Inland Wetland and Watercourse Commission
40 Old Farms Road, Willington, CT ~06279
March 9, 2015
Meeting Minutes
Members Present:
Dave Schreiber – Chairman
Tess Gutowski
Mark Drobney
Members Absent:
Evan Brand
Greg Blessing – Alternate - excused
Public Hearing
D. Schreiber called the Public Hearing to order at 7:30.
W2015-6 Application for Re-designation of Wetlands upon property at 328 Ruby Road and for Wetland Permit to conduct regulated activities within the established Upland review Area upon properties at 328 and 350 Ruby in connection with the expansion of FedEx’s parking facilities. Applicant: FedEx Package Systems, Inc. Owner: Ruby Associates General Partnership (as to 328 Ruby Rd) and FedEx Package Systems, Inc. (as to 350 Ruby Rd). (Public Hearing March 9, 2015 Decision within 35 days after close of P.H.)
Attorney Dorian Famiglietti, Soil Scientist Josh Wilson, Project Engineer Paul Brand
and Bill Lundgren of Fed Ex were all present. Atty. Famiglietti said they are looking for re-designation of the wetlands at 328 Ruby Road and a Wetland Permit for activity in the upland review area. She said the existing Fed Ex is on 350 Ruby and they are going to acquire 5 acres from Ruby Associates at 328 Ruby Road for the proposed parking lot.
Josh Wilson presented plans and said they delineated the wetlands on the site in November of 2013. He said there are 5 wetlands on site and gave the locations and characteristics of the wetlands. He said they also identified 2 smaller perched wetlands which were identified as wetlands A and B. Mr. Wilson said the wetlands were identified as poorly drained soils.
Mr. Wilson referenced Upper Ruby Lake and said they went out on 4 occasions and did a vernal pool assessment; it was confirmed to be a vernal pool. He said the hydro period is not long enough to support fish; they did identify vernal pool species on the peripheral of the pond but not in the middle. Mr. Wilson explained the characteristics of the wetlands and said there are currently 5 regulated areas; 4 wetlands and 1 additional watercourse that connect the two. This information as well as additional information has been included in Mr. Wilson’s report and submitted with the application. Mr. Wilson added that they show no disturbance within 100 feet of the vernal pool.
Atty. Famiglietti said were aware of the lake, vernal pool wetlands and the perennial watercourse that connected the two and after looking at the site and reviewing it in great detail, they decided to pull back from the vernal pool, pull out of wetlands A and B and shave it down so they were still outside of the 75 foot setback from all watercourses. She said they were also still able to move the fire road down to the pump station and do it in a manner that has no direct impact to the wetlands.
Paul Brand presented the design plans. He said they are proposing 5 acres of additional parking; 171 new parking spaces for storage of trailers and tractors. He said there will be a retaining wall around the entire parking area and it will be and average of 15 feet high (20 feet at highest) and constructed of modular block.
Atty. Famiglietti said the regulated impacts are 5.32 acres in the upland review area but they are only acquiring 4.62 acres from Ruby Road Associates so some of the impacts will be on 350 Ruby Road. She said some of these impacts on 350 Ruby Road will be removing curbing, existing walls and fences so they can extend it over the line.
Mr. Brand said the maintenance access road will be relocated off the existing employee parking area. S. Yorgensen questioned the location of the erosion control in relation to the limit of disturbance and the wall on the south of the proposed relocated maintenance drive. Mr. Brand said soil and erosion control will be able to be put along the limit of disturbance as show on the plans. Atty. Famiglietti said they will obtain a temporary easement to do the construction on a portion of the wall and they will have erosion and soil controls in place in that area. Further discussion was held.
Mr. Brand presented the storm water management design. He said there obviously is an increase in impervious area and they are increasing the volume of run-off so they are proposing an underground detention system. He said the new parking lot will completely sheet flow down to the edge of the southern retaining wall to the line of catch basins and further explained the workings of the system. Mr. Brand said they determined this system has to be a closed system so it is surrounded by 40 mil PBC liner which will completely encase the system and keep it water tight. He said they will be increasing the volume of flow and decreasing the peak run off.
