Conservation Commission, May 4, 2016
HOLDEN CONSERVATION COMMISSION
1130 MAIN STREET
May 4, 2016
Members Present: Anthony Costello, Kenneth Strom, Matt Kennedy, Luke Boucher, Mike Scott
Members Absent: Mike Krikonis, Robert Lowell
Others Present: Pam Harding, Conservation Agent, Liz Fotos, Recording Secretary
Others on Sign In: Andrew Baum, Summit Eng & Survey; Keith Coffey, 74 Wyoming Drive, Marc Smith, 70 Wyoming Drive; David Brunelle, Rick and Candy Graham, Harrington; Isabel McCauley, DPW, Holden; Cle Blair, Stoney Brook; Julie Pluto, Need LLC; John Finley, Finley Eng.; Scott Sundin, B.A. Sundin & Son, Inc; David Clarke, B.A .Sundin & Son, Inc, Julian Votruba, New England Environmental Design
M. Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:02PM; he stated that there was a quorum for all matters on the agenda.
TOWN OF HOLDEN- Mt. View Middle School- Repair of Level Spreader
P. Harding stated that she had included the approved plans in the packet for the Commissions information and that J. Woodsmall, DPW Director had reviewed the revisions and made comments and submitted the revised plan. She stated that they had revised the drainage calculations.
M. Kennedy asked if the Commission had any question; no members of the Commission had further question or comments.
NOTICE OF INTENT-WYOMING DRIVE- DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT TOWN OF HOLDEN- Department of Public Works
Isabel McCauley, Senior Civil Engineer, DPW was present at the meeting.
P. Harding read the Public Hearing Notice into the record.
I McCauley stated that the Town was replacing 550FT of 30” drainage pipe on Wyoming Drive. She stated that the pipe was about 60 years old and the bottom was basically gone. She stated that there had been a number of sink holes in the area in driveways and front yards. I McCauley stated that the Town was proposing to upgrade the headwalls to the inlet and outlet. She said that they were going to replace the catch basin with a 4ft deep catch basin and replace the manholes as well.
I McCauley stated that they were going to move the location of the pipe and discharge behind house 108 to the wetlands area. She stated they were going to keep the water pipe in the roadway and then go to the discharge point. I McCauley stated that DPW was proposing to add a catch basin on the side to catch additional flow. She stated that it was a steep area with not a lot of drainage uphill. She stated it was a simple project and they were just putting pipe on the roadway under the right of way the same size.
M. Kennedy asked if there were any erosion issues.
I McCauley replied not on the inlet or outlet; she stated the problem area is where the test pit was. She stated they will test pit the other areas as well and they were going to leave the old pipe cap and fill. She said they were basically upgrading the existing system.
M. Kennedy stated that there was a perennial stream; he asked what the plans were for diverting that during construction.
I McCauley replied they would use a coffer dam. She stated they will build the manholes first and then tie in pipe outlets so it can start draining out. She stated after that they will come up and build the structure and it will be a coffer dam until it can be tied into the inlet.
M. Kennedy asked if they would pump around it. I McCauley replied they would when they do the connection.
M. Kennedy asked when the work would be done. I. McCauley replied that they were hoping to do the work in August.
L. Boucher asked about a drainage easement from house numbers 104 to 108. I. McCauley replied that they don’t have anything on record buy since the subdivision was built there is a prescriptive easement and that was what they were working on.
M. Kennedy asked if the Commission had any additional questions or comments; no members of the Commission spoke.
M. Kennedy asked if the public had any questions or concerns.
Keith Coffey, 74 Wyoming Drive was present at the meeting. He said that he had spoken to a neighbor that lived in 84; and that he has drainage under his home for a stream that was going to be preserved and connected. He said that there is a pipe under the pipe that goes to the stream.
I McCauley replied that she believed it would be reconnected.
Marc Smith, 70 Wyoming Drive was present at the meeting. He asked what the timeframe of the project would be.
I McCauley replied that it should be an eight week project.
K. Coffey, 74 Wyoming Drive asked if the street would be passable during construction.
I McCauley replied that it would be.
No additional public comments were made.
