Conservation Commission

Minutes of the Taunton Conservation Commission November 18, 2019 Present ST, DB, RE, LF, JR, and MI. MH was absent. Motion to approve the minutes of the October meeting, DB, second RE, MI voted present. Public Meeting: 1. Danforth, W. Britannia, & Fremont Streets, MA DOT Rail & Transit Div. (RDA), DSE-1211 ​See field report. Present Jessica Rebholc and Peter Cruz from Jacobs Engineering. These three crossings have deteriorated. There are no direct wetland impacts or ACEC. They have erosion controls put in as a precaution. ST asked if the crossing at Fremont Street would have gates? No, not under this project. ST really would like to see this, MR even stated it in the field report for safety reasons. Cruz said the train speeds there do not warrant gates. Plus the train only passes by twice a day. This isn’t a complete re-hab, this is roadwork/surface work. Once this is complete then they will come back for the signal work. LF if we asked for the gates do you go back to the client and tell them this? This work will put in the conduits and bases but not actually put them in at this time. The signal aspect comes in at a later date. They can go back to the client with this but the issue is all the work is tied to this fiscal year. This was moved to the top of the list because the city of Taunton requested it get done sooner. JR asked why again was this not a crossing that should have gates? Cruz said they base it on the speed of the line and the number of trains. LF said so we will never see them put in there. Cruz said no you will as speeds increase but when there is a crossing that isn’t very busy, you have signals not gates. LF what if we continue this to the next meeting so you can find out about the gates? If this is continued it will not get done this year. The signals part of this is a different contract. The surface work is bringing the crossings into compliance. Motion to issue a negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 18, and 19, DB, second MI, so voted. 2. Lot 23 Run Brook Circle, Run Brook Development, LLC, (RDA), DSE-1212 ​See field report. Present Nick Dufrene Farland Corp. and Chris Moniz from Run Brook Development. DB asked how many feet are they from the wetland at the top? 120 feet approximately. LF asked if the lots are surveyed? Chris Moniz said yes, staked, surveyed and the lot signs have been ordered. They should be in any day. LF asked again if the surveying had been done? Chris said yes, it was done because the water service had to be done. LF said the lots were not surveyed when he was out there. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 18, and 19, JR, second RE, so voted. Extension: 1. 4 Westcoat Drive, Taunton Airport Commission, (EXT), SE73-2565 ​Request for a second three year extension. Alissa Jacobs from Epslon & Associates, present for the applicant. Motion to approve the three year extension, DB, second JR, so voted. Continued Public Hearing: 1. 409 Somerset Avenue, Binda, (NOI), SE73-2796 ​Motion to continue to 12/16/19, RE, second DB, so voted. 2. 0 Hamlen Street, Sullivan, (NOI), SE73-2818 ​Motion to continue to 12/16/19, DB, second MI, so voted. 3. 113 Dean Street, PB & C Series, LLC, (NOI), SE73-2823 ​See field report. Sean Leach from SITEC present for the applicant. This is a gas station. The pavement is currently breaking and sliding into the river. They need to do this work to re-establish the pavement and this will be the least amount of of disturbance. They will put in a modular retaining wall 75 feet in length and 400 square feet of alteration. This work will stablize the bank. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 27, DB, second MI, so voted. 4. 0 & 2318 Bay Street, Gulf Resources, Inc., (NOI), SE73-2819 ​Motion to continue to 12/16/19, DB, second JR, so voted. 5. Lot 3 Run Brook Circle, Run Brook Development, LLC, (NOI), SE73-2820 ​Motion to continue to 12/16/19, DB, second JR, so voted. Public Hearing: 1. 356 Dighton Ave., Barbour, (NOI), SE73-2826 ​See field report. Present Attorney John Paul Thomas. MR had asked for clarity on the basement? Elevation 70 for both the basement and the garage. The garage will be under the house? Yes. MR asked for the water line to be put on the map, engineer added it. MR was basically looking for the label of the garage, and the location of the water line. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 16, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, and 27, DB, second LF, so voted. 2. 130 Lothrop Street, Bairos/A.L.E Realty Trust, (NOI), SE73-2825 ​See field report. John DeSousa Seacoast Consulting present for the applicant. 9 lot subdivision, wetlands on the westerly portion. 19 acres of total lot area. Drainage comes down to the basin, outlet control structure, and an emergency overflow set up. Replication area is to be on the back side of the basin. DB is this lot just for a drainage easement? No a house will be up near the cul-de-sac. MR the houses are a separate filing, this is just for the roadway. ST can they give us more than 1:1 replication? John said he could do 1.5:1. John also stated there is a snow easement around the cul-de-sac. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28-create a 1.5:1 replication, LF, second RE, so voted.  3. 700 Joseph E. Warner Blvd., Post/Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp., (ANRAD), SE732824 ​See field report. Present Jeff Coutra. The delineation on this is very similar to the one done in 2010. ST which lot is this regarding? Jeff said both, this is just an ANRAD. Motion to approve and issue an ORAD, DB, second LF, so voted. 