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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-09 Conservation Commission Minutesv Conservation Conunission, February 9, 2011 MINUTES - ` Reading Conservation Commission Meeting Selectmen's Meeting Room, 7:00 PM Wednesday, February 9, 2011 rZ 12: 22 Present: Bill Hecht, Chairman;.Annika Scanlon; Barbara Stewart; Tina Ohlson; Brian Sullivan; Brian Tucker; Fran Fink, Administrator; Maureen Knight, Recording Secretary. Absent: Jamie Maughan Call to Order, Old/New Business 20 Chequessett Road, Enforcement Order Ms. Fink received two phone calls from the owners since issuing a ticket. The owners said they are unable to supply a planting plan until April 1st when the green house opens. The Commission will send a letter asking for their schedule before the February 23rd meeting and for the planting plan by April 1st , because the Commission wants the planting done by May 31, 2011. Parker Middle School, DEP 270-517, RGB 2007-31 Motion made by Ms. Stewart to issue an Extension Permit to February 22, 2013 in accordance with the Permit Extension Act. Ms. Scanlon seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to send a letter listing work remaining to finish the project. Ms. Stewart seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Mattera Cabin Ms. Fink said the blower door energy efficiency test was interesting and there were multiple drafts at the cabin. She gave out copies of a report on the results and recommendations. She has contacted the vocational teacher supervising the construction to find out if they can correct the drafts. MACC Annual. Conference Ms. Fink said that there were no professional development funds left in the Department budget for registration fees, but the Wetlands Fee Fund could be used for a limited number of attendees. Most of the Fund is reserved to supplement the Administrator salary line from the operating; budget. Two to three members want to attend the conference. Motion made by Mr. Hecht to take three $95 conference fees out of the wetlands fund in order to send three members to the conference. Ms. Stewart seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. March Meeting Dates Motion made by Mr. Hecht to move the March 9th meeting to March 2nd and the March 23rd meeting to March 16th. Ms. Stewart seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. 6 Rice Road, Minor Project Ms. Ohlson recused herself from the meeting. The owners of 6 Rice Road would like to out down three trees and install a shed. Ms. Fink thought two of the three trees were in good condition. Conservation Commission, February 9, 2011 Motion made by Ms. Stewart to approve the removal of two maple trees near the house and to install the shed. Ms. Scanlon seconded. Vote was 5-0-0. Ms. Ohlson returned to the meeting. Reading Memorial High School Ms. Fink inspected the Riverfront restoration area. The trees planted are visible, but the shrubs and herbaceous plants are buried under snow. Cars are parking in the Imagination Station lot, and some are parking off the pavement on the peastone surface of the former playground. Minutes for approval Motion made by Ms. Stewart to approve the minutes of January 19, 2011, as drafted. Ms. Scanlon seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Motion made by Ms. Stewart to approve the minutes of January 26, 2011, as drafted. Mr. Tucker seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Canal Regulations Ms Fink reported that she spoke to Michael Stroman at DEP in Boston. They are not yet ready to present proposed revisions of 310 CMR 10.00 for hearings, but are working on them. They have drafted a revision for the canal section of the Riverfront Area regulations which would exclude canals in historic mill complexes, the Cape Cod Canal, agricultural irrigation canals, and mosquito ditches from having Riverfront Areas. Mill Street Bridge, Beaver Dam The Commission reviewed and revised a draft letter to the Conservation, Health, and DPW offices in Reading and North Reading concerning the beaver dam at the Mill Street bridge. Motion made by Ms. Stewart to send the letter as revised this evening. Ms. Ohlson seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Public Meeting, Request for Determination of Applicability, MassDOT - Highway Division, RGB 2011-1 This meeting was postponed to February 23, 201, at the request of the Applicant. Public Hearing, Notice of Intent, Boston Gas Company d/b/a National Grid, 0 John Street (Lot between 55 and 87 Walkers Brook Drive), RGB 2011-2 Present: David Halliwell from VHB, and Mary Casey from National Grid. Mr. Halliwell presented the project. The site is in active use by National Grid but there is a cinder block building on site that has not been used in fifteen years. It has, however, been used by trespassing skateboarders and other teenagers. National Grid wants to remove the building but keep the slab foundation to use for storage of and work on regulator vaults. Some asbestos materials are present that will require special handling, but there are no other