Inland Wetland and Watercourse Commission
40 Old Farms Road, Willington, CT ~06279
October 26, 2015
Meeting Minutes
Members Present:
Dave Schreiber – Chairman
Tess Gutowski
Mark Drobney
Members Absent:
Patrick Lord - excused
Evan Brand
Greg Blessing – Alternate - excused
Also Present:
Susan Yorgensen
Attorney Mark Branse
D. Schreiber called the meeting to order at 7:30.
New Business
W2015-41 Application for Timber Harvest at 110 Potter School Road (Map 55 Lots 01, 02, & 03 Zone R80) Owner: Elaine L. Lunt Applicant: Anthony J. Grossi (Received October 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by December 7, 2015)
Anthony Grossi was present and said he has an agreement with Ms. Lunt to do a selective timber harvest. He said a harvest has not been done on this parcel in many years. Most of the harvest will be in the upland review area except for a tiny piece in the southwest corner. He said it is a stream crossing; 3 feet wide with a stony bottom. He said they can use a stony bridge if need be and would use corduroy if necessary. Mr. Grossi said best management practices would be in place.
T. Gutowski asked if the applicant had looked at soils maps and he said he didn’t but a Forester did. A discussion was held on the ponds on the site.
Mr. Grossi said there are 66 acres to be harvested and it will be a selective cut; hardwood and softwood. T. Gutowski said she would like to conduct a site walk and the Commission agreed. S. Yorgensen will schedule the site walk.
W2015-43 Applicant for a Timber Harvest at 211 Jared Sparks Road (Map 32 Lot 01 Zone R80) Owner: Joseph Hall Applicant: Riendeau & Sons Logging LLC (Received October 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by December 7, 2015)
Scott Persons was present for the applicant. He said it is a 41 acre parcel and they would like to do a selective timber harvest, 14 inches and up. He said there are no wetlands, only slopes. Mr. Persons said they would use an anti-tracking pad in the field where it hits the road. Susan told the applicant he would need a driveway permit. The commission agreed to remand this application to staff.
W2015-44 Application for Timber Harvest at 74 Willington Hill Road (18 Lot 37 Zone R80) Owner: Charles & Margery Thompson Applicant: Chris Casadei c/o Hull Forest Products (Received October 26, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by December 7, 2015)
The applicant was not present. The commission looked at the plans and would like to schedule a site walk. S. Yorgensen will schedule the site walk.
Show Cause Hearing
Violation/Order for 8 Burt Latham Road
Kim Ridzon was present. The commission looked at the file and T. Gutowski said she would like to stay the order, continue the show cause hearing and open the application. She said she would like to work with Ms. Ridzon on the application since it was not complete. Ms. Ridzon asked what forms were missing, S. Yorgensen looked through the file and said the DEEP reporting form. Atty. Branse said, according to state law, the commission cannot receive the application today. He said the commission can received the application at next month’s meeting and the applicant would probably have to come back for 2 more meetings.
T. Gutowski motioned to continue the order in place and continue the show cause hearing. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
T. Gutowski asked the applicant to work with S. Yorgensen regarding the application. S. Yorgensen asked Ms. Ridzon if she would like to contact her and set up a time to go over the application. Ms. Ridzon said she would.
Old Business
W2015-26 Subdivide property for building lot to construct a single family dwelling at 65 Kucko Road (Map 42 Lot 40 Zone R80) Owner/Applicant: Vilma Kucko c/o Linda Wagner daughter (Received July 13, 2015) Site walk Oct 3, 2015
Ed Pelletier of Datum Engineering was present for the applicant and presented plans. A discussion was held on the Oct 3rd site walk and the maintenance easement. Mr. Pelletier said there are 2 easements on site. D. Schreiber said, on the site walk, the swale was completely dry.
T. Gutowski motioned to approve W2015-26, revised map by Datum Engineering dated 09/10/15. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
W2015-34 Application for a single family dwelling located in upland review area and driveway filling displacing wetland soils Lot # 20 Meadow Lane (Map 16 Lot 41 Zone R80)Owner/Applicant: Willford Farms, LLC (Received September 21, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by November 23, 2015) Site walk Oct 3, 2015
Ed Pelletier presented plans and referenced the Oct. 3rd site walk. He said the driveway will be filled and added that it is the only access to the lot; the remaining frontage is wetlands. D. Schreiber said there is an issue with the line of sediment that goes down through the woods.
