TOWN OF WILLINGTON
INLAND WETLAND AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
MINUTES OF APRIL 8, 2002 REGULAR MEETING
A. Call to Order
Metzler called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.
B. Roll Call
Members Present: K. Metzler, Chairman
G. Blessing (arrived 7:45 p.m.)
J. Csiki
F. Dirrigl
T. Gutowski
L. Kouyoumjian
D. Schreiber
Members Excused/Absent: None
Also Present: S. Yorgensen, Inland Wetland and Watercourses Agent
S. Nimerowski, Recording Clerk
D. New Business
1. File #W2002-18 – Application for a Wetlands Permit for activity within the Regulated Area for a 16’ x 20’ addition to house located at 19 Pinecrest Road (Map 42, Lot 25-10, 1.84 acres). Mike Pinatti/Applicant; Jeff & Mitzi Horowitz/Owners. (Received 04/08/02, No Decision before 4/22/02, Hearing or Decision by 06/10/02.)
Mike Pinatti said this is for an addition between the house and existing garage. He said there is a seasonal water pipe that runs under the driveway 75 ft. away. He said he had talked to Mr. Jones who suggested that the Commission might want to walk it.
Yorgensen read a note from Jones concerning this application. She commented that
a brook runs behind the house, which sits on top of a hill. She said this application is a good candidate for agent review.
Metzler asked the applicant if the land was cleared, and the applicant replied no, the property is basically woods with very little opened up for the yard.
Blessing asked if the addition would be on-grade, and the applicant replied that the addition would rest on four pillars. He said very little excavation would be done.
Yorgensen asked if the area where the addition was proposed was already developed, and the applicant replied yes, that the driveway is there now where the proposed addition would be built.
MOTION: To have staff do the review and make the decision on File #W2002-18.
By: Blessing Seconded: Schreiber
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
E. Old Business
1. File #W2002-16 – Application for a Wetlands Permit for activity within the Regulated Area including culvert crossing and driveway construction for a Single Family Home located off of Clint Eldredge Road (Map 17, Lot 44B, 5.547 acres). Jessie Dubois/applicant, Richard & Carol Evans/owners. (Received 03/11/02, No Decision before 03/25/02, Hearing or Decision by 05/13/02.)
Members of the Commission read copies of a memo to Yorgensen from Karl Acimovic.
Metzler pointed out that only Items 1, 2, 3, and 6 pertain to Inland Wetlands; the others pertain to Planning and Zoning.
Mr. Dubois said he had reviewed the letter and talked to the engineer. He said that he can’t really move the driveway for sight purposes and for cost-effectiveness he doesn’t really want to do a retaining wall. He said the retaining wall would save 5 ft. of wetlands.
Yorgensen commented that if the town engineer says you can move the driveway for site purposes, you can move it.
The applicant replied that the town engineer recommends moving it 10 ft.
Yorgensen noted that regulations do not permit anyone to drain into the wetlands.
Gutowski said she has walked the site and has reservations about the driveway’s location.
Mr. Dubois said the engineer had advised him that native stone could be used on the slope.
Yorgensen said there has been no alternative to that crossing proposed as required by the regulations.
Metzler asked the applicant if his engineer had reviewed this plan, and the applicant replied yes, that the engineer said that we couldn’t really move the driveway since we want to keep the sight lines.
Dirrigl said he would recommend alternative #1 from Mr. Acimovic’s memo. He asked even if they move the driveway 10 ft. would they still need to have the drainage pipe empty into the wetlands?
Yorgensen said the discharge of the pipe should be moved out of the wetland.
Gutowski stressed that Commission members need to walk the site.
Yorgensen noted that if the driveway was moved over 10 feet, it takes it out of wetland entirely. She said the driveway could be 10 ft. away or even closer to the neighboring property.
Gutowski said she hoped that driveway could be kept as far away as possible from the wetlands.
Metzler said it would be best if a site walk was done. He asked Yorgensen if she had walked the site, and she replied no. He said the Commission would use observations from the site walk and recommendations from the town engineer to make a decision.
He noted that the driveway doesn’t meet the 300 ft. sight requirements at this time. He said we shouldn’t consider sight distances at this time, but rather look at the situation from a wetlands perspective only. He asked the applicant to have his engineer move the driveway 10 ft., and to add that information to what the Commission already has. After discussion with members, Metzler scheduled a site walk for Saturday, April 20 at 1:00 p.m.
2. File #W2002-14 – Application for an activity within the Regulated Area for a single family home including grading located off Liska Road (Map 32, Lot 7-7, 2.37 acres). Estate of Joseph Mihaliak owner/applicant. (Received on 02/25/02, No Decision before 03/11/02, Hearing or Decision by 04/22/02.)
