TOWN OF WILLINGTON
INLAND WETLAND AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
SEPTEMBER 24, 2001
D. SCHREIBER CALLED A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 7:31 P.M. SEPTEMBER 24, 2001 AT THE TOWN OFFICE BUILDING, 40 OLD FARMS ROAD, WILLINGTON.
PRESENT: ABSENT:
D. Schreiber K. Metzler (exc.)
G. Blessing
F. Dirrigl
L. Kouyoumjian
J. Csiki, alt.
T. Gutowski, alt. (not seated)
G. BLESSING MOVED TO SEAT J. CSIKI FOR THE MEETING.
SECONDED BY F. DIRRIGL. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. File # W2001-46-Application for a dry fire hydrant at 162 River Road (Map 15, Lot 14). Willington Fire Dept. #1, applicant/Willington Fish & Game Club, owners. (Received on 09/10/01, hearing or decision by 10/22/01).
J. Csiki recused himself from this file.
Stuart Cobb of Willington Fire Dept. #1 submitted for the record a list of existing town hydrants, as well as those currently proposed and areas where future hydrants will likely be planned. The map, done as part of the fire study in 1991, has been updated and hydrants that are no longer in use have been crossed off.
He also submitted a booklet from the U.S. Fire Administration with information regarding hydrants.
The commission reviewed the information in the file.
D. Schreiber said he recalled no problems with the application from the previous meeting.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-46-APPLICATION FOR A DRY FIRE HYDRANT AT 162 RIVER ROAD (MAP 15, LOT 14). WILLINGTON FIRE DEPT. #1, APPLICANT/WILLINGTON FISH & GAME CLUB, OWNERS. (RECEIVED ON 09/10/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 10/22/01).
SECONDED BY L. KOUYOUMJIAN.
YES: D. Schreiber, G. Blessing, F. Dirrigl, L. Kouyoumjian
RECUSED: J. Csiki
2. File # W2001-47-Application for a dry fire hydrant at 34 Cemetery Road (Map 52, Lot 24a). Willington Fire Dept. #1, applicant/Willington Hill Equestrian Center, owners. (Received on 09/10/01, hearing or decision by 10/22/01).
G. Blessing said the only outstanding item with this file was a requested modification to include the cutting that is to be done.
S. Cobb said he reviewed the changes with Susan and the plans are updated. He described the area and submitted pictures of the parcel for the file.
D. Schreiber said it would be handy in the future if the commission had an estimate of the surface area of the pond for the record, but it is not necessary for this particular application.
S. Cobb said they will try to go out on the ice in the winter prior to the work being done to test how deep the water is. It will be no problem to provide that information.
J. CSIKI MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-47-APPLICATION FOR A DRY FIRE HYDRANT AT 34 CEMETERY ROAD (MAP 52, LOT 24A). WILLINGTON FIRE DEPT. #1, APPLICANT/WILLINGTON HILL EQUESTRIAN CENTER, OWNERS. (RECEIVED ON 09/10/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 10/22/01).
SECONDED BY G. BLESSING. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
3. File # W2001-48-Application for a dry fire hydrant at 89 Lohse Road (Map 46, Lot 2). Willington Fire Dept. #1, applicant/Lisa Jordan & Keith Boyle, owners. (Received on 09/10/01, hearing or decision by 10/22/01).
G. Blessing said there were no issues with this application. The commission simply had to wait for the timeline.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-48-APPLICATION FOR A DRY FIRE HYDRANT AT 89 LOHSE ROAD (MAP 46, LOT 2). WILLINGTON FIRE DEPT. #1, APPLICANT/LISA JORDAN & KEITH BOYLE, OWNERS. (RECEIVED ON 09/10/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 10/22/01).
SECONDED BY J. CSIKI. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
4. File # W2001-50-Application for the construction of a 40’ x 28’ carriage shed within the regulated area located at 7 Latham Road (Map 13, Lot 1-OC). Paul Zucco owner/applicant. (Received on 09/10/01, hearing or decision by 10/22/01).
