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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Comm. 05/21/2018Town of Mansfield RECEIVED Conservation Agenda TOWN CLERKS OFFICE May 21, 2018 1818JUL Il P1240 Present: Michael Healey, Chairman; Christopher Marcheselli; Aaron Roth; Matthew Rieth; Aaron Gallagher; Katelyn Gonyer, Conservation and Environmental Planner. � 'A'iNS F I E L D MA..'SSACHIJSETTS 1. Meeting called to order at 7:08 pm. 2. Update from chairman of Open Space Committee 3. Request for Determination of Applicability: Jefferson S. Strom Manager West Church Realty LLC, 51 West Church Street, Map 21, Parcel 135. The Request for Determination of Applicability was filed for the removal of two (2) outbuildings, remove existing pavement in yard and replace with crushed stone within the 200 -foot Riverfront area of the Rumford River. Attorney Edward Valanzola, Jefferson S. Strom, Manager of West Church Realty LLC, Eric Strom and Craig Cygawnoski, RIM Engineering Co., Inc., were present. Attorney Valanzola explained plans were submitted for two phases of this project and tonight the applicant is before the Commission for Phase I, which will create 68 parking spaces for commuter rail parking. He said they met with Ms. Gonyer and Mr. Cygawnoski and the plans have been revised to address Ms. Gonyer's concerns. He said, as part of Phase I, more pervious area has been created, the result of the removal of two of the buildings on site and the creation of the 68 parking spaces with a gravel base. Phase II will result in the main building being removed, with another 123 spaces being created. Attorney Valanzola said the applicant will still have to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Board, and the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Cygawnoski said the work is mostly on open gravel or the lawn area from the property line to the Rumford River. He said Phase I includes the removal of the two buildings and all existing pavement where the proposed parking will be. To keep runoff from leaving the site, he said an earthen berm will be placed along the property line, closest to the river and a small drainage area with crushed stone, approximately 2-3 feet deep, will be created. Mr. Roth asked about snow removal. Mr. Cygawnoski said the area will be plowed and the snow removed from the property. Attorney Valanzola said during the winter months there may be areas designated for snow storage. Ms. Gonyer said she spoke with Mr. Cygawnoski and Richard Alves, Town Engineer, on a conference call today to discuss the concerns for this type of filing; the conversion of what is currently on site, gravel, and the proposed dense grade surface materials. She the biggest concern is where the water will flow. Ms. Gonyer said a review of the design as proposed would have to be done by Mr. Alves. She said most of the work is in the outer riparian and the proposed project is redevelopment within a degraded area. Mr. Healey said he is not against the project but is concern the underlying soils would not have the hydrologic capacity to take the water introduced to the site during a storm. He said to minimize the potential impacts of this project to the Rumford River he would like to see some subsurface evaluation done with test pits. Mr. Marcheselli asked if the existing materials would be removed and different materials brought in. Attorney Valanzola said this is something they might need to do, especially for the middle area of the site. Mr. Gallagher said the proposal is better than what is currently there but questioned if the buffer zone was shown correctly; Ms. Gonyer will look into this. She said they will need more details on the design of the proposed swale and the proposed spot grades, the proposed Stormwater Management Plan, to be approved by Mr. Alves, and the nature of the grading material. She said the hearing can be continued until the additional information is submitted or the determination can be approved but not issue until a memo from Mr. Alves has been received saying that the Stormwater Management Plan has been designed in compliance. Mr. Marcheselli said this project is an improvement from a conservation stand point. Mr. Healey asked for a description of the materials to be used. Mr. Cygawnoski said this information is on the plan. There were no public comments. Mr. Roth made the motion to issue a Negative Determination for reason q3, proposed work will not adversely impact the resource area, to Jefferson S. Strom Manager West Church Realty LLC, 51 West Church Street, Map 21, Parcel 135. in accordance with the plan, "Plan of Proposed Commuter Parking No. 51 West Church Street, Phase I Parking Layout in Mansfield, MA, dated April 16, 2018, revised May 2, 2018 (Berm & Swale), prepared by RIM Engineering Co., Inc., with the following special conditions: 1. Drainage plan to be approved by Richard Alves, Town Engineer; 2. A description of the materials along with a profile of proposed swale; 3. Agent