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Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
raised previously. Ms. Fink also reported on the topics discussed. The Commission asked
for copies of the revised materials to be submitted for review by July 7.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to continue the public hearing to July 14, 2004, at
7:45 PM. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Edward T. Moore, Johnson Woods Realty
Corporation, 468 West Street, 6 Kelch Street, and 11 Longwood Road, DEP
270-424, RGB 2004-10
The Chairman opened the hearing. Ted Moore, Bill Bergeron, and Brad Latham were
present.
Bill Bergeron, project engineer, reported that the CPDC asked for 16 additional parking
spaces along the roadways and the site plans had been revised. He said that the additional
impervious cover did not significantly alter the runoff characteristics. The landscaping
plans over the infiltration beds were also changed. CPDC has questioned whether there is
legal access to the Savarino house off Longwood Road and the applicant has asked the
Board of Selectmen to review the matter next week.
The Commission asked questions about the revised plan related to proposed grading,
construction sequence, retaining walls, trees to be saved, and possible alternative layouts.
Brad Latham, attorney, described the historic use of the driveway at the end of Longwood
Road for access to the Peterson and O'Leary houses. The Town took the parcel in which
the driveway is located for tax title long after the driveway was established. The Selectmen
might be able to grant temporary access, but a Town Meeting vote is likely to needed to
establish permanent access rights. He submitted a sketch plan and suggested wording for
the Order of Conditions to address the uncertainty.
The Commission generally agreed that it would be preferable to continue access over the
existing driveway to the new house, given the wetland and forest buffer zone resources
present in the area. They will send a memorandum to the Selectmen for the meeting next
week.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to continue the public hearing to July 14, 2004, at
8:00 PM. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Public Meeting, Request for Determination of Applicability, Damian Dell'Anno,19
Zachary Lane, RGB 2004-23
Mr. Dell'Anno, the applicant, presented a site plan for a proposed addition on the back of
the house. He had recently obtained approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals to
maintain the area of impervious cover on the site. He wants to keep the pavers in their
present configuration. He will plant the area under the addition.
Mr. Finch moved and Mr. Hecht seconded to issue a negative Determination of
Applicabithy with the conditions as amended this evening. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
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Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, William Drachler,107 Walnut Street, RGB 2004-14,
addition to house
The Chairman opened the hearing.
The Commission reviewed a revised planting plan and a draft Order of Conditions. There
were no comments from the public.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to close the public hearing. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to issue the Order of Conditions with the
Findings and Conditions as amended this evening. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Danis. Properties,1 General Avenue, RGB 2004-22
The Chairman opened the hearing. George Danis, Mark Favaloro, Chris Sparages, and Paul
Caggiano were present.
Mr. Sparages, project engineer, presented the site plan. He described the existing structures
and paved areas on the site, existing drainage characteristics, and existing wetland resource
areas. An ORAD was issued recently for the site. He then described the proposed work,
including renovations of the buildings, parking lots, roadways, grading, and drainage
system. The proposed work also includes wetland and floodplain filling and replication.
Questions were raised about the condition of the existing drainage system, soils, and
roofing materials.
Russell Hiltz, 203 Washington Street, asked what kind of retail use was expected. Mr.
Caggiano answered that uses would be similar to present uses, including clothing store,
grocery store, and furniture store. Mr. Hiltz asked about hours of operation. Mr. Caggiano
said they would comply with Town regulations. Mr. Hiltz asked how runoff would be
handled. Mr. Caggiano said the proposed system would provide better controls than the
present condition and would not increase flooding in the area.
Dan Crowley, Bolton Street, asked whether the project would alter Bolton Street or the
brook nearby. Mr. Sparages said the only change might be to plant more vegetation to
improve the visual buffer.
