Conservation Commission

City of Nashua Conservation Commission City Hall, 229 Main Street, PO Box 2019, Nashua NH 03061-2019 (603) 589-3105 www.nashuanh.gov NASHUA CONSERVATION COMMISSION Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Regular Meeting Public meeting. All are welcome to attend. NCC Budget Review Committee will meet prior to the regular meeting from 6:30-7:00 pm A regular meeting of the Nashua Conservation Commission will be held on Tuesday, July10, 2012 at 7:00 PM, in Room 208, City Hall, 2nd Floor - 229 Main Street. A. Call to order B. Roll call C. Approval of minutes: • June 19, 2012 – regular meeting D. Old Business: • Pinebrook- # 28, Tax Map C, Lot 2351. Salmon Brook and Other wetlands. Owner- Simmi Bhadran. Certified NH Wetland Scientist- Robert Prokop. Initially discussed on 3/2/0/12 and at several other meetings. Refer to the 5/1/12 minutes- update to be provided at the July meeting. No formal application submitted to date. Trees cut within the 40 ft. wetland buffer. Monitoring Report prepared by Robert Prokop received July 3, 2012. Ward 9. • Sunblaze Drive/Jonquil/Cherrywood area- Concern about open space areas- overgrown, wildlife in the neighborhood (snakes) and use of these areas. Ward 9. • Open space encroachment/dumping of yard waste- recent issues at Jonquil # 6 and Hibiscus # 40. Ward 9. • Freshwater Court- #7 , Tax Map B, Lot 3035. Property along Hassell Brook, critical wetland with a 40 ft buffer requirement. Cleanup of area along the brook and backyard. Request to consider cutting of two (2) Pine Trees. Ward 6. • Harris Road # 24- Tax Map B, Lot 301. Owners- Odette and Marcel Lamothe. PLR 2012- 00106. Photographs submitted. Most recently discussed June 19, 2012. Ward 9. • Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) – 81 Daniel Webster Highway (location of substation). Tax Map A, Lot 179. PRL2012-00107. Most recently discussed June 19, 2012. Response to question on cable decomposition received July 2nd. Ward 7. • Tampa Street # 14. Tax map 130, Lot 109. Nashua River cove (prime wetland). Refer to June 19th agenda. City tree warden tree safety assessment completed. Ward 4. • Pennichuck- Tinker Road/Exit 9-most recently discussed at the June 5 & 19th meeting. Update provided via emails June 27 and 28th. Wards 2 & 3. • Trail Committee update of the meeting of June 28 regarding THCA • Budget Review Committee- update of meeting Nashua Conservation Commission Agenda for Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Page 2 of 4 • NH Aquatic Resources Mitigation Fund (ARM), update by Mike Speltz (Society for the Protection of NH Forest, ARM Fund application due to NHDES August 10, 2012. Most recent update in non-public session- March 20, 2012. Request to go into non-public session. E. New Business: • City of Nashua Infrastructure Improvements at CSO -004. Tax Map 12, Lot 4. Property of the Boston and Maine Corp. The project area is located off the end of Burke Street between the Boston and Maine Railroad tracks and the Merrimack River. NH Certified Wetland Scientist- Sean Donohue, TRC Environmental. To construct an underground Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) storage tank and associated interconnecting pipeline located entirely on upland, but within buffer to Merrimack River (a designated prime wetland). The site is located in a vacant forested area near the Merrimack River that is opposite the end of Burke Street. The purpose of the project is to collect and temporarily store CSO flow (combined stormwater and untreated sewage) that would normally be discharged to the Merrimack River during times of high rainfall, and then redirect the CSO back to the sewer system for treatment when sewer capacity becomes available. Temporary buffer impacts of 4,000 square feet and permanent buffer impacts of less than 1,500 sq. ft. Request to schedule a site walk. Ward 7. • Wild Rose Drive #19, Tax Map F, Lot 33. Building permits application to construct a 6 foot high retaining wall, part of Wild Rose Estates. NCC minutes of 2003-2004. Ward 1. F. Other Business and Updates: • Public Concerns • Flintlocke # 99- building permit condition related to NRWA report # 44 and conservation related language on the approved subdivision plan 3085. • Email distribution list to received NCC agendas • Wetland Mitigation information • NRWA summary report of April 20, 2010; potential action items • NRWA- project area assignment updates • Legislative Update • Assignments- • Developing a list of city projects- potential wetland mitigation ideas • Other G. NCC Correspondence and Communications: • FROM: Public Service of New Hampshire- 389 Distribution Line- NH Department of Environmental Services- Standard Dredge and Fill Permit Application Prepared by ZBA