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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-11-05 Conservation Commission MinutesConservation Commission, November 5, 2008 Reading Conservation Commission Meeting R"- C E 1 V E D Selectmen's Meeting Room 7:00 PM ! 0 C L E R 0I G, Pa s s, Wednesday, November 5, 2008 E 2900 DEC 15 A 10 20 Present: Chairman Mark Wetzel, Vice Chairman Bill Hecht, Barbara Stewart, Doug Green and Fran Fink, Conservation Administrator. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. 22 Roma Lane -Violation Notice Paul Foti, owner, was present. The Commission had inspected the Buffer Zone and wetlands area where trees had been cut without a permit. The owner did not have any proposed solution, but said he did not know what the Town regulations were. The Commission reviewed a draft Enforcement Order with Mr. Foti, requiring replacement of the trees. The Commission told him he had to leave the tree stumps from the trees that he cut down. He said he needed help with the type of trees and shrubs that he should use. The owner will come back with a proposed planting plan by January 15, 2009 and will do necessary interim steps till then. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to issue the Enforcement Order as drafted and amended. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. 287 Lowell Street, DEP 270-515, RGB 2007-30 - Status of work Mr. Wetzel said the property looks the same as it did two weeks ago. Ms. Fink said the owner did get the rebar and she helped him measure and they put five stakes in the ground. She reminded him to plant the shrubs. The Commission will inspect again in two weeks. 320 Haverhill Street, DEP 270-527, RGB 2008-6 - Status of work Mr. Wetzel said they did a site visit and will revisit the site in the spring. Mr. Hecht said it did look nice. Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Randall and Susan Kneeland, 68 Longwood Road, DEP 270= 542, RGB 2008-36, addition to house Ms. Fink witnessed the soils tests but the engineer was not yet able to submit a report due to malfunctioning equipment. Mr. Kneeland and the Commission reviewed the draft. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to close the public hearing. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to issue an Order of Conditions as amended. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Massachusetts Highway Department, Causeway Road Depot, landfill capping, drainage, grading Ken Leach of the Mass. Highway Department described the work to be done. Bill Beyer from Fay Spofford & Thorndike described the site conditions and said they are basically putting 2 feet of topsoil over the present soil. The proposed work was already approved by DEP. Mr. Beyer described the swales that would be used to direct runoff as well as other work that would be performed. The Commission was concerned about spillage from the gas pumps but the amount of gas being pumped is not excessive and only done by highway personnel and MHD employees. Ms. Conservation Commission, November 5, 2008 Fink had done a site visit and had expressed concern about runoff going into the wetlands. MHD wants to do additional work regarding runoff at the site because they have the funds available and would like it all to be under the same Order of Conditions. Mr. Wetzel thought that there was no proposed treatment for storm water management included in the proposal, and he thought what was proposed was worse than what exists now at the site. Ms. Fink said she thought the Commission should be allowed to inspect the site. The Commission scheduled a site visit for November 14, 2008 at 7:30 AM. Ms. Fink gave her assessment of the site. Cameron Arnott lives on Causeway Road near this site. He said the Town DPW paved over a manhole that was being used to collect runoff, causing flooding on the street and his driveway. Ms. Fink advised Mr. Arnott to speak to DPW about the situation. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to continue the hearing to the next meeting. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Robert Zeraschi, 10 Torre Street, DEP 270-538, RGB 2008- 35, day care center, parking lot, drainage, and grading Ms. Fink did not hear from the Mr. Zeraschi and he did not attend the hearing. Ms. Fink explained where the case was at this point. There is also a zoning issue with this location and Mr. Zeraschi will be appearing before the ZBA in December. There has been a DRT meeting to discuss permitting issues. The DEP Commissioner has not sent Final Determination regarding riverfront versus canal to date. Ms. Fink has done a site visit and explained the conditions that she observed during her visit. The Applicant wants to build a Goddard School. Ms. Fink found the specifications on the Goddard website that were required by the Goddard Schools in order to obtain a franchise. The DRT also had many questions that have yet to be answered. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to continue the hearing to December 10, 2008. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. Old/New Business: Causeway Road MHD Depot, DEP 270-313 RGB 1998-17 - Status of work (The Commission reviewed this matter during the public hearing form the site earlier in the evening. MHD has completed most of the work, but not the restoration planting. A Certificate of Compliance has not been issued. ) Camp Curtis Guild, Haverhill Street, DEP 270-440 - Request for Certificate of Compliance Ms. Fink did a site visit and said the slope at the back of the firing range is well vegetated. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to. issue a Certificate of Compliance. Ms. Steward seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. 48 Pasture Road, DEP 270-471, RGB 2006-4 - Request for Certificate of Compliance Ms. Fink said she had received a planting plan from the Applicant. The shrubs in the zone of natural vegetation were not all native plants. A patio has been added to the plan. It was not clear whether bounds had been set. The Commission will inspect before the next meeting. 1 General Avenue, DEP 270-428, RGB 2004-22 - As-built plans, Request for Certificate of Compliance Mr. Hecht said a site visit showed good results but there was still a good amount of trash that should be removed on a regular basis. Conservation Commission, November 5, 2008 Motion made by Mr. Hecht to issue a Certificate of Compliance. Mr. Wetzel seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. 445 Pearl Street, Enforcement Order - Status of work Mr. Wetzel said they did a site visit and bounds had been set. $1,000 in fines has not been paid. They will ask the Applicant to attend a meeting. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to close the Enforcement Order. Mr. Wetzel seconded. The vote was 4- 0-0. 101 Longwood Road, DEP 270-416, RGB 2004-10 - Status of work Mr. Hecht said they did a site visit and again asked the Applicant to do what they had requested. Another site visit will be scheduled. Trail Committee Mr. Wetzel went to a meeting and more are scheduled. There is another workday scheduled for the viewing deck at Bare Meadow. Ms. Fink recommended holding an organizational meeting for the Adopt a Trail Program with new volunteers. 88-98 Walkers Brook Drive, Honda Gallery is behind schedule and they now want to open the buildings in March. They have not done graded and planted the grass drainage swales successfully yet. Ms. Fink asked them to concentrate on the grading issue. A site visit will be scheduled in two weeks to determine whether the site is ready for paving. Colburn Road has two new catch basins and two manholes. Mr. Hecht does not know where they go. DPW has not responded to past requests for plans. Kylie Drive has two new lots (#7 and #8) under construction. Sidewalks are not paved and street trees are not planted yet. 7 Adams Way planted bushes and poured a patio. Patio and retaining wall are not as shown on site plan, and may cause ponding at the foundation of the house. Ms. Fink will follow up and will send a letter. 6 Summer Avenue (shed) Motion made by Mr. Hecht to accept minor project. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. 508 West Street wants to build staircase in buffer zone. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to accept minor project. Ms. Stewart seconded. The vote was 4-0-0. Revised site plan for 57 Longwood Road. Ms. Fink distributed plans for review. The Commission will do a site visit. The High School sent an engineering report to Ms. Fink. Ms. Fink will send a letter to them. The Commission is concerned because work is not complete and the permits will expire this winter. Mr. Hecht thinks there should be more interaction between Conservation, CPDC, and ZBA. 8 Walkers Brook Drive, Salem Five Bank submitted foundation as-built plans that conform with the approved site plans. Conservation Commission, November 5, 2008 Parker Middle School - Ms. Fink will inspect and work with DPW on stream bank stabilization. Bare Meadow Conservation Area - The Commission would like the bare soils around the viewing platform to be mulched with salt marsh hay for the winter. 306 Main Street - A final Chapter 21 E report has been issued for the hazardous waste cleanup. 4