TOWN OF WILLINGTON
INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 12, 2001
D. SCHREIBER CALLED A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 7:40 P.M. FEBRUARY 12, 2001 AT THE TOWN OFFICE BUILDING, 40 OLD FARMS ROAD, WILLINGTON.
PRESENT: ABSENT:
D. Schreiber K. Metzler
G. Blessing T. Gutowski
J. Csiki, alt.
F. Dirrigl (arr. 8:40 p.m.)
G. Jones, assistant agent
L. Decker, recording clerk
G. BLESSING MOVED TO SEAT J. CSIKI FOR THE MEETING.
SECONDED BY D. SCHREIBER. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. File # W2001-04-Application for a wetlands permit for one stream crossing and activity within the regulated area for a logging permit located off Loshe Road (Map 51, Lot 16A, 33.33 acres). Daniel F. Donahue & Susan E. Harrod owners, Daniel F. Donahue, applicant. (Received on 01/22/01, no decision before 02/05/01, hearing or decision by 03/26/01).
D. Donahue reviewed the map with the commission and noted all pertinent info is in the file. This is a managed saw-timber harvest. There is an intermittent watercourse that flows across the road, though most of the year there is no flow at all. The harvest will likely take place in the summer or even later. The last harvest was about 14 years ago. The trees and wetlands buffers will all be flagged, and he will supervise from beginning to end. There are really no alternatives other than what is proposed.
J. Csiki asked if there would be any cutting in the wetlands.
D. Donahue said No.
D. Schreiber asked about the fill.
D. Donahue described the process and materials and said the crossing will be taken out when they are done.
J. Csiki asked the length of the harvest.
D. Donahue said it would only be about one week. It is not a big property, and it will not be done in the wet period. He is not sure exactly when this will be done.
G. Jones said the permit is good for 5 years.
G. Blessing asked if the landing area would be re-seeded.
D. Donahue said yes, if it becomes necessary. But they will probably not even have enough activity that it will be required. More than likely, this will be done with a forwarder, and if anything needs re-seeding, it will likely be only a portion of the road.
G. Blessing asked if the pond discharged into Roaring Brook.
D. Donahue reviewed the flow and showed topography and slope on the map.
G. Blessing asked about any abutters.
D. Donahue said he has an A-2 survey and there is really no one out there in this area.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-04-APPLICATION FOR A WETLANDS PERMIT FOR ONE STREAM CROSSING AND ACTIVITY WITHIN THE REGULATED AREA FOR A LOGGING PERMIT LOCATED OFF LOSHE ROAD (MAP 51, LOT 16A, 33.33 ACRES). DANIEL F. DONAHUE & SUSAN E. HARROD OWNERS, DANIEL F. DONAHUE, APPLICANT. (RECEIVED ON 01/22/01, NO DECISION BEFORE 02/05/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 03/26/01).
SECONDED BY J. CSIKI. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
2. File # W2001-06-Application for a wetlands permit for one stream crossing and activity within the regulated area for a logging permit located off Red Oak Hill Road (Map 8, Lot 43, 98+ acres). Isabel & Harold Weigold owners/ Daniel F. Donahue, applicant. (Received on 01/22/01, no decision before 02/05/01, hearing or decision by 03/26/01).
D. Donahue reviewed the map, property layout, topography and area of activity with the commission. He noted groundwater levels, water flow directions and spring discharge areas. This property has not been subject to management for a long time. There is an intermittent swale and wetlands area, but no defined stream.
J. Csiki asked if this would be done in the dry season.
D. Donahue said absolutely, most likely this summer. The trees and wetlands are all marked accordingly. The trails are flagged, but they are not really defined trails.
G. Blessing asked if there would be any cutting in the wetlands.
D. Donahue said he couldn't say there would be no trees cut in the wetlands but the amount is not really a concern. Usually if any area is saturated it would create a lot of disturbance. There will no be any of that.
G. Blessing asked about abutters and reviewed the buffers.
D. Donahue said he typically marks trees within 50 feet of the property boundaries, and does not mark anything that might fall over it. He would be surprised if any of this project came within 100 feet of a nearby home.
G. Blessing asked about shelter wood.
D. Donahue said he would create a break in the canopy to establish reproduction. It is necessary here because this has not been managed.
