Conservation Commission Minutes 02/13/2008
February 13, 2008
Meeting opened 7:26 pm.
Present: M. Dempsey, J. Stewart, C. Keene, S. Benanti, T. Schaefer
ConCom Business – Minutes
T. Schaefer made a motion to accept the January 9, 2008 minutes as submitted. S. Benanti 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Haverhill Monitoring Well Installation – GNOI
Present: Dwight Dunn, Scientist, Camp Dresser & McKee
Hearing opened 7:32 pm. D. Dunn submitted a letter dated 1/29/08, including photos of the installation and completed well. The well is to monitor ground water quality. Submitted under WPA as “minor activity” with no NOI required. M. Dempsey made a motion that ConCom grant a permit to do the well installation as filed. T. Schaefer 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed 7:38 pm.
Groveland Light Department - Informal Discussion
Present: Woody Cammett, Cammett Engineering
Hearing opened 7:38 pm. W. Cammett brought photos of the facility on School Street. Project involves expanding the facility. It’s currently a building with an office and garage in the rear. They’ve outgrown it and need to expand. They are currently within the no-disturb zone. The bulk of the parking lot is within the 100’ set back. The expansion proposed would be to reduce the size of the parking lot, build a new office building (50’ x 50’) and a garage (75’ x 100’). The proposed building would increase 15%. Impervious area would be reduced by 7.5%. The pavement would be reduced 16.2%. He also proposes to bring the site into storm water compliance according to the new storm water regulations. There is currently
no detention and no infiltration. The run-off goes into the wetlands. There will be a net reduction in the disturbance of the site in the impervious areas. This would be a positive impact for the wetlands.
M. Dempsey said considering that the proposed office is further away (from the wetlands), and more protection would be added that doesn’t exist now, ConCom could allow this project. Two other Commissioners voiced their approval of the plans as shown. Informal hearing closed 7:47 pm.
Lot 1A & Lot 1B Stonebridge Road – GNOI
Present: Tom Neve
Hearing opened 7:49 pm. Submitted newspaper tear sheets. M. Dempsey pointed out that the Town Finance Director sign-off sheet has not been signed on either of these applications; therefore, ConCom can’t issue the permits until the problem is worked out.
T. Neve is the owner of property on Stonebridge Road. He received an Order of Conditions 2 years ago from ConCom and the State. He was unaware there was only a 2 year period and asked for an extension after the fact. He also requests a timeline extension for the WPA for 1 year to have them coincide.
There are 2 lots on Stonebridge Road which are unbuilt. The OOC required a continuous row of haybales except for hill portion, also a stone wall to be constructed. The wall is built, the hay bales are in, and the land has been cleared to level. He hopes to build on property this year. The original permit allowed for the construction of two homes less than 75’ from wetlands (42’ and 45’). As a result of the original permit, he agreed to donate Lot 1C to the town. He also produced a non-motorized recreation easement 20’ wide from Lot 1C to the land currently owned in the back. He also provided parking and access to open space.
The donating part became the most difficult part, and has been unsuccessful with the Town of Groveland. He’s gone outside town to find a land trust entity. He’s forwarded plans to the Greenbelt organization one week ago, and is awaiting a reply. Greenbelt does not sell land to support their administration. The land will have a covenant that it will never be built on.
Discussion followed whether the homes to be built on these lots will be duplexes or homes with in-law apartments. T. Neve said the Planning Board encouraged him to adopt a different program because they changed the zoning 900’ sq foot in-law apartment. T. Neve said it will be either a 2 unit or single family home without going beyond the footprint. He said according to what Zoning allows, Lot 1B could only be an in-law situation; Lot 1A could be a duplex.
T. Schaefer said it was clear that ConCom specified in-law only, the reason being who is responsible for the land and not cutting trees, etc. T. Neve said they’re called a condex, they share the lot; separating the back and front yards. T. Schaefer said that would end up being three distinct parties, ie 3 lots, instead of 2 lots. M. Dempsey agreed that this option of a condex was not discussed at previous hearings, only an in-law apartment. More discussion followed. Lot 1A meets current Zoning for a 2 family or an in-law apartment.
M. Dempsey made a motion that ConCom grant the two permits under the GNOI for Lot 1A and Lot 1B using the same language and conditions used on the previous permit with the one exception to add the word “condex” to Lot 1A. T. Schaefer 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. S. Benanti made a motion to grant a one year extension to the state DEP order to make them concurrent. J. Stewart 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed 8:41 pm.
2 Berrywood Circle – GNOI
Present: Robert Scholz
Hearing opened 8:42 pm. Submitted tear sheets. The project is to add a 24 x 28, two-car garage with master sweet above, bump out the kitchen 10’ x 12’, and elevate the 3 season porch above that, and add a retaining wall. Project is within 100’, but outside 50’. T. Schaefer performed a site visit. He said there was no standing water, noticed a couple of ferns in the resource area, the slope is gradual. The 3 season porch will not have a foundation – it will have pillars.
M. Dempsey referred to the original permit from 1993 and read the special conditions on the property, ie, no salt use for ice control, no liquid fertilizers, no phosphate detergents, no garbage disposal, and onsite disposal pumped every two years.
Haybales will be used as erosion controls and were marked on the map. Stockpiling will be to the rear of the home. Order of Conditions will require a pre-construction inspection. Applicant is responsible for maintaining haybales until reseeded and stable - 2 growing seasons. The retaining wall was marked on the map as well and cannot be made from: old telephone poles, creosote or railroad ties. New pressure treated wood is acceptable. T. Schaefer made a motion granting a permit based on the drawing submitted and special conditions stated above for the addition and retaining wall for 2 Berrywood Circle. S. Benanti 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Hearing closed 9:03 pm.
J. Stewart left the meeting at 9:20 pm.
ConCom Business - Fees
A comparison of local town’s filing fees was distributed for Commissioner’s perusal. Discussion followed regarding Conservation Commission costs, the reduction in filings received, and the need for the Conservation Commission to have a line item budget for their Administrative Agent, etc. M. Dempsey will discuss fees being put in a revolving account with the Selectmen, and would like an agreement based on previous years. Fees will be discussed as a Business item at next month’s meeting.
S. Benanti made a motion to close the meeting at 9:33 pm. M. Dempsey 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Felch
Administrative Agent
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