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Home My WebLink About2014-09-08 CONCOM-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, September 8, 2014 6:30 P.M. Parker Room, Town Offices Building 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Chair Joyce Miller opened the meeting at 6:31 pm in the Parker Room of the Town Offices Building. Commissioners Present: Joyce Miller, Phil Hamilton, Dick Wolk and Alexandra Dohan Commissioners Absent: David Langseth and Duke Bitsko Others Present: Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator and Michelle Morelli, Community Development Department Assistant PENDING MATTERS 6:33 pm Land Use Permit Application: Cycling for Scholarship, 5k and Family Fun Run, Andrea MacDonald Andrea MacDonald was present to discuss the events that would take place in Parker Meadow, Willard’s Woods, Chiesa Farm, and Lower Vine Brook. Ms. MacDonald stated the organization running these events is a network of charter high schools across Massachusetts. The purpose of the 10 mile bike ride and 3.2 mile run would be to gain support and fundraise for the Phoenix Charter. Mr. Hamilton asked how long the event would take place within the Conservation Land. Ms. MacDonald replied the 10 mile bike ride would take no more than 1 hour. Ms. Miller voiced concerns about a significant amount of participants biking through the Conservation Land. Ms. MacDonald mentioned capping the number of participants and possibly only conducting the 3.2 mile run. Ms. Miller commented on the impact on the Conservation Land and mentioned that fundraising typically is not allowed on conservation land. Mr. Wolk stated public activity in the Conservation Land would diminish during the event. The Commission disapproved of the events as proposed, 4-0 in favor. The applicant will attend a future meeting with a revised proposal. 6:44 pm Land Use Permit Application: Autumn Fire, Saint Paul Evangelical Church Sean Cooper, Pastor at Saint Paul Evangelical Church, proposed a small fire at Willard’s Woods with no more than 20 people for the Royal Rangers. The event would be open to the public. Mr. Cooper explained the fire would be for 1 hour with marshmallows and hot dogs and the group will clean up any trash found at Willard’s Woods as well as their own. Ms. Mullins stated that notification needs to be given to the Fire Department on the morning of the event. Motion made and seconded to approve the land use permit application for the autumn fire at Willard’s Woods on September 28, 2014 at 7:00 p.m., 4-0 in favor. 6:48 pm Greenway Corridor Committee: ACROSS Lexington, Routes C & D Mike Tabaczynski and Eileen Entin were both present for this proposal. Mr. Tabaczynski proposed Routes C & D for the ACROSS Lexington project. Mr. Hamilton asked if new trails would be created or existing trails used. Mr. Tabaczynski replied ACROSS Lexington is using additional signage to mark what is existing. Frank Sandy commented on the ACROSS Lexington program and voiced concerns regarding the proposal for Route D. Mr. Sandy stated Route D does not do justice for Whipple Hill and would like to see the route redesigned to include the good points of Whipple Hill. Mr. Tabaczynski explained the purpose of ACROSS Lexington which is to connect specific areas of Lexington. Laurel Carpenter voiced support for these two routes. 7:02 pm Land Management Plan Update - Mass Audubon Jeff Collins, Mass Audubon and Amber Carr were both present to discuss the land management plan for Lexington Conservation Land. Mr. Collins explained the proposal for principles and policies for management of the Lexington Conservation Land. The proposal includes a description of the general character and landscape context on the conservation land, goals for the use and management of the land, permitted and prohibited uses, best practices and strategies to address primary land management issues, and prevention and remediation of human impacts. Ms. Dohan commented on the conservation land that connects to other towns and a possibility of co-management. Mr. Tabaczynski asked for a few weeks to review the proposal and offer his comments. Ms. Mullins asked the goals of the Commission. The Commission suggested conducting a site visit. Ms Mullins explained the next steps and the review period for comments from the Commission. Mr. Wolk would like to see a degree of magnitude of activities. The Commission will follow-up with comments in two weeks. 7:28 pm Hearing – 103 Woburn Street, NOI DEP# 201-950, BL 908 Applicant: Lexington Development Group, LLC Construct a garage addition, re-construct a covered porch, re-align an existing driveway, and construct a wooden deck within the 100-foot buffer zone and 200- foot Riverfront Area Present for Applicant: Rich Kirby, LEC Environmental Consultants and Steve Cavallo, Lexington Development Group Mr. Kirby presented the plan to construct a garage addition with living space above and a deck to the dwelling at 103 Woburn Street. Mr. Kirby gave a description of the area, explaining the Bordering Vegetated Wetlands and an intermittent stream running along the northern part of the property boundary. The entire house is within the 50-foot buffer zone and a portion within the 25- foot buffer zone. Mr. Kirby stated about 90 sq. ft. of the addition is within the 50-foot buffer zone and approximately 880 sq. ft. will be restored. The deck will have 6” of gravel underneath, sonotube footings and no roof. Comments from the Commission as follows: Mr. Wolk asked if a description was submitted for the homeowner to conduct maintenance on the trench drain. Ms. Mullins questioned if any landscaping activities were being proposed such as a walkway. Mr. Cavallo stated no plans have been created yet. Mr. Wolk commented on the stairs coming off of the back deck. The plan will be revised to show the stairs coming off of the back deck. The Commission will close and issue the hearing pending an engineering report from the Town Engineer at the next meeting on September 22, 2014. Pam and Timothy Pardoe of 107 Woburn Street voiced concerns of grading and a large addition looking over onto their property. Ms. Pardoe commented on flooding in the area that occurred a few years ago. Motion made and seconded to continue the hearing to September 22, 2014 at 7:00 pm at the request of the applicant, 4-0 in favor. 7:49 pm Cont. Hearing – 46 Ledgelawn Avenue, NOI DEP# 201-946, BL 904 Applicant: Zhiqiang Han & Jing Wang Raze and rebuild a single-family dwelling and associate utilities and infrastructure works within the 200-foot Riverfront Area Present for the Applicant: Azu Etoniru, E.T. Engineering Enterprises, Inc., and Jing Wang, Homeowner/Applicant Mr. Etoniru submitted and explained revised plans for raze and rebuild of a th single-family dwelling. Mr. Etoniru conducted test pits on September 5 at 46 Ledgelawn Avenue. Comments from the Commission as follows: Ms. Mullins asked if the plans submitted address the building commissioner’s concerns regarding the size of the dwelling and overhangs extending beyond the setbacks of the property. Mr. Etoniru referred to Sheet 2 with the overhangs noted on the plan. Ms. Mullins commented foundation drains are required unless an engineer signs off that they are not required. Mr. Etoniru will be able to signoff that a foundation drain is not required. Albert Childress asked for an explanation of the elevation near the test pit. Motion made and seconded to close the hearing, 4-0 in favor. 8:01 pm Motion made and seconded to issue a certificate of compliance for 9 Vine Brook Road, DEP# 201-890, BL 849, 4-0 in favor. Motion made and seconded to issue a partial certificate of compliance for 219 Lincoln Street, BL 861, 4-0 in favor. The Commission postponed approving the minutes from July 31, 2014, August 18, 2014, and August 25, 2014. 8:08 pm Reports: Bike Advisory, Community Preservation Committee, Land Steward Directors, Housing Partnership, Tree Committee, Land Management, Land Acquisition, etc. Ms. Mullins reported that the Commission approved a fieldstone marker for demarcating the property boundary at 9 Brigham Road. The Commission stated that boulders cannot replace concrete boundary markers because the marker needs to be driven into the ground. Granite markers are an alternative option. Ms. Mullins updated the Commission on the need to review dog regulations in Conservation Land. Ms. Mullins mentioned the posting of the ranger position for 9 hours a week. 8:13 pm FY16 Budget Discussion The Commission discussed budget topics; goals for meadow mowing and prioritizing parcels, addressing meadow reclamation, community gardens (Mr. McCaron, Mr. Wolk, and Mr. Hamilton will conduct a site visit to community garden areas), Lower Vine Brook sidewalk to be repaired by DPW, signage money for regulation postings, more dog signs, and pick-up of a trailer for the maintenance truck to pull for all tools/equipment. Motion made and seconded to allow the proceeds of the Joyce Miller trust endowment to be dedicated to Joyce Miller’s Meadow, 4-0 in favor. 8:26 pm Motion made and seconded to issue an Order of Conditions for 46 Ledgelawn Avenue, DEP# 201-946, BL 904, 4-0 in favor. 8:30 pm Motion made and seconded to adjourn the meeting, 4-0 in favor. Respectfully submitted, Michelle Morelli Community Development Department Assistant