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Home My WebLink Aboutmin of conservation com 01/12/2004 r- Consenration Commission Meeting January 12, 2004 Present: Paul Boyden, Chair; Carole Matthew, Jack Smith, Chris Flass, Diane Rpad.y, Jerry St. Hilaire Richard Lewis, Conservation and Environmental Planner .i i : 3~] .,-:........ ....-~ _ I i"J 11. M", ............ ..1:35.... Paul Boyden steps down for the fIrst hearing due to a conflict. 1. Notiee .fRaoaree Ana DeIiaeatioD lDEP File" SE 211-694 - 8aJa Patel, CluaUBey Street ... iDtenedioa .fRoute .. Chris Flass, Acting Chair, read the public hearing notice for the review of the wetland delineation and the establishment of the boundaries of the resource areas. JeffPressbery, Dunn-MacKenzie Engineers and Jessica Veysey, Carr Labs, represented the applicant. J. Pressbery indicated that several members of the Commission held a site walk in late November. Several areas of concern were highlighted on this walk. Dr. Carr reviewed these areas on a site visit in early December; he prepared a report dated 12/13/03. He checked the soils and reviewed the vegetation on the site. For many of the areas for which the Commissioners had questions, the report from Dr, Carr responded that the soils and amount and/or the types of vegetation did not create a jurisdictional r resource area. One isolated area was increased in size so that it is now jurisdictional under the local by.law. A discussion took place on the methodology of the placement of flagging on a site that has been disturbed. [D. Ready arrives] It was noted that the Commission observed a moving stream on the November site visit. Any Order issued on the NRAD will mention the need to verify whether this is perennial or intermittent. Motion [Smith/St.Hilaire] to close the hearing; Voted 5.0.1 [Ready abstains]. Motion [Matthew/Smith] to issue an Order approving the wetland line with the condition on the stream as noted; Voted 5-0-1. 13. N.tiee .fIateat BeariBg - Do "MIle, 47 ManIudI Av__ The Chair read the hearing notice for an addition to an existing house. Ralph Maloon, RIM Engineering, presented the revised plan that showed the area of wetland that was altered through the spreading the wood chips and some minor clearing. The plan also showed this same area as where the wetland would be restored. Homeowner Dan Faasse reviewed the history of the house and the project. ,"- Conservation Commission Minutes Jan. 12, 2004 Page 1 of 4 A question arose on the footings for the proposed deck. The proposed footings will line r up with the footings on the existing deck; there will be a slight overhand of the new deck. A general discussion took place on the no-disturb zone and the 25 vs. 50-foot buffer, and how the regulations are to be interpreted or applied for additions to an existing home. For this project, the general consensus is that because the area is already disturbed with the existing lawn area, there will not be any new impacts created. D. Lewis will draft up a policy statement on Section 2.5 of the By-law and review it with Jim Starr and Kyla Bennett. Motion [Ready/St.Hilaire] to close the hearing; Voted 6-0-0. Motion [Flass/Smith] to issue the Order of Conditions as discussed, including language on the replication of the altered area; Voted 6-0-0. 4. Notice of Intent Hearing - Fairfield Green at Mansfield, LLP -Fairfield Green complex, 792 & 840 West Street The chair read portions of the 1/8/04 memo from David Fields, Assistant Town Engineer. Glen Dougherty, Daylor Consulting, reviews his response to the memo from D. Fields. He indicated that the check dams will be installed in the water quality swales as requested; the roof run-off from Building 2,3, and 4 will be re-routed; the 0 & M plans has been submitted and will be modifIed to include maintenance of the check dams; new r drainage calculations were submitted, and a revised plans showing the requested changes and information will be submitted. Sterling Wall, Daylor Consulting, discussed several issues. First, he indicated that the roadway crossing over Hodges Brook has been reduced by 10-feet in width due to the engineering of the new primary entrance driveway. Second, the proposed bridge spanning the brook will not impede any flow and will not aggravate any 100-year storm event conditions. The combination of the proposed stormwater / drainage system and the reduction of some of the impervious areas surrounding the existing homes that will be removed should result in