Conservation Commission Meeting
Sharon Community Center
October 10, 2013 - DRAFT
Peg Arguimbau, Chairman, Hank Langstroth, Keevin Gellar, Linda Orel, Elizabeth McGrath, and Stephen Cremer were the members present. Conservation Commission Member Christine Turnbull was absent from the meeting. The Conservation Administrator, Greg Meister, was also present.
7.45 p.m.: Abbreviated Notice of Intent – 25 Sturges Road
David Oberland of BDO Engineering, presented. Property is located at end of Cul de Sac on Sturges Road. There is an existing home and garage. Applicant would like to widen the area in between the alcove and existing studio and dwelling. The intent is to make an in-law apartment out of existing space. Expansion and remodeling will not get any closer to the wetlands. Applicant would also like to expand the deck of existing concrete patio/deck. There is currently a concrete pad. Existing deck is approximately 25 by 46 feet. The proposal is to add an additional 8 by 16 feet. Deck is located on the second floor. Footings are used. Applicant is meeting with Zoning Board on October 23rd. There will be no change to septic and no additional bedrooms. Erosion control measures in place: straw waddles. The driveway goes into existing garage and will follow that route to perform all work.
Motion to continue to October 24th. Geller; Langstroth. 6-0-0.
This hearing will be closed pending results of Zoning Board meeting. Applicant does not need to come back.
Old Business
Arguimbau would like the Commission to send an email to the South Coast Rail regarding the Conservation Commissions support for receiving possible funding to help purchase part of Rattlesnake Hill to maintain as undeveloped conservation land. Arguimbau read aloud a letter she had drafted. All Commission members were in support of letter written and to email to South Coast Rail. Motion to email letter: Mcgrath, Orel 6-0-0.
8:00 pm Alice Smith, DEP
Ms. Smith did not appear before the Commission.
8.15 p.m. Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA)
34 Arboro Road (Levkoff) – American Landscaping to install natural stone patio and plantings.
James Zoppo, American Landscape, representing the applicant. Bruce Levkoff Applicant. Project consists of re-landscaping a portion of the property. Proposed construction of a blue stone patio at the rear of the home as well as plantings. Mr. Zoppo met with Meister for project guidance. Meister suggested filing an RDA. Landscape Architect design has been prepared and there will be minimal impact on any sensitive area. Plan is in accordance with, and located within area marked by Meister. Work to be performed is on the existing lawn. No fertilizer treatment to be used. The property is level and the existing gradient will be maintained.
Motion to close hearing and issue a negative determination with condition per plan, as well as installation of a silt fence. Conservation Office shall also be notified at beginning and completion of project. Geller, Orel: 5-0-1.
Document should be ready next week.
8:30 p.m. Kurt Buermann of the Sharon Friends of Conservation - Constructing a bridge on a Massapoag Trail.
Arguimbau recused herself as building of the bridge is located on her property. Langstroth took over as Chair for this portion of the meeting.
Buermann explained the plans for constructing the last phase of completing the Massapoag trail, which included putting in two bridges. One bridge would be approximately 22 feet in length, with smaller bridge approximately 8 feet in length. This portion of the Massapoag trail will be worked on by the Friends of Conservation as the Eagle Scouts prefer to take on larger scope projects. The Friends would like to complete the work this year and would like for the Commission to donate $400 to help with the cost of building the bridges. Friends will also contribute money. The Friends voted at their last meeting to supply whatever money is needed to complete the project.
Concerns raised by the Arguimbaus, abutters of the project. Will any more boardwalks be built? Last boardwalk completed was a bit excessive. The old trail had no boardwalk, just planks over the wet portions. Buermann will look into whether need an 8 foot bridge or whether it could be shortened. Over time the bridge should turn green and blend into the environment. Concern
about neighbors who continue dumping landscape debris. Post signs “no dumping”? Concern this may lead to more dumping.
Langstroth: Offered the Friends of Conservation $200 from Conservation Commission to help with building of bridges. $200 should come from the Friends of Conservation. This offer was accepted by Buermann.
Motion: approve giving $200 to the Friends of Conservation to build two bridges along the Massapoag Trail.Cremer, Orel 5-0-0
Arguimbau un-recused herself and rejoined the meeting.
8:45 p.m. Request of Determination of Applicability (RDA)
72 Cedar Street, Howard Glazer. Installation of a repair/new sewage system.
Applicant will be putting in a new sewage system to replace an old cesspool. He will also be rehabbing the existing home and putting on a second level. Glazer provided copies of plans to the Commission. Explained that he met with the Board of Health in July and they approved the septic plan. He also appeared before the ZBA who also approved his project for rehabilitating the home and adding a second story. There are four homes located on the property. Three of the homes are occupied; the home scheduled for rehab is primarily used for storage. One of the homes septic was upgraded last year, over time he would like to upgrade remaining septic systems.
Cottage to be rehabbed is a one bedroom and will remain a one bedroom. Concern of Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and ConCom is that cottage remains one bedroom. Storage room will be allowed a vent, but shall have no window and no heat. The bedroom will be moved upstairs to the addition, along with a full bath. Applicant will work closely with ConCom to do exactly what ConCom would like for him to do. In reconfiguring the home, the bumpout will be removed from the first floor and full bath will be reduced to a half bath.