G. Blessing said a sitewalk was done earlier this evening.
Dave Smith spoke on behalf of the applicants and noted the plans were unchanged from the last meeting.
G. Blessing asked if it was a finished floor and if it was about 18” above grade.
D. Smith said it is flush with the high edge, about 1.5 feet.
G. Blessing asked about the doors proposed on the north & west side.
D. Smith showed the doors on the plans. The intent is to have both locations visible from the house as an issue of security for an antique car collection. The proximity to the stonewall is driven by the slope.
G. Blessing talked about the possibility of moving the structure slightly.
D. Smith said this is the preferred location, but they can go a little up the slope and parallel with the stonewall a little.
J. Csiki asked about proximity to the wetlands.
D. Smith showed the measurements on the map. There is no intention to muck around in the wetlands. The stonewall is also a good screen. They are doing a siltation barrier outside which also serves nicely as a limit of construction. He described water flow patterns around the foundation.
G. Blessing asked if there would be material moving in and out of the lot.
D. Smith said they may make the trail more durable with gravel.
G. Blessing asked about soil and seeding.
D. Smith said grass will be planted. He showed the areas on the map.
G. Blessing asked about waterflow off the house.
Paul Zucco said there is a 10” overhang on three sides and a 4’ overhang on the front.
G. Blessing asked if there would be water and septic going to the building.
P. Zucco said No.
D. Smith said there is one error on the print in that an end door on the right side is not shown. He reviewed the plans.
D. Schreiber asked if this would be a truss construction.
P. Zucco said No, it is post & beam with a single post in the middle supporting it.
F. Dirrigl asked Greg how far he was thinking about moving the structure and what the concern was.
G. Blessing said it could be done to get it as far away from the wetlands as possible. He is looking to move it about 5 feet to the north & 5 feet to the west. There will be a hard time to create drainage in the area. It would not be good to have water near the door that could ice up in the winter. It would be to the applicant’s benefit to move it.
D. Schreiber asked if it would be maintained as a sheet flow.
D. Smith described the water flow process.
G. BLESSING MOVED TO APPROVE FILE #W2001-50-APPLICATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 40’ X 28’ CARRIAGE SHED WITHIN THE REGULATED AREA LOCATED AT 7 LATHAM ROAD (MAP 13, LOT 1-OC). PAUL ZUCCO OWNER/APPLICANT. (RECEIVED ON 09/10/01, HEARING OR DECISION BY 10/22/01), WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITION:
1) The proposed shed shall be moved a minimum of 5-feet to the north and 5-feet to the west from the proposed location.
SECONDED BY J. CSIKI. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
5. File #W2001-52-Application for the construction of a single-family home with driveway, deck, grading within the buffer and a proposed dock to access the pond located off Old Farms Road (Map 17, Lot 33, 35.68 acres). Renee & Richard Smith owners/applicants. (Received on 09/24/01, no decision before 10/08/01, hearing or decision by 11/26/01).
Dave Smith spoke on behalf of the applicants.
D. Smith said this is the pond where the old game farm was. It is a large pond in the middle of a large property. They are able to put a house there but the main problem is the entrance to the property. He described the area and showed the 100-foot setback. The most intense activity is where the property has access to the road. It can’t go up hill because there would be a lot of fill and the sight line would be bad.
D. Schreiber said he agreed it would be difficult to get something in there without getting close to the wetlands.
G. Blessing asked about plans for the dock.
D. Smith said it is flexible at this point. The property owners own one side of the dam and the town has the right-of-way for the other. He did not do the boundary part of these plans.
G. Blessing said there is a letter on file from Eastern Highlands Health District requesting some revisions.
D. Smith said the plans have not been revised for those revisions yet because he is waiting for IWWC input as well.
G. Jones said Janice said the revisions requested were only minor.
G. Blessing asked is the silt fence was the limit of construction.
D. Smith said it will serve as a visual barrier. What is on the plans is the extent of the disturbance.
Renee Smith said they want to keep the property as natural-looking as they can.
G. Blessing said the commission should set a sitewalk.
The commission discussed drainage and water flow on the property.