improved conditions under storm events. C. Flass asks about the limited project crossings for the project. It is discussed by the Commission that a memo from the Zoning Board of Appeals addressing the access and crossing issues would be helpful. D. Lewis will work to get a memo from the ZBA. She also asks about snow removal. S. Wall says that it is part of the Operations and Maintenance Plan, and that chemicals will not be used for snow removal work. Leonard Flynn, Jewell St., asks about the drainage report and issue of how the impervious nature of the buildings are incorporated into the drainage calculations. He also asks whether the parking areas on the South side of the site will have curbing. And he feels that the plans need to be revised to properly show the abutters. r Conservation Commission Minutes Jan. 12, 2004 Page 2 of 4 G. Dougherty states that the roof drains for the buildings are connected to the stormwater (" swales, the basins, or the infIltrator, depending on their location on the site. He said that all of the basins and swales are designed up to a 100-year storm event. And he said that curbing, where proposed, is shown on the plan. The parking area, he states, on the south side of the site has sheet flow into a water quality swale. All of the soil testing has been witnessed by the Town Engineering Dept., and the bottom of the basins and the infIltration area will be at least 2-feet above high groundwater per the town regulations. L. Flynn says that he feels the Commission should hire a hydrologist to study the area and the project in greater detail. Donna Arnold, West St. agrees with Mr. Flynn and says that there have been flooding problems on portions of West Street for many years. Kate Larose, Tremont St., also agrees and mentions the ongoing flooding problems on West St. Linda DiCorpo, West St. asks whether DEP checks the drainage material. And asks whether the Town Engineering Dept. has approved of the stormwater and drainage system in relationship to the DEP guidelines. It is discussed that representatives from the Town Engineering Dept should come to the next meeting to review the drainage and stormwater issue and give the Commission an update of the status of their review. Dan Rabinovitz, Goulston & Storrs, representing the applicant, says that the applicant and the project engineers do not want to give the impression that area does not have water .r' and drainage problems. He does state that the proposal will not change or aggravate any problems on West St. And he states that the proposal meets the DEP guidelines. L. Flynn says that someone has to look at the larger picture. D. Ready says that she is surprised that the applicant has not made any moves to reduce the number of units on the site. With no other questions, the hearing is continued until January 26, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. I 5. Notice.f Int_t Hearing - Musf"1eId Airport, Fruit Street The Chair reads the hearing notice for the modifIcation to the end of one of the runway areas and the construction of new hangers and parking areas. D. Lewis states that DEP has issued a fIle number, SE 211-695, with no comments. Rick Dyment, HNTB, and Paul Davis, Baystate Environmental, represented the Airport Commission. The Airport Commission and their consultants has been before the Conservation Commission a couple of months ago to discuss this project. Since then, there have not bee any real changes. The end of the runway nearest Back Bay Brook will be slightly shifted and a new safety area will be created. All of the safety improvements r- are per the requirements of the State Aeronautic Commission and the FAA. The area Conservation Commission Minutes Jan. 12, 2004 Page 3 of 4 where the new safety landing area will be placed is already a managed grass area. There r will be some disturbance within the Riverfront area, but the area is, again, already disturbed. It was explained that the area where the new hangers and parking areas will be constructed would incorporate a 25-foot no disturb buffer zone. Haybales will be in place at the limit of work in the areas as shown on the plan. Motion [Matthew/Flass] to close the hearing; Voted 6-0-0. Motion [FlasslMatthew] to issue the Order of Conditions for SE 211-695 as drafted; Voted 6-0-0. Motion [Smith/Matthew] to Adjourn the meeting at 10:45 p.m.; Voted 6-0-0 ~~. ignature of Chair -- <2, I 1->- t V '--\ Date of A proval r r r Conservation Commission Minutes Jan. 12,2004 Page 4 of 4