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Home My WebLink About2018-03-05-CONCOM-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES Monday March 5, 2018 6:30 P.M. Parker Room, Town Office Building 1625 Massachusetts Ave Chair Philip Hamilton opened the meeting at 6:30pm in the Parker Room of the Town Office Building Commissioners Present: Phil Hamilton, Alex Dohan, Dick Wolk, Duke Bitsko, Kevin Beuttell, Ruth Ladd Others present: Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator and Casey Hagerty, Conservation Department Assistant 6:30pm Issue Order of Conditions: DEP 201-1086, BL 1043, NOI, 45, 65, and 75 Hayden Ave Motion to issue order of Conditions made by Ms. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Wolk. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Issue Order of Conditions: DEP 201-1089, BL 1046, NOI, 20 Cooke Road Motion to issue Order of Conditions made by Ms. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Wolk. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Extend Order of Conditions for one year: DEP 201-884, BL 843, NOI, 18 Constitution Road Motion to extend the Order of Conditions for one year made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 6:34pm Review Draft Buffer Zone Performance Standard Section 5(5) Amendment Proposal The commission will hold a special meeting for this. 6:38pm Planning Board project comments Ms. Dohan stated that the planning board is discussing an article that will change the balanced housing permit. The commission stated that they are interested in learning more about this article. 6:43pm Approve minutes from 1/22/2018 Motion to approve the minutes made by Ms. Ladd and seconded by Ms. Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Approve minutes from 2/5/2018 Motion to approve the minutes made by Ms. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Approve minutes from 2/20/2018 Motion to approve the minutes made by Ms. Dohan and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 6:44pm Reports Ms. Ladd reported about the MACC conference. 6:58pm Schedule Site Visits for the 3/20/2018 Meeting Site visits were scheduled for Saturday 3/10/18 and Saturday 3/17/2018. 7:00 pm New Hearings DET 18-5 RDA, 12 Cutler Farm Road Owner/applicant: John Collins Project: Front porch reconfiguration John Collins- homeowner Mr. Hamilton explained that this is a simple project to extend the front porch by three feet. Motion to issue a Negative Determination with Conditions made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Ms. Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. DEP 201-XXXX, BL XXXX NOI, Whipple Hill Conservation Area Owner/Applicant: Town of Lexington Project: Stream and trail restoration Denise Cameron- Woodard and Curran, Michael Sprague- Town of Lexington Engineering Documents: NOI package February 2018, Plans February 2018, Stormwater Report February 2018, Engineering report 3/2/2018 Ms. Cameron explained that this site was identified by the Mystic River Watershed Association as a priority site. There is an area near the Summer Street entrance of Whipple Hill where there are duplicate stream crossings. The first crossing is a wooden bridge and the second is an old stone culvert crossing. They are proposing to remove one crossing and repair the other. The applicant is proposing to move the culvert crossing onto Town Land so that the Town can more easily maintain the crossing. The stream will be restored to have a 2.5:1 slope and will be stabilized with native plantings. The work will be done during the dry season and the water will be pumped around the work area. The second portion of the project is to restore a portion of the trail upstream. The trail runs between two wetland areas, but is being washed out. They are proposing to add a rock sandwich under the trail which will allow the water to flow under the trail. Questions and comments from the Commission: The commission asked about the grades of the stream channel. Ms. Cameron stated that they are going to leave it flat and let the stream create the grade of the bottom. The commission asked if there will be a manual control of the flow. Ms. Cameron said there would not be. The commission asked for clarification regarding the project sequencing. Ms. Cameron explained that the majority of the work would be done in the dry season. The bank will be stabilized with bionet until they are able to plant their live stakes. The commission asked that the applicant use other species for stakes besides willow. The applicant agreed. Mr. Hamilton entered the engineering report into the record. The commission stated that the project does not have a DEP number so they cannot close the hearing. Motion to continue the hearing to 3/20/2018 at the applicant's request made by Ms. Ladd and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Continued Hearings 7:20pm DET 18-3 RDA, 12 Cooke Road Owner/applicant: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Libretto Project: New pool installation Erich Nitzsche- Engineer, Lisa Libretto- Homeowner, Scott Endamul-pool specialist Documents: Landscape plan, updated site plan Mr. Endamul stated that they gunite pools do not require annual dewatering. If the pool does need to be dewatered, water will be pumped from the pumps into the infiltration system. Mr. Nitzsche explained that the infiltration system can handle the dewatering of the pool as long as it is done 72 hours before or after a major storm. Questions and comments from the commission: The commission asked if the infiltration system will get rid of the chemicals. Mr. Endamul stated that the pool will be a saline pool without chemicals. They will also pump the pool directly from the pumps so it will be cleaned water. Motion to issue a Negative Determination with conditions made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Ms. Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 7:31pm DEP 201-1092, BL 1049 NOI, 7 Ledgelawn Ave Owner/applicant: Jian Shao Project: Raze and rebuild SFD Mary Trudeau- Wetlands Scientist Documents: Updated site plan, alternatives analysis Ms. Trudeau explained that they have shrunk the house slightly so that the setbacks to the wetland are increased. The new plan shows the house 51.5 feet from the wetlands. Three options were explored in the alternatives analysis: leave the house as it is, the plan that is proposed, or go to the zoning board for a variance. The commission discussed whether this project is considered a new construction project or redevelopment project under the river front act. Ms. Trudeau explained the she will explore this further. The commission stated that they want the applicant to explore going infront of the Conservation Commission. Motion to continue the hearing to 3/20/2018 at the applicant's request made by Mr. Beuttell and seconded by Ms. Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 8:OOpm DEP 201-1091, BL 1048 ANRAD, 1 Concord Ave Owner: Belmont Country Club Applicant: ND Acquisitions LLC c/o National Development Project: Confirmation of wetlands line Mr. Buettell recused himself from this hearing. Scott Goddard- Goddard Consulting, Steve Senna- National Development Documents: updated site plan 2/20/2018 Mr. Goddard explained that modifications were made to the plan based on the site visit. Questions and comments from the Commission: The commission stated that they still had issues with the way the applicant was defining the Mean Annual High Water level. The applicant stated that they are ok with modifying the plan to move the MAHW level to an area that the commission is comfortable with. Motion to close the hearing made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Ms, Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 8:18pm An abutter of the Whipple Hill Project, Mr. Lelyveld, stated that he missed the hearing, but had a few questions. The commission answered his questions regarding the grade of the stream. 8:28pm DEP 201-1084, BL 1041 NOI, 23 Coolidge Road Owner/Applicant: Timothy and Lauren Weeks Project: Home addition and associated site work Mr. Hamilton explained that because there is no one present for this hearing, they will assume that the applicant is requesting a continuance. Motion to continue the hearing to 3/20/2018 at the applicant's request made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Mr. Beuttell. Vote: 6-0 in favor. 8:28pm Motion to adjourn made by Mr. Wolk and seconded by Ms. Dohan. Vote: 6-0 in favor. Respectfully submitted, Casey Hagerty Conservation Department Assistant Approved 3/20/2018