G. Blessing asked if they were mainly harvesting oak.
D. Donahue said all species would be subject to the harvest. They will be leaving mostly red oak and white oak.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-06-APPLICATION FOR A WETLANDS PERMIT FOR ONE STREAM CROSSING AND ACTIVITY WITHIN THE REGULATED AREA FOR A LOGGING PERMIT LOCATED OFF RED OAK HILL ROAD (MAP 8, LOT 43, 98+ ACRES). ISABEL & HAROLD WEIGOLD OWNERS/ DANIEL F. DONAHUE, APPLICANT. (RECEIVED ON 01/22/01, NO DECISION BEFORE 02/05/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 03/26/01).
SECONDED BY J. CSIKI. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
3. File #W2001-08-Application for a wetlands permit for a rear lot with house and grading within the regulated area located by 219 River Road. Kathryn Hallock owner/applicant. (Received on 01/22/01, no decision before 02/05/01, hearing or decision by 03/26/01).
G. Jones said the commission’s previously scheduled sitewalk was cancelled due to heavy snow.
No one was present to represent the applicant.
The commission rescheduled the sitewalk for 10 a.m. February 24.
4. File # W2001-09-Replacement and relocation of an existing drainage pipe located at Fifty Foot Road. Town of Willington owners/applicants. (Received on 01/22/01, no decision before 02/05/01, hearing or decision by 03/26/01).
G. Blessing said he recalls no outstanding issues with this application, but no vote was taken previously due to statutory requirements. Karl had addressed all the concerns.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-09-REPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION OF AN EXISTING DRAINAGE PIPE LOCATED AT FIFTY FOOT ROAD. TOWN OF WILLINGTON OWNERS/APPLICANTS. (RECEIVED ON 01/22/01, NO DECISION BEFORE 02/05/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 03/26/01), WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITION:
1) The land use office must be notified at the time work is to begin.
SECONDED BY J. CSIKI. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
5. File #W2001-13-Application for a wetlands permit on the west side of Route 32, north of I-84 (Map 39, Lot 6, 8.11 acres) for a municipal recreation area. Town of Willington owners/applicants. (Received on 02/12/01, no decision before 02/26/01, hearing or decision by 04/09/01).
G. Blessing recused himself from this file.
First Selectman John Patton was seated as an ex-officio member for this file.
Karl Acimovic gave an overview of the proposal and said the town is looking to create a multi-purpose field and a couple smaller fields, as well as build a picnic pavilion with kitchen & sanitary facilities. There have been several requests from townspeople for a teen center as well, and this project may try to encompass that too. There will be a one-way-in, one-way-out access road to address DOT concerns.
J. Csiki asked where the wetlands were located.
K. Acimovic reviewed the map showing overflow, drainage & noting info from the soil scientist’s report, as well as the wetlands area to be altered. The majority of this area was already altered when the state built I-84.
D. Schreiber asked how much area was being graded over.
K. Acimovic showed the woods area and areas for fill.
J. Patton asked the commission if they felt this represented a significant impact on the wetlands, and if the commission felt a public hearing was necessary.
J. Csiki said he did not feel it was necessary.
D. Schreiber agreed. He said man and machine have already heavily worked this area in the last 40 years. He would like the rest of the commission to review this before taking a vote.
K. Acimovic said he would meet with Susan on this prior to the next meeting to make sure there are no outstanding issues.
The commission tabled further discussion to the next meeting.
G. Blessing was re-seated.
6. Review of revised plans for truck wash plans located at Truckstops of America: George Giguere
No one as present to discuss the file.
OLD BUSINESS:
None.
