Present: M. Dempsey, T. Schaefer, C. Keene, T. Grim, S. Benanti , S. Sexton
Meeting opened 7:10 pm.
ConCom Business - Minutes
T. Schaefer made a motion to approve the March 11, 2009 minutes as submitted. M. Dempsey 2nd. 3 yes. 2 abstain. Motion passed.
ConCom Business – Conservation Rules
M. Dempsey made a proposal of new rules and regulations to be posted at Conservation areas, ie, Veasey Park and Meadowpond. Will be discussed with the Open Space Committee too. M. Dempsey made a motion to approve the new revised rules and regulations for Groveland Conservation areas. T. Grim 2nd. Commissioners discussed the rules and made recommended changes. Motion is tabled until next month’s meeting to be held May 13, 2009.
S. Sexton arrived 7:13 pm.
ConCom Business – Fundraising, continued
Commissioners decided not to pursue the fundraising ideas proposed because of lack of time and the need for more involvement.
ConCom Business - River Pines Status
Present: Selectman Don Greaney, Mike Seekamp,
T. Schaefer said a complaint call was received Friday regarding work at the pines. C. Keene performed a site visit and contacted the Conservation Commissioners. T. Schaefer then met with Dan Warren, Greg Labrecque and Selectman Don Greaney on Friday afternoon. T. Schaefer received a plan that they are removing the soil, gravel and the sand. The contractor cut trees down and taken most of top soil and piled up and was starting to excavate the sand. He was told to stop. ConCom got a different plan on Monday delineating the 100’ and 200’ off the river. T. Schaefer said he looked at the stakes today and it appears they have been moved. Currently, they are stock piling is in the buffer. The agreement Monday night was
that they were allowed to continue to remove sand from the site that they had previously dug out and get additional sand outside of the 200’ buffer. They were also to come tonight with a new plan so that ConCom can address stockpiling within the buffer zone; whether it should be moved or not; the need for more erosion controls; and whether they can move forward or not. They also need to file a Notice of Intent by next Wednesday. Don Greaney wants to know what is acceptable with ConCom for moving the loam pile. He said the Harbormaster had piles of telephone poles cut up from twelve years ago, as well as piles of sea shells and bark mulch there for years. They plan to flip the loam pile and putting it outside 100’ line, and running new haybales from that point. Mike Seekamp said he has a new plan to address tree cutting in 200’ riverfront resource area. Also, he explained the discrepancy in the flagging.
He said Monday night, there was a super high tide, and he was looking at the secondary bank. On further consideration, he realized that he mis-delineated the edge of the river, when it should have been the primary bank. The correction has been made on the plan he brought. He said the inadvertent cutting of trees within 200’ are a majority of black locust which are an undesirable alien species. The others are Gray and White Birch. If they let nature take it’s course, it will become vegetated in 3 years. To augment some of the Black Locust they plan to bring White Pines from the top because they will be doing more excavation as they go along.
M. Seekamp said the piles are within 200’ feet. It’s an area that’s been used for stockpiling. Commissioners discussed using the plan, where to move the loam pile. T. Grim suggested they put in a second line of haybales around the pile. S. Benanti pointed out that the plans are not stamped by a registered engineer. Commissioners marked on the map where the seashells need to be moved.
T. Grim recommended giving them two days behind the piles into the hill as much as possible. Move on Monday. T. Schaefer will be the point of contact and will perform a site visit every day. Commissioners marked the plans where haybales need to go. Remove creosote railroad posts. Seasonal restriction is involved as well as a fee on a per day basis. They will be out by Monday, April 13, 2009, weather permitting. M. Dempsey will write a letter stating what needs to be done to the Town and the contractor. To stabilize the area, grass seeding will be done immediately after removing the pile.
Conservation Hearings:
Groveland Electric Light Department, continued
Present: Michael Cloutier
Hearing opened 8:00pm. They had a site visit last Saturday, April 4th. They submitted an ANRAD to determine the boundary line. T. Grim made a motion to accept the delineation as presented to ConCom and reviewed at the site walk. T. Schaefer 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Motion passed. Closed 8:05 pm.
Lot 24, 3 Stonebridge Road – NOI
Present: Greg Hochmuth -
This is a new NOI for Lot 24 Center Place (3 Stonebridge Road). G. Hochmuth submitted the green cards and tear sheets. The building and yard have been changed, but is essentially the same project. Commissioners reviewed his plan. Granite markers and erosion controls have been proposed already. The previous NOI was for a single family home. This new NOI is for a duplex. There is another driveway, but outside the buffer. It’s a smaller footprint, further from the wetlands and smaller house, but more driveway. Small corner of the house and deck are the in buffer. DEP had a comment regarding a fence or monument. MESA and Natural Heritage said non-adverse impact from both. DEP #030-0390. T. Grim said there’s a
substantially bigger incursion into the buffer zone. M. Dempsey suggested a site visit. Site visit scheduled for April 11th at 9:30 am. M. Dempsey made a motion to continue this hearing until May 13, 2009. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Closed 8:20 pm.