T. Gutowski questioned the maintenance of the system and Mr. Brand said there are several port holes along the top which will allow access to clean and maintain it. T. Gutowski asked if this system has been used in Connecticut and Mr. Brand said yes, on many sites; it’s widely used and approved by the DOT.
T. Gutowski asked about the discharge to Wetland B in which they do not totally own. Atty. Famiglietti said the outlet structures are well within their property line and then it will discharge into Wetland B. She said she believed they are within their legal rights but would discuss this with the seller’s attorney.
S. Yorgensen questioned snow removal and Mr. Brand said the stock piling areas have been relocated since the application was first submitted; the snow removal plan has not changed only the areas where the snow will be stored. He said the primary snow area and the primary melt area will remain the same and they are working with Fed Ex to identify additional methods for snow removal. S. Yorgensen said she has received complaints regarding the current snow removal plan not being adhered to and thinks this is important.
Atty. Famiglietti said this area will be used to full capacity during peak season, Thanksgiving to Christmas. She said, during off peak times, it will not be used to full capacity which will allow for more areas to store snow. Further discussion was held on snow removal.
Atty. Famiglietti said the facility is at capacity right now and to meet operational needs, they need to expand or look for another location. She said they also looked at off-site parking but that was not ideal. Atty. Famiglietti said they changed the design, moving it to the west, to minimize disturbance.
A discussion was held on the operation. Atty. Famiglietti said this location is a hub; the packages are stored on site and then disbursed to distribution centers.
Mr. Wilson summarized the impact analysis which is included in his report. He said they are not reducing volume but they are reducing the peak run-off. He said the functions and values will not result in any adverse impacts to the wetlands.
A discussion was held on Upper Ruby Lake. Mr. Wilsons said they will not have any adverse effects on Ruby Lake. S. Yorgensen asked what would be most critical during construction for the vernal pool, lake and wetland area. Mr. Wilson said daily inspections with everything stabilized and in place.
D. Schreiber asked for questions and comments from the Public. John Patton, a member of Ruby Associations, said they are aware of the drainage area from Wetland B.
S. Yorgensen asked the applicant to provide the revised snow removal plan (C20) and the additional plan (C22) that was presented at the hearing, that are not part of the original submittals and the applicant said they would.
Atty. Famiglietti presented her closing comments and asked the Commission to address if there is an environment impact? She said the Commission has heard from the Soil Scientist (Wetland Scientist) who stated he does not anticipate any adverse impacts to the upland review area. Atty. Famiglietti said the conceptual plan showed an alternative but believes the plan presented was the best available option with no adverse impacts. She asked the Commission to please vote on the wetlands re-designation first and then on the Wetland Permit.
T. Gutowski motioned to close the Public Hearing. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
Regular Meeting
W2015-3 Phase III drainage improvement installing drainage piping, catch basins, underdrains, endwalls, curbing, paved leak off swales & grass swales along Turnpike Rd from intersection with Moose Meadow to Ruby Road. Owner/Applicant: Town of Willington (Received January 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by March 9, 2015)
Karl Acimovic, the Town Engineer, presented plans and reviewed the narrative he submitted with the application. He said they hope to replicate the run-off by putting in paved leak-off swales and explained the drainage improvements. He said they are going to line the existing pipe and the hydraulic capacity of the liner will be 114% of the original, slightly higher than the current pipe.
K. Acimovic said they are raising a portion of the road 1 foot to keep it above the adjacent wetland area. He said the contractor will clean out all the existing road culverts that will remain. They will flush them out from one side to another; structures will be put in place to catch the sediment.
K. Acimovic said, with the two substantially sized culverts, they will be cleaning up the slopes above, grading the area and grass areas will be put in.
S. Yorgensen said she has concerns about the installation of erosion controls and blowing out the culverts. She asked if someone would be inspecting those stages from the Town. The answer was that Derek Dimmock, Public Works Director, and/or Karl Acimovic will oversee the project. T. Gutowski asked the timeframe of the project and K. Acimovic said 3 months which includes the paving of the drainage portion of the project only.
There were no further questions from the Commission.
