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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-25 Conservation Commission Minutes�� OFFfgO Town of Reading RECEIVED (UAJ Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK READING, MA. P4Board - committee - commission - council: 2025 MAR 20 PM 4: 32 Conservation Commission Date: 2024-09-25 Time: 07:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Select Board Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: Hybrid Meeting - Conservation Version: Final Commission Meeting Attendees: Members - Present: Brian Bowe, chair, Martha Moore, vice chair, Walter Talbot (Remote), Tony Rodolakis (remote), Chirag Sthalekar Members - Not Present: Others Present: Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Chirag Sthalekar Topics of Discussion: This meeting was held in person and remotely via Zoom. Chair Brian Bowe called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. Public Hearings 1. 0 Cedar Swamp (North Cedar Swamp) Applicant asked for a continuation to the meeting on V October (10/09/2024). Tony Rodolakis moved to continue the discussion to the meeting on 91h October. Martha Moore seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. 2. S55 West Street Brian: This is a continuation of NOI hearing. Maureen Herald submitted a package with answers and went over responses. Please refer to the submitted document for details. Martha: At another construction site, vehicles had scraped barks. Is this possible? Maureen: Construction route is shown. Do not suspect any damage. One tree had limbs that need to be trimmed and removing one burning bush. Martha: Near play area, those trees need to be trimmed. Orange fencing around them to demarcate. Page 1 1 Maureen: Will be done. Not a problem to include some fencing. Martha: Planting at farthest zone are in a line, should be staggered. Maureen: That is possible, initial though was shrubs help demarcate the 7ft no disturb. Tony: How is the sunlight? Maureen: It is good, blueberries etc. once established should be fine. Tony: Red maple should be native not horticultural variety. Martha: Preferred staggering Chuck: Taking credit for restoration and not mitigation. Do you meet restoration 2:1? Maureen: Proposing additional 521 sq. ft, and 1140 sq. ft and is on the plan which is more than 2:1. Martha: Line of shrubs at the end of the area if some trees are 3ft and some 7ft from the river, it would be filling the area rather than outlining. Chuck: What is there now to maintain the demarcation line? Maureen: It is grass, home owners thought nice stones to line the area? Brian: What is the ground cover in the 7ft barrier? Maureen: Keep it natural, no mowing, if seed mix be required, would require to rip lawn. Tony: It is mossy, auger down 2 ft then we will get typical wetland edge. ferns etc. Brian: Lot of invasives, if we let it grow, homeowners would need to take care of invasives. Maureen: Homeowners happy to do so, back thorns are main invasive and they are happy to manage. Martha: No need to dig up grass. Payal Patel: Happy to help, though help from commission may be required. Martha: Happy to help educate. Chuck: Infiltration trench to be brought in Maureen: This was done, explained on diagram. Brian: Storm drain is blocked. A see -click -fix was submitted. Chuck: How is 25ft granite stake going to be placed since it is in the ground. Putting flush is possible, but the play area close makes it dangerous. Tony: Is this really required? Chuck: It helps but maybe just at property boundaries. Page 1 2 Maureen: Of to work with Chuck to put these. Chuck: No bounds at all or work with Maureen and owners. Fred and Grace neighbors here to support., 16 Catherine Street, Reading MA. Tony moved to close hearing. Chirag seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. Conditions 1. Demarcate trees that should be protected 2. Stakes along mitigations area 3. Operation and maintenance plan should be submitted 4. Granite bound placements should be discussed with Chuck and owners. 5. Maples should be native and non-cultivar trees. 6. Mark trees in orange that are less than 25ft from the construction area so they are not damaged. Tony moved to issue and order of conditions. Chirag seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0- 0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. Old/New Business 3. Violation Notices: 51 Cross Street Site visit was conducted by the commission. Martha commented: Ice on pond in the winter so could not see if there was filling. Went last week, there was lot of vegetation, no water, and cinder blocks, no significant filling. Home owner decided to remove the cinder blocks. Brian commented: DEP had dropped a note to Chuck that there may be some filling in the pond. Cinder blocks should be removed. Chuck said owner must be done by October 2V. Discussion Items 4. 87 Walker's Brook Drive In attendance via zoom: Bill Carruso, Peter Vetere (Attorney), Rick Carusso and Gary Magnussen (CMG Environmental) Peter Vetere explained the history of the project. 1. ]an 30rh 20204 commision introduced an order of conditions. 2. Parcel is a gas station with a convenience store/ 3. NOI was to upgrade around gas tank 4. Order of confitions were a. Fix illicit discharge to adjacent area b. Filed an appeal with DEP c. Conversation with town council and a new plan was proposed to address this. 5. Proposing request for plan change under section 7D. Page 1 3 Gary Magnussen provided technical details 1. Drainage improvement plan was diagram was shared by Chuck Tirone. 