Conservation Commission

Minutes of the Taunton Conservation Commission November 16, 2020 Present: Chair Steven Turner, Vice Chair Debra Botellio, Commissioners Joshua Borden, Richard Enos, Luis Freitas, Matthew Haggerty, Jan Rego, Conservation Agent Michele Restino and Recording Secretary Courtney White. Motion to approve the minutes from October 2020 meeting, JB, second DB, so voted. Public Meeting: 1. Memorial Park (Assessor’s Lot 78-409), COT/Parks, Cemeteries, & Public Grounds, (RDA), DSE-1247 to widen and repave existing drive, add 5’ sidewalk, replace light poles, enlarge flag pole area to include concrete walk, plant boxwoods, loam and seed. AJ Marshall from Park & Recreation is present to discuss the project. There are plans for renovations at Memorial Park. Money has come in now to do some of the refurbishments and this is a good step one to getting this started. They are not touching any of the pond for this part of the project. They were given a $361,000 budget for this part of the project. It includes new ABA sidewalks along Somerset Ave., new sidewalk and granite curbing on rear side of the driveway, post and guardrail to replace boulders that are there. They found pictures of the park from the 20’s and 30’s, they are trying to match up those style lights for the new lighting. This will take place between April and June 1st, the money must be spent by June 30th. DB stated it is great to see this project. She asked if the Fire Department memorial will stay the same? Yes just adding an ABA ramp to it. They will try to mill and pave the existing driveway if money is available at the end. Motion to issue a negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 18, and 19, DB, second JB, so voted. 2. Round Street (Assessor’s Lot 42-34), Pilling, (RDA), DSE-1248 To construct a single family home with driveway, utilities, septic system and associated site grading. Brad Fitzgerald present. Brad stated he had to file with Natural Heritage and this will not result in a prohibited take of protected species. Motion to issue a negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 18, 19, and 20, please send a copy of the Natural Heritage letter to each Commissioner, LF, second DB, so voted. 3. Lot 1 Logan Drive (Assessor’s Lot 121-10), Aspen Properties Investments, LLC, (RDA), DSE-1249 Present Tracy Duarte and Chris Moniz. This is for a single family dwelling on Lot 1. Motion to issue a negative determination with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20- deed restriction stating that owner of lot is responsible for maintenance of detention basin and  restriction is in perpetuity and should be stated as such on deed, copy of deed to TCC prior to sign off of COC, JB, second DB, so voted. Motion to go out of order to hear Lot 2, Logan Drive, JB, second JR, so voted. Public Hearing: 1. Lot 2 Logan Drive (Assessor’s Lot 121-10), Aspen Properties Investments, LLC, (NOI), SE73-2880 Present Tracy Duarte and Chris Moniz. Abutter Carol LaCourse called in. She lives at 43 Kings Pond Road and abuts Lot 2. She is concerned that the yard is recessed so water draining from this property will end up on her property. Tracy said it will not drain that way but instead drain down into the basin. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 29-copy of deed noted in said deed that owner of property is solely responsible for maintenance of the detention basin in perpetuity, JB, second JR, so voted. 2. 825 West Water Street, COT/DPW, (NOI), SE73-2881 For facilities upgrades to include replacement of process equipment, facilities improvements, construction of new wastewater treatment tanks, and a new driveway. Present Steve Rictarick and Nicole Ianuzzi. At its closest point it is 100 feet away from the river. Any bank work? The bank is already disturbed and graded, they are just adding new tanks to the right and left of the existing tank. ST machines out there? Excavators from the top and will dig across. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, DB, second JR, so voted. 3. Norton Ave. (Assessor’s Lot 28-167), Sullivan, (ANRAD), SE73-2873 For approval of a resource area delineation. Present Ken Thompson. Motion to approve the delineation and ORAD, DB, second JB, so voted. 4. Winthrop St. (Dora Estates)(Assessor’s Lot 101-27), Terra/MacPherson Family Irr. Trust, (NOI), SE73-2874 For the construction of a 400 foot long roadway to provide access to seven residential lots. Present Jeff Tallman and Chris Moniz. JB asked if detention basin is designed only to take street runoff, correct? No for full build up of subdivision. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28- provisions within the deed for all lots that Homeowners’ Association is responsible for all stormwater structures, JR, second JB so voted. JB stepping down, DB, second JR, so voted. 5. 