Blessing said he looked at this site. He read Karl Acimovic’s comment on the maintenance issue associated with the stone check dams and said he did agree with Mr. Acimovic that the alternative of putting in a regular earthen structure as opposed to stone berms is a better idea. He said they are easier to maintain and can be mowed. He said that level spreaders are probably more engineered and a little nicer.
Gutowski said the applicant’s preference was for stone berms for ease of construction and maintenance.
Mark Petersen, representing the applicant, said he would be happy to resubmit the application for grass.
Blessing said he would like to see a zero-velocity spillover.
Mr. Petersen said he had addressed all other comments on the plan. He said the only other question is where they go from here.
MOTION: To approve application #W2002-14 with the condition that “Town
Engineer review and approve the level spreader design that is being
proposed and to use a grass-lined level spreader instead of a rock-lined
spreader.”
By: Blessing Seconded: Schreiber
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
3. File #W2002-12 – Application for an activity within the Regulated Area for a driveway for a single family home located off Latham Road (Map 9, Lot 32, 7.93 acres). Michael Nogas owner/applicant. (Received on 02/11/02, No Decision before 02/25/02, Hearing or Decision by 04/08/02.)
Metzler said an outstanding issue on this application is the type of direct or indirect impact to the vernal pools. He said there is one pretty nice vernal pool to the NE between the two wetlands and another one is on the other side of the power lines.
Ed Pelitier, representing Michael Nogas, gave some details of the proposed driveway construction. He said there is a bridge between the two wetland pockets. He said they have to scrape off the topsoil; there is no other grading. He said the pull-off area is around the easement.
Yorgensen said the Fire Department might want another pull-off area just before that one. She said she hasn’t given the plans to the Fire Department yet. She noted that the application has not been looked at from a Zoning standpoint, just from an Inland Wetlands point of view. She discussed what the Fire Department needs in terms of pullouts.
Gutowski asked if the location of the house could change so it doesn’t have to sit on the 100 ft. upland review area.
Mr. Pelitier replied that there is very little relief on this site, and they wanted to put the house on top of the knoll. He said it would be possible to move it a little.
Dirrigl asked if the applicant had any information about the vernal pools, and Mr. Pelletier replied that George Knockline is going to view the site during April.
Dirrigl said it is difficult to make recommendations without knowing what’s in the pool. He said we have to look at how construction would affect the pools. He noted that a silt fence should not be in place during dispersal. He said that both egg laying and dispersal was late this year, and that the usual months are February and March. He also said that July and August are dispersal months for some species. He said the pools become active again the fall. Extended discussion ensued concerning various vernal pool species, their life cycles, and the need to avoid construction during times of egg laying and dispersal. Dirrigl said a phenogram should be made.
Yorgensen noted that the applicant still needs zoning approval and septic approval.
Dirrigl said that all slashes should be removed because of their effect on dispersal. He said Mr. Knockline’s recommendations would determine the construction “window of opportunity.”
Metzler said it was up the applicant to provide an extension, adding that if an extension was not provided, a motion to deny would be set forth.
Mr. Pelletier said they would grant the extension.
Yorgensen requested it in writing, and Mr. Pelletier then provided written permission for a 30-day extension.
F. Correspondence
None.
G. Approval of Minutes
No copies of the March 25, 2002 minutes were available. The Recording Clerk noted that the February 25 minutes had not been approved yet. STAFF NOTE: To have copies of February 25, March 25, and April 8 minutes sent to commission members before the next meeting (April 22).
H. Staff Report and Discussion
Blessing requested that Atty. Branse be contacted to inform him that Blessing is no longer the chairman of IWC.
Yorgensen said that Atty. Branse would give us an overview and update on Planning and Zoning and Wetlands issues at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, at the Old Town Hall. She said any difficult questions should be sent to her and she will relay them to Atty. Branse in case he needs to do any research before the meeting. The Commission proposed several questions.
Dirrigl asked to be excused for the month of July.
There was discussion about the house on the corner of Kohler and Rt. 74. Dirrigl said the owners expanded their back yard up to the edge of the stream, where they rebuilt their stonewall. This could damage the wetland and the stream. Yorgensen said she would suggest to Mr. Jones that he take a look at it; a note of violation may be in order. She said the house was recently purchased. Gutowski said she saw construction equipment at the new Colonial house on Rt. 320. Yorgensen said she and Jones have looked at the owner’s plans and the Commission has previously approved grading of that portion of his property, on the NW portion of the developed area. Gutowski asked how many pieces of equipment could be parked in a residential area, and Yorgensen said that was a Planning
and Zoning issue.
Schreiber said he had walked a new trail that goes through the Drobney property.
I. Adjournment
MOTION: To adjourn the meeting at 9:09 p.m.
By: Schreiber Seconded: Blessing
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan S. Nimerowski
Recording Clerk
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