2. Added catch basin gutter drain in place of current proposal of illicit discharge area in discussion with board, applicant DER 3. Commission wanted discharge blocked off and capture the water and move it to the east and flow back into wetland after treatment. 4. Also added wetland plants and vegetation on western side of the parking lot. Chuck: Part of this is missing curbing will be replaced Gary: Yes, engineering division has provided comments. If whole site were to be repaved, might want to redirect water to catch basin 1. But there is no intent to do so. Engineering suggested a solid granite curb behind catch basin 1. Applicant accepts this recommendation. Martha: Drain that goes and empties, does water flow at any point or just one spot? Gary: Considered a trench drain, but a gutter drain was selected so water can shed from left and right into the catch basin and move to the east into detention basin and remaining will go through the rip -wrap into the detention basin. It does the same job. Trench drain is hard to maintain and is not appropriate for the area. Martha is ok with this plan. Tony: Slope of 8" pipe is 0.006 ft/ft. Did engineering comment on this? Gary: No comments. Tony: Typically seen 0.008 ft/ft. Gary: Could add, but no topography to do that. Tony: If not steep, could back up and flood, but may not be an issue if it's a small area. Walter: Is there any maintenance plan for clogs Gary: Yes Brian: Does maintenance plan include front area? Gary: Yes, maintain all inlets and outlets. Chuck: Mass DOT approval required. Chuck: Question for Peter, if small change is approved it is different from an order of conditions since it does not get recorded. What are the assurances that can happen and how can that be recorded? Peter: If minor means, insignificant, original order will still stand and new amendment may not be required. Would need to be made significant to issue a new order of conditions so that in can be recorded. Brian: Decision to make is; is it insignificant or not? Most likely option A i.e. insignificant. Requests for a motion. Walter: Can we discuss what is the meaning of significant. Since it is held up for months, it is significant. Chuck: To incorporate conditions, an amendment would be required. Page 14 Tony: It should be a significant and an amendment order of conditions is required Martha agrees this recording through amended notice of intent. No comments from audience. Martha moved to issue a new amended order of conditions. Tony seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. Tony asked about plantings. Gary said will have to check with landscaper. Planting schedule is provided. Peter: Is the motion approved? Brian: Yes. 5. Discussion on doa ban, brought by resident Mr. Foster, 33 John Street, Reading MA. Mr. Foster wants to know why there is a dog ban at bare meadow. Could not find online. What went into that decision? Brian: Town had engaged Mass Audubon did a study of bare meadow to how to bring it back to be an upland meadow. There was a piece conceming dogs in a natural area. We had at least 2 open public meetings to discuss. The issue is that dogs are a predator. Dogs leave a scent. Dogs can cause break-up of habitats and mating habits. Almost 40% loss in species in some studies, not at Bare Meadow. Dogs on leash is a problem, but dogs off leash is even worse. Hence the decision was made. Only in this one area because it has different access points, has unique species. Other conservation areas 2 dogs on leashes are allowed. Mr. Foster asked why then is the gravel when you mean to bring it back to natural conditions? Gravel was put to make a new handicap accessible path. Martha said the path was to reduce the encroachment of the trees. Brian said, trails have to be on the outside. Mr. Foster asked if it is a bylaw because it is a conservation committee. Brian said continued use is a fine of $100 and would result in an eventual defense of superior court. 6. Land Use Summit October 19 Brian: Add 2n0 annual to the title. Chuck: 3 hour event on that date. Each committee to talk about something they are interested in and then broken up into discussion. Discussed timings. 11AM-2PM or 1 PM-4PM to discuss with other groups. 7. Maillet, Sommes & Morgan site visit and rules suggested by MSM staff discussion Chuck shared list of observations Page 1 5 Martha thought list was good would like to see some housekeeping done. Big issue of how water flows is assumed to be solved. Some trees did not look good but there is a plan to restore. 8. Vote to accept Lot 5 a.k.a. 371 Grove Street Martha moved to accept transfer. Chirag seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. 9. Conservation/DPW Monthly Meeting review October 1 Martha and Brian can attend. 10. Administrators Report: Lot 5, 371 Grove Street Stairs Some tree cutting, schedule to put stairs by DPW. Some more erosion control and stones were placed. 11. Minutes for approval: 612612024, 811412024, 8/2812024, 911112024 Martha moved to approve minutes of 06/26 as amended. Tony seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. Martha moved to approve minutes of 08/14 as amended. Chirag seconded. Approved by roll call vote 5-0-0., Walter Talbot (Remote) YES, Tony Rodolakis (Remote) YES, Chirag Sthalekar, YES, Martha Moore, YES, Brian Bowe, YES. Minutes of 08128 not reviewed yet. ADJOURNMENT Martha Moore moved to adjourn at 9:00 pm, seconded by Tony, voted 5-0-0 Page 1 6