Conservation Commission

Minutes of the Taunton Conservation Commission August 24, 2020 Present: Chair Steven Turner, Vice Chair Debra Botellio, Commissioners Jan Rego, Luis Freitas, Matthew Haggerty, and Joshua Borden. Michele Restino Conservation Agent and Courtney White recording secretary. Absent: Commissioner Richard Enos. Motion to approve the minutes from the July meeting, JR, second JB, so voted. A few of the hearings are without DEP numbers. Motion to hear the hearings without DEP numbers, JB, no second, motion does not carry. Motion to continue the hearings without DEP numbers until September, DB, second LF. Under discussion, JB hates to see them push these people off a whole month. It puts off the applicant on getting the building permits, etc. We are punishing them for the DEP being understaffed due to the pandemic. Motion to withdraw the motion DB, second LF. Motion to move the September meeting from the 21st to the 14th, JB, second Db, so voted. Motion to continue all of the hearings (6 total) without DEP numbers to September 14, 2020, DB, second LF, Roll Call vote taken: JB no, all others voted yes. Motion carries. Continued Certificate of Compliance: 1. 511 Richmond Street, Oliveira, (COC), SE73-2710 ​See field report. Motion to continue to September 14, 2020, DB, second LF, so voted. Certificate of Compliance: 1. 34.5 Briggs Street, Briggs Street Association, (COC), SE73-2402 ​See field report. Motion to issue COC, DB, second LF, so voted. 2. 144 West Britannia Street, Acuity Management, (COC), SE73-2705 ​See field report. Motion to issue COC, JR, second DB, so voted. 3. 505 South Boundary Road, Hawthorne Dev. Inc., (COC), SE73-2791 ​See field report. Motion to continue to September 14, 2020 meeting, DB, second JB, so voted. Public Meeting: 1. 30 Marjorie Way, Walsh, (RDA), DSE-1237 ​See field report. Brad Fitzgerald present. JB asked if existing waterline is under the driveway? Brad said yes. JB asked if Brad could add date for benchmark for future reference? Brad said yes. Motion to issue negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 18, and 19, LF, second DB, so voted. 2. 88 Jaclyn Circle, Cohan, (RDA), DSE-1238 ​See field report. Brad Fitzgerald present. Motion to issue a negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 14, 18, and 19, JR, second DB, so voted.  3. MBTA RR Row, Coutu/Keolis Commuter Services, (RDA), DSE-1239 ​Request for a continuance. Motion to continue to September 14, 2020, JB, second JR, so voted. Extension: 1. 720 West Water Street, Ducharme, (EXT/OC), Se73-2726 ​Mike Ducharme present. See field report. Request for a three year extension. ST said he has done a great job down there. LF agrees. Motion to issue a three year extension, LF, second JB, so voted. 2. 630 John Hancock Road, Tousignant/Gordan Food Services, (EXT/ORAD), SE73-2586 ​David Tousignant present. See field report. Motion to issue a three year extension, JR, second LF, so voted. Continued Public Hearing: 1. 6 West Summer Street, Smith/Brockton Builders, (NOI), SE73-2860 ​See field report. Evan Watson present. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 15, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28- no use of chemicals on parking lot in the winter, DB, second LF, so voted. DB where will the snow be stored? There is adequate space on the property to store snow. They can store it to the west. DB will they use chemicals to treat the parking lot or just sand? They are fine with whatever the commission wants. JB asked if the existing cesspool was cut and capped? Pumped too? Everything was done in accordance with what the Board of Health requested and they have all of the records on that. 2. 83 First Street, Cabral, (NOI), SE73-2861 ​See field report. Spencer Lynds present. ST concerned with the proposed garage, but in favor of the addition. He knows it floods out very easily there. JB we need to see compensatory storage. JB asked if variances are needed? It looks like it is close to the property line. Yes they have a ZBA meeting Thursday. JB asked a out pushing it west further behind the house, a little further away from the wetlands? Spencer said that is fine and could be done before submitting revised plans. LF stated the neighbor on the left pumps water year round, 24/7. He is concerned with this project, especially the garage. DB agrees with her fellow commissioners who are familiar with this area. She is not supporting the garage. JB asked if DEP has any concerns with the compensatory storage? No. DB when did MR walk the land? July. Motion to continue to September 14, 2020, DB, second JR, so voted. Public Hearing: 1. 38 Briarwood Drive, Santos, (NOI), SE73-2863 ​See field report. Brad Fitzgerald present. JB asked if there was a reason the septic was 15 feet off? Brad said the issue is there is a kind of bowl and a door there, if they moved it it would be pushing more water there. JB could you stake this out prior to construction? Motion to issue with  special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 17, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28 SAS to be staked out prior to construction, LF, second DB, so voted. 2. 155 Princess Kate Circle, Camara, (NOI), SE73-2864 ​See field report. Kevin Camara present, homeowner. Mr. Camara said he would like to build a 34x32 addition and a 9x34 farmer’s porch. JB would like a revised plan showing the 25 foot no touch and the 100 foot buffer. ST is ok with Mr. Camara drawing it on the map, if JB would be willing to help him? JB said no it should go back to the original person. DB understands and maybe going forward but this is unfair to do to this gentleman. It’s not right to ask him to do this. Perhaps going forward we can have MR ask for this to be on the plans coming in. ST agrees with DB on this. Put it as a special condition but if it is going to cost this applicant a lot of money then touch base with MR and they will figure it out. LF said work with the applicant and let’s not make this too costly for him. Camara said it was $300 alone for the flags. He will call and then touch base with MR. DB does not think we need this as a condition. Motion to issue with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 5, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28- add 25 foot and 100 foot buffer zones to plan, LF, second DB, so voted. Continued Violations: 1. E. Whitehill & Brook Street. ​Motion to continue to September 14, 2020, DB, second JR, so voted. 2. Bunk Pond. ​MR went out to Bunk Pond and took pictures. ST spoke with Brandon, he was very nice and willing to clean it up. MR said work has been done but lots more to do. There is some trash out there and it needs to be removed. Brandon also cannot remove the dock. They will help remove it but they can’t do it with just a group of friends. Abutter Scott called in. he said some earth has also been removed and they used it as fill along the shoreline. MR did they truck the sand out there? Scott did not know but said you can see it on the Instagram pictures. ST is not sure how to keep them out of there. Maybe a neighborhood meeting. ST asked Scott to get in touch with MR. Motion to continue to September 14, 2020 and have Brandon Silvia present, this needs to be cleaned up, get residents together on this, JB, second JR, so voted. 3. 335 Hodges Street. ​Motion to continue to October 19, 2020, DB, second JR, so voted. Other Business: 1. Arthur Cleveland Bent Award. ​Motion to nominate Marla Isaac for the 2020 award, DB, second LF, motion withdrawn. Motion that we vote on the Arthur Cleveland Bent Award in November JR, second LF, so voted. 2. Letter re: River House Weir Village. ​The chain link along the river’s edge is not needed. Motion to approve the letter, JB, second JR, so voted. 3. Tablet power cord. ​MR is working on it, keep asking her. Motion to adjourn, JB, second JR, so voted. Meeting ended at 8:15pm.