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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-15-CONCOM-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, May 1 2017 6:30 P.M. Hudson Room, Cary Hall 1605 Massachusetts Ave Chair Philip Hamilton opened the meeting at 6:32pm in the Parker Room Commissioners Present: Phil Hamilton, Alex Dohan, Kevin Beuttell, Duke Bitsko, Dick Wolk Others present: Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator and Casey Hagerty, Conservation Department Assistant 6:32pm Review Restrictive Covenant for 435-439 Lincoln Street to determine compliance with Order of Conditions requiring a Conservation Restriction This will be discussed at the next meeting. Approve insignificant plan changes at 24 Constitution Road, DEP 201-1052, BL 1009 Ms. Mullins explained that the applicant wishes to remove one additional tree on the property. Motion to approve the plan change made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mrs. Dohan. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 6:38pm Issue Certificates of Compliance: 8 Lake Street, DEP 201-1009, BL 966 Rob Burge, Lexington Development Group, explained that their engineer has submitted a mounding analysis to the Engineering Department to demonstrate that two feet of separation in the infiltration system is not required in this situation. Ms. Mullins explained that the engineering department has approved of the analysis. Motion to authorize Ms. Mullins to sign off on the Certificate of Occupancy made by Mrs. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. Issue Certificates of Compliance: 6 Blueberry Lane, DEP 201-999, BL 956 Ms. Mullins explained that they only outstanding condition with this site was the regrading of the area around a protected tree. She stated she is just waiting for an updated as-built plan. The commission decided they would issue the Certificate, but hold it until the as-built is provided. Motion to issue the Certificate of Compliance made by Mr. Beuttell and seconded by Mrs. Dohan. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 6:42pm Issue Order of Conditions: DEP 201-1043, BL 1000, 98 East Street Motion to issue the Order of Conditions made by Mr. Beuttell and seconded by Mrs. Dohan. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 6:45pm Cotting School, Concord Ave (M. 11. P. 33) Enforcement Update Ms. Mullins explained that since the last meeting, the Cotting School has gone to DRT and has filed an ANRAD. 6:46pm Approve minutes: 5/1/2017 This will be discussed at the next meeting. 6:47pm Schedule Site Visits for the 5/30/17 meeting Site visits were scheduled for Saturday 5/27/17 at 9:30am. 6:49pm Reports Ms. Mullins reported that the dirt piles have been removed from Wright Farm and the excavated areas will be back filled with clean fill sometime in the next week 6:50pm Steep Slope Performance Standards Regulation Discussion Mr. Hamilton explained that the Commission is going to slightly adjust the way in which this policy will be implemented. Rather than prohibit certain activities in a certain area, the burden must be put on the applicant to prove that the proposed activity has no adverse effect on the site. 7:02pm NEW MEETINGS/HEARINGS DET 17-7 RDA, Lincoln Street Fields Owner: Town of Lexington Applicant: Friends of Lincoln Field Lights Project: Installation of 4 light poles Tom Shipple- Friends of Lincoln Street Field, Ron St. Michael- Project Engineer Mr. St. Michael explained that the site in question is a former landfill that was capped in the 1960s. It is now used as a playing field. They are proposing to add four light poles to one of the existing fields so that they hours of play can be extended on that field. The work would involve excavation of 12”x12” areas for the poles and some smaller excavation for the utilities. The work within the buffer would be minor and temporary; an existing path would be used for access. The path would be restored following construction. Questions and comments from the Commission: The commission asked for details regarding the timeline of construction. Mr. Shipple explained that work is expected to begin over the summer. The commission asked for details regarding how the pilings will be installed. Mr. St. Michael explained that they will be driven in directly and any excavated material will be filled back in. The commission asked for clarification regarding the foot candle analysis. The commission explained that the study is showing some illumination in the wetlands. Mr. Shipple explained that only .1 is shown in the wetlands area, which is a very minor amount. Some commissioners expressed concern that the light in the wetlands may have an effect on the wildlife in that area. Motion to issue a Negative Determination with Conditions made by Mrs. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 4-1 in favor with Mr. Bitsko voting against. 7:20pm DET 17-8 RDA, 3 Philbrook Terrace Owner/applicant: Sherman Chan Project: Deck expansion Sherman Chan- homeowner Mr. Chan explained that he is proposing to rebuild his deck in the exact location with the exception of the stairs which will be rebuilt on the side of the deck further from the wetlands and be slightly expanded by 14 sq. ft. Motion to issue a Negative Determination with Conditions made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 7:25pm DET 17-9 RDA, 19 Baskin Road Owner/applicant: Nick Yang Project: Home addition KT Huang- architect, Homeowner- Nick Yang Mr. Huang explained that the applicant has had the wetlands delineated and they are proposing to keep their addition outside of the 100ft. buffer. They are proposing to tear down the existing covered porch in that area and replace it with an enclosed addition. Erosion controls are proposed along the limit of work line. The commission asked what the increase in impervious surface would be. Mr. Huang stated that it would be approximately 120 sq. ft. The commission explained that because that is above their threshold of 100 sq. ft. of impervious area, drainage is required for the addition. Motion to continue the hearing to 5/30/17 at the applicant’s request made by Mr. Beuttell and seconded by Mr. Wolk. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 7:40pm DET 17-10 RDA, 27-31 Mass Ave Owner/applicant: Mass Ave Realty Trust Project: Site improvements including paving expansion and retaining walls Ron Thompson- owner and Daniel Carr- Stamski and McNary Mr. Thompson explained that they are having some trouble with cars entering the car wash and lining up on the street. They are proposing to extend the parking lot area slightly so that there is a larger turn around area for the cars. Mr. Thompson explained that he has gone through a long permitting process including the MBTA and Zoning Board. The new parking area and retaining wall will not be any closer to wetlands than the existing wall and area. The existing stormwater system will be adequate to handle the additional impervious area. Mr. Hamilton entered the engineering report into the record. Questions and comments from the commission: The commission asked if the plan they were provided with was a planting plan or site plan. Mr. Carr explained that it is the site plan with plantings shown on the plan. Motion to continue the hearing to 5/30/17 at the applicant’s request made by Mrs. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 8:06pm DET 17-11 RDA, 191 Spring Street Owner/applicant: 191 Spring Street Trust Project: Site improvements including loading dock relocation and patio addition Rick DiAngelis and Erik Mo- Boston Properties and Nick Scoly- VHB Mr. DiAngelis explained that Boston Properties is planning to renovate an existing office building. There will be limited work on the exterior of the building including a new patio area and the relocation of a loading dock. He explained that the existing detention basin would be able to handle the additional impervious area. Mr. Hamilton entered the engineering report into the record. Questions and comments from the Commission: The commission asked for clarification regarding the wetlands line on this property. The commission requested that the filter fabric be removed from the bottom of the infiltration system. The commission requested that test pits be done to identify the soils in that area. Motion to continue the hearing to 5/30/2017 at the applicant’s request made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 8:19pm DEP 201-1057, BL 1014 NOI, Old Mill Road Owner: North Shore Residential Development and City of Cambridge Applicant: North Shore Residential Development Project: Improve an existing trail Motion to continue this meeting to 5/30/2017 at the applicant’s request made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Bitsko. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 8:20pm DEP 201-1058, BL 1015 NOI, 167,173,177 Cedar Street Owner: Peter and Susan Staeker Applicant: 167,173,177 Cedar Street LLC Project: Activities associated with a subdivision roadway construction Ben Finnegan- Finnegan Development, Mike Novak- Meridian Associates Mr. Novak explained that they are proposing a traditional ten lot subdivision on the 10.9 acre site. He reminded that commission that they issued an ORAD on this site a few months earlier. At this point, they are just coming before the Commission for the roadway and the utility work. They will be a filing a later Notice of Intent for the house construction. Mr. Novak told the commission that this meeting is just to give an introduction to the project and they plan on coming back with more details. Mr. Hamilton entered the engineering report into the record. Questions and comments from the Commission: The commission stated that they are concerned about any construction that will take place within the 100 ft. buffer. The commission asked for clarification on the proposed detention basins. Mr. Novak explained that they will be revising those details ahead of the next meeting. Questions and comments from the audience: Sandy Traiger, 183 Cedar Street, explained that she is concerned about the impact of this development on the neighborhood. She explained that her property is lower than the proposed development and flooding has been an issue in the past. Harris Traiger, 183 Cedar Street, reiterated that flooding is a problem in the area. Motion to continue the hearing to 6/26/17 at the applicant’s request made by Mr. Beuttell and seconded by Mrs. Dohan. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 8:42pm Continued Meetings/Hearings DEP 201-XXXX, BL XXXX NOI, 758 Marrett Road Owner/Applicant: Minuteman Vocational Regional and Technical High School Project: Raze and rebuild of existing school building and associated site work (Requested continuance to 5/30/2017) Motion to continue hearing to 5/30/2017 at the applicant’s request made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. 8:43pm Pending Matters Continued Steep Slope Performance Standards Regulation Discussion The commission discussed how engineered solutions would fit into their policy. The commission explained that they are not forming a new regulation, but rather updating one of their performance standards. The commission stated that they should think about habitat as an important factor in all their decisions. 9:15pm Motion to adjourn made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 5-0 in favor. Respectfully submitted, Casey Hagerty Conservation Department Assistant Approved 5/30/2017