hazardous materials. The building has a bathroom, and is likely to have anon-site septic system or cesspool. They have already spoken with the Health Division about abandoning the system. Ms. Casey said they would install an erosion control barrier between the demolition site and the 2 Conservation Commission, February 9, 2011 stream. The building is located in Riverfront Area, Floodplain, and Buffer Zone along Walkers Brook, a perennial stream. The Commission reviewed the report of their site visit with Mr. Halliwell. Most of the site was covered with snow, but the poor condition of the building was obvious. Portions of the pavement that were visible during the site visit were in poor condition, and some areas of bare soil were visible near the building. A second building is in active use to regulate the pressure of the gas supply. There is a large metal storage unit nearby, and several concrete regulator vaults. Mr. Tucker asked whether the Riverfront and Stormwater Management standards apply to the project. Mr. Halliwell said the property existed and the building was built in the 1950's. They are not proposing any new structures or uses. When they take this building down, the area will still flood as it has always done. Ms. Fink reviewed her memorandum dated February 3, 2011. She also passed around aerial photos taken in 2008 from the Reading GIS system, photos of the site taken during the major flood in March of 2010, and a map from the Reading GIS system showing the approximate boundaries of the Riverfront Area, Buffer Zone, and Floodplain on the site. Part of the building is in the inner Riverfront and the rest is in the outer Riverfront, and it is entirely within the Floodplain. Flood waters covered the entrance road and extended up to the building last March. The aerial photos show that a considerable portion of the site between the building and the train tracks lacks topsoil and vegetation. Gas vaults and other materials are stored randomly. Ms. Fink recommended that the Commission treat the project as redevelopment for both Riverfront and storm water purposes. Both standards require improvements over existing conditions. The site could be improved by restoring unused portions of the Riverfront with topsoil and vegetation, seeding other bare soils to stabilize the soils, properly abandoning the . septic system, and organizing annual operations and maintenance activities to minimize the risk of harmful impacts on the wetlands. The Commission asked for a proposal to restore a portion of the Riverfront and stabilize the soils. They also asked for an operation and maintenance plan, and any information available from the Health Division concerning the septic system and the abandonment process. Final details of the restoration, plan will have to be worked out next spring after the snow melts and everyone can see what areas are the best candidates for planting. Ms. Casey agreed to supply the information requested. Motion made by Ms. Ohlson to continue the hearing to February 23, 2011. Ms. Stewart seconded. Vote was 6-0-0. Hunt Street and Maillett Conservation Area A request was sent to DPW for a plan to control runoff from' the road and to repair the erosion gullies on the Town land. Memorial Park A request was sent to Engineering for a plan to control the water released from the skating ponds so that the unstabilized topsoil does not wash into the stream. Conservation Conunission, February 9, 2011 87 Walkers Brook Drive The Commission reviewed the January 21 E report for the Shell Station. Groundwater samples all came back with levels of contamination below reportable standards. The air quality system has been turned off and the air in the building remains below standards as well. West Street RMLD Pole Yard The Commission reviewed the January 21 E report for the clean-up of contaminated soils. All the samples came back below reportable standards. Wetlands Protection Bylaw and Regulation revisions and FY 12 Budget Mr. Hecht summed up the speech he made before the Board of Selectman on February 8, 2011 to protest the cuts in personnel being made in the Conservation Division by reducing the Conservation Administrator to a half time position. Many others expressed concerns about the proposed staffing cuts in Conservation, Health, Elder and Human Services, and Inspectional Services. The Board of Selectmen voted in favor of all the cuts to personnel in the Community Services Department as, proposed by the Town Manager. The Board of Selectmen thought, however, there should be further discussion regarding the rescinding of the. Wetlands Protection Bylaw and Regulations. They will review the preliminary draft of the Town Meeting warrant during their meeting on February 15, 2010. Mr. Hecht and others will attend to express the concerns of the Commission. Mr. Hecht will prepare another petition to present at the Finance Commission meeting on March 9, 2011 when they will discuss the proposed budget cuts. Adjournment Motion made by Ms. Ohlson to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Stewart seconded. Vote was 6-0-0.