Inland Wetlands, Water Courses & Conservation Commission

Regular Meeting Minutes January 6, 2022 CITY OF NORWICH INLAND WETLANDS, WATERCOURSES AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION VIRTUAL/REMOTE MEETING A. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Richard Morell called the meeting to order at 7:16 PM. B. ROLL CALL and SEATING of ALTERNATES: Present: Chairman Richard Morell, Vice Chairman Douglas Lee and Peter Chalecki. Absent: Brandon Hyde, Michael Lahan and Robert McCoy. Also Present: Dan Daniska, Assistant City Planner and Katherine Rose, Recording Secretary. C. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: Douglas Lee put forth a motion to APPROVE the November 4, 2021 regular meeting minutes. Peter Chalecki seconded. Peter Chalecki, Douglas Lee, and Richard Morrell voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Douglas Lee put forth a motion to APPROVE the December 2, 2021 special meeting minutes as presented. Peter Chalecki seconded. Peter Chalecki, Douglas Lee, and Richard Morrell voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. D. COMMUNICATIONS: None. E. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None. F. OLD BUSINESS: IWWCC App. #21-12: 555-575 Norwich Avenue – Ponemah South Mill. Application for land disturbance activities within the upland review area for grading, installation of drainage and storm water treatment with connection to existing drainage pipes, installation of a river walk and linear park along the existing stone masonry retaining wall, repair and improvement of existing driveway, and landscaping. Application and property of 555 South Mill, LLC & 575 South Mill, LLC, Paula O’Neill, Managing Member. Brandon Handfield of Yantic River Consultants represented the project on behalf of the applicant as well as Phil Biondo, the project manager for the property owner. Mr. Handfield described the existing site and regulated activities. He then displayed an existing conditions aerial view with an overlay of planned improvements. Mr. Handfield explained that there is currently no access to the back of the site for vehicles coming from the main entrance, only from a rear gravel pathway off of CT-169. Mr. Handfield described the topography of the site and vegetation in the area, most of which is immature invasive species and shrubs that are not worth saving. Mr. Handfield stated that the wetlands located to the east of the site on the embankment of the Shetucket River at the bottom of the retaining wall were delineated in August of 2020 and it was agreed that the retaining wall was the limit of the wetlands. Mr. Handfield noted on the plan where the FEMA special flood hazard areas were marked and stated that most of the site fell outside of a regulated FEMA area aside from a low spot along the limits of the project along the northern extent of the retaining wall. Mr. Handfield discussed the limit of activity in the rear of the building. He stated the proposal is to develop the existing mill structure into 146 multi-family apartments with the main access coming from the existing Norwich Avenue intersection. He continued that they would improve the current driveway at the northwest corner and would be constructing parking with access in a counter-clockwise direction. Mr. Handfield stated they would be removing a small connecting portion of the building between the south mill and the adjacent building, as there is currently no physical access to the rear of the site. He continued that a road would be constructed between the two buildings to serve a new parking lot which would taper down to basement level to match existing grade. Brandon Handfield stated they would reconnect to the rear access drive along the river, which begins at the southeast corner and ends at the northeast corner, and that the access drive would be paved and widened slightly to conform to current zoning regulations. Mr. Handfield added that some parking areas would be provided to serve recreational use along the river. Mr. Handfield showed where the limit of the 100-foot upland review area fell within the plans and discussed the regulated activities occurring within the area such as improving the gravel access drive along the river; installing parking for use of the linear river pathway and park; the installation of a trash enclosure into the retaining wall of the embankment; cutting down invasive growth adjacent to the river; installing a stone dust pathway parallel to the top of the retaining wall; the addition of native plantings between the path and driveway; and the of planting of conservation seed between the path and the wall. Mr. Handfield continued that in the area on the site plan shown as a park with benches there will be a maintained grass area. He stated their proposal also included picking up the drainage from the front of the site and discharge in a counter clockwise direction following the parking areas, which would then connect to the existing manhole at the bottom of the retaining wall in the northeast corner that discharges into the Shetucket River. Mr. Handfield stated both the State of Connecticut and North Mill already discharge through the same pipe and there is sufficient capacity to connect into it. He stated prior to reconnecting into the pipe there would be a storm water treatment structure installed that will be sized to handle the first inch of flow on all new paved surfaces within the area. Mr. Handfield explained that anything collected on the pavement would pass through the treatment structure before discharging to the existing system in the river. He stated the roof water would continue to discharge either through the existing system to the north or will connect to the new collection system. Mr. Handfield discussed the applicant’s fully developed erosion sediment control plan that meets the 2002 State of Connecticut guidelines and where controls would sit in the regulated area. Mr. Handfield stated he had received the city engineer’s comments related to drainage and noted the information in the memorandum prepared by city staff and that he did submit drainage calculations to the engineer related to the overall storm water runoff from the site to confirm that nothing needs to be attenuated before discharging into the river. Brandon Handfield continued that he does owe the City Engineer the pipe flow calculations related to the size of the pipes that bring the drainage around to connect but that he submitted treatment calculations to the engineer that day to confirm that a single point source treatment is adequate to satisfy the DEEP manual and 2004 water quality manual. Douglas Lee asked for detail on the size of the point treatment facility. Brandon Handfield responded that it would be a six foot diameter manhole that has multiple swirl chambers within it, inside of which there will be separation of debris, pollutants, sediment