Motion by K. Strom, seconded by M. Scott, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NOTICE OF INTENT-WYOMING DRIVE-DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS TOWN OF HOLDEN- DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Motion by K. Strom, seconded by M. Scott, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ISSUE THE STANDARD ORDER OF CONDITIONS PLUS A CONDITION TO INDICATE THAT THE WORK MUST BE COMPLETED IN LOW FLOW CONDITITIONS FOR THE NOTICE OF INTENT-WYOMING DRIVE-DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS TOWN OF HOLDEN/ DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION-TOWN OF HOLDEN- Drainage Improvements to the Intersection of Princeton Street and Elmwood Road
Isabel McCauley, Senior Civil Engineer, DPW was present at the meeting. She stated that at the intersection of Princeton and Elmwood there was no drainage structures, just country drainage. She stated that it puddles a lot and on the corner water springs out. She stated this work would be done by the highway department and that it would be 340FT of perforated pipe that would be surrounded with crushed stone and filter fabric and tie into the catch basin to prevent it from coming into the drainage area.
I McCauley stated there would be three catch basins and they would tie into the manhole and tie that into an existing pipe that is day lighted to the side of the roadway. She stated that right now it gets untreated flow that goes to the reservoir. She said that they had spoken to Worcester and they wanted to add a treatment unit to the line before the discharge. She stated if they provide it to the Town before the completion of the project they will put it in; otherwise it may be added at a later date.
M. Kennedy asked if they were able to make that angle work.
I McCauley replied that the Commission was just looking at a sketch; DPW has taken some elevations and measurements and it will work. She stated they were going to improve the drainage and preserve the pavement. She stated it will get paved during construction season as well.
M. Kennedy asked if she was filing or just asking the Commission’s permission.
I McCauley replied that she wanted to know what the Commission would like to see for working being done by the Highway Department.
M. Kennedy asked if it was a new outlet. I. McCauley replied it was an existing one.
K. Strom asked if they were going to increase the flow. I. McCauley replied that right now it is sheet flowing into the reservoir.
M. Kennedy stated that it was not really maintenance and that he thought they would need an RDA.
M. Scott asked if there was any increase in pavement. I. McCauley replied there was not.
K. Strom asked about the low points. I. McCauley replied that they would grade it so it goes towards the catch basins. She stated that they were proposing doing paving on Princeton Street as well.
K. Strom asked if there were curbs or berms. I. McCauley replied there would not be either they will grade the road. She stated that the corner was the low point and it puddles and in icy conditions in the winter it is bad. I. McCauley asked the Commission if an RDA was needed.
M. Kennedy confirmed it.
ORDER OF CONDITIONS-Review of Drainage- Stoney Brook Estates
Julian Votruba and Cle Blair were present for the applicant.
J. Votruba stated that they had come up with hopefully the final design on this matter; he stated this plan was submitted to Graves Engineering for review last Friday.
J. Votruba stated that the biggest thing they had done was split the flow and added a low flow outlet to one side of the detention pond. He stated it was controlled through elevation and it was being reviewed. J. Votruba stated that one of the biggest concerns that they has was speed that the water comes down the hill at. He stated that they had designed a level spreader and the calculations showed that it would slow the water down but the concern was that after a few years, the design that was proposed may shift.
J. Votruba stated that based on that concern they did something different; they used a precast structure laden in stone that will be constructed in a way that the water will come down through the pipe and fill up the concrete structure. He stated the structure was 36FT long. J. Votruba stated that they were hopeful that this will be the final solution for the issues after Graves Engineering reviewed it.
M. Kennedy asked where the water went from the structure. J. Votruba replied the water would go over the level spreader into the wetlands where it originally went.
M. Kennedy replied that it probably did not used to go there.
C. Blair stated that originally the water sheet flowed to a specific area. He stated that they changed that and when it flows down it was trying to get back to the area that it originally drained to.
M. Kenney stated that it was creating its own new channel; he asked if they had followed the path to see where it was concentrating.
J. Votruba stated that there was a spot that Graves Engineering felt as though there was a natural swale and that the whole site drained to two areas.
M. Kennedy asked if the whole area J. Votruba was showing them was the property owners. J. Votruba confirmed the area and stated that it was.
P. Harding stated that there was a channel carving out and that the wetlands system was changing a bit.
K. Strom asked what the discharge was. J. Votruba replied it was 12” pipe and 8” pipe.
L. Boucher asked what the end was. J. Votruba replied it was a source hole so the water can come out and a rip rap pit to help slow the water down even more.
M. Kennedy asked if they were constructing the whole thing. J. Votruba replied that Wachusett Precast was constructing it.