Tony Darazzo, John Street, asked about flood impacts. Mr. Sparages said that the "pocket
wetland" would maintain present elevations down stream. Mr. Darazzo asked whether any
studies had been down of possible contaminants from the landfill. Mr. Sparages said the
site is upstream and would not receive materials from the landfill. Mr. Darazzo asked
whether the soils on site will be checked as the existing pavement is removed for
renovation. Mr. Caggiono said that a 21E study would be done and they would assure that
the site was clean per DEP standards. Mr. Darazzo asked how wide the road to the skate
about the traffic study, and Mr. Sparages said they will use the same consultant who did
Walkers Brook Crossing. Mr. Darazzo asked whether access could be provided from New
Crossing Road.. Mr. Sparages said the site does not abut the road. Mr. Darazzo asked
Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
whether they had approached the owners of land along the roadway. Mr. Caggiona said the
access was not possible.
An abutter from Washington Street asked whether the skate park would be permanent. Mr.
Caggiano said it would be temporary until the high school in renovated.
Mr. Maughan asked whether the bridge to the skate park would be permanent. Mr. Sparages
said yes, that the owner would use the park for a parking lot after the skating equipment had
been removed.
Ms. Fink distributed a memorandum and reviewed some of the questions that it raised. She
noted that the Town Engineer was expected to prepare comments soon.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to continue the public hearing to July 14, 2004, at
8:15 PM. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Mary Grimmer, 311 Haverhill Street, RGB 2004-24
The Chairman opened the hearing. Mary Grimmer was present.
Peter Flink, project engineer, presented the plans to add driveways and parking areas to
the site, replace a broken culvert and improve grading at Symonds Way, and improve the
playgrounds at the nursery school. A roof infiltration system is proposed to offset the
increase in impervious cover.
The Commission asked questions about the wetlands flagging, past uses, the proposed
drainage design, and soils tests.
Carl Stinson, 293 Haverhill, asked whether the front parking lot could be graded to drain
away from his property. Mr. Flink said that it could. He also asked about a sump pump
discharge into his land. Mrs. Grimmer said that it could be moved.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Maughan seconded to continue the public hearing to July 14,
2004, at 8:30 PM.
28 Francis Drive - Response to Enforcement Order.
Steve Aronis, owner was present, along with his attorney, Mr. Daniels, and an engineer,
Mr. Miller. Several abutters were present.
Mr. Aronis showed a videotape of water flowing in the back yard and the yard at 34
Francis Drive during storms on April 5 and April 14. Mr. Finch noted that the video. did
not record conditions at 34 Francis on April 5.
Mr. Daniels reviewed historical records dating to 1976 when the subdivision was
constructed and a swale was established behind the houses on this side of the road. He
to judge what caused resent flooding. He said the upstream owners had altered their lots
as well as Mr. Aronis. He questioned the Commission's authority in the matter and
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Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
asserted that the Commission had not shown an impact on the receiving wetland. He
submitted a letter stating their position.
Dom LaCava, 38 Francis Drive, asserted that the fence and stones placed at 428 Francis
recently had blocked the flow of water in the Swale, causing flooding at #34 and #38 to
unprecedented levels. He has lived there for 28 years. He asserted that the water level
dropped between April 5 and April 14 because. he had placed three pumps in the flooded
areas and run them for a week. He acknowledged that there was a high area at #34, but
again said the water had never risen so high until the fence and stone were placed across.
the swale. He submitted photos from last summer and from this April.
Doug Miller, engineer, also submitted a letter. He said the swale does slope down across
the yard at #28. He submitted a weather report of the April storm, showing that an
unusually large amount of rain fell.
Mr. Maughan asked what the elevation is of the surface of the stone placed in the Aronis
swale last summer. Mr. Miller said the high water mark at the boundary with #26 was
about a foot deep and that he estimates the water was 6 inches deep at the fence.
Mr. Hecht asked what happens when a grass swale is covered with peastone - what
happens to the velocity of flow? Mr. Miller said this could be determined with
Manning's equation, based on the underlying slope of the earth. Mr. Hecht asserted that
the peastone would slow the velocity of the flow and effectively raise the elevation of the
swale.
