Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-05-07 CONCOM-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES Tuesday, May 7, 2013 7:30 P.M. Parker Room, Town Office Building 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Chair Joyce Miller opened the meeting at 7:36 pm in the Parker Room of the Town Office Building. Commissioners Present: Joyce Miller, David Langseth (arrived at 7:41), Stew Kennedy, Phil Hamilton, Dick Wolk, and Jane Warren Commissioners Absent: Duke Bitsko Others Present: Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator and Michelle Tassi, Community Development Department Assistant 7:36 pm Land Management Hearing – Cotton Farm Orchard Maintenance Permission to expend the Lexington Nature Trust Funds Present for the Applicant: Bob Hausslein for the Conservation Stewards Bob Hausslein, Cotton Farm steward, requested land management activities at Cotton Farm in accordance with recommendations from expert, Mark Richardson. Approximately 112 apple trees are in the orchard and about 30% of them (about 34) will be removed because of poor health. The soil of other trees will be removed at the base, the grass will be removed and replaced with aged woodchips, and then pruning of the trees will occur. Comments from the Commission as follows: Ms. Miller asked if the stewards were amending the current land management plan to incorporate the apple orchard recommendations. Mr. Hausslein replied yes. Mr. Hamilton asked if help would be hired or people would volunteer. Mr. Hausslein stated that the stewards and volunteers would participate in this project. Ms. Warren asked how long it takes to remove the soil away from the base of the tree. Mr. Hausslein replied that the first one took him half an hour, but it could vary from tree to tree. Motion made and seconded to close the hearing and approve the recommendations as part of the land management plan, 6-0 in favor. Motion made and seconded to expend up to $700 from the Lexington Nature Trust for apple orchard activities at Cotton Farm, 6-0 in favor. 7:42 pm Cont. Meeting – RDA, 4 Sherburne Road DET# 13-07 Construction of an addition, expansion of the footing drain system, and installation of an overflow drain line connected to the Town drainage system Documentation: RDA Application 3/20/13, Drainage Calculations and Proposed System Plan 4/22/13, Revised Drainage Calculations and Drainage System Plan 5/2/13 Present for the Applicant: Steve Poole, Lakeview Engineering Associates Mr. Poole stated that details were added to the plan for the drywell and trench inspection covers for access maintenance activities. Comments from the Commission as follows: Ms. Miller read the engineering report. Mr. Langseth commented that the screw cap for the inspection covers is acceptable. Motion made and seconded to issue a negative determination with conditions, 6-0 in favor. 7:46 pm Meeting – RDA, 12 Tufts Road DET# 13-09 Connection to the municipal drainage system Documentation: RDA Application, Drainage Calculations, and Site Plan 4/17/13 Present for the Applicant: Bob Griffin, Griffin Engineering Group and Thomas and Marth Sevigny, Applicants Mr. Griffin proposed connection to the municipal drainage system. The sump pump infiltration bed is surcharging at the surface and running out to Tufts Road. The vent pipe was installed in the revised plan. Comments from the Commission as follows: Mr. Langseth read the engineering report. Mr. Kennedy inquired about previous conditions and current conditions. Mr. Wolk commented that this project explored water issues up front and he is okay with the proposal. He stated that in the future, he will look closely at new houses to ensure these issues have been explored at the beginning of the project. Ms. Mullins asked for an explanation on the right and left infiltration systems. Mr. Griffin replied that the right infiltration system is for the sump pump and roof runoff, while the left infiltration system is for the foundation drain. Tina Hoffman of 16 Tufts Road supports this proposal because she is experiencing flooding in front of her home due to the building of the new home on 12 Tufts Road. Ms. Hoffman had an engineer review this project on her behalf who recommended that a catch basin be incorporated and the size of the infiltration system should be increased. Mr. Langseth asked if the Hoffman’s engineer reviewed the current plan with the drain connection. Motion made and seconded to issue a negative determination with conditions, 6-0 in favor. 8:07 pm Hearing – NOI, 183 Waltham Street DEP# 201-897, BL 856 Construction of an addition within the 100-foot Buffer Zone Documentation: NOI Application and Plan 4/17/13 Present for the Applicant: Scott Smyers, Oxbow Associates, Zoltan Juhasz, Uniterra Consulting, Peter Daus Haberle, Architect and Stephen Monks, Applicant Peter Daus Haberle requested a postponement until Scott Smyers appears. Motion made and seconded to delay the hearing for 183 Waltham Street until Scott Smyers arrives, 6-0 in favor. 8:55 pm Motion made and seconded to re-open the hearing for 183 Waltham Street, 6-0 in favor. Mr. Smyers proposed the construction of an addition. He explained the proposed and the existing conditions on the plan. Mr. Smyers stated that nothing is within the 25’ or 50’ Buffer Zone. The infiltration system is partly under the driveway and backyard. Two trees are to be removed. Comments from the Commission as follows: Mr. Langseth read the engineering report. Mr. Langseth asked how the wetland line was delineated because Scott Smyers was not present at the site visit. He pointed out that the sub-base on the pervious paver detail was misspelled and asked if 4” was wide enough for the inspection port. Mr. Juhasz replied that usually it is 4-6” wide, but it could be changed to 6” wide for this project. Mr. Juhasz responded to the engineering comments by reporting that the current house does not have a sump pump. Steve Monks of 183 Waltham Street commented that three trees are flagged to be removed. Motion made and seconded to close the hearing, 6-0 in favor. PENDING MATTERS 8:09 pm Approval for plan modification and tree removal planting plan for 22 Hamilton Road, DEP# 201-866, BL 824 Fred Cialdea was present for this discussion. Mr. Cialdea described the removal of one tree on the property, the subsurface infiltration system being slightly shifted causing it to be under the driveway and not the front yard, and the turn around in the driveway was removed. Ms. Warren stated that the list of plantings was general and not specific. Mr. Langseth asked why the infiltration system was moved. Mr. Cialdea explained that the water line came through the front yard. Mr. Kennedy asked who approved the tree removal. Mr. Cialdea replied that the tree warden approved the removal of the tree. Mr. Langseth stated that the infiltration system and no driveway turn around works, but the applicant should have come back to the Conservation Commission for approval. The Commission and Mr. Cialdea discussed Fred Russell telling the builder it was okay to proceed as long as it meets the building code. Bob Heingartner and Amy Newmark of 53 Ledgelawn Avenue voiced their concerns about the caring of the Sugar Maple tree. Motion made and seconded to approve the plan modification and tree removal planting plan for 22 Hamilton Road, 6-0 in favor. Motion made and seconded to issue a Certificate of Compliance: 22 Hamilton Road, DEP# 201-866, BL 824, 6-0 in favor. 8:28 pm Plan deviation discussion and compliance for 65 Munroe Road, DEP# 201-823, BL 781 James Diagostino from Westchester Homes was present for this discussion. Mr. Diagostino outlined the concern raised at the site visit regarding the slope behind and to the left of the patio. The Commission stated that they are concerned by the lack of detail. The applicant needs to show the clouded area on the plan and show the detail on the plan by a registered landscape architect and submit it to Ms. Mullins for review. 8:44 pm Land Management Permit Application, Poor Farm, Lisbeth Bornhofft Motion made and seconded to approve the use of Poor Farm on June 9, 2013 by Lisbeth Bornhofft from 12:00-2:00 p.m., 6-0 in favor. 8:53pm Motion made and seconded to issue an Order of Conditions: 9 Vine Brook Road, DEP# 201-890, BL 849, 5-1 in favor. Mr. Wolk voted against the project at 9 Vine Brook Road with the rationale that the new house is only 18’ from the rear property boundary and the soils were difficult to analyze due to altered and filled conditions. The Commission did not approve the wetland boundary under this filing. Motion made and seconded to issue an Order of Conditions: 12 Luongo Farm Lane, DEP# 201-896, BL 855, 6-0 in favor. Motion made and seconded to issue a Certificate of Compliance: 145 Grove Street, DEP# 201-754, BL 712, 6-0 in favor. 9:10 pm Reports: Bike Advisory, Community Preservation Committee, Land Steward Directors, Housing Partnership, Tree Committee, Land Management, Land Acquisition, etc. The Commission discussed the Wright Farm licensing for this year. Mr. Hamilton stated that he is in favor of the plan. The license is for one year while working on the land management plan. Mr. Langseth asked how the farming will restrict the public access. The Commission discussed the need for a newspaper article about giving permission to garden/farm for one year in exchange for continued maintenance. Mr. Wolk suggested that temporary signage should be put up with Wright Farm Conservation Land in the upper meadow. Mr. Wolk recommended that the fence rails should be removed up towards Volunteer Way to provide public access. Mr. Kennedy asked about chemical use and if it was allowed. Mr. Hamilton suggested letting the farmers know about the plan to open the upper meadow which would preclude using the meadow for the horses. The Commission scheduled site visits on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. for Whipple Hill. The other site visits for 10 Winston Road, 5 Malt Lane, 36 Sanderson Road, and 990 Waltham Street will be on a weeknight via results of a doodle poll. The Commission stated that the minutes from April 23, 2013 need to be put on st the May 21 agenda for approval. 9:27 pm Motion made and seconded to adjourn the meeting, 6-0 in favor. Respectfully submitted, Michelle Tassi Community Development Department Assistant