and floatables before discharging from the north side. Mr. Handfield continued that all low flows that come from the collection system would hydro dynamically swirl through the treatment facility and high flows associated with a larger storm would pass through an internal bypass in the structure, past the treatment side and continue on through. Douglas Lee asked for information on the proposed management plan as a large area of water is proposed to flow through a single point. Brandon Handfield responded the site would need to treat about two CFS for that storm and the sides of the structure are a Hydroworks HG6 or equal, which is in the lower half of what they typically specify for a treatment structure. Brandon Handfield continued that there would be a specific maintenance chart employed and that there would be maintenance guidelines provided once the exact treatment structure was selected. Peter Chalecki asked if any monitor wells were located in the upland regulated area. Brandon Handfield responded he would need to consult the survey but there is currently an environmental remediation program occurring in the area where they are monitoring wells and cleaning up some areas where polluted soil were detected. Peter Chalecki asked if the driveway along the riverwalk would remain permeable or if asphalt would be put in. Brandon Handfield responded it would be a 20 foot wide paved driveway and to minimize concentrating flows they mimicked the sheet flow runoff when possible, so that everything to the south of the trash enclosure will continue to be sheet flow onto the vegetative surface, as it currently flows. Peter Chalecki asked if attenuation was not needed or if that was yet to be determined. Brandon Handfield responded that attenuation is not needed for the site as after reviewing the existing and proposed conditions it was determined there is an increase in impervious surface as compared to existing and the reason for that he did not take into account historical development that had been removed. Brandon Handfield continued that the main reason for not attenuating is due to the fact they will be directly discharging to the Shetucket River and are discouraged from attenuating when so close to a large river water source because of the differences in sizes of watershed and in time of concentration. Brandon Handfield discussed the city engineer’s approvals. Douglas Lee made a motion to waive the reading of the staff memo. Peter Chalecki seconded. All voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Douglas Lee made a motion that the application was not a significant activity and did not require a public hearing. Peter Chalecki seconded. All voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Douglas Lee put forth a motion to to APPROVE IWWCC application #21-12 with the following conditions: ● That the approval is valid for FIVE YEARS and will expire on 01/06/2027.  ● That a bond, in an amount satisfactory to the City Engineer, be submitted for Erosion and Sediment Control and Site Restoration. ● That the Review Comments from the City Engineer in an email dated 01/04/2022 be addressed before the final revised plans be submitted and reviewed by City Staff. ● That final revised plans be submitted and reviewed by City Staff. ● That all site activities shall be conducted in accordance with the plans, specifications and documents of record. Any deviation from the approved plans or construction sequence shall be cause for enforcement action by the Inland Wetlands, Watercourses and Conservation Commission. ● That the permittee shall notify the Inland Wetlands Agent prior to the commencement of work and upon its completion. ● That all work and all regulated activities conducted pursuant to this authorization shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this approval. Any structures, excavation, fill, obstructions, encroachments or regulated activities not specifically identified and authorized herein shall constitute a violation of this approval and may result in its modification, suspension, or revocation. Upon initiation of the activities authorized herein, the permittee thereby accepts and agrees to comply with the terms and conditions of this approval. ● That no equipment or materials including without limitation fill, construction materials, or debris, shall be ● deposited, placed, or stored in any wetland or watercourse on or off site unless specifically authorized by this approval. ● That the General Provisions stated in Section 11.9 of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Regulations are applicable to this permit. ● That the permit shall not be assigned or transferred to another entity without the written permission of the Commission. ● That all erosion and sediment control measures shall be in accordance with the Connecticut Guidelines for Erosion and Sediment Control. Erosion and sediment control measures shall be installed and inspected prior to site disturbance. It is the permittee’s responsibility to schedule the inspection with the Norwich Planning Department. Additional erosion and sediment control measures shall be installed if determined to be necessary by the Designated Agent. The permittee shall take such necessary steps consistent with the terms and conditions of the approval, to control stormwater discharges and to prevent erosion and sedimentation and to otherwise prevent pollution of wetlands and watercourses. ● That this permit will be strictly enforced. The Commission may suspend or revoke this permit, may direct the Commission’s Agent to issue a cease and desist order or may require the applicant to modify, extend, or revise the site work or restore the area to its original condition if it finds that the applicant has not complied with the conditions set forth in this approval or if the applicant exceeds the scope of this approval as set forth herein or if the intended use or actual use of the general site is not as represented by the application or the plan of record. Peter Chalecki seconded. All voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. G. NEW BUSINESS: 1. IWWCC #21-13 – 217 & 229 North Wawecus Hill Road – Construction of a New Single Family Home and associated Septic System and Well located in the Upland Review Area. Property and Application of Anilton Pontes & Atiya Rodrigues-Pontes. Assessor’s Map 89, Block 1, Lot 14. Zone R40. Douglas Lee motion to table IWWCC #21-13 until the next scheduled meeting. Peter Chalecki seconded. Peter Chalecki, Douglas Lee and Richard Morrell voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. H. OTHER BUSINESS: None. I. VIOLATIONS: None. J. ADJOURNMENT: Peter Chalecki made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:46 PM. Douglas Lee seconded. Peter Chalecki, Douglas Lee, and Richard Morrell voted in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Katherine Rose, Recording Secretary