Mr. Aronis said that he had had difficulty growing grass. Mr. Daniels said they might be
willing to remove the stone, but that the other property owners should also have to make
corrections. Mr. Hecht acknowledged that there was a high spot at #34. Mr. LaCava said
that flooding levels in his yard were tolerable until now, but the fence and stone caused
deeper flooding and damaged his retaining wall and tools in his shed.
Ms. Fink reviewed a site visit report, as-built plan, and letter from last August and
December when the Commission closed the file for the swimming pool and swale at #28.
She noted that the peastone was not present when the Commission closed the file and that
the Commission had not been asked to approve its placement on the site. She agreed that
the stone appeared to be reducing the flow.
Discussion continued in a similar vein. Mr. Daniels proposed the submittal of a revised
site plan to include a solution to the problem. The Commission asked that the plan be
submitted within 7 days, to provide time to review it on July 14.
Mr. Maughan moved and Mr. Hecht seconded to extend the deadline for the Enforcement
Order to July 15, 2004. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Camp Curtis Guild, Environmental Notification Form _
The Commission asked Ms. Fink to attend the MEPA site visit on June 24 and submit
written comments.
Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
11 Norman Road - Notice of Violation
Ms. Fink reported that the owner of the lot, Jim Brady, had called after receiving the
violation notice. There has been no work on the site to correct the problems.
Lot 45, Longfellow Road, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-415, RGB 2003-52
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Maughan seconded to enter Executive Session. Mr. Hecht,
Mr. Maughan, Mr. Finch, and Mr. Greene voted aye.
7 Harvest Road, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-372, RGB 2002-17
The Commission reviewed a report on the vegetation and request for Certificate of
Compliance. They reported that the site was inspected and appeared to be in good
condition. The Certificate of Compliance and bond release will be placed on theJuly 14
agenda.
New Elementary School, Sunset Rock Lane, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-341, RGB
2000-38
The Commission reviewed a site plan revision for a retaining wall at the Roma Lane
entrance.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Maughan seconded to accept the plan, provided that weepholes
were installed and grading blended with adjacent land. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
422 Grove Street, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-406, RGB 2003-33
The Commission received a request for Certificate of Occupancy. During the site
inspection, the driveway and stone trench were installed and the house was near
completion except for the deck and gutters. The owners should remove the hay bales but
retain the silt fence until final planting is approved and installed.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to authorize the Administrator to sign off on the
request for Occupancy. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
Adams Way, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-333, RGB 2000-8
The Commission did not receive any response to the Enforcement Order or other
communications.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to send a final letter before taking the bond.
Vote: 4-0 in favor.
32 Lucy Drive
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Maughan seconded to approve the Minor Project permit for an
above-ground swimming pool. Vote: 4-0 in favor.
80 New Crossing, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-285, RGB 1996-9
Ms. Fink reported a phone call from the owner.
3 Zachary Lane, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-411, RGB 2003-41
Ms. Fink distributed copies of a letter sent recently concerning the proposed planting
plan.
Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
Pinevale Conservation Area
The Commission thanked Mr. Maughan and his volunteers for cleaning up the Park
Avenue entrance.
8 Morgan Park
Ms. Fink has a site visit scheduled next week with the owner to discuss the sump pump
discharge.
The meeting adjourned.
Minutes, Reading Conservation Commission, June 23, 2004
Minutes, Executive Session, Reading Conservation Commission
June 23, 2004
Selectmen's Meeting Room, Reading Town Hall
Lot 45 Longfellow Road, Order of Conditions, DEP 270-415, RGB 2003-52 .
The Commission reviewed a request from DEP for additional information under the State
appeal. The Commission reviewed the Complaint filed by the applicant in Superior
Court under Reading General Bylaws, Section 5.7. The Commission reviewed and
approved a draft Answer by Town Counsel to the Complaint.
Mr. Hecht moved and Mr. Finch seconded to leave Executive Session. Mr. Hecht, Mr.
Maughan, Mr. Finch, and Mr. Greene voted aye. The Commission returned to regular
session.
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