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CONSERVATION COMMISSION
TOWN OF GROVELAND
183 MAIN STREET
GROVELAND, MA 01834
(978) 374-1863 FAX (978) 372-6105
May 4, 2005
Present: M. Dempsey, T. Grim, S. Benanti, T. Schaefer
Meeting opened at 7:40 pm.
ConCom Business - Center Place
There will be a preconstruction meeting on Saturday at 8:00 am Center Place.
ConCom Business - OOC 784 Salem Street signatures.
GNOI 784 Salem Street - Lot 5 & 6
Present: John Judd, Pineau Estates 5 & 6; Mark Tanulef, Ashwood Homes; Carl Kasienski, Ashwood Homes. Hearing opened at 7:47 pm.
Lot 5 J. Judd submitted the finance form, application, maps, and newspaper tear sheets. J. Judd said he kept everything outside 75’ buffer zone. He did include, as requested, the area within the buffer zone and the proposed tree removal shown within erosion control and also includes the basin. The total area within the buffer zone, on the site, is 31,050 square feet. The proposed tree removal, as part of this project, is 8,000 square feet and that’s 25.8 % tree removal within buffer zone for this property. That includes the drainage system and the grading, etc. for the storm water treatment basin. They are proposing the driveway and a small portion of the house to be between 75 and 100’. Nothing is proposed within the 75’
no-structure buffer zone. T. Grim asked him if the driveway will be pitched toward wetlands? J. Judd, said yes, that‘s right. J. Judd showed the elevation on the map. He has it slightly graded away from garage. .M. Dempsey said they agreed on 4 monuments for this lot. He used highlighters to show them where to put them on the map. (appx. 80’ between markers) T. Schaefer asked if there was anything in the deed about not throwing things (leaves, etc.) in there? J. Judd said the drainage easement is recorded. T. Schaefer had concerns regarding leaves being thrown in the drainage basin. M. Dempsey will provide the wording for the four 4x4 monuments and it will be put in the Orders of Conditions. Note in OOC the storm water treatment basin is on this lot and the owners shouldn’t throw yard waste debris in there. Agreed to $10,000 bond to cover both of these lots at the last hearing. M.
Dempsey made a motion to close the hearing finding a positive determination with conditions. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Lot 6 J. Judd said this is a similar situation where there is work between 75 and 100’. The same setback constraints between the front lot line, set back to the septic, 20’ minimum between the septic and the house. A small portion of driveway is proposed in the buffer as well as a small portion of the house and proposed deck. The total area of the site within the buffer zone to the wetlands is 27,900 square feet. The proposed tree removal within the 100’ buffer zone is 3,750 square, which is 13.4 % of that area. They are under the 40% threshold. They are proposing the roof drain dry well to accommodate the roof drain runoff to allow for infiltration into sandy soils. M. Dempsey asked where the point of clearing? J. Judd showed on the map. They agreed on three markers at approximately the 50’ buffer zone. $10,000 bond covering both Lot 5 and Lot 6. T. Grim made a motion to close the hearing finding positive determination with conditions for Lot 6. M. Dempsey 2nd. All
in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed at 8:25 p.m.
Michelle Girard, Assistant Conservation Administrator, Town of Boxford
M. Girard brought in many Chinese Mystery Snails (Cipangopaludina chinesis) to show the Commission. She also handed out a chronology of it‘s appearance and a proposed scheduled. A local fisherman noticed the snail two years ago and did some research on it. It’s getting larger and spreading in Johnson’s Pond. M. Girard has been in contact with Michelle Robinson (MA Dept. of Conservation Recreation: Lakes & Ponds) and confirmed it’s identity. It is considered an aquatic evasive species. It was discovered first in Boston in 1914. In the late 1800’s, it was brought to San Francisco markets for a food item. Now, it’s typically sold in pet stores for cleaning aquariums because it eats algae voraciously. It also grows voraciously,
and some people dump them in ponds. The fisherman hasn’t noticed it anywhere else. M. Girard said there’s an opportunity for public education. The state is very interested in this. Lakes and Ponds works with a study group called, Aquatic Evasive Species Study Group. There’s a sub group, the Scientific Advisory Council who wants to use this as a demonstration project with permission and support from towns. Susan Parks from CZM (Coastal Zone Management) drafted a potential project schedule. M. Girard said she doesn’t think anyone knows how to manage this snail yet. First, they need to determine how extensive it is within Johnson’s Pond. The first site visit is (tentatively) scheduled for May 23rd . M. Girard said she’s here to secure access to pond. M. Dempsey said nothing is posted that says “no swimming, no boating“, etc.,
but he’s never seen anyone do any of those things there. People sometimes put in canoes, rowboats, or kayaks.
