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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Comm 07/27/1981MANSFIELD CONSERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981 ' Members Present: Chairwoman Dianne Royle, Co Jane Sheehan, Stuart Sweet Minutes: INUTESr � PGE 0 �1 2519' Paul Boy MOTION: To accept the Minutes of July 13, 1981 with corrections. (Boyden - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED Correspondence: 1. July 24, 1981 letter from De Leuw, Cather/Parsons enclosing a check in the amount of $34.93 in payment of advertising fees incurred in connection with the Wetlands Protection Act Hearing for the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project of the Federal Railroad Administration. MOTION: To forward this check to the Mansfield Press and to issue a one-year extension for work on the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (File No. SE211-64). (Sheehan - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED 2. Copy of July 13, 1981 letter from the Mansfield Board of Selectmen to Judith Pickett, Counsel for Conservation Law Foundation, supporting the Conservation Commission's concern regarding the presence of sodium ferrocyanide in the road salt used throughout the State. 3. July 16, 1981 letter from Planning Director Folkman accepting the Commission's invitation to discuss wetlands mapping with the Commission. 4. Request for payment of annual dues to the Conservation Law Foundation. MOTION: To pay the $30 annual dues to the Conservation Law Foundation. (Sheehan - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED Willis Pond: A Wetlands Protection Act Hearing was held for this project (File No. SE211-77) at 8:00 PM. A summary of this hearing is filed separately; a tape of the hearing is also on file with the Town Clerk. Paul Folkman - Wetlands Mapping: Planning Director Folkman showed the Commission a 1" = 600' map of Mansfield to illustrate the scale to be used in all the mapping being provided by Whitman & Howard for the Water Resource study they are conducting for the Town. Since wetlands mapping is not included in the contract with Whitman & MANSFIELD CONSERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981 MINUTES PAGE TWO Howard, Planning Director Folkman has sought professional advice and estimates for such wetlands mapping. Mr. Folkman pointed out that while this scale will not provide an indication of backyard wetlands, it will give the Commission a generalized pattern of wetlands in Town. Com. Boyden agreed and added that at a later date the Commission could, perhaps, have more detailed mapping of "problem" areas in Town. The Town Planner indicated that savings could be realized on the job, which is estimated to cost between $2,500 and $4,500, in the information gathering step (Mr. Folkman suggested that he might be able to track down the needed maps in Boston.) and the printing of the finished product (SRPEDD might be able to provide this service.). MOTION: To request Town Planner Folkman to go forward with his investigation into (1) having wetlands mapping of Mansfield done at a scale of 1" = 600' in the most economical fashion; and (2) acquiring the cash to pay for such wetlands mapping and to request Town Planner Folkman report back to the Commission on his findings. (Boyden - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED Penn Central Real Estate: Chairwoman Royle reported that a newspaper article had alerted her to the fact that a third parcel of land is being offered to the Town by the Penn Central Railroad and that the Board of Selectmen has indicated an interest in having the Conservation Commission provide the funds for the purchase of this land as a possible well site. Town Planner Folkman, speaking unof- ficially, explained that while the two parcels in which the Commission has already expressed an interest have not been officially offered to the Town, this third parcel has been so offered and requires an indication of interest by July 28. It was decided that since the Commission had not been approached by the Selectmen concerning such a purchase, nothing should be done short of indicating the Commission's displeasure at receiving such information via the media. MOTION: To schedule an on-site inspection of the remaining two parcels of land which the Penn Central is interested in selling for Thursday evening, August 13, 1981, at 6:15 PM. (Sheehan - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED Stearns Avenue - Tree Cutting: MOTION: To send a letter to Edward Stivaletta informing him that the trees felled in the swampy area between Erick Road, Stearns Avenue, and the Fouracre property constitute a wetlands violation and requesting him to remove these trees and inform the Commission when the task has been accomplished. (Boyden - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED r�✓ MANSFIELD CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981 PAGE THREE Bonney Lane: Com. Boyden reported that this was, indeed, an "as built" plan for Bonney Lane. MOTION: To send a memo to the Board of Health requesting a copy of the as -built plan for Bonney Lane together with the variance number granted by the Board of Health for this work. (Boyden - Sheehan; all in favor) VOTED Highland Avenue - Tree Cutting: Chairwoman Royle reported that Sandra Smith, Grossman Co., informed her that