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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin conservation com 08/14/00 r r r RECEIVED TOW~ rlE.RKS .OFF ICE .. . I ~nservation CommISSion Mmutes 00 OfC -6 PM\.-14,:ZOOO Present: Bill OttavianI, CliiUr; Chris Boyer, Bob Be~ Carole Matthew, Paul Boyden, Diane Ready, John Smith MANSFIELD 1. Meeting canedt+A~J... 2. Discussion of Lot 4 Homefield Farms - Paul Folkman Mr. Folkman explained there is a superceding Order of Conditions from DEP on this lot and requested the commission's original order be released. He said the superceding order references the commission's order, which should not have been recorded. Mr. Folkman said he was willing to have Mr. Lewis do an inspection prior to requesting the release of the DEP order. Mr. Boyden suggested Mr. Folkman send the commission a letter describing the work they have done, and Mr. Lewis will inspect and confirm the work. He also suggested the release of the commission's order should specify Lot 4 is being released for title purposes only. Motion: To release Lot 4 Homefield Farms (SE-21I 597), which has a DEP Superceding Order of Conditions in place. (Boyden-Boyer) Five in favor. Matthew, Ready abstained. PASSES 3. Request for Determination of Applicability - 121 Balcom Street The chair read the public hearing notice. David Oberlander, BDO Engineering, explained the septic repair on an existing house with wetlands in the northern comer. He has placed the system as close to the road as possible, and as far as possible from the wetland. The system was designed for a two-bedroom house, but the existing one-bedroom house has a deed restriction to prevent it from being enlarged. The system was designed for 220 gallons per day. Mr. Oberlander said the existing tank would be replaced with a new one. The chair read a memo from Mr. Lewis indicating a Negative Three determination was appropriate. Mr. Boyer asked how close the retaining wall is to the street; Mr. Oberlander said it is five feet off the property line. Motion: To close the public hearing (Boyer-Ready) All in favor. PASSES Motion: For a Negative Three determination (Boyer-Bean) All in favor. PASSES 4. Request for Determination of Applicability - 95-97 Old Elm Street The chair read the public hearing notice. Mike Trowbridge, Hutchins-Trowbridge Associates, explained the repair to an existing system, originally approximately 50 feet from the wetland, now approximately 76 feet away. Siltation control is in place, approximately 40 feet from the wetland. The chair read a memo from Mr. Lewis indicating a Negative Three determination was appropriate. Motion: To close the public hearing (Boyer-Ready) All in favor. PASSES Motion: For a Negative Three determination (Boyer-Ready) All in favor. PASSES r S. Notice of Intent Public Hearing continued - Reservoir Place LLC - The Village at the Pointe - Reservoir Street The chair explained this public hearing had been continued because the Town of Norton had not received notification as an abutter. Tom Houston, CID Associates, said Norton has since been notified, but he did not have the certified mail receipt. Chelsea Hanbridge, CID Associates, explained Sanford Ecological had looked at the areas of concern brought up during the site walk, and presented a letter from that f11'Il1. Sanford looked the vegetation on site; Mrs. Ready said the commission had asked that the soils be examined. Mrs. Ready asked about the floodplain. Mr. Houston said it was nearly coincident with the edge of the reservoir. Mr. Ottaviani said that during the site walk, the commission members did not have flagging copies of the plans and the Notice ofIntent did not indicate how the high water line had been determined. Mr. Houston explained their land surveyor had determined the high water mark using USGS data. r Mr. Ottaviani asked whether grades had been shot, and what the current elevation was. He said Norton is considering improvements to the dam and reservoir, so the water level may change, and asked how much of this plan depended on the water level remaining as it is now. Mr. Houston said the pumping chambers are designed to resist buoyancy regardless ofthe groundwater depth. He said Norton had not indicated their intention to raise the elevation of the reservoir; even if it is raised, he said the residences would be far enough back. He said a raise in elevation may effect the lower portions of the drainage structures. The chair read a July 18, 2000 letter from Norton Conservation Agent Jennifer Carlino, and Ms. Hanbridge presented a letter addressing each concern. Regarding Ms. Carlino's question on a potential vernal pool, Mr. Houston said the low point in the basin is at 104 feet, which is substantially higher than the surrounding areas, so he thinks that is standing water. Mr. Ottaviani said 104 is the top of the structure, not the bottom; Mr. Houston said he was right, and the bottom would be one or two feet lower, but that the basin would not hold water except after rainfall events. He added that Sanford was also convinced it was not a vernal pool because there is no standing water for more than two months and a lack of evidence of caddis fly cases at the time