TOWN OF WILLINGTON
INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES COMMISSION
MINUTES OF MAY 24, 2004
A. Call to Order
Metzler called the meeting to order at 8:03 p.m.
B. Roll Call
Members Present: K. Metzler, Chairman
D. Schreiber, Vice Chairman
G. Blessing
S. Calvert (alt.)
F. Dirrigl
L. Kouyoumjian
Members Absent: K. Pacholski (alt.)
Also Present: G. Jones, Asst. Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agent
S. Nimerowski, Recording Clerk
C. Seat Alternates
MOTION: To seat Calvert.
By: Dirrigl Seconded: Schreiber
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
D. New Business
1. Dale Cutler, Architect for the Willington Public Library, requested time to speak with
the Commission about the library project.
Dale Cutler said they are in the final site design. He said the site slopes fairly dramatically to the area of the wetlands near the old cemetery site. He said the wetlands have been flagged. He said the 18,000 sq. ft. building with be one story. He said they have met with Planning and Zoning concerning pre-application. He said that in the R80 zone there is a limitation of a maximum of 15% of useable land that can be impervious surfaces. He said that 62 parking spaces will eventually be needed for the building when all of it is utilized; at present they need 40 spaces.
Mr. Cutler said that at the end of December, 2003 the town hired Ed Pollack from CT EcoSystems to flag the wetlands. He found one more location, adjacent to the building, consisting of 1,380 sq. ft. He said that he and Mr. Pollack went out April 14 and inspected for vernal pools. He said Mr. Pollack concluded “the wetland does not appear to provide any principal function.” He said that area, which now has a 3:1 slope, is in the area that needs to be graded.
Metzler said the Commission would have to visit the site to see what the impact would be.
Blessing asked if alternatives such as retaining walls had been considered, saying that alternatives to wetland fills need to be shown.
Jones asked if this activity would affect the septic system design, and Mr. Cutler replied that it would.
Blessing said that increased stormwater runoff would also be considered. He asked how that would be controlled.
Mr. Cutler replied that the State of Connecticut has a headwall (right to drain) on the property, and our impact would be considerably less than the state’s.
Blessing asked about the proposed drainage, and Mr. Cutler replied that they would probably have one or two structures on the impervious surface, and the rest would be sheet-drained. Blessing said we would have to look at the impact of increasing the impervious surface area if paved parking is increased from 24 to 40 spaces. He said it would have to be shown that the culvert was adequate to take care of the additional run off. He said the culvert under Old Cemetery Road may have to be replaced.
Mr. Cutler said he may come back to the Commission in two months with the final documents. Blessing said there are no meetings in August. Metzler said we will want to know about the wetland mitigation. He also said that we have jurisdiction over plantings in the regulated area, so Mr. Cutler should be looking at the CT listing of invasive species. Metzler said we also will want to see EHHD septic approval.
2. File #W2004-12 – Application for a proposed expansion of employee parking, tractor
parking, vehicle maintenance garage and addition of maintenance shop on property
located at 350 Ruby Road. (Map 42, Lot 28-01). Owner: FedEx; Applicant GBC
Design, Inc. (Received 5/24/04; Decision by 7/26/04.)
Metzler passed out copies of plans to Commission members.
John Walsh went over the history of the building and the site. 1. He said there is an existing maintenance shop in one corner of the building; they want to add 3 bays to the shop. 2. He said the interior of the building is filled with conveyors. He said that currently the maintenance shop is in another location, and another one is needed within the main building. He said the area is asphalt and concrete. 3. He said they also want to take the parking lot and turn it 90 degrees. He said they are proposing adding concrete strips in a different direction, as well as adding some car, tractor, and dolly parking. He said the latter is for the extra set of wheels under tractor trailers. He said the original plan was prepared by Fuss & O’Neil.
Blessing asked if there would be any floor drains or interior drainage leaving the building, and Mr. Walsh replied, “Yes and no.”
Jones said the 1992 permit has expired. It was renewed in 1999. He gave suggestions from Agent Yorgensen.
Mr. Walsh said he had been before Planning and Zoning last week, and they will probably revise the drawings. He said that FedEx was “trying to get up to speed” to handle increased business. He said that if they took off two parking lots that weren’t paved, Planning and Zoning would give them permission to do the garage expansion and rework some areas without requiring a public hearing.
A brief discussion of grading and run-offs ensued.
Blessing said a site walk would be appropriate.
Jones said Yorgensen suggested breaking this up into two phases. Mr. Walsh replied that they wanted to make the guardhouse larger to accommodate the application center, for security reasons.
Blessing asked if an increase in auto parking would be proposed for this phase, and Mr. Walsh said no, that perhaps the application could be amended to remove it. Metzler replied that the application could be modified. Metzler said he would like to see the application modified to include the expansion of the maintenance garage, the maintenance shed, and configuration of one part of the parking.
Mr. Walsh passed out a new set of plans, dated 5/18/04. Blessing went over the difference between the two sets of plans. Mr. Walsh said the guardhouse would be enlarged in this phase but will stay where it is.
MOTION: To remand File #W2004-12 to staff.
By: Blessing Seconded: Dirrigl
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
Metzler said the last time he had inspected the property he saw a huge amount of debris, with plastic hanging from trees. He asked if it was still there. Mr. Walsh said he didn’t think so; it looked clean to him.
E. Old Business
1. File #W2004-09 – Application for a Single Family Dwelling on property located at
92 Balazs Road (Map 49, Lot 5). Owner: John Balazs; Applicant: KMC, LLC.
(Received 4/12/04, Decision by 6/14/04.)