66 Jeffrey Lane, Bourque, (NOI), SE73-2877 For construction of an inground pool. Present Heidi and Jerry Bourque. Motion to approve with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 19, 21, 25, 26, and 27, DB, second RE, so voted. Motion for JB to return, RE, second LF, so voted. RE left meeting.  6. 4 Couch Street, Pereira, (NOI), SE73-2879 For construction of a 2 car garage and breezeway. Present Steve Carvalho and Connie Pereira. There are no trees proposed to come down. JB ZBA had an issue, they wanted it attached and thinks this will take care of that. Abutter Don Levesque from 2 Couch Street, called in. He is concerned with flooding. He has an inground pool on his property and has already had to put drains in and still gets water in his basement. He has had to do foundation work to mitigate it. Levesque said with the groundwater there, the pitch of the driveway and the addition of pavement, this concerns him because it could cause some issues. ST asked if there was any map with contours? No this area is very flat. Carvalho said it is set up to flow back towards Cobb Brook. It is common courtesy to not pitch toward a neighbor but toward the back. ST asked from the street to the back, along the length of the left side of the driveway, 6 inch cape cod berm placed there would make sure the water didn’t flow onto neighbor’s property. Also making sure the driveway does not pitch toward the house either but all water is sent back towards the back of the property. Carvalho said this is an acceptable request. ST berm goes to top of bottleneck looking part on map. Carvalho said yes this can be done. ST would rather see it on the plan instead of just his word. Levesque said there are two fences there. ST two fences? Yes a chainlink and a vinyl. ST asked where the snow will go? Straight back. There was discussion on the tree behind the house. It looks to be in the way. Connie does not want that tree to come down, it is out of the way and staying. Motion to approve as presented with special conditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28- to install a 6 inch cape cod berm along the easterly property line attached to the driveway, JB, second DB, roll call vote taken- For- JB, MH, DB, and LF and Against- JR and ST. Motion carries 4-2. 7. 207 Hart Street, Bristol Plymouth Regional Tech School, (ANRAD), SE73-2878 For approval of a Resource Area Delineation. Present Tina Stanislaski, Jeff, and Steve Garvin. Motion to approve the delineation and issue an ORAD, DB, second JB, so voted. Continued Violations 1. 50 Partridge Circle. Regarding installing an above ground pool and deck and paving approximately 4,100 square feet of additional impervious parking area on previously vegetated land within 100 feet of a wetland. Daniel Lima is the owner, MR left messages today and expected to hear from them. This is in the process and was thought to be done by this meeting. Motion to continue to the December meeting, JB, second JR, so voted.  2. Hutt Forest/Staples Street (Assessor’s Lot 135-36). Regarding filling a wetland with gravel along an access road to the Hutt Forest. Request for a continuance. Motion to continue to December meeting, JR, second JB, so voted. MR this is city property where he has violated, not Couto’s or Figueirdo’s. 3. Bunk Pond (Assessor’s Lot 12-3) MR letter read, it was sent certified to Brandon Syliva’s address. ST wants her to stay on this. LF sheriff will serve in had, you can put on instructions to only serve directly to Brandon. Motion to serve letter in hand by sheriff, state that it is to be served to only Brandon, fines will start back one month (10/19/20) if Brandon does not show for the next meeting, DB, second JB, so voted. 4. E. Whitehill/Brook Street (Assessor’s Lot 65-423). Regarding cutting trees and limbs within a BVW. Motion to withdraw the violation without prejudice, DB, second JB, so voted. Other Business: 1. 2021 Meeting Schedule. Motion to approve as read, JB, second DB, so voted. 2. Arthur Bent Awards. Motion to nominate Marla Isaac for the 2020 Arthur Bent award, roll call taken: DB- Marla, JR- Marla, JB- Marla, LF- Marla, MH- Marla, and ST- Marla, so voted. 3. Gate at Boyden. ST said there have been many issues with police calls lately, especially at night. ST would like to see a gate put in for safety. Motion to send this request regarding a gate at Boyden to the Budget Director and have him look into budgeting for this, include the City Council, Legal Department, and Finance and Salaries, JB, second DB, so voted. 4. Boyden- unleashed dogs. DB stated that she has seen this go on first hand and it is a problem. DB asked if there are signs up? Yes signs are up but this is something that is difficult to police. 5. Committees on Public Properties regarding the lot to be donated. MR read her letter. Motion to approve letter, JB, second LF, so voted. Motion to adjourn, JB, second DB, so voted. Meeting ended at 8:50pm.