P. Harding asked about the concrete box. J. Votruba stated that it was 2.5FT deep and that it was on a crushed stone base so that after the storm it will drain.
M. Kennedy asked if it was going to sit on the surface. J. Votruba replied it would be below the frost line.
M. Kennedy stated that a little pitch would make it go to one side.
P. Harding stated that Graves Engineering originally suggested obtaining an easement and having it discharge though a pipe at the top of the hill.
L. Boucher asked C. Blair about the easement; he stated that in a letter C. Blair stated he was unable to obtain it.
C. Blair stated that they have somewhat of a deal with him. He stated that the neighbor wants 20 extra feet in his backyard and that will take 100’s of trucks of fill. He stated that cost wise it was not really feasible. He stated that in addition to this neighbor he also spoke with K. Prachniak and asked if they (the developer) could put a pipe on his property. C. Blair stated that originally Mr. Prachniak said that they could do that and then they said that they would not be interested. He stated that this proposal was something they felt should work within somewhat of a cost basis.
L. Boucher asked if they were to connect did they look at flows because they were essentially going to a different design point.
P. Harding replied that it was the same spot just at a flatter point. She said that it was not being discharged to a pond, there was a wetland system abutting the pond.
M. Kennedy asked P. Harding if they were waiting for Mike Andrade’s, Graves Engineering, comments. P. Harding confirmed they were and he said he needed another week for review.
M. Kennedy asked if the Commission had any additional comments; no Commission members spoke.
M. Kennedy asked if the public had any question or concerns; no members of the public stepped forward.
M. Kennedy stated that the Commission would await peer review.
NOTICE OF INTENT- Greenwood Estates- Jackson Woods Investments, LLC Union Street-Assessing Map and Parcels 132-95, 132-80 and 148-47
P. Harding stated that they do not want to open the hearing because the Commission was missing members and they were going to start to have quorum issues.
C. Blair stated that they were not ready and they were going to ask for a continuance.
REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY 48 Birchwood Drive- Construction of an addition- Nathaniel Markoff and Tracy Nartowt
J. Finlay, Finlay Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. He stated that they were proposing a 12 x 14.5 addition. He stated that there is an existing porch in that location now. He told the Commission that Scott Jordan, Eco Tech flagged the wetlands and there is an intermittent stream which is shown in blue on the plans. He stated that they were proposing to construct the addition in place of the existing porch and 85FT from the wetlands. He stated they would be using hay bales and silt fences during construction in addition to a construction entrance so the front yard is not disturbed.
J. Finlay stated that they had filed a request for determination because of the location and they were requesting a negative determination if the Commission found that suitable.
M. Kennedy asked if it was sloping back to the road.
J. Finlay replied it was and that the house protects the construction area from flowing into the wetlands.
Motion by K. Strom, seconded by L. Boucher, THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION ISSUED A NEGATIVE DETERMIATION FOR 48 BIRCHWOOD DRIVE/ CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION BASED ON THE PLAN THAT IS FILED.
NOTICE OF INTENT- Lot 7, 1055 Princeton Street and Lot 8, 1051 Princeton Street- Construction of Single Family Homes-David Brunelle
P. Harding read the Public Hearing Notice into record.
Andrew Baum, Summit Engineering was present on behalf of David Brunelle.
Lot 7:
A. Baum stated that the location of the site was on an existing hay field off Princeton Street. He stated that the north was the protected area and the wetlands were flagged. He stated that essentially the work was construction of a single family home located midway on the lot and then grading and construction of a septic system. A. Baum stated there would be access off Princeton Street with driveway with grading and then access to the garage area and four bedroom house. He stated the septic would be outside the 100FT buffer zone. A. Baum stated that silt fences and hay bales would be used as well.
P. Harding stated that she had gone out to look at the property today (May 4, 2016). She said that she had a difficult time getting her bearings with no wetland flags. She stated she also had questions regarding two culverts that were installed and a driveway crossing.
A Baum stated that was how they gained access across the back portion of the property.
P. Harding stated that the Town had never permitted that land crossing or culvert. She stated that it looked fairly new and she is not sure who did it but the Town never permitted it.
P. Harding stated additionally there were not markers for the boundary or for the wetlands.
M. Kennedy stated that they would need to reestablish the wetland flags and review them. He asked who originally flagged them. A. Baum replied Julian Votruba, New England Environmental Design.
P. Harding stated she was unable to check them because they were not there.
M. Kennedy asked if the Commission had any other question.
P. Harding asked if they had sent information to DEP. A. Baum replied he did.
P. Harding asked about the history of the culvert.
D. Brunelle, stated that when they bought it in 2013 here was a test pit up there.
P. Harding asked if they put the culvert in at the crossing. D. Brunelle replied they did.
P. Harding stated that it was significant.
D. Brunelle stated that they had used it as a hay field. P. Harding stated that it was not being used as a hay field. She stated that there were other access points that could be used.
M. Scott asked if it was protected land. D. Brunelle replied that it was.
Lot 8:
A Baum stated that this lot was adjacent to the south of the first lot. He stated they were proposing a smaller house with three bedrooms and everything compacted towards Princeton due to the wetlands. He stated that all grading proposed fill is for the septic. A. Baum showed the Commission the buffer zone and stated they had proposed a septic. A. Baum stated that the work area was encapsulated in the 25FT offset zone and they can’t move it any further.
M. Kennedy stated that they would want demarcation. A. Baum asked if boulders would work.
M. Kennedy replied big boulders or something permanent.
K. Strom asked about the wetlands. P. Harding replied it was the same thing as lot. 7.
M. Kennedy stated that they needed to reestablish the wetlands.
D. Brunelle stated that the crossing had always been there.
M. Kennedy stated that D. Brunelle should be prepared to address that.
P. Harding stated that they would need a filing on it.
M. Kennedy asked if there was wetland fill involved. P. Harding replied there was a lot.
M. Kennedy asked if they filled additional wetlands to do it.
D. Brunelle stated they had done so with professional advice.
P. Harding asked for the lot boundary to be marked as well.
M. Kennedy asked if D. Brunelle could get the information regarding the professional advice and the culvert. D. Brunelle replied that he could get the information from his attorney.
M. Kennedy replied that he would probably need that.
K. Strom asked when the flags could be refreshed. A. Baum replied by next week.
M. Kennedy stated that the Notice of Intent would be continued to the June 1, 2016 Conservation Commission Meeting. The Commission reviewed their schedules to ensure that there would not be a quorum issue.
REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE- 21 Cranbrook Drive- Scott Yonker and William Condon- Construction of In-Ground Swimming Pool
P. Harding stated that they had an order of conditions for construction of a home and an in ground pool and were requesting a certificate of compliance.
Motion by L. Boucher, seconded by K. Strom, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR 21 CRANBROOK DRIVE, SCOTT YONKER AND WILLIAM CONDON- CONSTRUCTION OF IN GROUND SWIMMING POOL.
REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE- The Seasons at Salisbury DEP File #183-316
J. Finlay was present at the meeting. He stated that the work had been substantially completed at the Seasons at Salisbury and they were requesting a Certificate of
Compliance.
J. Finlay submitted a copy of the as built to P. Harding
M. Kennedy asked P. Harding if there were any issues. P. Harding replied none that she knew of but that she would like DPW to look at it.
M. Kennedy told the applicant that DPW was going to look at it so it would be on the Conservation Commission again next month (June).
P. Harding asked where she should send the Certificate of Compliance if the Commission releases it. They replied to their office.
REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY Providence and Worcester Right of Way- Vegetation Management
P. Harding asked if the Commission wanted an RDA to clear some of the right of ways.
M. Kennedy asked if they were going to spray too. P. Harding replied they were.
M. Kennedy asked what they were using. P. Harding replied that the letter did not say.
M. Kennedy asked for a more detailed letter to see what they were doing.
REQUEST FOR CERTIFICTE OF COMPLIANCE- Wagner Meadows Subdivision –Casa Builders- DEP File #183-386
P. Harding stated that she was waiting on information for this.
OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN-LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND- HOLBROOK PROPERTY
P. Harding stated that the Town was trying to obtain property off Salisbury Street as Conservation Land. She stated that they needed to put it on as a Warrant Article for Town Meeting because Town needed to allocate funds that they would be reimbursed for in order to purchase the land.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion by A. Costello, seconded by K. Strom, it was VOTED TO APPROVE THE MARCH 2, 2016 CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES AS CORRECTED BY A VOTE OF 4-0-1 (M. Kennedy: abstain).
Motion by M. Scott, seconded by L. Boucher, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE MAY 4, 2016 CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING AT 8:03PM.
The May 4, 2016 minutes were approved on June 1, 2016
APPROVED: _____ _________