G. Blessing asked how they would know that the 15” ADS is large enough.
D. Smith said it is larger than the one up there. There will be little or no damage if it backs up in the pool. He does not think they would see 6, 7 or 8 CFS even in a large storm.
G. Blessing asked if it would be a gravel drive.
D. Smith said Yes.
G. Jones checked the map and determined there were no endangered species in the area.
The commission scheduled a sitewalk for 8:30 a.m. Sunday Sept. 30th.
6. File #W2001-53-Application for a wetlands permit for the realignment of a section of Mason Road located between Parker Road and Daleville School Road. Town of Willington owners/applicants. (Received on 09/24/01, no decision by 10/08/01, hearing or decision by 11/26/01).
The commission reviewed the map.
K. Acimovic said these changes are being done for safety reasons. It is a gravel road with a high point at a curve. It is 11.5’ at its narrowest point. It is a blind spot. He described the proposed changes and showed profiles of the plan on the maps. He noted the deepest cut will be 10 feet. It will continue to be gravel, and they will be going to a 24’ width with 20 feet of travel section and 2-foot shoulders on each side.
The commission reviewed the different widths of areas of the road as it exists and as it is proposed.
K. Acimovic described the plans for the change of pipe and the distilling basin.
F. Dirrigl asked about the wetlands.
K. Acimovic said there are none per se. There is an intermittent stream but there is not water there all the time.
G. Blessing noted that several people were present to view this application and inquired if a public hearing might be necessary.
Members of the public commented that they were mainly interested in gathering information about the changes, and that there main concern was simply that the plans did not include for the road to be paved at any time.
K. Acimovic said there is no intent in this plan to pave the road and he agreed to meet with those in attendance and address concerns after the meeting.
G. Blessing noted that if the proposal to pave the road at any time did come up, it would have to come before the commission and residents in the area would be notified.
The commission concurred a hearing is not necessary since the residents’ concerns are not regarding wetlands issues. They recommended the Board of Selectmen put this on their agenda so the public would have opportunity to address concerns.
G. Blessing suggested that this issue should also come before the Plan of Development committee since keeping areas rural is the type of issue they are now dealing with.
7. Request for release of bond for Lohse Road Gravel Project. Estate of Joseph Mihaliak.
D. Schreiber read the correspondence from Gardner & Petersen Associates into the record.
F. Dirrigl asked when the bond was initiated.
G. Jones said it was 1995. Staff has not yet had opportunity to look at the site.
The commission tabled further discussion until staff can review it.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. File #W2001-39-Application for a wetlands permit to install a pond with a dry hydrant located on the east side of Battye Road & north of South Willington Brook crossing Battye Road. Joseph Vobril owner/applicant. (Received on 06/25/01, no decision before 07/09/01, hearing or decision by 07/23/01, 65-day extension requested and approved, hearing or decision by 10/22/01).
No one was present for this application.
G. Jones said no new info has been received.
Stuart Cobb said the Fire Dept. would support any water source they can get on that side of town.
D. Schreiber said there is still a lot of outstanding info needed for this file.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. 2001 Municipal Inland Wetland Commissioners Training Program brochure
2. 8/22 letter from Natural Resource Consultants, re: file #W98-019, River Road Schoefield property
3. The Habitat, Summer 2001
MINUTES:
Deferred.
STAFF REPORT & DISCUSSION:
The commission discussed with Stuart Cobb issues regarding the silting-in of fire ponds in town.
The commission discussed the letter from Dan Donahue.
G. Jones said staff has notified Mr. Donahue that he would need to request a modification of his permit to incorporate the changes he wishes to make. Otherwise, the conditions will remain the same.
The commission discussed review of the final plan for the Village Hill Road bridge.
J. Patton said they have gone from 4 trees to 25.
T. Gutowski said she did not agree with the consensus of the commission as it is described in the minutes.
The commission discussed possible wetlands violations at a house on Route 74.
G. Blessing noted there is no meeting October 8th due to Columbus Day. The next meeting will be October 22nd.
L. KOUYOUMJIAN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:13 P.M.
SECONDED BY G. BLESSING. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
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