18 Stonebridge Road –
M. Dempsey made a motion to continue 18 Stonebridge Road hearing until May 13, 2009. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Center Street – Lot 41
Present: Ben Osgood, New England Engineering; James Bussing; numerous abutters
Hearing opened 8:22 pm. Submitted tear sheets and green cards. Project is a new single family home within the buffer. Parcel is a 19 acre piece of land, one SFH close to Center St., assessors map 41, lot 41. They mapped the riverfront, but are not in the riverfront, buffer zone to BVW. Commissioners viewed plan. The home is appx. 78’ from the wetands. Driveway with garage under the house. No closer than 28’ to the wetlands to accommodate a foundation drain only. Project is a buffer zone project. The septic system is outside 100’. They filed with Natural heritage and with MESA. They have not received the MESA conditions yet. M. Dempsey said MESA could add conditions to meet before work.
An abutter expressed concern that the water will flow into her backyard. Abutters say water flows between the lots. The brook is expanding out back. James bussing – will have drain around the house and foundation drain and will drain out and take water away from the abutters property. Site visit scheduled for Saturday 10:30 am. Abutters are invited to site visit. T. Grim made a motion to continue the hearing until May 13, 2009. T. Schaefer 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous. Closed 8:42 pm.
ConCom Business - Complaint
31R Rollins St. Two weeks ago there was still snow on the ground. Their driveway is made up of an asphalt type substance. The driveway is ground up from plowing, and is located next to a brook. ConCom received a complaint call, saying they were filling in the wetlands. T. Schaefer wrote a letter which will be sent next week, explaining ConCom rules regarding this issue.
Business - Fee Schedule
M. Dempsey rewrote the fee schedule per last month’s hearing regarding filing fees. Commissioners discussed the new filing fees. M. Dempsey made a motion to approve the new fee schedule as of tonight, April 8, 2009, and close this hearing. T. Grim 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
ConCom Business – Washington Street Complaint
M. Dempsey received a complaint and pictures of work that has been recently started on Washington St. Silt is coming off the hill and there are no haybales in place. If work has begun, there was no pre-construction meeting per the OOC. T. Grim saw the backhoe for the past week in different positions. A neighbor observed a river coming through the property after a rain event. M. Dempsey will contact the homeowner.
Open Space and Trails Committee -
- The Open Space Plan is in its final stage and should be ready by the end of April.
- $10,000 toward the Kelly property from Essex County Greenbelt.
- The Kelly family attended the CPC meeting and are all in favor and happy the Town is going to purchase. They will speak at Town Meeting if needed for testimonial regarding historical background of the property.
- April 27th – Town Meeting. Commissioners were asked to attend.
- Got appraisal paid for from Essex County Greenbelt for the Webster property. Will meet in the near future to discuss. For an unknow reason, they re-recorded the purchase and sale agreement. There are questions on how the appraisal was put together. The Town assessed it for $1.4 million, but the land value is $1.2 million. There are two appraised values on it.
- M. Dempsey spoke to a woman from the State today. The next land grant round will close July 15, 2009. They funded all but one last time. There’s no competition.
- New DFW land agent is in place. M. Dempsey gave her a map and a list.
- Meadowpond Reservation – Marty Camp is working on what needs to be done to stop the ATVs. Chain barriers were installed at Stephenson’s Way and on road to gravel pit, and near Lukin’s property because of severe damage due to ATVs. They surveyed a trail that would connect Hampshire woods to our trail. Bolts were sheared and bent. 2 chain barriers were ripped off the trees. M. Camp replaced them and made stronger. His idea is to drop trees or put dead trees along the area. Bright orange day-glo markers across the chains and triangles and “No ATV” signs and pipes white PVC pipe so no one gets hurt.
- Bob Guptill said they want to build a 3rd bridge right away. M. Camp said the last 2 bridges were built with utility poles. Want to build another less substantial bridge shown on his map. 63’ low bridge across wet spot. M. Dempsey said the project is under an NOI filed 2 years ago and is already approved. They need man and woman power - April 18th and April 25th. Using sections of utility poles laying parallel to stream bed. Bridge 36” wide – narrow enough to keep ATVs off.
- Recommendations: make a link trail to link from corner of property from Georgetown’s Hampshire reservation to Meadowpond. 12’ bog bridge. Avoid damaging ponds and puddles that the ATVs have done. There are two places on the trail they wants to add bog bridges.
- Scheduled to see Georgetown next Thursday, April 16th.
- Saturday site visit April 11, 2009, to look at the bridge and entry trail.
- There is an effort to repeal the Community Preservation Act in Groveland. They got 48 signatures. Will not be on the ballot this year. Will be on Town Meeting warrant. M. Dempsey is working with CPA coalition.
T. Grim made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 pm. M. Dempsey 2nd. All in favor. Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Felch
Administrative Agent
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