of observation. Concerning Ms. Carlino's question about the decks, Mr. Houston explained they would be built with footings, and the only grading that would resuh in a change in flood storage will be near building three. He added the compensatory storage area exceeds the area that will be lost. r Regarding Ms. Carlino's question about the retention pond functioning as an infiltration basin. Mr. Houston said that would happen, there would not be a liner in the basin, and all sediment would be removed before the water enters the basin. The r condo association will be responsible for the maintenance of the drainage structures, as outlined in the Operations and Maintenance Plan. Regarding Ms. Carlino's question about a siltation fence, Mr. Houston said the fence does not indicate the limit of work in all cases. He explained the canoe put ins would not be altered and would be available for use by the residents only. Mr. Boyer asked how erosion problems would be controlled. Mr. Houston said he believes those problems are being caused by unauthorized use of the area, and with this plan, the use would be reduced and therefore erosion would be reduced as well. Regarding Ms. Carlino's question about lawn irrigation and the pool water, Mr. Houston explained they had eliminated lawns at the rear of the units and would tie the drain lines into the storm drains to take the pool water to the retention pond. Ms. Carlino suggested a 200-foot conservation restriction along the river; Mr. Houston said he did not think it necessary and the Wetlands Act and the commission's Order of Conditions should be enough to protect the area. Mrs. Ready was concerned about protecting the area in perpetuity. r Mr. Ottaviani said because this site is in the Reservoir District, the commission could require a 50 foot no disturb zone rather than the proposed 2S-foot zone. Mrs. Ready said this would be the perfect place on which to impose the 50-foot zone, adding she did not want to act on the application until the open space issues were decided by the Planning Board. Mr. Houston said the project would be subject to MEP A review due to their work on the pumping station. However, he said they do not trip any MEP A fIling requirements. He said they are aware of the sensitive nature of this site and have tried to consider that in their plans, with fewer units than are allowed, a stormwater management system with no discharge, a natural landscaping approach, and the structures 40 feet back. He said the 50-foot restriction would have a serious impact on the plan and he requested the commission keep it at 25 feet. Mrs. Ready was concerned about the proximity of the pooVclubhouse area to the wetland; Mr. Houston said that building could be modified. Mr. Ottaviani was concerned that more than half of this project is within the 100- foot buffer zone. Mr. Sevard said they are trying to design in an environmentally sensitive manner, and they could stay out of the buffer zone, but would end up with a ring of three-story apartment buildings. r Ms. Carlino asked about the method used fOf designing the stormwatef management system. Mr. Houston said they used the two-year event and still came under the maximum allowed. Ms. Carlino asked if groundwater was included in those calculations; Mr. Houston said they just used runoff. r Ms. Carlino asked if perc tests had been done; Ms. Hanbridge said they did six test holes and found sand and gravel, percing at two minutes. Ms. Carlino was concerned about the maintenance of the drainage structures; Mr. Houston explained the condo association would be, and that could be made a condition. Mr. Boyer asked about the bolting on the pump station; Mr. Houston explained they would add the bolting details to the plan. Ms. Carlino said Norton was doing a study to repair the dam, but did not expect the reservoir's elevation to change. She asked how the mean annual high water mark was determined, and asked where they consider to be the end ofthe Rumford River and the beginning of the reservoir. Mr. Houston said they used the old South Main Street bridge at the river crossing as the terminus of the river. Ms. Carlino said there is a channel that stretches further into a cove within the reservoir. Mr. Houston said they thought the bridge was the most reasonable point because beyond that, there is a ponded water surface, which is the definition of the end of a river. Ms. Carlino said she was concerned about that. r Mr. Ottaviani asked the commission members how they felt about the 50-foot no disturb zone. Mr. Smith said he would support 50 feet. Mr. Bean said 50 feet would be a good buffer, but was concerned about the impact on the plan design Mr. Boyden suggested identifying specific areas where 50 feet could be applied, with 25 feet in other places. Mr. Boyer agreed with Mr. Boyden and asked that the terms "river" and "POnding" be defined. Mrs. Ready said the objective of the 50 feet was to protect the resources, and this project is too dense and too close to the 25-foot no disturb zone. She suggested the applicant come back with a plan pulling work back in the most sensitive areas. Mrs. Matthew said she was in favor of 50 feet and a conservation restriction Mr. Ottaviani said he was in favor of 50 feet but was willing to be flexible where appropriate. Mrs. Ready asked if the reservoir is considered a great pond by DEP. Mr. Houston said it was not, but he would verify that. Mrs. Matthew said she would like to see an alternate plan. Mr. Sevard said they would get revised plans to the commission for feedback before the next meeting. Mr. Bean said he was concerned about using the old road at the bridge as emergency access; Mr. Houston said they were not using that portion of the road. Motion: To continue the public hearing to September 11,2000 at 8:15 p.rn. (Boyer-Ready) All in favor. PASSES r 6. Request for Determination of Applicability - West StreetJRoute 140 - New England Environmental (Shaw's site) The chair read the public hearing notice. Carol Frost, Northeast Environmental, explained there are no wetlands on this property, but three wetland areas abutting the site. One is an isolated vegetated wetland, which is too small to be considered an isolated land subject to flooding. She said the wetlands were flagged in May, and no r vernal pools were found. The other two wetland areas are along Route 140, one is mostly bank with a channel running from a pipe that discharges across Route 140. The other is a long range ofBVW with pipes feeding into it, also discharging across Route 140. Mrs. Matthew asked if any rare species had been observed. Ms. Prost said none had been. Motion: To schedule a site walk on September 9, 2000 at 8:00 a.rn. (Boyden-Boyer) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To continue the public hearing to September 11,2000 at 9:00 p.rn. (Boyden-Boyer) All in favor. PASSES 7. Notice of Intent Public Hearing - Mansfield Electric Department The chair read the public hearing notice. Brad Mello, Coastal Engineering, explained the existing site contains an electric sub-station off of Gilbert Street, with a paved access drive. There will be hay bales along the edge of the vegetated wetland areas on either side of the driveway, with pre-cast concrete manholes and handholds. The excavation will go three to four feet below grade, conduits in the concrete, no grade changes, and the area will be restored to pre-existing conditions. The culverts will be 18 inches, and the job will be put out to bid in the fall. r Mr. Boyer asked how wet the area is. Mr. Mello said it is not very wet, but grassy and stable. Mr. Smith asked if the site would have to be pumped during manhole construction. Mr. Mello said it probably would be due to the height of the groundwater, and would stipulate the discharge be on the upland side of the silt fence. Motion: To close the public hearing (Boyer-Boyden) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To approve the Order of Conditions as drafted (Boyer-Bean) All in favor. PASSES 8. Correspondence 1. Partial Certificate of Compliance - Lot 1 Bird Road Motion: To accept the partial certificate (Smith-Bean) All in favor. PASSES The board would like to have more information about the work that has been done on partial certificates. 2. Certificate of Compliance - Lot B Laurel Lane This is a full release ofSE 211-338, which was never acted on and was superceded by SE 211-544. Also a partial release ofSE 211-544 for the house. Motion: To discharge SE 211-338, which was recorded but never acted on. (Boyer-Matthew) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To accept the partial certificate (Boyer-Bean) All in favor. PASSES r (' 3. Letter from Folkman/Zola Builders regarding the restoration of the drainage easement on the Covett property. The trees will be replanted with 2 to 2 ~ inch caliper trees in the fall. 4. The commission set a site walk for Acorn Manufacturing on September 9, 9 a.rn. 9. New Business J. David Simmons, Tilton and Associates, presented a proposal for a three story office building with a 9,800 square foot footprint on South Main Street, opposite the Tweeter Center. There would be a small area of work in the buffer zone for parking lot maintenance. The adjacent parcel has an existing underground retention system to take the 25-year storm off site. Mr. Simmons explained this parcel has a loose association with the Village at the Pointe developers as a result of a potential land swap. If that is done, the Village at the Pointe will have to pick up the discharge from this site. Briscoe Lang, Tilton and Associates, said he had flagged the river and thinks it runs more toward South Main Street than the Village at the Pointe represented. Consensus on the commission was that they would not have to come back due to the small potential for impact to the wetlands. r 10. Around the Table Mr. Ottaviani said he walked the Plymouth Street fields site and saw the trees had been cut up to the limit of work, and muhiple trees of over 18 inches had been cut. He said the hay bales were overflowing with siltation from the roadway, a wetland area of approximately 3,000 square feet had been opened up, and there were several ruts where the equipment had gotten stuck. Mr. Boyden said he would speak to Mr. Azinheira about the situation. 11. Adjournment Motion: To adjourn at 11:15 p.rn. (Boyden-Bean) All in favor. PASSES Approved 1 0/30/2000 ~L - f