Conservation Commission

flTCHCBURG CITY CLERK Mar 09 2022 4:05 pm CITY OF FITCHBURG CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2021 COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE: Tracey Sarefield, Chair, Brian Breau, Vice- chair, Mike Donnelly, Ralph Baker, Mary Helene, Mark Christian (6) STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Tim Smith, Mike O’Hara CALL TO ORDER: Meeting called to order at 6:04 p.m. NOTE: This was a Virtual meeting on GoToSeminar due to the pandemic. Ms. Sarefield read an introduction stating the mission statement of the Commission, the role & responsibilities of the Conservation Commission and the eight interests of the Wetlands Protection Act and offered suggestions on participating remotely. Present: Roll Call: Breau, Baker, Christian, Donnelly, Helene, Sarefield (6) PUBLIC HEARINGS: Notice of Intent -Traven Development 139 Harvard St. - 12 new townhouse units in Riverfront Area (cont’d from 6/29/21) Hearing re-opened. Present: Pat McCarty & Justin Leclair, McCarty Engineering, Matt Olson, Traven Development, applicant. Justin presented revised grading/drainage and landscaping plans dated 7/23/21. Based on comments at previous meetings & site walks, the group of five townhouse units nearest the steep slope has been reduced to four (total # units now 11), and the footprint of those units has been decreased by 800 sq. ft. and pulled away from the slope. Nearest corner of the bldg. on plan revised (date) will be about 15 feet from edge of the slope. A six-foot high privacy fence will be installed at the top of bank left rear side of the development and tie into the existing chain-link fence Matt Olson: This is a better plan from both a construction and a marketing/sales standpoint. Pat: They are requesting the Commission’s support so that they can finish design plans and go back with an amendment to the Planning Board’s Special Permit, which was for 12 units. 9/29/21 MINUTES - FITCHBURG CONSERVATION COMMISSION Page 2 July 27, 2021 Commission comments: Mike D: The staking on the slope that the Commission saw on the site walk - - was that from the original plan or the revised plan? Pat: Original plan. Now there will be no disturbance of the steep slope and only a small corner of the development will be in the Riverfront Area. Mike: Can a contractor get the foundation in within that 15 feet. Yes. There’s a concern that eventually the large Ash that’s on the slope will be an impedance to the structure & will be a problem in the future & will need to be removed, thus making the steep bank less stable. Ralph: Lots of Ash trees are being attacked by the Emerald Ash borer. Matt: They’re planning to trim the limbs that is overhanging close to the bldg. site but that’s all. Mary asked about measures to protect the steep slope during construction. Pat: Will have several rows of straw wattles on the slope, and extra protection to trees during construction. Tim: Planting more trees? Yes, several to be planted off the side of the building. Species list on the Landscaping Plan were reviewed, including cherry & dogwood. The area will be protected from snow plows since it is separated by a paved berm. Nick Erickson, DPW-Engineering: Is all of the roof runoff being directed to either the infiltration system of the dry wells? Justin: Yes. Has a capacity assessment of the municipal stormwater system in the area been done? McCarty Engineering is in the process of doing that. Public Comment: None. Motion made (Mr. Baker) & seconded (Mr. Donnelly) to Approve an Order of Conditions, subject to: Plan revised (7/23/21), preconstruction meeting w/ Commission agenda & contractor, Stormwater O&M plan to be recorded with the condominium documents @ the Registry of Deeds. Roll call vote: Breau: Yes. Baker: Yes. Christian: Yes. Donnelly: Yes. Helene: No. Sarefield: Yes. Vote 5-1 in favor. Notice of Intent - Fitchburg Recreation - Accessible walkway to Mirror Lake gazebo, Coggshall Park Hearing opened. Present: Alexandra Gaspar, & Brandon Kunkel, landscape architect, Weston & Sampson. Brandon presented plan for a proposed six-foot wide wooden boardwalk from a landing area across from the Stone House to provide accessible access to the Mirror Lake Gazebo and beyond. Approx. length: 600 ft. to the gazebo and another 250 feet beyond in Phase I. Phase II of the path would extend to the dam. Phase II is outside of the scope of this NOI. 