to be notified prior to the start of work and 4. Correct the delineation of the resource area if needed. Mr. Marcheselli seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0. Hearing ended at 7:42 pm. 4. Request for Determination of Applicability: Tatiana Santos, 265 Williams Street, Map 5, Parcel 17 The Request for Determination of Applicability was filed for the installation of a new septic system associated with an existing single-family dwelling within 100 feet of Bordering Vegetated Wetland. Robert Vey, Norfolk Engineering, representing the Santos family, explained this is a single-family home with a failed septic system. Because this was an emergency, the septic system was installed under an Administrative Review. Mr. Vey said the new septic system will be located within a grassed area in the rear of the property. He said the resource area was flagged by William Driscoll and erosion controls were installed and inspected under the AR; the erosion controls have now been removed and the disturbed area has been loamed and seeded. Ms. Gonyer said she worked with the Board of Health to repair the system under the AR, with the caveat that the applicant would file an After -the -Fact Request for Determination of Applicability. She asked that Mr. Vey make sure the disturbed area is stabilized and, if needed, reseeded. She said the septic tank is 60 feet from the resource area with the leaching field 83 feet away. Mr. Marcheselli asked if any trees would have to be removed. Mr. Vey said only one bush was removed. There were no public comments. Mr. Marcheselli made the motion to issue a Negative Determination, for reason tl3, proposed work will not adversely impact the resource area, to Tatiana Santos, 265 Williams Street, Map 5, Parcel 17, in accordance with the plan "Site Plan & Design Specs" dated April 24, 2018, revised May 1, 2018, prepared by Norfolk Engineering, with the following special condition that the lawn area be stabilized as soon as possible; Agent to inspect the reseeded lawn area. Mr. Roth seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0. Hearing ended at 7:51 pm. 5. Request for Determination of Applicability: John Johannessen, 47 Brown Avenue, Map 4, Parcel 90. The Request for Determination of Applicability was filed for the construction of an addition to a single-family home within 100 feet of Inland Bank of Greenwood Lake. Mr. Johannessen explained he plans to build a small addition at the back of the house, which will not change the existing house footprint or cause further encroachment to the pond. Mr. Healey asked if there would be a full basement or a slab. Mr. Johannessen said it would be a crawl space to match the house foundation and the addition will match the existing line of the house. Ms. Gonyer said she has no concerns with the proposed addition but erosion controls would have to be installed; the limit of work is not shown on the plan. Mr. Healey asked about the excavation for the slab. Mr. Johannessen said, because it is only a 12'x12' slab, he will either dig the foundation by hand or with a small piece of equipment. Mr. Roth asked about the stockpiling of material on site. Mr. Johannessen said the material could be stored in the front of the house to the right of the driveway, where it would be outside the 100 -foot buffer, or the material can be trucked off site. Ms. Gonyer said because the area slopes toward the pond in the area of the addition, erosion control and additional lawn area, as opposed to having mulch, should be installed to prevent erosion into the pond. Mr. Roth asked about additional runoff from the proposed addition. Mr. Johannessen said the original house has a gutter system with down spouts into the ground. Mr. Healey said the Commission would like to have any runoff with houses, but especially additions, go into a subsurface system to help with recharge. There were no public comments. Mr. Gallagher made the motion to issue a Negative Determination, for reason 43, proposed work will not adversely impact the resource area, to John Johannessen, 47 Brown Avenue, Map 4, Parcel 90, in accordance with the plan, "As Built Plan Subsurface Disposal System at 47 Brown Avenue" dated July 25, 2007 and a Sketch by Applicant, with the following special conditions: • Agent is to inspect the siltation control (per plan) prior to the start of work. Silt sock must be mulch. Silt sock may be 8" diameter (min.); • Any stockpiling of spoils from the excavation of the foundation will be stored outside the 100 -foot buffer; • All disturbed areas are to be seeded as soon as possible; • One (1) drywell or equivalent shall be installed for roof runoff from the proposed addition. • Erosion control must remain until areas have been stabilized. Mr. Roth seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0. Hearing ended at 8:05 pm. 6. Request for Determination of Applicability: Perry and Feck, 8 Forest Heights Drive, Map 5, Parcel 189. The Request for Determination of Applicability was