Preliminary site visit in the pond to map the location of snails. M. Girard thinks they will use canoes and/or rowboats, but will call and confirm and get details from Susan Parks regarding the site visit. T. Grim wants to be informed of how many people they expect to bring in, what kind of access, i.e. canoes, the size and scope of the first visit. M. Dempsey informed her that Johnson’s Pond drains into Meadow Pond through a 8’ culvert. Maybe 5 acres of pond there - Mill Pond, etc., and eventually into the Merrimack River. Veasey Park 521-9345 telephone number. S. Benanti kept one sample of the snail at the office.
ConCom Business - M. Dempsey delegated phone calls to Commissioners to follow up.
NOI Mass Electric
Present: Tim Sullivan, Earth Tech; Paul Richards, National Grid; Dan McIntire, Civil Engineer, National Grid. Hearing opened at 9:05 pm.
Received checks, received green cards, they forgot to bring in the tear sheets (will send). The DEP # had not been issued yet. Paul Richards, National Grid, Mass Electric & New England Power. Tim Sullivan did the resource evaluation. Dan McIntire is responsible for the foundation and construction work at the site. This was a project that they had come in about a year ago for an expansion of an fence for the existing King Street substation and for a second circuit for 23 KV that left the site towards Georgetown. Tonight, they are here for replacement of a failed transformer that‘s in the substation and for some additional equipment that‘s part of the whole Merrimack Valley reinforcement project that they’re working on. Additional voltage regulating equipment
that‘s going into the substation. He said the importance of King St. is that it’s really a hub of high voltage lines feed into the substation. Project tonight it: expansion of fence, replacement of the failed transformer, and one of the existing transformers with another transformer that will basically serve as both functions of those - of the failed one and a smaller one that’s coming out, some voltage regulating equipment, and removal of equipment in the substation that’s obsolete. Work going on inside substation.
T.Sullivan showed on an aerial map where resource areas are. He said most of the substation is in the buffer zone. 95% of the work they are filing for is in the buffer zone. They propose to use mulch bags as they have in previous filings. He said he was out last week, and the hay bales from the last project are still in good shape, but will check on them again before the work begins. They are not going into wetlands, just inside the buffer zone. T. Grim asked what’s in transformers? They said it’s mineral oil that cools the transformers. It circulates through the radiators. T. Grim asked if there werePCBs? They replied No. D. MacIntire showed one correction on the plans of the new transformer location. He said they will be taking out some
foundations that they don’t need anymore. Voltage regulating equipment will be installed. There is an existing wood pole structure transmission line. In the original submittal, they thought they could relocate to avoid the equipment but when they got into the final electrical design, they couldn’t meet the electrical clearances, so they will use push braces to hold them up. They will stay within the fence line. That’s the change that they are submitting tonight.
M. Dempsey asked what kind of equipment they will use to do it? D. MacIntire said conventional construction equipment: back hoe to dig the foundations, dump truck to haul excess soil, concrete trucks to place the foundations, and a flat bed bringing in the transformer. T. Schaefer asked how they will lift it off? They said they will use a mobile crane. T. Schaefer asked if everything stays within fenced area (ie the crane)? D. MacIntire said yes. T. Schaefer asked if everything is removed right away or stored? D. MacIntire said short term stockpiling while digging the holes because they‘ll be some soil they can put back into the hole. M. Dempsey made a motion to close the hearing with a positive determination to issue with orders of conditions. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed 9:16 pm.
ConCom Business
M. Dempsey made a motion to accept the minutes from April 20th as submitted. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
M. Dempsey made a motion to end the meeting at 9:25 pm. S. Benanti 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
*Future Meetings: May 18th - Both T. Grim and S. Benanti are unable to attend.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Felch
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