Minutes of the Southwick Conservation Commission
June 16, 2008
7:00 PM –Chairman Chris Pratt called the meeting to order. Seated were Seth Kellogg, Vice Chair; Richard Solek; Mehmet Mizanoglu and David Stansbury . Dennis Clark was also seated.
Review of Mail
• Subpoena for 192 Berkshire records
• From PVPC Congamond Lakes, FY08 319 Grant Application
• DPW Notice regarding collection of used motor oils, oil filters and antifreeze
• Great Brook Well No @ Well House Project ( application for collection permit)
• Selectmen accepted donation of mulch from Crestview Construction $400.00
• Notice to add Stanton Brown to list of farmers to be contacted during Lake treatment
• Minutes – Board of Appeals, Historical Commission, Park & Rec, Water Commission, Selectmen.
D Clark Report:
• Whalley Park. Mr. Clark advised the concept plan for this Park will arrive later this week. Mr. Whalley intends to donate the 70+ acres to the Town for Ball Parks and Nature Trails. The land is located between the MotoX track and Great Brook. Mr. Whalley will pay for the design of the Park. The parcel also connects to Woodland Ridge Open Space. Park & Rec will try for a self-help grant and then CPC will be asked for funding also. The funding will be needed to pave and install lighting. There will be a meeting with the MotoX folks to work out the details of public parking during the races. Mowing will need to be provided for. The Rec center is expected to take care of the mowing. Parking fees will be used to
off-set operating costs.
• Rail Trail – Mr. Solek and Mr. Clark checked on the progress. Most of the trees are cleared. Most of the silt fences are up. There is a lot of ATV activity going on – especially ATV’s now that the bikeway is opened up. Mr. Solek reported that regular 4-wheel drive trucks are using the bikeway. Unfortunately with the stumps still there some are losing their transmissions. ATV’s are knocking down some flags so they have been off-set for now.
• Lake Treatment – Mr. Clark advised the invoice is in for the Lake treatment.
Reimbursements -
• J Cass for office supplies not available as a catalog item - $17.97 for display materials. R Solek made a motion to approve $17.96 for office supplies. 2nd= M Mizanoglu All in Favor Motion Carried. The form was signed.
• J Cass for two shrubs @ 155 Mort Vining @ 50% off. The shrubs will be placed at Jim Miles Memorial Rock. D Stansbury made a motion to approve this reimbursement. 2nd = M Mizanoglu All in Favor Motion Carried. The Commissioners signed the form.
• Mr. Clark advised the SCC that J Cass travels to 155 MV on a daily basis to inspect the property for inappropriate changes and acts in the capacity of a caretaker. It is hoped that the high costs of gasoline do not have to be donated also. Chris Pratt recommended approving this expenditure through the summer. Mr. Clark advised the SCC that mileage reimbursement is not available through the regular fund for in-town travel. The alternative is to take the Town Car but that is not 4-wheel drive. S Kellogg made a motion to approve this expenditure through Sept. 30, 2008. 2nd R Solek All in Favor Motion Carried
Use of town owned ATV’s – Mr. Solek informed the SCC how difficult it is to move tools and equipment for work in various areas of the 155 MV Open Space Property. Presently there is a need to fill the enlarging hole in the culvert at a Bradley Brook crossing. However most times a vehicle can not reach the area and it is a long distance to carry two bags of cement. He would like to explore the option to borrow one of the ATV’s from the Police Department on an as needed basis. A letter to the Chief was recommended.
7:23 PM RDA for P Attardo for 54 Berkshire Rd. To replace concrete patio 45-feet from Lake. Hearing Notice was read by the Chair. Mr. Attardo and the contractor, Aaron LaBarre appeared before the Commission to present the plan to replace the patio. Mr LaBarre described how he would dig up the existing patio by hand and put the extra fill in a truck and dispose of it properly. Then the form and frame for the new patio will be installed by hand; rebar installed; pour the concrete in a wheel barrow from a mixer truck in the road. Finish work will be done by hand tools. Hay bales and silt fence is shown on the plan. The distance to the Lake was explained. David Stansbury made a motion to find “Negative” 2nd= M Mizanoglu All in Favor
Motion Carried. The Commissioners signed the Determination.
7:32 PM RDA T Simonds for 14 Shore Rd. To construct an addition to an existing house and associated landscape improvements within the 100-foot buffer to the Lake. Hearing Notice was read by the Chair. Mr. Simonds and the wetland representative for the project, C M Maronn from the firm of DL Bean appeared to present the plan. He explained work is to construct a 30’ x 30’ addition to the existing dwelling. The addition will contain a 2-car garage with a second story living area and a 10’ x 16’ deck. Dry well locations are shown on the plan. The existing retaining walls are approximately 30 years old and will be replaced in the same location with new timber retaining walls. A stone retaining wall under the existing sun room is in disrepair and will be
replaced by a timer retaining wall. The upper existing timber retaining wall will be replaced in the same location by a poured concrete wall to provide integrity and stability for the proposed addition’s slab foundation. Trees that are damaged or in the footprint of the proposed addition/grading will be replaced with native trees and shrub plantings subject to Conservation Commission approval. Old decking and stairs will be replaced as a safety measure. The only work within a resource area, the 100-year floodplain, will be the removal and direct replacement of the lower retaining wall, one on either side of the replacement stairs. The removal of the last six steps and railing placed the structural components farther away from the edge of the Lake. The old wood dock will be removed and replaced with a new removable aluminum dock. Prior to construction a double row of entrenched armored silt fence will be staked as shown on plan. David Stansbury inquired about machinery required in the work area by the Lake. David Stansbury made a motion to find “Negative” under state law and “Positive” under Southwick Law with an Order of Conditions being issued under Southwick Law. 2nd= R Solek All in Favor Motion Carried. The Commissioners signed the Determination.
7:57 PM – Continued NOI for Williamsburg Estates DEP File # 292-0274- The wetland representatives for this project from the firm of DL Bean Inc. , C M Maronn and David L Bean appeared before the Commission and began to respond to the letter sent to them from the SCC dated June 9, 2008 regarding eleven concerns the SCC still has. (Attachment A)
Mr. Maronn reviewed the revised plan (REV. April 10, 2008 Sheet 1 of 3) for the project. Mr. Clark inquired about the travel rate of the stormwater from one basin to the other. Mr. Bean responded it depends on the storm.
Mr. Solek asked Mr. Bean if it is correct that he works for Mr. DePalma. He said he did. R Solek responded than who works for us. Mr. Bean pause “well we are professionals. Mr. Bean showed where in the NOI that was submitted in December the Operation and Maintenance plan is located. Mr. Clark stated he wanted a stand-alone copy of the Operations and Maintenance plan for the Board of Health and DPW.
Mr. Bean stated they did more than 140 perc tests. They know how the abutting lots perced. Mr. Bean read from the Storm Drainage Analysis & Design Volume 2 of 2. Mr. Clark advised Mr. Bean that the presentation is outside the expertise of the SCC and that the SCC is requesting peer review that specifically reviews Wetland and Conservation issues.
Mr. Pratt reminded Mr. Bean that the SCC has repeatedly requested the sum of $10,000.00 to be deposited with the Town Treasurer to cover the costs of a peer review. The Commission received the three bids and forwarded them to his office. The Commission is prepared to deny the project for failure to receive the requested funds as permitted under Massachusetts Wetland Law. Mr. Bean presented a check for $10,000.00 payable to the Town of Southwick.
9:35 PM Commissioner Stansbury made a motion to adjourn until the next regularly scheduled meeting. 2nd= R Solek All in Favor Motion Carried.
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