Mark Peterson of Gardner and Peterson described the location and what they want to accomplish. He said the existing Woods Road goes back to the area used as a gravel operation 20+ years ago, and they would like to modify and improve this road to current driveway standards. He said two existing culverts, which are undersized, will need to be replaced. He acknowledged that one had been replaced without a permit, and they had addressed that matter with Yorgensen. Two, 18” culverts will be used.
Mr. Peterson said that at the last meeting he gave out copies of the EHHD septic approval. He said that Karl Acimovic’s concerns had been addressed. He said that John Ianni, Soil Scientist, provided a sketch of the wetlands. He said that from Mr. Ianni’s sketch, a much larger crossing would be needed to get back to the developed area. He said that several “fingers” of wetlands have been flagged.
Blessing asked if the driveway will be at existing grade and if processed aggregate will be coming in to top it off, and Mr. Peterson said yes. Mr. Peterson said the slope is under 10% so it will not have to be paved. He said that Karl Acimovic is requiring rip-rap.
Blessing asked if any sedimentation or erosion had occurred, and Mr. Peterson replied no. Jones said there has been very little erosion. He said that the pipe is 18” in diameter, standard replacement, at the existing crossing and at existing grade.
Metzler said that Yorgensen has provided a memo stating a few inadequacies. Jones said the $250 fee has not been received yet, and Mr. Peterson says it has been sent out. Jones said the application fee had been discussed with Mr. Crossen.
Dirrigl asked if soil types were on the map, and Mr. Peterson replied yes. Dirrigl asked if any alternatives were submitted. Metzler said that alternatives would require new crossings. Blessing asked questions about the septic system. Metzler asked if the existing drive has been expanded, and Mr. Peterson replied yes. He said the area has grown in with a lot of brush.
Blessing asked if there was a conservation easement around Bissonette Pond, and Mr. Peterson replied that he was not aware of one. Metzler asked if they were providing a conservation easement. Jones said that 75 ft. from the lake is a “protected line” by Planning and Zoning regulations; it does not show up in deeds. Mr. Peterson said the property boundary is just above the edge of the pond. Jones said the “lake protect” area would have to be shown on these plans. Blessing asked about a silt fence around the pile. Mr. Peterson replied they could put one in.
MOTION: To approve File #W2004-09 with condition that the plan be revised to address staff comments and including 75 foot protect area and additional silt fence be added to the stock pile areas, consistent with stock pile erosion protection detail and remainder of fee be submitted.
By: Blessing Seconded: Dirrigl
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
2. File #W2003-44 Notice of Violation – Filling of a wetlands and grading and filling
activity within the upland review area without permits on property located at 315
Daleville Road (Map 7, Lot 10B). Owner: Harold W. III & Rene Bruce; Contractor:
All-Phase Enterprises, Inc.
Jones said that work is about half-way done, and should be finished this week.
3. Violation: TravelCenters of America (the Lessee) and George Giguere of Royce
Properties (the Owner) of property located at 327 Ruby Road.
Metzler said the basin needs to be re-established, and the site stabilized. The matter was tabled.
4. File #W2004-11 – Notice of Violation – Maintaining a stump pile, stockpile of
potential topsoil, and compacted brush storage pile within a wetland and upland
review area on Clover Springs Farm Subdivision Phase II property located off Battye
Road. Map 9, Lot 7). Owner: Joseph Voboril.
Mr. Voboril submitted a plan, dated 5/23/04, for removal and utilization of woody material from the regulated area. He said that he and Karl Acimovic had reviewed the plans. He said he would like to temporarily leave some of the inoculated stumps in the regulated area. He said that most of the stumps would be hauled away to a non-regulated area. Blessing asked how many would be removed as excess, and Mr. Voboril replied that he didn’t know exactly, but Mr. Acimovic estimated about 2,500 cu. yards, with very few stumps left. He said the 42 that are left will be tagged. Metzler reminded him that all stumps are to be removed from the regulated area. Blessing said that he did not approve of the “half a bite from the apple” approach of removing only some of the stumps
from the regulated area. Mr. Voboril said he “could go a little bit further” and remove them entirely. He said they could be picked up with a grapple-type piece of equipment. Mr. Voboril said he would like to move the brush pile in August, and Schreiber replied that that was reasonable. Metzler said that when removal of material begins, staff should be notified. All material from regulated areas should be removed and disposed of according to law. Mr. Voboril said that Mr. Acimovic would inspect the site weekly.
F. Correspondence
1. Letter dated 4/22/04 from Kenneth Fortier to Metzler, Chairman IWC
2. Letter dated 5/20/04 from Mark Peterson to Jones
re: Potter School Road, Lots 20 & 21
G. Minutes
Several changes were requested to the May 10, 2004 minutes: on page 1, change the date of the minutes from “May 3, 2004” to “May 10, 2004;” on page 5, the last sentence of the first paragraph should read: “He said they think they only lost 3,300 gallons this way.”
Also on page 5, the second to the last paragraph, second sentence, should read “Yorgensen said both the 1997 and 2000 SPC plans call for someone to be there with the driver when fuel is delivered and he is filling the underground tanks…” On page 7, the fourth full sentence should read: “He said the consent order from the DEP requires them to perform two scopes of work, which they submitted.”
MOTION: To approve May 10, 2004 minutes as amended.
By: Blessing Seconded: Calvert
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
H. Staff Report and Discussion
Kuchko Road and Mr. Crossen’s property on Balazs Road were discussed.
I. Adjournment
MOTION: To adjourn at 9:27.
By: Kouyoumjian Seconded: Calvert
Result: Motion passes unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan S. Nimerowski
Recording Clerk
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