Minutes of Conservation Commission Public Meeting
Date March 7, 2012
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Town Hall
Commissioners Present:~Co-Chair Terry Gips, Ginie Page, Lauren McKean, Campbell Rea, and Ed Simpson
Regrets: Co-Chair Trudy Vermehren
Staff Present: Hillary Greenberg-Lemos and Christine Bates
4:00 - Business Meeting & Conservation Agent's Report
Co-Chair Terry Gips called the business meeting to order at 4:06 pm
Denny O’Connell - Walker property and Conservation Restrictions. A map was distributed for the property on Coles Neck Road. The Conservation Trust and the Walker’s have arrived at an agreement whereby Parcel D will be donated to the Trust and Parcel B will be purchased by the Trust. O’Connell requested the Commission make a recommendation for a conservation restriction on Parcel D which will then go to the Board of Selectmen for approval. Ginie Page moved to support recommending the conservation restriction on Parcel D on the Walker property with a letter to the Trust and the Board of Selectmen. seconded by Campbell Rea; passed 4-0.
Warrant Articles:
Ginie Page moved to approve the transfer and care of Hamblen Park from the Board of Selectmen to the Conservation Commission; seconded by Campbell Rea; passed 4-0.
Article 0: money would go to fund the work the Commission already approved on Hamblen Park There was discussion regarding the project and the estimated costs. Terry Gips moved to recommend Article 0 as written; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Article Q: (Clover property in conservation trust). Terry Gips moved to recommend Q as written; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 4-0.
Article T: (Bathhouse facilities at Mayo Beach and Baker’s Field)~ Ginie Page moved to recommend Article T; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 4-0.
Article Y: easement to build revetment on town owned property (Blackfish Creek). Terry Gips moved to withhold recommendation until Town Meeting so that the Commission has a chance to review the NOI’s; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Article AA Hamblen Park transfer (already recommended)
Article BB: Boratko property – (new septic system) – grant an easement at 50 Beach St. and a portion of water for an installation, use, repair and maintenance for a sewage disposal system for the Boratkos taking it out of conservation restrictions. Terry Gips moved to withhold recommendation until town meeting; seconded by Campbell Rea; passed 4-0.
Agent Greenberg-Lemos advised the Commission that Open Cape has a proposal for fiber optic network system which will be installed on existing utility poles.
Public Hearings 5:00 pm:
Wellfleet Conservation Trust, Map 15, Parcel 128, off Rte 6, RDA, Turtle Garden. Site visits were made to each location for the turtle gardens. All RDA’s for turtle gardens will be heard at one time. (opening 7 RDA hearings). Ginie Page stated she has no financial gain in the turtle gardens as a member of the Conservation Trust and would prefer not to recuse herself; there was no objection from the presenters.
Denny O’Connell reported that the Conservation Trust has reviewed the turtle garden proposal, is participating in some of the sites and is fully supportive of the concept as proposed by the MA Audubon.
Dennis Murley of MA Audubon stated diamondback terrapins have been populating in Wellfleet and are starting to expand into the Eastham area. The nesting sites have become somewhat vegetated over the 30 years Volunteers have monitored the population. The proposed nesting sites require access to the upland. Because of the coastal development and revetments, the turtles have been unable to get to some areas for nesting. The turtles are going up to ½ mile to get to the proper nesting areas and there is a high mortality rate. The nests will be approximately 2 feet wide.
Murley gave an overview of the each of the RDA’s filed for the clearings. There will be removal of grasses, some black locust, pitch pines, and a couple of scrub oaks, which will create corridors and nesting areas for the turtles. The bearberry will remain at most of the sites. There will be no heavy equipment used and the pulled/cut materials will be removed from the sites. All properties are under conservation restrictions. The terrapins are a threatened species in MA and NHES recommends an active management plan. A letter of support for this project was received from NHES.
MA Audubon wants to hire two scientists specializing in terrapin activity in addition to securing volunteers for the project. Monitoring will be performed during the laying of eggs and hatch out, and a cover will be placed over the nests for protection from predators. The hatchlings will be relocated into the salt marsh to protect them from predators and weather. Tree removal will not include widespread spraying, possibly individual painting regarding root removal. All work is to be completed by May and resume October 25th to avoid turtle activity. MA Audubon would like to come back in a year to give an update on the project and will provide information on what they may require for the future. Americorp volunteers will be assisting in the project.
Campbell Rea moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust, Map 35, Parcel 202, off King Phillip Rd., RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea Page moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust, Map 35, Parcels 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 & 63, off Old Wharf Rd., RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
MA Audubon, Map 46, Parcel 16, off West Rd., RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
MA Audubon, Map 41, Parcel 147, 2005 Pond Ave, RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea moved to identifyi this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Town of Wellfleet, Map 41, Parcel 152, end of Way 100, RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Town of Wellfleet, Map 35, Parcels 56 & 57, off Old Wharf Rd, RDA, Turtle Garden.~ Campbell Rea moved to identify this RDA as a Negative 2; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 4-0.
Rice, 11 Partridge Way, Map 22, Parcel 24, AOOC, construct new dwelling
Timothy Rice and Mary Ellen Rice stated the new design will bed 2,200 square feet~ instead of the 5,500 square foot originally approved. Gary Lee, contractor, stated the deck will be on sono-tubes with spaces allowing water to go through it.~ The screened porch will have a crawl space. The main house will have a full basement. Mr. Lee stated the location of the dwelling is based on the views. The original conditions would remain with the Amended Order of Conditions Ginie Page moved to approve the Amended Order of Conditions; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 4-0.
Cook, 149 Bayberry Lane, Map 41, Parcel 119, RDA, prune trees (Cont’d from 02/15/12). No representative came to the meeting. Agent Greenberg-Lemos will contact A to Z trees. Terry Gips moved to continue to 03/21/12; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 4-0.
Brimm, 160 3rd St., Map 40, Parcel 102, NOI, shorefront protection (Cont’d from 02/15/12). At the request of the applicant, Terry Gips moved to continue to April 4, 2012 along with 2 Center Plaza Nominee Trust; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 4-0.
2 Center Plaza Nominee Trust, 150 3rd St., Map 40, Parcel 98, NOI, shorefront protection (Cont’d from 02/15/12)
The public hearing was closed at 6:01.
The business meeting was reopened at 6:01 pm.
Mail:~
Copies of letters from Agent Greenberg-Lemos to violators.
Newsletter from Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife
Copy of Nantucket fertilizers and lawns article.
Coastal Erosion workshop April 12, 2012 in Hyannis.
Agent Greenberg-Lemos will follow up on boats/floats with Paul Sieloff.
Agent Greenberg-Lemos met with the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. They have received seed money to collect data at low tide, measure the sand levels, and create a graph to identify changes. They will be evaluating beaches at the Gut and Duck Harbor. Agent Greenberg-Lemos recommended selecting more locations and have them limit the number of times they monitor the Gut and Duck Harbor to include other locations to gain further information on a larger scale. Agent Greenberg-Lemos will request a formal letter from Center for Coastal Studies with a proposal for further beach profiles.
Meeting Minutes
Ed Simpson moved to approve the amended 01/04/12 meeting minutes; seconded by Terry Gips; passed 4-0.
Terry Gips moved to adjourn at 6:25; seconded by Campbell Rea; passed 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Christine Bates
Committee Secretary
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