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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-09-28 Conservation Commission MinutesOrq Town of Reading RECEIVED Meeting Minutes R OWNNL CLERK wl-� RK Board - Committee - commission - council: 2928 APR 18 PH 1: 54 Conservation Commission Date: 2022-09-28 Time: 07:05 PM Building: Location: Address: Session: Open Session Purpose: Zoom Virtual Meeting - Version: Draft Conservation Commission Meeting Attendees: Members - Present: Martha Moore chair, John Sullivan, Andrew Dribin, Brian Bowe vice chair Members - Not Present: Carl Saccone Others Present: Chuck Tirone, Conservation Administrator, Christopher Cole, Bill Sullivan - Chair Town Forest Committee, Leo Ribeiro, John Dawe, Deb Keatley, Katrina Meyer Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Brian Bowe Topics of Discussion: Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held remotely via Zoom. Chair Martha Moore called the meeting to order at 7:07 pm Hearings Scheduled 0 Small Lane Assessor's Map 40 & 41 Lot 153. 155 & 29 Deo File No. 270-0748 Move to continue at applicant's request to Oct 12th by Mr. Sullivan, seconded by Mr. Bowe Vote 4-0 550 West St Assessor's Mao 25 Lot 2 Deo File No. 270-0759 Move to continue at applicant's request to Oct 12th by Mr. Sullivan, seconded by Mr. Bowe Vote 4-0 31 Harold Ave Assessor's Mao 39 Lot 83, RCC File No. 2022-6 Move to continue at applicant's request to Oct 12th by Mr. Sullivan, seconded by Mr. Bowe Vote 4-0 0 Strout Ave Assessor's Map 20 Lot 212, RCC File No. 2022-12 Page 1 1 Overview of project by Bill Sullivan Chair Town Forest Committee. Changing climate is stressing Red Pines making them vulnerable to disease, insects, etc. Invasive plants are also a problem. TFC is fully aware of importance of preventing invasives taking over once trees removed. Target date is Jan of 2023. Just talking about Phase 3 cutting now. Invasive removal will follow. And we know it will follow because the TFC received $100K in AARP funding. What is not used for cutting will be available for invasive removal. Fire Dept. supports. Invasive plant control will be a long term effort which they are fully committed to. Addressed conditions place on logger. When ground frozen. Trees dropped away from wetlands. Limit on height of slash. Some slash will be within the 100 ft buffer but NOT in wetland. Want a low bid so more money available for invasive control. Discussion of wear and tear caused by hauler traffic. Discussion of depth of slash. Condition that no temporary storage of saw logs would be in wetlands. Mr. Sullivan asks about where plantings would be. Bill Sullivan states that DCR says that once light gets into forest due to the cutting that the desirable plants will take off even without intervention. He states they are fully onboard with invasive control. Will begin immediately with controlling invasives. TF has hit a rough patch between red pines and invasives. It is their primary mission. Mr. Dribin looking for more than just letting things go. What is the vision? Mr. Tirone asks for copy of Paul Jackson letter for files. Mostly concerned with conditions. Suggesting a condition that the TFC will continue to monitor for growth of hardwoods. If it's not seen in upcoming years then the TFC would address with plantings or exploring for grant opportunities. Mr. Tirone reads conditions including from last year: - All tire ruts repaired. - 450 ft buffer for vernal pools - Repair tracks on slopes so don't become trails. - TFC explore grant opportunities. - Sawlogs not to be placed on wetland side of road. - If any erosion from use of roads then it will be repaired and trucks would be rerouted for duration. - Trees not dropped in wetland. - If not sufficient growth over time then more must be done by TFC. Forester will stay involved as will DCR. TFC would have them come out to review cleared areas. Bill says if needs shot in the arm then they would do that. Ms. Moore suggests we would get a report back in a couple of years maybe 3-5. Bill agreed. Mr. Tirone, suggest we use Area 9 as model for determining need for increased replanting intervention. - Work must be done when the ground is frozen to be approved by ConsComm. Bill Sullivan says for example if the bid is $50K then they would use the remining $50K for invasive removal. Discussion of perhaps a community replanting of hundreds of bare root hardwoods. Enthusiastic support. This is an RDA. Mr Tirone suggests we should vote on positive 2b and negative n3. So moved by Mr. Bowe„ seconded by Mr. Sullivan. Vote 4-0 20 Summer Ave. Assessor's Mao 20 Lot 212, RCC File No. 2022-9 Mr. Ribeiro summarizes the project. Area of fill is Flat, with sand, was former pool. Applicant wants to flatten and then blend with existing grade. Brings up requirement for a 3:1 slope grade. Mr Tirone says they probably don't have room for that so will need to show us means of preventing erosion. Ms. Moore said on her visit there was lots of trash and debris no removed yet. Mr. Ribeiro states it will all be cleaned up. Ms. Moore wants erosion control between grading area and wetlands. That erosion control would be limit of work. Mr. Bowe asks Leo to clarify which method to be used for stabilization of slope. Mr. Ribeiro states he will choose gradual slope rather than stabilized steep slope. Motion for negative determination of Applicability made by Mr. Bowe, seconded by Mr. Sullivan Vote 4-0 Conditions: - Erosion control at limit of work. - Clean fill Page 1 2 - Seed lawn once done - Gradual slope at 3:1 - Removal of trash before fill, rather than filling over debris 385 Haverhill Street Assessor's Mao 41 Lot 47, RCC File No. 2022-10 Ms. Moore discloses that she knows the home owners but does consider herself able to be impartial. Owners are not present so continued until later in the evening. Motion to continue by Mr. Bowe, seconded by Mr. Sullivan Vote: 4-0 Later motion to continue to Oct 12"' by Mr. Bowe, seconded by Mr. Sullivan. Vote 4-0. 15 Line Rd Assessor's Mao 23 Lot 6. RCC File No. 2022-11 John Dawe presents the project to remove an existing cess pool. Vehicle access along side of house. Small equipment for small work project. Will have erosion control inside fence that surrounds the property. All neighbors also have fences. No trees to be affected by work to remove cess pool or dig trench for new sewer line. Motion for negative determination of applicability by Mr. Bowe, seconded by Mr. Dribin Positive 2b, negative n3 Vote: 4-0 Old/New Business: 14 Dean Rd — taking out of enforcement action. Mr. Bowe summarizes visit with Ms. Moore. Action was to remove invasives atop the retaining wall and do some plantings. On this visit the invasives were gone and 4 blueberry bushes were planted. Ms. Moore pointed out that the bushes had been planted relatively recently so no real proof of survivability yet. She suggested some kind of ground cover to combat invasives returning. Ms. Moore thinks the lawn is established enough so they can remove the erosion control. Commission wants to wait to see how bushes survive. Also something to hold soil on the step down of the retaining wall, some ground cover. Mr. Tirone will update Order and call the owners to give the update. We will review the situation in late June. 16 Border Rd — Looking for Certificate of Compliance. Katrina Meyer clarifies that the developer is looking for close out. There is still a bond with the town. Mr. Bowe gave an overview of the site visit. Several inkberry bushes in front have not survived and must be replaced. Seems homeowners have been overly careful with the backyard. Point out that they can use the land, for example can remove the fallen trees in the background. Also a line of trees that were to be planted don't seem to have been. Katrina has nothing to add about those missing trees. Ms. Moore notes that the silt fence that is still present can be removed. Ms. Moore also wants to understand why the stone bounds were installed so high. Question for the developer. Also points out vines climbing up some of the trees in he backyard. Owners can cut new the base of those vines. There is also a recently planted pine tree growing under the power line. Not a good idea. Mr. Tirone points out if the developer does not complete the required items, they become the responsibility of the homeowners and would prevent the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance. 44 Eastway Violation — Homeowner has beyond the fence that marks his property line a pile of bricks, two trash barrels, golf practice net and platform, lots of yard waste of grass clipping and some shrubs that had been removed. Much of the grass clippings have degraded into an artificial soil mound. Homeowner said he would clean up himself. The clippings would not be scraped to raw soil but at least the top layers. Discussion Items a. Correspondence -None b. Enforcement-, 445 Pearl St. No new news Page 1 3 c. Bills for approval — none d. Minutes for approval — Approve 8/10 minutes Motion by Mr. Bowe, seconded by Mr. Dribin. Minutes of 8/24 motion by Mr. Oribin, seconded be Mr. Bowe. Both votes 4-0. e. Vegetation Management Plan being worked on by Mr. Tirone and Mr. Bowe f. Next DPW meeting is Oct 4' . Mr. Bowe to attend with Mr. Tirone. g. 77 Walkers Brook Dr. — National Grid request minor project permit for removing chain link fence, maybe removing some vegetation to get at the fence and then replacing the fence. We got an email from former Chair Anka Scanlon that something was going on. Mr. Tirone went and discovered that they were basically cutting all the trees, not a minor permit. He stopped the project so it could be considered by the Commission. This was originally created as a staging area for their activities. Over the years trees have filled in and they are cutting them all. Most if not all of the property is in the 1 00f buffer. Clearly some internal confusion at National Grid. Commission has to decided how to handle a situation where property owners have let it go and vegetation has grown in and now they want to reclaim it. Ms. Moore and Mr. Bowe will visit Sunday at noon. Others may join. Motion to adjourn at 10:00 pm by Mr. Sullivan, seconded by Mr. Bowe, voted 4-0. Page 1 4