CORESPONDENCE:
1. 2/9 letter from J. Patton, re: Village Hill Road bridge mitigation/Fenton Ruby Park
2. 1/17 letter from R. Hisey, re: request for documents
3. CC 1/22 letter from S. Yorgensen to R. Hisey, re: response to request for documents
4. Info on possible truck parking expansion for I-84 public rest area
5. Stormwater, January/February 2001
6. Memo, re: DEP lecture on fisheries habitat restoration project
7. The Nature Conservancy Annual Report 2000
8. Connecticut Wildlife, January/February 2001
9. Memo, re: Pinelands Nursery’s 10th annual native plant symposium
10. 1/30 memo from S. Yorgensen, re: Fenton Bluffs re-subdivision
11. 2/7 letter from A/N Consulting Engineers, re: replacement of Village Hill Road Bridge
12. CC 2/9 letter from S. Yorgensen to A/N Engineers, re: response to permit questions
13. Conservogram, November-December 2000
14. Connecticut Wildlife, November/December 2000
15. Connecticut Federation of Planning and Zoning Agencies Quarterly Newsletter, Fall 2000
16. Pinelands Nursery & Supply 2001 wholesale catalog
17. Conservation Voices, October/November 2000
18. UCONN College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Journal, Oct.-Dec. 2000
MINUTES:
J. CSIKI MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JAN. 22, 2001 AS WRITTEN.
SECONDED BY G. BLESSING. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
STAFF REPORT & DISCUSSION:
D. Schreiber said regarding the DEP Fisheries seminar, one topic, also related to Mr. Patton’s request, is the noticeable change that more & more money is being charged for fishing licenses, etc., while less & less money is coming back for habitat management and improvement.
The commission discussed Mr. Patton’s 2/9/01 letter at length.
G. Blessing said the 2/9 request would not satisfy to meet the conditions of the permit, as the permit requires “A professionally-developed mitigation plan FOR ON-SITE AND/OR THE AREA WITHIN THE WATERSHED AREA AND CORRIDOR must be submitted by the applicant, and reviewed and approved by the commission, prior to the start of any construction. The plan shall be developed with the intent of successful re-vegetation and recreation of the wetlands and/or watercourse habitat that will be lost due to construction.”
D. Schreiber noted he was at the board of selectmen’s meeting at which the Drobney property plan was approved.
J. Patton stated the bridge replacement is indeed a necessary activity. At the same time, they are working to save this other property from development and create a large, contiguous untouched area - and these 80 acres meets those criteria. He is asking the commission to look at the whole, town-wide balance overall, and he feels the preservation of this open space is worthy of the money being spent.
(F. Dirrigl arrived at 8: 40 p.m.).
D. Schreiber said one of the commission’s main concerns over the bridge project was reforestation of the area & how it was going to look when it was done.
J. Patton said it is necessary that some of the canopy be taken down for the construction.
G. Blessing said the commission was also trying to address the loss of habitat. They were pushing to recreate what was lost at that site and relocate the habitat on the highway side of the new bridge. After running into some design issues, other avenues were looked at, and the goal was to recreate the lost habitat within the same watershed area, which is why the permit condition was specifically written to address that. That is why the condition exists, and he “does not buy” the proposal to resolve the mitigation plan with the
purchase of the Drobney property, especially since the Drobney property is being purchased anyway.
J. Patton said the Drobney property offers a better deal all around. He is trying to come up with a good compromise whereby the valuable wetlands will be contiguous to others the town already owns. He is looking for a little leeway and trying to protect the wetlands forever. The town is acting as a developer, with a duty and obligation to maintain the infrastructure, and to look at the town as a whole.
G. Blessing said it is his opinion Mr. Patton is asking to modify the condition of the permit. In that case, more commission members should be present to discuss it.
F. Dirrigl said before anything is changed and other areas are looked at, possibilities within the watershed area should be looked at first. Then look outside.
J. Patton said they are taking out a little, and replacing it with a lot.
F. Dirrigl said it is a different type of replacement.
J. Patton said it is preservation.
G. Blessing said that preservation is going to happen anyway.
F. Dirrigl said the town should first figure out the most improvements that can be done on site at the bridge. He would like to see the plans for the Drobney site.
G. Blessing recommended the board of selectmen come to the next meeting with proposed pans for the Drobney property so the commission can better weigh Mr. Patton’s proposal and the overall town-wide effects.
The commission reviewed the history of the Drobney property.
D. Schreiber said for the record, he was pleased to see Mr. Patton blush at his request.
The commission discussed the proposed expansion of the I-84 truck parking lot. The plan is to go from 7 to 72 parking spots. They reviewed the data submitted.
G. Blessing said the parking lot would have a very large wetlands impact. He would like to see an environmental review team look at this proposed activity.
J. CSIKI MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:22 P.M.
SECONDED BY D. SCHREIBER. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
| 
