CONSERVATION COMMISSION
TOWN OF GROVELAND
183 MAIN STREET
GROVELAND, MA 01834
(978) 374-1863 FAX (978) 372-6105
October 18, 2006
Present: M. Dempsey, T. Schaefer, J. Stewart, T. Grim
Meeting opened at 7:18 pm.
ConCom Business – Minutes
M. Dempsey made a motion to accept the minutes from September 27, 2006 as submitted. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
ConCom Business –
Present: Jim Sheehan
M. Dempsey called the Water & Sewer Department and requested that someone attend our meeting to discuss Fairview Circle. M. Dempsey summarized S. Benanti’s notes regarding the problem. ConCom received a complaint from an abutter about trees being cut down near wetlands. S. Benanti went to the site. He was told that the company removing the trees was hired by the Water Department. S. Benanti then asked for an OOC because the trees were in a wetland area. They either did not have them, or they don’t exist.. S. Benanti then asked them to stop cutting, which they did. There was one extra tree to clear away which ConCom allowed them to do. ConCom then requested Mr. Giordano to come to a hearing. He couldn’t come to the hearing. M. Dempsey then received
a call from the Water Department requesting a letter stating that everything was okay there.
M. Dempsey asked J. Sheehan if the Water Department every filed for a permit to cut the trees down? J. Sheehan said the problem started with Glen Smith. They received an easement as a negotiation with Mr. Winning to put a water main in, cross connecting two mains. He though that Glen Smith had filed for a permit perhaps 3 or 4 years ago. He said they went back to finish cutting because some of the trees has passed because of disruption of soil.
This project may be called “Garrison St.”. T. Grim pointed out that if the project was final, it was valid for 2 years and should have been renewed appx. 1 year ago and it still needs to apply for a Certificate of Compliance and an inspection. M. Dempsey asked J. Sheehan to write a brief letter of the work they did under the original filing. Hearing closed 7:36 pm.
860 Salem St. (Chesterton) cont’d.
Present: Neil Leonard, Chesterton; Phil Christensen, Christensen & Sergi
M. Dempsey reviewed the minutes from their last hearing. Chesterton’s stream bed is filling with silt. They described possible drainage improvements. This project is an emergency and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Mr. Leonard submitted his plan. Phil Christensen described the project. He said the reason the stream overflows is that the 18” pipes are too small and there’s very little pitch in streams. He’s proposing to excavate-out the stream, install box culverts, 3 sided with a top and line the bottom with soils and stone to simulate a stream bed and to line the channel with geotextile fabric, stone bedding, stone rip rap. He said the stream improvements will help stream flow and prevent back up into abutters. Jim Sheehan asked what
would happen further downstream. Discussion followed about past flooding and how it will affect water flow downstream. T. Grim asked how they plan to prevent sediment from getting washed into wetlands during construction. P. Christensen said the stream is relatively dry and there’s no flow and no mud.
P. Christensen expects the work to take approximately 3 weeks. J. Steward pointed out that it’s still a very high water table. T. Grim suggested hiring Claudia McKee to monitor this project. They need to notify ConCom 24 hours before beginning the work. If the weather is inclement, they are required to stop work. They are also required to have a pump on-site to block off in weather-related incidents.
M. Dempsey made a motion to allow the work to fix the stream bed and put in two box culverts at 860 Salem Street to begin on or about November 1, 2006. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
M. Dempsey made a motion that ConCom grant a waiver to the seasonal restriction for this emergency project at 860 Salem St. and waive the fee by 50% for 3 weeks. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. M. Dempsey will compose a letter and send to them. Chesterton needs to send ConCom a check. Hearing closed 8:02 pm.
1 Main Street – NOI/GNOI
Present: Robert Houle
Hearing opened 8:04 pm. Project involves repairing a rock wall and installation of drainage system.
R. Houle has been pumping water out of his cellar. When he put in his addition, he never put in a concrete floor. It keeps flooding and requires using a sump pump. R. Houle wants to get rid of the ground water and get the work done before winter. J. Sheehan pointed out that the road has been repaired and one-half of the road does pitch into his yard and driveway. J. Sheehan said another problem is that they haven’t fixed the sewer there yet. T. Schaefer asked if the excavation will be French drains? R. Houle said he’s leaving it to the contractor. He plans to level off where it’s pitching and run a pipe from the cellar out to the back, then cement the floor. T. Grim pointed out that he needs to get exterior work done first. M. Dempsey made a
motion that ConCom grant an Emergency Order for 1 Main Street, to begin work immediately to repair a stone wall, install a drainage system within 35’ perennial stream and BVW; with an NOI OOC to be issued within 30 days. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. C. McKee will deliver the draft OOC to him tomorrow. Hearing continued until October 25th. Hearing closed 8:16 pm.
M. Dempsey made a motion to continue this hearing until October 25, 2006. T. Schaefer 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
215 Center Street – GNOI
He was issued an emergency certificate in August for a failed septic system for a single-family home. The work is all done and inspected. The conditions were to submit an as-built plan, move the system outside the 50’ buffer, and hay bales and silt fence along the 50’ buffer. M. Dempsey made a motion that ConCom accept the project as completed at 215 Center Street and issue an OOC for it. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed 8:26 pm.
ConCom Business – Site Visits Scheduled 10/19/06
T. Grim performed a site visit at 213 Washington St. He said the hay bales are staked off and that there’s a nicely built shed. The oil tank is contained from the environment. J. Logan needs to apply for a Certificate of Compliance.
T. Grim made a motion to adjourn the meeting. M. Dempsey 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Felch
Administrative Consultant
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