Conservation Commission

CITY OF CHICOPEE CONSERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of Meeting October 21, 2020 Pursuant to Mass. General Law Ch. 131, Section 40 and the Chicopee Wetland Ordinance Ch. 272, the Chicopee Conservation Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 6:15 PM, in person and via video conference (Zoom). Celeste Donovan opened the meeting at 6:15 PM and announced that the meeting was being recorded and read the following statement into the meeting record: Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 131, Section 40 and the Chicopee Wetlands Ordinance, Chapter 272, the Chicopee Conservation Commission calls to order this public hearing today, October 21, 2020 at 6:15 pm. Commissioners are meeting in person and through video conference utilizing Zoom. In order to ensure and satisfy CDC social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic and pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 23, 2020 Order as amended, the Chicopee Conservation Commission is conducting public hearings utilizing remote collaboration technology in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 18. Copies of application materials for items on the Commission’s agenda may be requested by phone: 413-594-1515 or by emailing Jim Dawson at jdawson@chicopeema.gov Tonight’s public hearings will be available for viewing via the Spectrum Community Access Channel 191 or the Chicopee TV website at www.facebook.com/ChicopeeTV or https://vimeo.com/chicopeetv Public comment will be received during two timeframes. The first public comment period took place prior to tonight’s public hearings. The second public comment period will occur following tonight’s public hearings through November 4, 2020 for newly opened agenda items. Public comments can be submitted in writing to the Chicopee Conservation Commission, 4th floor City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street Chicopee, MA 01013. By email to Jim Dawson at jdawson@chicopeema.gov or by calling 413- 594-1517. All comments received regarding newly opened agenda items will be provided to all Commissioners and discussed this evening or on November 4, 2020. Conservation Commission attendance: Member Present Absent Excused Celeste Donovan (In person) X Charles Payne (In person) X Sharon Balcom (In person) X Meghan Balakier (In person) X Richard Valcourt (In person) X Planning/Conservation Staff attendance: Member Present Absent Excused Lee Pouliot, Director X James Dawson, Development Manager X Patrick McKenna, Assistant Planner X Nathan Moreau, Associate Planner X Item 1: (New) NOI for proposed site improvements to include upgrades to stormwater drainage and parking infrastructure and frontage. Work will occur within Terrace Escarpment Soils and Bordering Land Subject to Flooding. Location: 30 Buckley Blvd. Applicant: Revolution Greencare, LLC., c/o Greenglove Consulting, 139 Damon Road #5, Northampton, MA 01060 Notes: Casey Burch of Solli Engineering presented the NOI on behalf of the Applicant. Mr. Burch provided an overview of the project. Commissioners had some questions about the project. Due to Covid-19 meeting restrictions and to allow for an adequate public comment period, the Commission continued the hearinbg on this issue to November 4, 2020. Motion to Continue to November 4, 2020 was made by Charles Payne and seconded by Sharon Balcom. Vote was 5-0 to continue to November 4, 2020. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 2: (New) Restoration Plan for gravel parking area expansion to a vegetated condition. Work to occur within Buffer Zone to Bordering Vegetated Wetland and Terrace Escarpment Soils. Location: 1269 Memorial Dr. Applicant: Patalano Property Management, LLC, 26 Chadbourne Cir., Ludlow, MA 01056 Notes: Joseph Rogers of GZA GeoEnvironmental presented the proposed restoration plan to the Commission via Zoom. The restoration plan was the result of an Enforcement Order issued earlier in the year for the clearing of vegetation and the expansion of a parking lot within Wetland Buffer Zone without Conservation Commission approval. Mr. Rogers provided details regarding the proposed plant material, fencing and process that the project would follow. The Commissioners discussed the proposal and their conditions of approval with Mr. Rogers. The Commission was satisfied with the proposed plan and voted to approve with conditions. Motion to approve the restoration plan was made by Meghan Balakier and seconded by Sharon Balcom. Vote was 5-0 to approve the restoration plan with conditions. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 3: (Cont. from October 7, 2020) RDA for replacement or improvement of eight (8) electrical transmission structures along the ROW for Line 1113. Work will also include select tree removal in Buffer Zone where canopy has grown to within 35-50’ of the wires. Location: Southwest of New Ludlow Rd. Applicant: NSTAR Electric DBA Eversource, 107 Selden St., Berlin, CT 06037 Notes: Daniel Nitzsche and Stephen Lecco of GZA GeoEnvironmental along with Jonathan Roberge of Eversource Energy presented an overview of their presentation from the October 7, 2020 hearing. They also presented the revisions to the plans that were requested by the Commission. The Commission questioned discarded tires in one of the photos (photo #4) in the submitted report. The Commission requested the verification of the location of the tires and requested that if the tires were in fact on Eversource land that they were to be removed. The Commission also imposed its standard erosion control conditions. Motion to grant a Negative 3 and a Positive 5 Determination with conditions was made by Sharon Balcom and seconded by Charles Payne. Vote was 5-0 to grant a Negative 3 and a Positive 5 Determination with conditions. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 4: (Cont. from October 7, 2020) NOI for replacement or improvement of eight (8) electrical transmission structures along the ROW for Line 1113. Work will also include select tree removal where canopy has grown to within 35-50’ of the wires. Work will occur within Terrace Escarpment Soils. Location: Southwest of New Ludlow Rd. Applicant: NSTAR Electric DBA Eversource, 107 Selden St., Berlin, CT 06037 Notes: Daniel Nitzsche and Stephen Lecco of GZA GeoEnvironmental along with Jonathan Roberge of Eversource Energy presented an overview of their presentation from the October 7, 2020 hearing. They also presented the revisions to the plans that were requested by the Commission i.e. the corrected Terrace Escarpment Soils Buffer Zone. Mr. Nitzsche reviewed the revisions to the tree canopy removal resulting from the corrected buffer zone. It was determined that Eversource would pay the City $1,320 in compensation for the trees to be removed. The Commission was satisfied with the tree compensation value and imposed its standard erosion control conditions. Motion to issue an Order of Conditions with conditions and the agreed upon tree compensation value of $1,320 was made by Meghan Balakier and seconded by Charles Payne. Vote was 5-0 to issue an Order of Conditions with conditions and the agreed upon tree compensation value of $1,320. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 5: (Cont. from October 7, 2020) RDA for the construction of a single-family house and associated site amenities. Work will occur within Wetland Buffer Zone and Buffer Zone to Terrace Escarpment Soils. Location: 322 Dale St. Applicant: MA Homebuyers LLC, 61 Cabot St., Chicopee, MA 01013 Notes: Douglas Serrill of The Berkshire Design Group provided the Commission with an overview of the presentation from October 7, 2020. The Commission imposed several conditions of approval including the standard erosion control conditions, installation of two wetland boundary signs and location of roof leaders (downspouts). Motion to grant a Negative 3 and a Positive 5 Determination with conditions was made by Sharon Balcom and seconded by Meghan Balakier. Vote was 5-0 to grant a Negative 3 and a Positive 5 Determination with conditions. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 6: Enforcement Orders - Update  19 Old Chicopee St. Notes: Fines issued September 25, 2020  Sunflower Avenue Notes: Enforcement Order and fines issued October 16, 2020 Item 7: Minutes from October 7, 2020 Notes: Commissioner Balcom noted a typo on Item 2. Staff noted correction would be made prior to filing. Motion to approve with the noted correction was made by Meghan Balakier and seconded by Charles Payne. Vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 abstention to approve. Commissioner Balcom abstained since she was not in attendance on October 7, 2020 Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Item 8: Sign Bills – One bill to sign. Item 9: Upcoming Project Updates/Discussion  NOI for Canterbury Arms Apartments Parking Lot Reconstruction Project – Project is within Riverfront Area and will reconstruct parking lot in its existing location. (November 4, 2020 agenda). Item 10: Adjournment – Next scheduled meeting is November 4, 2020 Motion to adjourn was made by Sharon Balcom and seconded by Richard Valcourt. Vote was 5-0 to adjourn. Member Approve Deny Continue Abstain Celeste Donovan X Charles Payne X Sharon Balcom X Meghan Balakier X Richard Valcourt X Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM.