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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-02-02 Conservation Commission MinutesREADING CONSERVATION COMMISSION - Minutes of Wednesday, February 2, 2000 Town Hall Selectmen's Meeting Room Present: Chair, Nancy Eaton, Members Bethann Matathia, William Finch, Ronald Tanner, and Mark Gillis (7:40 pm); Consultant Harold Hulse, and Conservation Administrator Karen DeFrancesco Notified Absent: Vincent Falcione and Consultant Leo Kenney Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes of December 15, 1999 as amended. Vote: 4-0. 7:15 PM. Carriage Estates II, Lot 19, Zachary Lane. Present: Vincent Fantasia, William Bergeron, Hayes Engineering. The Chair asked the reasons why the as-built was different than what had been approved. Mr. Fantasia stated he was unaware that the changes he made would affect the wetlands. He said he assumed as long as he didn't touch the wetlands he could do what he wanted and he apologized for not coming back to the Commission. The Chair reminded him the Order of Conditions stated no changes could be made without the approval of the Commission. There now exist unapproved retaining walls, a propane tank and additional impervious surfaces above the allowed amount. She asked how applicant proposed to remedy those violations. Mr. Bergeron apologized for waiting until tonight to submit information but Mr. Fantasia was sick and he was unable to review Hayes' proposals with him. Bergeron recommended installation of Cultec chambers in the flower beds. He stated he had calculated roof discharge for the infiltrators. Mr. Finch inquired about where utility trenches were located. Administrator said she is satisfied with the replacement plantings except for survivability, which needs to be monitored. With respect to the propane tank, administrator recommended spill control. Mr. Fantasia will supply information about the tank. Mr. Bergeron maintained the wall was not a retaining wall but a riprap. Administrator requested contractor's construction details. Mr. Bergeron inquired what could be done to expedite resolution of the issues. Chair stated over a year ago representatives of Mr. Fantasia appeared at the time of the violation and the Commission informed them that the Commission would not be signing off on a Certificate of Compliance until all the conditions were met. She requested calculations of work to be done and requiring the applicant to bond for those items. 7:51 PM. 150 West Street Proposed Addition and Open Deck. Applicant Peter Casolaro presented his project, which is necessary in order for his disabled mother-in-law to move in with them. Administrator said there is a piped drainage culvert at the rear of the yard r -that opens on the abutting property. Closest point to proposed construction is 50 feet. - - Homeowner at 120 Howard Street said there were water issues in the neighborhood and Reading Conservation Commission Minutes of 2/2/00 Page 2 expressed concern that the construction would make it worse. Stated flooding problems began when four lots were added on Howard Street. The Chair recommended called ` DPW with water problems and if not successfully dealt with, the Town Manager and Selectmen. A petition could be circulated in the neighborhood for support. Attempts can be made to improve drainage but if the water problems are due to high ground water, it is a seasonal problem and harder to address. Mark Gillis MOVED and William Finch seconded motion to issues a Negative Determination with the following conditions: Erosion controls, removal of an excess material off site, stabilize any disturbed earth and stilling basin for dewatering if necessary. Vote: 5-0. 8:11 PM. 1312 Main Street, RGB 2000-02, Proposed Tree Removal. The Chair entered the Site Visit report of January 30, 2000. Commission hung pink flags on trees they approved to be cut and also approved the saplings from that point northerly towards the structure except the pine tree. The discussion centered on the red maple within the wetlands. Mr. Polonski stated the sump pump discharge is from groundwater and not due to interior cleaning and did not contain animal wastes. Chair recommended he amend the RDA to include removal of the direct discharge to the Bordering Vegetative Wetlands. Mr. Polonski stated saplings had a low risk and the trees a high hazard risk. He stated trees showed rot at base and higher up and were bending over. He stated he was recommending the minimal amount of remove. He suggested the red maple will resprout. He would like to save the trees but is concerned about safety. Administrator stated she could not approve removal because it was in the BVW. Suggested he could remove the leader towards the house and retain the remainder of the tree. Commission delegated authority to the Administrator to approve as a minor project removal of the ash if it needed to come down in the future. Chair inquired whether all the trees were on the subject property and not on adjacent property that is Chapter 61 land. Mr. Polonski stated he does no agree with topping trees and that new growth is less health and breaks off more easily. After further discussion about the trees, a MOTION was made and seconded to close the Public Meeting. Vote: 5-0. Mr. Gillis MOVED, seconded by Mr. Finch, that the Commission issue a Negative Determination and allow applicant to remove the trees with pink flagging and saplings to the north, that the damaged leader on the red maple be removed and that the remainder of the tree to remain, to save the pine tree if possible, that the work be done by a certified arborist, to notify the administrator when the work was to be done, that any wood from the cutting be placed within and to the rear of the inside fence and to move the discharge pipe out of the wetlands to the rear yard. Vote: 5-0. 8:50 PM Continued Public Hearing, DEP 270-xxx, RGB 1999-41,1090-1100 Main Street. Mark Gillis MOVED and motion was seconded to continue the hearing until 9:30 PM on February 16, 2000 at the request of the applicant. Vote: 5-0. Reading Conservation Commission Minutes of 2/2/00 Page 3 Administrator related the discussion she had had with Mr. Goddard and his Attorney Mark Favaloro. Commission directed the Administrator to proceed with criminal complaints if the fines are not paid. 9:00 PM Continued Public Hearing, Lot 198, Harvest Road. MOTION was made and.seconded to continue the Hearing to February 16, 2000 at 9:00 PM at the request of the applicant with no further notice to abutters. Vote: 5-0. 9:15 PM Meadowbrook Golf Club. The Administrator reported that she and the Chair met with Keith Johnson of Haley & Aldrich, the consultant, and reviewed the issues. They agreed to file a Notice of Intent. The Commission should consider finding a Positive Determination at the 9:30 Public Meeting this evening. Old/New Business. The Commission will staff a table at the Health Fair. The theme of water was suggested. Administrator will discuss with Town Planner the possibility of the Pitman Bike Path becoming an Americorps Service Project. 9:30 PM Meadowbrook Golf Club, 292 Grove Street. The Public Meeting was not opened. The applicant was not present. Abutters were present. The Chair gave an update as to how the project was brought before the Commission. A leaking underground storage tank has already been removed. This project will be to remove contaminated soil and to do further testing. Eaton and DeFrancesco met with the consultant Keith Johnson of Haley & Aldrich on February 1 and reviewed the issues and all parties agreed that the work would require a Notice of Intent, which will be filed hopefully by February 16. Only one copy of the reports have been submitted but additional copies have been requested. James Wilson of Kieran Road inquired where the monitoring wells were going. The administrator said the were installed to monitor any migration of contamination and were in the area on the left side of Grove Street. The Chair described the remedial action process. The applicant a year ago submitted a plan to DEP, which requested modifications. The Commission does not oppose the cleanup but wants to make sure it is done right and include local oversight. Motion was made to close the Public Meeting for RGB 2000-03, 292 Grove Street for proposed Immediate Response Action activities. Motion was seconded. Vote: 5-0-0. Motion was made by Mark Gillis and seconded by Will Finch to issue a Positive Determination. Vote: 5-0-0. 10:00 PM Public Hearing - DEP#270-xxx, RGB #2000-04,101 Willow Street, Austin Prep. School. Present for the applicant were O. Bradley Latham, Esquire, Paul Maran, Headmaster, Augustus Niewenhous, Rich Albano from Sanford Ecological, Andy Bramhall, PLS, Steve Reisland, PE and Tony Pimental. They explained the proposed project for construction of an 18,500 square foot combined gymnasium and arts center to - " t the south of the existing building within existing lawn area. The mouth of the driveway Reading Conservation Commission Minutes of 2/2/00 Page 4 will need to be widened and there will be additional parking. They submitted this evening the delineation fee and letter and addressed the issues raised at the Commission's Site Visit. To control runoff there is 125' linear feet of 900 cubic foot storage capacity which will be directed to a double catch basin to underground detention basin. A manhole at the outlet of the detention basin will restrict flow. There will be an 80' long water quality swale with a 10' wide level spreader. Drainage will discharge to the BVW, isolated, a vernal pool with no known outlet. They will be replacing the two known catchbasins at the entrance to the driveway. Catchbasins are currently connected by a 12" pipe and an outlet to both the north and south wetlands. The outlet to the north was no found. Existing catchbasins have no sumps and new structures will have 4' sumps. The elevations for the catchbasins are set and thus they cannot move the swale completely outside the Zone of Natural Vegetation (ZNV). They would like to put the swale in afterwards. Flows would be .8 cfs, .4 cfs and 1.5 cfs reductions. Roof runoff will be infiltrated. They are proposing a painted metal roof. Mr. Albano delineated the wetlands using DEP Policy based on vegetation, soils and hydrology in 1998. Additional BVW was delineated in December of 1999 in the area of the Certified Vernal Pool, (See attachment C.) using water stained leaves, watermarks on trees and the NHESP plan attached to the certification. The ZNV will be honored except downgradient of the water quality swale. That area is dominated by brambles and goldenrod. Work will be conducted so no mature trees will be disturbed during construction of the swale. Based on the Site Visit discussion Mr. Albano moved the BVW line at the vernal pool upslope and added flags 17, 18, 19 and 20. No new outlets were created to discharge to the vernal pool. The first inch of runoff will be treated instead of .5 inches under the DEP policy. Siltation barrier will be installed prior to work and sediment accumulation will be removed from haybales periodically. They will have minimal use of herbicides and none are proposed in the buffer zones. He discussed cleaning of the catchbasins and applicant stated no sodium chloride will be used in drainage areas. The Administrator reported that test pits had been done to obtain seasonal high groundwater data, however, a percolation test was not done to obtain percolation rates in the proposed infiltration trench area. Infiltrator is sized to hold .5 inch of runoff from roof. BVW line was revised in plan to top of slope. Water quality swale was moved further away. Mrs. Matathia requested that certain lines on Sheet 3 in the Vernal Pool be removed. Applicant was informed an operation and maintenance plan for stormwater management was required for DEP policy. Discussed erosion controls along driveway where widening is taking place. Discussed regarding and resetting of curbing. The Chair asked about outfalls from the catchbasins at the Willow Street entrance. Mr. Reisland explained his position. He noted the BVW was connected before installation of the driveway and catchbasins were installed with that driveway/roadway. The middle ' catchbasin has an outlet directly to the wetlands. Eaton asked what had been done to Reading Conservation Commission Minutes of 2/2/00 Page 5 improve those catchbasins. Mr. Pimental said nothing is being changed. They have diverted some overland flow to the new stormwater area. Commission discussed whether to request removal of tree trunks at edge of vernal pool or leave them as habitat. Mr. Vincent of 35 Plymouth Road inquired as to the height of the building and parking. It will be no higher than 35', the size of a single family house. The chair said parking was not a conservation issue and that could be raised at the CPDC meeting on February 7th at 8 pm. Another resident inquired about the increase in wetlands on the north side of the driveway. Applicant requested a continuance to February 16, 2000 for an opportunity to incorporate any changes requested by CPDC. Eaton and Kenney stated they have seen water overtop Willow Street at the vernal pool to the south of the driveway. Motion was made and seconded to continue the Public Hearing to February 16, 2000 at 8:30 pm at the request of the applicant with no further notice to abutters, to be held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room. Vote: 4-0. Motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 11:30 PM. Vote: 4-0. Respectfully submitted, /I L- Nancy L. Eaton, Chair, from notes of the Administrator.