W2015-4 Application for a Timber Harvest at Village Hill Road (Map 52 Lot 001 Zone R80) Owner: Donna DeWolf Applicant: Well’s Logging, LLC (Received January 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by March 9, 2015)
Nathan Wells was present and said they will do a thinning harvest to encourage regeneration. He said there are 2 crossings but they do not want to use the original crossing as it is older and not in good shape. Mr. Wells said they will put a temporary bridge on top of the culvert and will use a grapple skidder. He said the harvest area is approximately 30 acres and the whole parcel is 60 to 70 acres. Mr. Wells added that the harvest will be done in dry conditions.
Mr. Wells said a portion of the parcel is in the Town of Stafford and stated that he has received approval from Stafford. He said he would provide a letter from the Town of Stafford to the Commission upon request.
W2015-11 Application for barn to be built in upland review area at Tinkerville Road (Map 40 Lot 35 Zone R80) Owner/Applicant: Vincent Sinosky (Received March 9, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by May 11, 2015)
Vincent Sinosky was present and presented plans. He said they would like to build a barn to store and sell hay. He said they will fill the wagons with hay and store them in the barn; when they have six wagons filled, they will make a delivery.
T. Gutowski said she and D. Schreiber walked the site; the site has limitations but the barn is in a good location.
S. Yorgensen told Mr. Sinosky that as an aside, although she planned to approve the barn, prior to his building the house he would have to go to ZBA, he said he was amenable to that.
T. Gutowski motioned to remand application W2015-11 to staff. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor.
Old Business
W2015-3 Phase III drainage improvement installing drainage piping, catch basins, underdrains, endwalls, curbing, paved leakoff swales & grass swales along Turnpike Rd from intersection with Moose Meadow to Ruby Road. Owner/Applicant: Town of Willington (Received January 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by March 9, 2015)
T. Gutowski motioned to approve W2015-3 with the following conditions:
- Public Works Director and/or Town Engineer inspect erosion and sediment controls prior to construction.
- Silt fencing to be installed at limit of swale/leakoff termination
- Public Works Director and/or Town Engineer to be present during culvert clean outs.
- Material from basins and culverts to be removed shall be placed in an appropriate approved area and tested before to reuse.
M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
W2015-4 Application for a Timber Harvest at Village Hill Road (Map 52 Lot 001 Zone R80) Owner: Donna DeWolf Applicant: Well’s Logging, LLC (Received January 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by March 9, 2015)
A discussion was held on the application. S. Yorgensen said trees and boundary lines have been marked.
T. Gutowski motioned to approve W2015-4. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
W2015-6 Application for Re-designation of Wetlands upon property at 328 Ruby Road and for Wetland Permit to conduct regulated activities within the established Upland review Area upon properties at 328 and 350 Ruby in connection with the expansion of FedEx’s parking facilities. Applicant: FedEx Package Systems, Inc. Owner: Ruby Associates General Partnership (as to 328 Ruby Rd) and FedEx Package Systems, Inc. (as to 350 Ruby Rd). (Public Hearing March 9, 2015 Decision within 35 days after close of P.H.)
The Public Hearing has been closed.
Discussion was held on the upland review area and the wildlife migration. Discussion was held on the area in which the wall will be 5 feet from the property line. Discussion was held on the lighting in regards to the vernal pools. Discussion was held on snow storage. D. Schreiber said they could request additional areas left open for snow storage after a designated date.
Discussion was held on a Clerk of the Works, importance of sedimentation and erosion control, proper installation of the retaining walls, inspections and requesting reports from the project engineer.
S.Yorgensen will draft a motion for the next meeting.
Correspondence
- Notice regarding a state permit for the use of pesticides at 112 Old Farms Road.
- The Habitat, Winter Edition 2015
- DEEP Emergency Incident Report for a petroleum spill at 467 River Road
- DEEP Emergency Incident Report for a petroleum spill at 247 Tolland Tpke
Minutes
T. Gutowski motioned to approve the minutes with the following modification on Page 2; D. Schreiber suggested the logger use a forwarder and would like to see planking put down.
Staff Report and Discussion
T. Gutowski said she went before the Board of Finance to show her support for the addition of an Assistant Zoning Agent.
Meeting was adjourned at 10:35.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michele Manas
Recording Clerk
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