HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-21 Conservation Commission MinutesMinutes of the Reading Conservation Commission - June 21, 2000
Minutes of the Conservation Commission -
Town of Reading
Selectmen's Meeting Room - m"
Wednesday, June 21, 2000 - 7:00 pm
Present: Nancy Eaton, Chair, William Finch, Vincent Falcione and Patricia Lloyd,
Commissioners; Leo Kenney, Consultant and Conservation Administrator Karen Mullins
Mark Gillis, Vice Chair (8:30 PM to 9:50 PM).
Absent: Harold Hulse, Consultant
7:00 PM - Violation - 637 Haverhill Street. Commission discussed revegetation at this
location. Owner planted three trees. Regrowth good on south side but still sparse on the
north side where all the wood chips were not removed. Administrator recommended
reviewing in September. Mr. Kenney agreed. Revegetation was placed on agenda for
September 13 and if satisfactory regrowth has not occurred, additional plantings may be
needed.
7:10 PM - Plan Change - DEP 270-322, RGB 1999-24 - 379 Haverhill Street, Lot 3
(Timothy's. Place). Kevin Cuniff from Barrett Homes was present and requested a
change from the approved plans by adding a deck at the rear of the house and a garage
- under. Eaton inquired about the size of the deck as the letter says it is 102'. He said it
should be 10 feet. Deck will encroach into the 10' no-build zone. Mr. Cuniff
emphasized that the deck will not have a roof. Eaton asked about the grading for the
right-of-way. Administrator said the Commission approved the plan - "no grade
changes" was not in written into order, only "free and passable". Eaton asked who would
be responsible for the detention basin on Lot 3. Mr. Cuniff said it should be Zanni. She
suggested he straighten the issue out before the lot is transferred. Eaton also inquired
what the plans were for the remainder of the lot. Mr. Cuniff said the potential owner is
aware of the right of way and has no problem with it.
Commission discussed the 10' no-build zone and disturbance of the 25' Zone of Natural
Vegetation entering and exiting the deck as well as future need for equipment to circulate
around the structure. The Chair read the regulations that allow a waiver for existing
conditions only. It was also noted that the house would be cantilevered over one foot.
Vincent Falcione moved and Will Finch seconded a motion that the Commission find the
proposed plan change is a significant change. Vote: 4-0-0.
7:30 PM - Public Meeting - RGB 2000-26,15 Lucy Drive, Proposed 32' x 24'
addition to east of existing house. Sue Berman, owner, was present. She submitted
interior plans and one plot plan for the file. Eaton asked about the bump out in the back
and thought house was not going to be extended to the rear. Mrs. Berman suggested the
description talks about bump outs. Discussed garage coming off the side and whether
additional driveway paving would be needed. Mrs. Berman thought she submitted
enough information but asked us to clarify what else we needed and she would submit it.
Minutes of the Reading Conservation Commission - June 21, 2000 2
Mr. Finch said it was a permittable project but that we need accurate plans. Mr. Louis
Richey, 28 Briarwood Avenue, the abutter to the rear, wanted to know what the project
was. After looking at the plan, he said he was okay with it. Motion was made and
seconded to continue the Public Meeting to July 12, 2000 at 7:15 pin at the request of the
applicant in order to submit accurate plans. Vote: 4-0-0.
Plan Change DEP 270-295, RGB 1997-26 - Lot 7, Sunset Rock Lane. Commission
discussed plan change and addition of deck. Eaton reviewed the order and said Lot 7 had
no restrictions on additional structures. Discussed Conservation Restriction and its
status. Administrator stated we need new documents from all the new owners as
Presidential has transferred the property. Motion was made and seconded that the
Commission find the proposed plan change insignificant. Vote: 4-0-0.
Sunset Rock Lane - Subdivision Status - Administrator and Commission reviewed
remainder of subdivision and outstanding items: building on Lots 4 and 5, fix grades in
detention basin, submit as-built plans, hydroseed the slope; monitoring plan for the
replication area. Additional red maples were planted. Commission discussed bounds and
correctly reestablishing the Conservation Restriction Area. Signs need to be attached to
the bounds. Mr. DeGennaro said he would work on the conservation restrictions and
installing the signs, talk with Libby Wallis about the report, move the silt fence at the
stone bounds, plant a tree and produce the as-built plans for partial certificates of
compliance. Mr. Kenney noted there is a gap in the stone wall on Lot 6 and ATVs are
entering the Town Forest from this location and tearing up the wetlands. He
recommended the stone wall be reestablished. Commission said they did not want to
entertain any Partial Certificates of Compliance until the Conservation Restrictions are
done.
8:30 PM - Public Meeting - RGB 2000-27 - 232 Salem Street - proposed grading
and resurfacing of driveway with 1/4-inch stone. Charles and Linda Voner, owners,
were present. Commission read information submitted tonight. Eaton asked about the
proposed pitch of the driveway, as it is adjacent to a certified vernal pool. Administrator
said there would be no pitch added but removing the bumps and laying the stone.
Owners agreed to stabilize the area after the work is done. In response to Mr. Falcione,
owners stated the material will be all crushed stone. Vincent Falcione moved and motion
was seconded to close the Public Meeting. Vote: 5-0-0. Vincent Falcione moved and
the motion was seconded that the Commission issue a Negative Determination with the
following conditions: erosion controls along the wetlands and to stabilize any exposed
earth areas. Vote: 5-0-0.
8:45 PM - Extension of Order of Conditions, DEP 270-298, RGB 1998-01- 80 New
Crossing Road. Fraen still intends to go ahead the plans. Conservation Restriction is in
final form to be signed by the owner. Eaton asked about the demolition of the sheds
across the stream. Hayes representative said he thought the sheds were part of this order.
First order may have expired without Certificate of Compliance. Mark Gillis moved and
Will Finch seconded a motion to approve an extension of the Order of Conditions from
March 6, 2000 to March 6, 2001. Vote: 5-0-0.
Minutes of the Reading Conservation Commission - June 21, 2000 3
8:50 PM - DEP 270-329, RGB 1999-42 - Harvest Road, Lot 198, Proposed
Construction of Single Family House. Richard Williams from Hayes Engineering on
behalf of the applicant requested another continuance and that the applicant has only
recently authorized them to do additional work, i.e., soils. Mr. Falcione asked how many
times the hearing has been continued. It was first heard on January 5 and 19 and then
received periodic continuances until tonight. Commission discussed soils and trees that
were present in the field but not shown on the plan. The Chair outlined the options: not
continue and deny for lack of information; continue to 7/12/00; continue to a date
uncertain and require renotification to abutters and legal notice. Paul McDonald, 39 Line
Road, asked if there was still a dispute about whether it was one or two lots? The Chair
said because of the Riverfront Regulations that was an issue for Conservation but the
Zoning Board of Appeals is the committee that ordered the merging of the lots.
After discussion, Mark Gillis moved and Will Finch seconded a motion to continue the
hearing to a date uncertain, that the applicant must do new legal notice and abutter
notification and resubmit all evidence when a new hearing is opened because of change
in quorum of Commission membership due to resignations and new appointments.
Vote: 5-0-0.
Mr. Williams asked what the Commission wanted for information. The Chair said
additional copies of the original submission for new members and any new information.
She noted when the hearing was reopened, all information will need to be resubmitted.
9:25 PM - Reappointments and Appointments to Conservation Commission. The
Commission discussed vacancies and reviewed volunteer forms. Will Finch moved and
Pat Lloyd seconded a motion that the Commission recommend to the Board of Selectmen
that Nancy Eaton be reappointed. Vote: 4-0-1, Eaton abstaining. Will Finch moved that
the Commission recommend to the Board of Selectmen that Mark Gillis be reappointed.
Vote: 4-0-1, Gillis abstaining. Will Finch moved that the Commission recommend to
the Board of Selectmen that Paul White and Doug Greene be appointed to fill the other
vacancies on the Conservation Commission and that if either of those candidates is not
available, to appoint Steven McCoy. Vote: 5-0-0. The Administrator was asked to
submit these recommendations to the Town Manager for the Board of Selectmen's
appointment hearing.
Comprehensive Permit - 443 Grove Street. The Zoning Board of Appeals has asked
for input from Boards on this project. The project is not jurisdictional for conservation.
Administrator was directed to communicate with ZBA with the following information:
Estimated Habitat Map; increase of road traffic on Grove Street would significantly
impact rare and endangered species migration across the roadway to various wetlands;
and the amount of the proposed impervious area in the aquifer protection district; and
restriction of no sodium chloride (rock salt) to be used.
9:50 PM - Minor Projects -13 Harvest Road - add standard condition about filter on
11 ool, whatever type requires the least amount of water usage, and filled by tanker truck
Minutes of the Reading Conservation Commission - June 21, 2000 4
from outside the watershed. Vincent Falcione moved and Will Finch seconded a motion
to approve the Administrator's Sign-Off as amended. Vote: 4-0-0.
6 D Street - above-ground pool. Add same conditions as above. Will Finch moved and
Vincent Falcione seconded a motion to approve the Administrator's Sign-Off as
amended. Vote: 4-0-0.
Miscellaneous: The Administrator asked for EIR comments on the Addison Wesley
project. There will be a public workshop on June 26, 2000 at CPDC.
North Cedar Swamp. The Chair updated the Commission on Mr. Warren Jackson's
periodic request to reclaim this property taken by eminent domain in the 1970s. Pat
Lloyd moved and Vincent Falcione seconded a motion that the Commission send a notice
to Mr. Jackson that the Commission does not wish to discuss transferring the land. Vote:
4-0-0.
225 South Street - Administrator updated the Commission regarding the fine.
Eaton, Finch, Kenney and Honetschlager did a site visit for the Open Space inventory and
noted there is dumping in Higgins Conservation Area along the Aber ona at the rear of
houses on Woodland. Asked Administrator to send informational letters to abutters.
Adjournment. There being no further business to come before the Commission, Patricia
Lloyd and Vincent Falcione seconded a motion to adjourn at 10:10 PM. Vote: 4-0-0.
---Respectfully submitted,
Nand L. E o , Chair, from notes of the Administrator