4. Millview Street (38-108 & 125), Mill River Development, LLC, (NOI), SE73-2828 ​See field report. Present Tracey Duarte and Brian Dunn from MBL and Attorney Zajack from the Lopes Company. This is a proposed 8 lot subdivision. Natural Heritage boundary is there but there is no work proposed. There is no need to file with Natural Heritage because they are not in there at all. They also spoke with abutters and have worked out their concerns. Abutters did let TCC know that they were satisfied with what was worked out. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, and 27, MI, second RE, so voted. 5. Lot 24 Run Brook Circle, Run Brook Development, LLC, (NOI), SE73-2827 ​See field report. Present Nick Dufrene from Farland Corp and Chris Moniz from Run Brook Development. With the grading improvement, they are 20 feet away from the wetland line now. The stakes are there, signs are ordered. The only question they had for MR is 8 or 12 inch wattles? MR would prefer 12 inch. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28- use 12” wattles, JR, second RE, so voted. Continued Violations: 1. 1337 Bay Street. ​Frankie August present. The area is stable, trees have been planted. Motion to continue to 12/16/19, DB, second MI, so voted. 2. 238 Maple Leaf Drive-recalled. ​They had some complaints, Mr. Bryan has removed some of the old stuff, he put lime down on the stuff out there. The smell is not there right now but its cold. He asked his neighbor and they couldn’t smell anything. ST do not dump anything else out there, this is it no more dumping. A letter was read from the neighbors with the complaint about the smell, the fact that this is irritating their asthma and allergies. They mentioned stuff being out there three years ago. MR said there was an issue with Mr. Bryan cutting and things being out there. It was never a violation, MR and the manager worked with Mr. Bryan and it was all removed. ST said perhaps in April or May they may need to go out there and see if any more needs to be done. Mr. Bryan asked if it was possible for the TCC to send a letter to the manager. MR will do that. Motion to revisit this at the first meeting in May, DB, second JR, so voted. Other Business: 1. Columbia Gas-discussion of Environmental Investigation. ​Present from Columbia Gas Peter LaGoy, site manager and from AECOM-Mark McCabe project manager and Molly Notestine wetlands scientists. They have found that there are possibly some leftover containers, made of brick with a tar like substance that could be buried in the spots shown on the plan provided. They first need to investigate before they decide what is to be done out there. They will study the site etc, then start borings. They feel they should have an answer by early January. DB asked why is Columbia Gas handling this? They are the parent company of the old company that did this. JR asked why now? They are just working through their portfolio and this wasn’t at the top of the list, they are just getting to it now. JR what are the containers made of, wood? No made of brick. LF how deep? Maybe 20 feet. MI didn’t they know this was there when they put this road in? Most likely no, it’s probably been crushed a bit over time/deteriorated. JR asked if there are any other spots like this in Taunton? Not that they know of, the main holder on West Water Street and this one is all they know about. MR when they are probing along the river edge will they have any barriers? Yes a boom across the river. ST asked that they give MR a 1-2 day heads up on when they will be out there and what they will be doing. DB/ST maybe an update after the borings would be good. They agreed to get an update to the TCC and MR as soon as the borings are done. Molly said she has done a quick assessment and saw a small spot that could be BVW but would need to climb the fence, remove a few carriages, and check some soils. She has not done that yet. Public Input: Juanita Gallagher asked if there would be any dewatering? No. Juanita asked if they will be getting a consultant? MR no this is just an investigation right now, if it gets to removal, which is a much bigger job then they would be back here first, to meet with the TCC before anything is decided or done. ST stated before they do anything they would meet with the TCC first. ST asked that they send MR the summary in January after the borings and keep MR in the loop. Continued Violation: 1. 208, 218, & 228 Berkley Street. ​This will not be heard tonight, it will be continued to 12/16/19. JR asked MR about the water and siltation getting through. MR said there is a porous mesh there that holds the sand and the water is able to get through. LF why does it take so long to fix the road? MR said they had the water and sewer to do but she is not sure why it has taken so long. LF asked about a bond, MR does not know anything about that. ST before the next meeting, he wants MR to ask Tony Abreau if it will get paved or stay as is. JR they said they would grind down the street to lower it so that the water will not go over the sidewalk like it has been and wash away Estrella’s yard. They still have not done it. Motion to continue to 12/16/19, update from MR and Tony Abreau on 12/16/19-regarding if it will be paved and will they do the grinding on the road, JR, second RE, so voted. Other Business: 1. 2020 Calendar. ​Everyone was told to check with their schedules and come back with dates that work for them. It will be discussed first at the next meeting. 2. Bent Award. ​2014-Don Gregg-yes, 2015-Louis Rabino-yes, 2016-Richard Paulson-yes, 2017-Neil Kelly-yes, 2018-Cathal O’Brien-yes, 2019-Marilyn Greene-yes. Motion to adjourn, DB, second JR, so voted. Meeting ended at 8:30pm.