Thomas Withee has agreed to clean up the debris left on this property in the wake of his tree cutting and that she will contact the Commission upon the completion of the clean-up in order that the Commission might make an on-site inspection. Kelton Potter - East Street: Chairwoman Royle reported that Town Counsel Mulcahy suggested that since he has contacted Mr. Potter's attorney regarding the scheduling of a meeting among the various interested parties, it would be wise to await a response from the lawyer. Peter DeGirolamo - East Street: MOTION: To send a letter to Mr. DeGirolamo reminding him that two months have elapsed since he agreed to remove the brush encroaching on the Canoe River wetlands and requesting that he notify the Commission by August 17, 1981 regarding the status of this project. (Sheehan - Sweet; all in favor) VOTED Leon Grant - Pond Development: MOTION: To grant Leon Grant a 90 -day extension of this Order of Conditions (File No. SE211-52) for the sole purpose of restoring the buffer zone between the pond and the Goddard property as indicated on the plan, stipulating that four stakes shall placed to indicate that this buffer zone is at an elevation of 117' and that no material shall leave the property until the restoration has been accomplished to the satisfaction of the Commission. (Sheehan - Boyden; all in favor) VOTED Mansfield Little League: Com. Sweet reported that in response to an alert by Associate Commissioner Rys, he inspected the West Mansfield Little League complex and found that things do not appear to be going along as had been expected. Chairwoman Royle suggested that she call Richard Ryan and request a written up -date on this project. MANSFIELD CONSERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981 MINUTES PAGE FOUR Adjournment: MOTION: To adjourn this meeting at 10:53 PM and to schedule the next Commission meeting for Monday, August 17, 1981. (Sweet - Boyden; all in favor) VOTED Accepted By I0lab"t, -6 J�—: Date to Ton Clerk F, - - -V WETLANDS PROTh JN ACT HEARING SUMMARY FILE NO. SE211 /--WILLIS POND APPLICANT: Allen L. Willis, Jr. HEARING DATE: Monday, July 27, 1981 at 8:00 LOCATION OF PROJECT: South of Willow Street PURPOSE OF PROJECT: To excavate a 4.57 -acre �leewe%r/( BN-LOMMI S S IOt Fin pond --Willis Pond Allen Willis, who was accompanied by Chris Yarworth of RIM Engineering made a brief presentation and then. opened the meeting up to questions. Mr Willis noted that since the Commissioners had made an on-site inspection of his proposed pond, they were familiar with the location of the project. As a point of information, Mr. Willis explained that despite the controversy regarding whether or not this is a pond restoration, since he had filed a Form A Plan before the Bylaw regarding pond development was voted in, he has every legal right to dig this pond. Size of Pond: 4.57 acres Total Area of Land on which Pond Flushing Rate: 280 times/year Elevation of Bottom of Pond: 90' Depth at Center of Pond: 26 feet Volume of Pond: 74,534 cu. yds. is to be Situated: 10.5 acres or 15,093,135 gal. The method of excavation proposed will be to pump the Rumford River through a sedimentation basin, into a temporary channel, and then back to the usual course of the River. Thus, the loaders and trucks will be able to carry out the task in the dry. The brook that enters the site from under Willow Street will be rerouted in a similar fashion. When Chairwoman Royle observed that this project would probably fall within the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers, Mr. Willis stated that this project had already been filed with the Corps. The berm of the temporary channel is designed to overflow in case of a flooding situation. The work is to begin at the lower end of the site and will progress up toward Willow Street. In response to Com. Sheehan's concern regarding the possible effects of this project on the Rumford River, Mr. Willis explained that the only change will be an increase in flood storage. Mr. Willis noted that he is adding the mitigation of providing more wildlife habitat to the pond area by retaining the existing topography at the north and south ends of the pond while on the east and west sides, he will grade right into the 5:1 and 3:1 slopes as is usual. There will be a 50 -foot buffer zone between the pond and the Andrews' property. Only one access road is proposed --at the south end of the property with traffic probably entering Willow Street via the gravel pit exit. Mr. Willis outlined his time schedule for this project as follows: he will begin work as soon as his portion of Cabot Pond has been completed and the project should take not more than one year to complete. Mr. Willis mentioned that he will stop digging if and when HEARING SUMMARY FILE NO SE211-77 he hits ledge (no blasting to be employed) with a minimum depth for the pond of 12 feet. At this point, Chairwoman Royle opened the meeting to questions from the audience. Mrs. Jellinek suggested that Com. Boyden should excuse himself from this hearing because of a possible conflict of interest because of his pond development project in Norton. Mrs. Jellinek also observed that Mr. Willis had not justified this project other than for economic reasons. Chairwoman Royle pointed out that Mr. Willis had mentioned that his prime motive was for aesthetics. The hearing closed at 9:17 PM.