9/29/21 MINUTES - FITCHBURG CONSERVATION COMMISSION Page 3 July 27, 2021 The pilings that will support the boardwalk will be installed either via equipment on a 30’ x 70’ barge or directly on the lake bed after lake drawdown. There will be 244 total pilings each 8” square installed 8-ft o.c. driven into bedrock. Additional 60-degree diagonal piles will be driven at the turns & corners of boardwalk for additional support. Piles will be driven into lake bed with a large pneumatic hammer from a barge Bryan: Types of wildlife on/in the lake? Brandon: Unknown. They will check w/ Parks Dept. Alexandra: Resource Areas affected: Land Under Water: 40 sq. ft. (for driving piles), Bank disturbed: 25 lin. feet. Work will be in the 50-foot “No Disturb” & 75-foot “No Build” areas, so will need waivers from the Commission. Commission comment/questions: Depth of lake? Unknown at this time, they’ll find out. Depth of borings? Will be driven min. 3 ft. into rock. What is cost to build an overland, rather than over water trail to the Gazebo? Over the water would affect the visual impact of the pond, the reason why people go to Coggshall in the first place. Nick E: Accessibility to the Gazebo is the purpose of the project What is condition of dam? Nick E: Office of Dam Safety says minor repair needed, not critical, not listed as a High Hazard dam. Public Comment: None. DEP file # has not yet been issued. Motion made & seconded to continue hearing to next month. Roll call vote: Breau: Yes. Baker: Yes. Christian: Yes. Donnelly: Yes. Helene: yes. Sarefield: Yes. Vote 6-0 in favor Commission agreed to hold site visit Sunday Aug 8th 9:00 a.m. Notice of Intent - Barkley Enterprises, LLC, Sheldon Rd, Lots 9 & 10, new single-family dwellings in buffer zone Hearing opened. Present: Paul Grazewicz, Graz Engineering. Paul presented plan for construction of a dwelling, well & septic on two of the ten lots recently split off on Sheldon Rd. Wetland delineation described. Lot 10 will have a retaining wall to accommodate grading for the septic system. Nick E: Would like to see perc & wetland delineation data. Paul will FW. There was extensive land disturbance > 20,000 sq. ft. 1-2 years ago, access across Lot 3 deeper into the parcel, closer to Sheldon Pond. Topsoil removed, much erosion. Public Comment: Peter Kettle, 44 Mcintire Rd: There have been big changes recently in the area since lots on Mcintire & Williams Roads have been split off & developed. Now more have been split off on Sheldon Rd. He requested that there be no fracking of wells on these 9/29/21 MINUTES - FITCHBURG CONSERVATION COMMISSION Page 4 July 27, 2021 lots. What if more private wells in the area go dry? Will the City pay for replacement wells or Charlie Ouellette, 410 Williams Rd: Recently bought lot house at corner of Williams & Sheldon Rds. He is closest to Lot 10. Is concerned with loss of trees, well water is a concern. Meghan Cameron, 392 Williams Rd: Why not combine a couple of these ten vacant lots & provide a larger building area. Disturbance to wetlands & buffer zone could be avoided altogether. Nick E, DPW: Confirms that there is no water nearby on Williams Rd. Motion made (Ralph) & seconded (Bryan) to continue hearing to next month. Roll call vote: Breau: Yes. Baker: Yes. Christian: Yes. Donnelly: Yes. Helene: Yes. Sarefield: Yes. Vote 6-0 in favor Commission agreed to add this to Aug. 8th site visit. OTHER BUSINESS: Certificates of Compliance - #155-613, 97 & 107 Damon Rd. (Lots 3 & 4) Still waiting on a P.E.’s certificates Future meetings Discussion on going back to in-person meetings, must provide a Hybrid option for people who want to participate remotely. The meeting room on the 3rd floor of City Hall is large enough. Also, whether to stick with usual meeting schedule or go with a different day. Tuesdays are very popular meeting nights, sometimes there are conflicts with other meetings. Motion made (Mary) & seconded (Ralph) to go back to in-person meetings, with a hybrid option. Roll call vote: Breau: Yes. Baker: Yes. Christian: Yes. Donnelly: Yes. Helene: Yes. Sarefield: Yes. Vote 6-0 in favor Motion made (Mr. Baker) & seconded (Mr. Donnelly) to Adjourn. Roll call vote: Breau: Yes. Baker: Yes. Christian: Yes Donnelly: Yes. Helene: Yes. Sarefield: Yes. Vote 6-0 in favor. Meeting adjourned: 7:54 p.m. Next meeting: 8/8/21 (site walk) Next monthly meeting: August 31, 2021 Minutes approved: Sept. 28, 2021 9/29/21