A discussion was held on the catch basins and easements. D. Schreiber would like the towns Public Works Director to look at the design, basins and easements, evaluate them and give his recommendations.
W2015-28 Application to construct driveway within the upland review area and cut brush within wetland at the north side of Boston Turnpike west of property at 59 Boston Turnpike (Map 6 Lot 5 Zone R80) Owner/Applicant: Gloria Coles (Received September 21, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by November 23, 2015)
Gloria Coles presented plans. She said the fields are overgrown with invasive species; mainly Autumn Olive. She said she would like to cut the fields and remove the Autumn Olive as it is killing everything underneath it. She said she has done research and cannot take the Autumn Olive bushes on the road and dispose of them; they will have either burn them or have them sprayed to kill them. Ms. Coles added that she would like to return the field to the hay field it once was.
Ms. Coles said the driveway was designed in this way on the plans so that she can back the horse trailer up it. She said she did have John Ianni delineate the wetlands.
The commission looked at the plans and the wetlands. Ms. Coles said she has also filled out another application for an agricultural exemption and a discussion was held. Atty. Branse said the commission could accept the additional application as part of the package. Ms. Coles submitted the amendment to her application for the record.
T. Gutoswki said she would like to conduct a site walk. T. Gutowski asked S. Yorgensen to send the commission the maps prior to the site walk.
W2015-27 Select pruning and removal of canopies/tree 500’ from both direction of signage to increase visibility. West of 327 Ruby Road east side 1-84 in state right-of-way (Map 42 Lot 45 & 46 Lot 26 state right-of-way along property) Owner: State of Connecticut Applicant: Eric’s Tree Service LLC (Received September 21, 2015) Site walk Oct 3, 2015
Barry Clark of Gardner & Peterson was present for the applicant and presented plans. He said they during pruning and removal, they will leave as much Mountain Laurel as possible. After the removal is complete, they will interplant other species with the Mountain Laurel. He said they would haul the trees away on a daily basis.
Atty. Branse asked if a state representation had signed off on the application and the applicant said they only have a verbal confirmation. Atty. Branse said they cannot file an application on another owner’s property without their written consent.
A discussion was held on the time frame for a decision and a decision would have to made by November 23, 2015 or an extension would be needed. T. Gutowski asked the time frame for the work and Joette Garry said 14 to 25 days is her scope. She added that they will be doing the removal of the vegetation but not the new plantings. T, Gutowski asked when the planting would take place and Mr. Clark said as soon as possible; they want to make it look good. Atty. Branse said the commission could bond the plantings and a discussion was held. Mr. Clark said they would not know the extent of the amount of plantings needed until all the work is done; it will depend on how much of the Mountain Laurel is left. Atty. Branse suggested having 2 bonds in place.
T. Gutowski said the site is pretty steep and they want the area to be stabilized. She would like to plan for the worst case scenario. The applicant asked who would be responsible for the bond. A discussion was had and S. Yorgensen said it would not matter who put up the bond. Ms. Garry said they would put chips down to stabilize the area and further discussion was held. She added that the trees removed would be the 75ft to 85 foot trees.
The commission would like a narrative regarding the plantings and a consent signature from a State of Connecticut representative.
W2015-36 Application to remove trees and brush on West side of Ruby Road between I-84 exit ramp and TA Owner/Applicant: Ralph Tulis (Received September 21, 2015 Public Hearing or decision by November 23, 2015)
T. Gutowski said a site walk was conducted and brief discussion was held.
T. Gutowski motioned to approve application W2015-36, plans dated 9/17/15. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
W2015-33 Application to repair bridge over Daleville School Road Owner/Applicant: Town of Willington (Received September 21 Public Hearing or decision by November 23, 2015) Site walk Oct 3, 2015
A site walk was conducted on 10/3/15. A discussion was held on the plans. T. Gutowski would like to see more detail on the access and stabilization during construction and after completion.
T. Gutowski motioned to approve W2015-33 with standard conditions as well as the following conditions:
- Narrative submitted on the access to the river
- Narrative submitted on minimizing disturbance and stabilizing the area during and after construction.
M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
Correspondence
- The Habitat, Fall 2015 Edition
- Letter to the Board of Selectmen from Robert Hockla regarding 31 Hockla Farms Road.
Minutes
T. Gutowski motioned to approve the minutes of 9/21/15. M. Drobney seconded the motion. All in favor.
Meeting adjourned at 9:35.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michele Manas
Recording Clerk
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