann Clark and Serena Furman offered to assist with the project.
Sferra informed the Commission that she had been in contact with Joe Bellino regarding the expiration date for the Lake Boon Drawdown Order. It was determined by Bellino that the order would extended by a minimum of two years, which would set it expiration at 10/2015. Bellino advised Theresa O’Riorden of the Lake Boon Commission to apply for an extension in September of 2015.
Sferra informed the Commission that Bob Collings of Barton Road would like to meet with them at a future meeting regarding the proposed fire pond/subdivision project that relates to his property near 169 Barton Road. The Commission said they were willing to meeting with Collings.
Sferra told the Commission that Kevin Trenholme of 21 Hale Road will be requesting permission to replace a retaining wall, construct a patio and fire pit on his property on Lake Boon.
Notice of Intent Continuation(#299-0559)
33 & 45 Walcott Street (R-1 #64A&63)
Hemenway Farms Subdivision
At 8:30 PM Ingeborg Hegemann Clark reopened the public hearing continued from
October 15, 2013 for a Notice of Intent (NOI) filed by Mark White of Bentley Builders for the proposed activity of removal of a dwelling and construction of a roadway and drainage.
David Coppes made a motion to continue the public hearing for Notice of Intent File No.299-0559 filed by Mark White of Bentley Builders for the proposed Hemenway Farms Subdivision
to December 17, 2013 at the applicant’s request. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Work Session – Update Regulations
Update Regulations
At the previous meeting, Sferra reported that the Commission had been working on revising the regulations and that she had found a draft version. She created a new version of the proposed changes to the regulations a document dated 11-19-13 from which the Commission could work. The Commission reviewed and commented on the current version of regulations. Sferra will email the draft to the Commission.
Adjournment
Dave Coppes made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10 PM. Cortni Frecha seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
The Commission adjourned at 10 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Trunfio
Stow Conservation Commission Secretary
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