Inland Wetlands, Water Courses & Conservation Commission

Special Meeting Minutes January 11, 2018 CITY OF NORWICH INLAND WETLANDS, WATERCOURSES AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION Lower-level Conference Room 23 Union Street, Norwich, Connecticut A. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Richard Morell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. B. ROLL CALL and SEATING of ALTERNATES: Present: Richard Morell, Chairman Douglas Lee, Vice Chairman David Poore Brandon Hyde Douglas Lee Peter Chalecki Michael Lahan, Alternate Robert McCoy, Alternate Absent: Art Sharron Also Present: Deanna Rhodes, IWWCC Agent, and Linda Lee Smith, Recording Secretary Richard Morell stated there were five regular members in attendance and all were seated. C. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: Richard Morell stated a correction needed to be made to the November 2, 2017 minutes to reflect his name as it has only 1 r and to replace the 4 corrections. A motion was made by Douglas Lee to APPROVE the minutes of the November 2, 2017 regular meeting with the 4 mentioned corrections. David Poore second. The motion passed unanimously. D. COMMUNICATIONS: Email from the City Manager: Richard Morell reminded the board if their terms had expired they needed to reapply. E. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None F. OLD BUSINESS: None G. NEW BUSINESS: Receipt of New Applications 1. IWWCC #17-18: 66 Lucas Park Road. Request for non-jurisdictional ruling for a 3-lot subdivision of property having an existing dwelling. Application and property of Stuart L. & Sherri L. Willson. Assessor’s Map 30 Block 2 Lot 18 Deanna Rhodes stated the wetlands application was for 3 lot subdivision of a lot which has an existing dwelling. There are no wetlands or activities proposed within the 100 ft. upland review area. It is within the CAM area and will be referred to the DEEP even though there is no  impact to the watercourse wetlands. There is a railroad between the property and the Thames River. The proposed shows they won't be doing any disturbance in the rear portion of the lot where it drops down. Ms. Rhodes stated statutorily when a subdivision application comes in, it always has to come before the wetlands committee for a review and referral. It is before the wetlands commission for a non-jurisdictional ruling. It will then go to the CCP. Ms. Rhodes stated she didn't ask the applicant to come before the board this evening because they didn't have anything to present because there isn't any wetlands and no disturbance proposed in the upland. A discussion ensued. Douglas Lee reiterated that it’s not a wetland application, it is just a required referral. Motion was made by Brandon Hyde that the Wetlands Commission does not have any jurisdiction over this application as there is proposed no disturbance in the wetlands or upland review area. Douglas Lee seconded. Motion carried unanimously. 2. IWWCC #19: 300 Canterbury Turnpike. Application for timber harvest including activities within the wetlands. Application of Marc J. Tremblay on behalf of Ana Volkonsky, Personal Representative for the Estate of Zina Pisarko. Property owned by Zina Pisarko. Assessor’s Map 30 Block 1 Lot 16. Deanna Rhodes gave a brief synopsis stating that the application is for a timber harvest and there are proposed land disturbance activities within the wetlands and uplands. Ms. Rhodes stated there was an area outside the 100' upland review area that they wanted to start working within and she have given them approval. Ms. Rhodes stated they were supposed to call and let the office know before they started cutting trees, but they didn't. The office had a phone call with a noise complaint as they started work at 6:20 a.m. The application was then received and a Motion was made by Douglas Lee to TABLE until the next regular meeting in February. David Poore second. Motion carried unanimously. H. OTHER BUSINESS: 1. Staff Report: a. IWWCC Permits Issued by Agent for Disturbance within the Upland Review Area: None b. Complaints Received and Being Investigated. Other than 300 Canterbury Turnpike, there were no other complaints. c. Other: 1. Deanna Rhodes had received 2 free sets of 3 training DVD videos each from DEEP on map reading, Functions and Values of Watercourses and information about the CT Watercourse Act. She handed out to members to borrow. 2. Deanna Rhodes explained there appears to be no Wetland bylaws. A discussion ensued about this and the process for annual election of officers. A Motion was then made by Brandon Hyde to reelect the present officers Chairman Richard Morell, and Vice Chairman Douglas Lee. David Poore seconded. Motion carried unanimously. 2  3. Deanna Rhodes told the board that the POCD Plan Implementation Committee met last night and Richard Morell and Douglas Lee were both in attendance. Douglas Lee gave a brief review of the POCD meeting whereas he stated they introduced themselves and the shared what each committee has been doing. He stated all groups would benefit from reviewing the document for the implementation tasks for which they are responsible and then deciding what their priorities would be to report back to the POCD. Deanna Rhodes stated she will distribute the relevant pages of the implementation document to the wetlands members for discussion next month. I. VIOLATIONS: None J. ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Peter Chalecki to adjourn the meeting at 7:29 p.m. Seconded by Brandon Hyde. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Linda Lee-Smith Recording Secretary 3