Conservation Commission

Minutes of the Taunton Conservation Commission March 6, 2023 Present: Chair Steven Turner, Commissioners Joshua Borden, Jan Rego, Luis Freitas, Matt Haggerty, & Rich Enos present. Commissioner Debbie Botellio absent. Conservation Agent, Michele Restino also present. Executive Session: 1 vote taken. Motion to approve the minutes of February 13, 2023 JB, second LF, so voted. Violation: 27 Blinns Court. Mike Binda, owner, and John DeSousa, Northcounty Group, present. JD stated that he had written DEP – sent an email to Gary Makuch and Dan Gilmore. Has not heard back from them. He said that the bridge has been fabricated and just waiting for it to be shipped. ST says that this is still a mess. LF stated that DEP created the mess. Discussion regarding the water level and issues with drainage coming from PACC. Motion that MR call DPW to see what can be done to lessen flow from the area, LF, second JR, so voted. ST requested that MR call DEP to check on progress. Zach Robie, 31 Blinn’s Court, thanked the Commission for considering our time. Our frustration is that the state can be an actorless entity that can just do these things but here we are. It’s a mess out there and there are a lot of water issues. ST said he appreciates his time coming here. We had denied this and DEP superseded the Commission. Motion to continue to May 22, 2023. JB, second LF so voted. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: 1. 90 Prince Henry Drive, Nash/Atlantic Realty Limited, