Conservation Commission

Meeting

Sharon Community Center

August 1, 2013

As amended and voted per 9/12/13 meeting

Peg Arguimbau Chairman, Keevin Geller, Elizabeth McGrath, and Linda Orel, were the members present. Conservation Commission Members, Stephen Cremer and Christine Turnbull, were absent from the meeting. The Conservation Administrator, Greg Meister, was also present.

7:45 p.m.: 11 Deerfield Road

Motion to continue until applicant has completed survey.  The owner came in prior for a meeting to ask for a continuance. Enforcement Order to be issued to the contractor – Trak Enterprises Incorporated in order so that he will appear before board at next meeting to be held September 12^th.

Motion: McGrath, Orel. 3-0-1

Enforcement order to Trak Enterprises  Inc. signed by the board members

Signatures needed for the following:

         *Certificate of Compliance - Signatures for Lot 12, 26 Horizon Road

         *Certificated of Compliance - Signatures for 11 King Phillip Road

Motion: Keevin, McGrath.  4-0-0

8:15p.m.: Hearing continuance Mountain Street Paving

John Rhodes, Eric Hooper, Peter O’Cain

Revised plan submitted by Mr. Rhodes along with accompanying memo detailing modifications.

How project has been scaled back.  Changes to the plan:

*Propose to construct an extruded hot mix asphalt berm on the westerly edge of the new road surface

    *The existing gravel windrow that is integral with the drainage swale to the west of the roadway will be 

      removed and will become a grass shoulder of variable width

    *Runoff water from the new paved roadway surface will be contained by the extruded berm and be

      intercepted by a stone lined sluiceway every 150 feet for discharge into the stone-lined swale

   *Approximately 265 feet north of the Mandell’s driveway and on the west side of the road a stilling basin 

     will be constructed to control velocities of runoff outside of the proposed paving limits

   *A small stilling basin will be constructed on line in the stone lined swale near its terminus.  There is

    limited area available due to the position of the layout lines.  Therefore, the stilling basin will be “field

    -fitted” to be as large as possible

       * There are numerous fill piles either off the edge of the roadway or adjacent to the existing swale that

       have resulted from repetitive annual road grading operations.  These fill piles will be removed to

       maximum extent possible or leveled dependent on the ability of construction equipment access,   

      otherwise will level those areas where no access

    *At the southerly limit of the proposed paving, the existing roadway is crowned at the center line.  This

       pattern shall be maintained.  Immediately to the south of the driveway to the House Number 596, there is

       a runoff path that has drained the road.  This runoff path will be reconstructed and shaped with two  

       courses of 6”trap rock

    *Where the existing drainage swale terminates near the southerly limit of the paving project, the discharge

       has carried gravel deposits into the woods.  Access in this area is limited by a healthy tree cover.     

       However, it is proposed to clear this area of gravel deposits as permitted by access with a “mini-  

       excavator.” The area will then be covered with 4-6  inches of leaf mulch.

Prepared plans with Eric Hooper and Peter O’Cain as design build approach.  Administered with DPW, but since  other Town Department has interest in the project, there will be ongoing discussions during the project between the departments to allow for better communication during project.  Greg Meister and Peg Arguimbau have met with Mr. O’Cain, Mr. Hooper and Mr. Rhodes to walk the project area.

Arguimbau: regarding berm – does the berm go down as one piece with the pavement?  It looks like it might be separate from the picture?  According to Mr. Rhodes, it is one piece.

Conservation Commission received a copy of a letter from Richard Gray of Mountain Street. He is at the meeting tonight.  Mr. Gray objects to the issuing of the Order of Conditions for the current proposed Mountain Street Paving project on procedural grounds.  He feels that this project is segmented, as he has stated previously at the July 11, 2013 Conservation Meeting..  He does not believe that this project should continue to be segmented, but rather rolled into one project with all necessary permitting being done at one time.

Arguimbau states she understands Mr. Gray’s frustration and that he has done a good job on keeping on top of over the many years it has been going on, and she believes part of the frustration is with being open for so long and  that nothing has been done for a very long time.  The issue before the Conservation Commission is that they must deal with what they are looking at right now, and though they understand the segmentation, what Mr. Gray is asking for is not feasible in this type of situation. 

Mr. Gray is also concerned about the winter time when snow plows are out.  He feels there would not be room enough to pass a plow truck and his vehicle might possibly end up in a ditch with no means to get out.

According to Mr. Hooper there are other 18 foot wide roads in town and this is not really an issue.

Arguimbau: given recent site walk and change in the scope of plan, there is a  better end result to what had initially been developed at the beginning of the proposed project.     

DEP File Number for the Project 285-536

Mr. Gray’s letter will be taken and accepted as part of hearing.  Will move forward with plan as presented tonight by Mr. Rhodes, with continued collaboration between DPW and Concom and notification to office when project will begin, and notification to Greg of preconstruction meeting, project should be good to go.

Question posed by Mr. Meister:  Was there anything in report about guidance from heritage of when good time to begin the project.  Fall or Spring.  According to Eric Hooper, it depends on what Heritage recommends and contractor availability.  Motion: McGrath, Geller passes:  4.0.0

Commission will Issue Order of Conditions per plan and set up preconstruction meeting. This will be referred to on the Order of Conditions.

Purchase Geese Deterrent Fence

Motion: To contribute to recreation department for the purchase of a geese deterrent fence, with purchase price not to exceed $750.

Orel, Geller passes 4-0-0.

Motion to adjoin: McGrath, Geller 4-0-0