GeoEnvironmental Inc. 81 Daniel Webster Highway (location of substation). Tax Map A, Lot 179. RE: Standard Dredge and Fill Application GZA submitted to NHDES dated June 13, 2012. Received June 25, 2012. A city wetland application. (PRL2012-00107) was discussed at the June 19th NCC meeting. • FROM: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Notice of Acceptance of Permit Application- Subsurface Systems Bureau. RE: 1058 West Hollis, Tax Map D, Lot 191. DES File Number 20122133. Letter dated June 20, 2012 and received June 25, 2012. Nashua Conservation Commission Agenda for Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Page 3 of 4 H. Informational Items: general reference materials, additional resources available on respective websites and from other resources identified within. • Snakes in New Hampshire- NH Fish and Game information, selected factsheet. • Mitigation literature- o ARM Fund, NHDES- 2012 application and information packet o Aquatic Resource Mitigation, NHDES Fact Sheet WD-WB-17, 2009 o Compensatory Mitigation Information and Checklist, NHDES Fact Sheet WD-WB- 16, 2010 o NHDES- Preliminary Mitigation Agreement Form o Mitigation Banking Factsheet – EPA o Compensatory Mitigation – EPA o Wetland Research Technology Center (WRTC)- US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) o ACOE Mobile District Regulatory Division o National Wetland Mitigation Action Plan o ACOE- Model Compensatory Mitigation Plan Checklist o What is Mitigation- Ducks Unlimited • Water Monitoring- Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA)- 2012- Water Monitoring data. Next monitoring is July 21st. Part of the city is located in the Nashua River watershed. • Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (SWQPA)- frequently asked questions. • Vegetation Maintenance with the Protected Shoreland, NHDES Fact Sheet- WD-SP-5, 2012. • Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (SWQPA) A Summary of Standards, RSA 483-B • Handouts of the NHANRS workshop Friday, June 15, 2012 Grasslands, Shrub lands and Wet Meadows o Grassland, Shrub land and Young Forest Habitat Management Resources- dated June 14, 2012 list of resources o Field Indicators of Hydrics Soils in the United States, Version 7.0 (2010) o Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans- Plant Fact Sheet- USDA- NRCS o Swithchgrass, Panicum virgatum- Plant Fact Sheet- USDA- NRCS o Big Bluestem, Andropogan gerardi Vitman- Plant Fact Sheet- USDA- NRCS o Warm Season/Native Grass Seeding Procedures o Conservation Cover for Pollinators 327 NH • NH Fish and Game (F & G)handouts o Wildlines- NH Fish and Game’s quarterly newsletter of the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program o Wild Life in New Hampshire- NH Fish and Game poster o Hunting Season Dates 2012 o Wild Times- for Kids- NH Fish and Game publication, Vol 12, Issue I- Weather, Climate and Wildlife o Wildlife Harvest Summary-, 2011 New Hampshire Report- NH Fish and Game Dept. o Small Game Summary Report- 2010/2011 NH Fish and Game- Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock o Pocket Guide to NH Animal Tracks • Northeast Aquatic Connectivity- An Assessment of Dams on Northeastern Rivers Report of the Nature Conservancy & Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2011. • Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: North central and Northeast Region, Version 2.0, January 2012 Nashua Conservation Commission Agenda for Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Page 4 of 4 • National Wetland Plant List- US Army Corps of Engineers- New Release- May 15, 2012 • National Wetland Plant List 2012 • Nomenclature and the National Wetland Plant List, US Corps of Engineers, May 2009 • Wetlands Overview- EPA website, What Is A Wetland? • Wetland Definitions- EPA website • Glossary of Wetland Terminology- general list from Internet • Pollinator Conservation- USDA Technical Note No. 78- Using Farm Bill Program for Pollinator Conservation discusses conservation programs to create or enhance pollinator habitat • Xerces Society- conservation of invertebrates and their habitat • NHANRS Workshop- Anatomy of a Drumlin Workshop, Wednesday, July 256. Registration and fee required. I. Project Updates by Commissioners: J. Non-Public Session- Request to go into non-public session K. Adjournment Accommodations for the Sensory Impaired “Suitable Accommodations for the Sensory Impaired will be provided upon adequate advanced notice.” Next Meeting: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 September Meeting date- September 4th Please turn off cell phones and pagers. Thank you. Questions regarding the agenda can be directed to Lucy A. St. John, AICP- Deputy Planning Manager Planning Department at (603) 589-3113 or 589-3105