Any reference in plans regarding erosion control? Mention of row of hay bales is in plans. Work to be performed is quite a distance from the wetlands area. Where septic tank is located, a couple of large trees may need to be removed. A dumpster has been brought in for debris, etc..
Cleaning of inside the home is fine, but no brush clearing until negative determination has been prepared and sent.
Motion to issue negative determination. Installation of erosion control fence, notification to office prior to brush cutting; and notification when project begins. Geller, Langstroth 6-0-0
Motion to close hearing, Langstroth, McGrath 6-0-0
9pm Rattlesnake Hill
Question raised: will developer be presenting to ConCom?
Proposed project includes building of 98 homes within in the Rattlesnake Hill open overlay area. Access will be from Mountain Street. Conservation land surrounds the parcel owned by Beacon.
Orel raised question as to why state was not interested in obtaining the property. Property is considered a priority habitat. Why hasn’t National Heritage surveyed and assessed the property?
Orel phoned a friend, Chris Lapointe, who works at DCR and is an expert at putting together land deals. Orel inquired to whether money was available for acquisition. Complicated but deals possibly could be worked out. Combination of purchase and donation? Landscape partnership grants, but minimum is 500 acres. Inquire if other land in Easton which can combine.
According to Meister: possible sources of funding:
*State may have 1 – 2 million
*Town through CPC 3 million
*Town bond of 1 million more?
Would like appraisal of property. Proposed, 98 half acre lots. Developers need to go through process. Questioned raised as to why Town and developer can’t look at and identify a more acceptable, maybe a cluster project? Developer has a grandfathered 40B as well as a 40B in appeal. Location of project is problematic. Miester did contact Heritage who said they knew nothing of proposed project. They would like to see plans. Other issues which have been brought up before. Who is paying for water tanks, booster tanks? What about increase in kids in schools? Other agencies have also been looking at. Would like to sit down with folks who have been working on.
Lapointe of DCR available to come to Sharon and work with Town. Arguimbau contacted town counsel and Selectman Hietin to ask if they would meet with Lapointe. Gellerman responded absolutely. Heitin away this week. Meister away next.
Request that a representative from Brickstone come to ConCom on the 24th of October to make a presentation. Perhaps Lapointe would be able to make that meeting. Would also invite Heritage. Set aside 45 min to hour (maybe 8.15 to 9.15pm.)
Other Business
Revised Negative Determinations signed: Members, please all sign on the left.
Lake: email received from Cliff Towner making points about issues at the Lake. As of right now, Meeting on October 24th during the day. The following will be in attendance: Police Chief, Recreation Director, Town Manager, Selectman Chair, Joe Roach, Carol from State, Joy from Lycott. This will be the first initial meeting.
Cremer – number of boats moored around homes, how do they enter the lake? Not necessarily from boat launch. Also, boats entering at the yacht club. More than boat launch area needs monitoring. Camps, YC, and property owners around Lake need to be brought in for discussion prior to spring and boating.
Members would like to see a map of area /property owned by town around the Lake. Look at Assessors map.
Meister has spoken with an aquatic biologist, John Rockwood, and has asked for him to visit the Lake as Asian Clams are not his expertise. Since ConCom can’t file with themselves, they must go through Natural Heritage. Could be a very difficult process. Meister will be meeting tomorrow morning at the Lake at 8:30am. Chair of Lake Management will be in attendance. Any one else wishing to attend may do so. Asian Clams are beyond his capabilities, but he feels that something must be started now. Meister feels will be expensive.
Cremer inquired about the invasive species we are currently dealing with: Fanwart, Milfoil and Asian Clams.
Cremer, no chemical treatment for Asian Clams. No one really has a solution for getting rid of. Dredge is one option. Matting another. Pros and cons with all. If release of clams, still out in Lake and can come back. If use mats, chokes larvae, …
Reality is that once Asian Clams are found, although one hopes to eradicate, the process becomes more of a management plan. With a management plan also comes the need for a line item within the budget, forever.
Must educate the community as to the necessity of checking boats for weeds so that invasives are not brought into the Lake. We must also develop a program for checking/monitoring boats as they enter the Lake. Enforcement is critical and is really not that large of an investment, considering what the Lake is worth. The Town has a police boat. Question with the environmental police to see what they can do. Phoned Gellerman inquiring if local police have authority to write tickets.
Law 444 states that it is illegal to transport weeds. Fanwort can come from dumping of aquarium into Lake, but most likely, the source was from a boat. Bass boats coming from everywhere. Enforcement is critical at point of entry. Simple things which will not be too much of a burden. This Commission must make sure enforcement is done. Police will say they don’t have enough people. If fines raised then perhaps money could then could be used for the police to ticket on regular basis. Word gets around. Recreation department also needs to be required to perform monitoring at the boat launch.
What can be done now? Education and raise awareness of invasives in the Lake. Due diligence and Enforcement. Perhaps limit number of places where one can launch a boat? This can be done now.
Invasive species and Lake discussion should be revisited on regular basis.
October 24th next meeting. Motion to adjoin 9:48pm
Langstroth, Cremer 6-0-0