filed for tree removal within 100 feet of Inland Bank of Robinson Pond. Perry DiMascio, 19 Shea Circle, explained there are only two vacant lots left in the Forest Heights subdivision, Lots 4A and 5A and he is now before the Commission for the construction of a single-family home, associated grading and a backyard on Lot 5A. He is proposing a boulder wall to retain a level lawn area. He said the existing access utility easement has been cleared and stumped and, as part of the construction process, he is proposing to put a lawn area to the boulders. He said the area between the boulders and the easement will remain in its natural state, although his is asking permission to remove the trees in this area; he will grind the stumps or leave them in place. He said the area from the house to the boulders would be lawn area. The easement is presently lawn area but there is a 25 -foot No Touch Area that will remain wooded between the bank of the pond and the utility easement. Mr. Gallagher asked why the trees need to be removed. Mr. DiMascio said the trees would be removed for the view. Ms. Gonyer said when she was on site she tried to be more selective rather than have the whole lot cleared, with more vista pruning or thinning of the trees. She suggested meeting back on the site to tag the trees to be removed and look at the trees to be trimmed or pruned. Mr. DiMascio said the trees outside the 100 -foot buffer will be removed for the construction of the house. Mr. Roth suggested keeping the mature trees, 8-10" or larger in diameter and remove the smaller trees. Ms. Gonyer will meet in the field to get a better inventory of the trees. Mr. Gallagher said the trees to be removed should be flagged. Mr. Healey said the Commission is not in favor of cutting all the trees and has an interest in maintaining the larger trees. However, he said they would be in favor of vista pruning or some trimming. He suggested Mr. DiMascio work with Ms. Gonyer to get a plan of what trees would be removed. Mr. Healey said the trees to be removed between the house and the boulder wall can be cut and grinded but the trees between the easement and the boulder wall will have to be flush cut. Ms. Gonyer said Mr. DiMascio could move forward with the work proposed outside conservation jurisdiction. Mr. Healey agreed that at this point Mr. DiMascio can start the construction of the house, with the limit of the work area being five (5) feet from the proposed wall towards the pond. Mr. DiMascio said the 100 -foot buffer has already been staked out. There were no public comments. Mr. Rieth made the motion to issue a Negative Determination, for reason #3, proposed work will not adversely impact the resource area, with the following special conditions: • The Commission currently only wants to see trees removed to the boulder wall; • Applicant is to meet in the field with Agent to decide on a cutting schedule, to be approved by the Commission; • Agent to be contacted and approve any trees to be removed between the boulder wall and the easement, with final approval by the Commission; • Applicant can excavate 5 feet beyond the boulder wall towards the pond to be able to do work. Mr. Marcheselli seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0. Hearing ended at 8:27 pm 7. Request for Determination of Applicability: Request for Determination of Applicability: VAM Realty Trust, 241 Francis Avenue, Map 30, Parcels 76, 32 & 276. The Request for Determination of Applicability was filed for proposed annual maintenance of mowed area along the facility perimeter fence as required by federal law. Because there are still issues with NRT, Ms. Gonyer suggested the hearing be continued. Mr. Marcheselli made the motion to continue the hearing to June. Mr. Rieth seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0. 8. Correspondence: 9. New Business: 10. Old Business: Restoration of Auxiliary Spillway at Blake's Pond Blake's Pond Dam Repair Project (DEP SE 211-0968) - Souring of inland bank. 0 Ms. Gonyer said the City of Attleboro has restored some of the areas at Blake's Pond Dam and submitted a request to amend the Order. They have staked out the 15 -foot wide area, which will now be allowed to grow back naturally. The ruts in the staging area will be fixed and a conservation -seed mix has started to germinate. She said she is concerned about the amount of rusty water, the stored material still has not been removed and a lot of stabilization still needs to be done quickly. She said the City of Attleboro would have to put together a mitigation plan; the amended Order should include an on-going plan and the areas will need to be monitored. Approval of the April 23, 2018 minutes: Mr. Rieth made the motion to approve the April 23, 2018 minutes. Mr. Roth seconded the motion. Motion passed 4-0-1(Marcheselli abstained). 11. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 8:53 pm (Marcheselli/Roth) Motion passed 5-0. Next ,meeting will be June 18, 2018 Michael Healey, Chairman Date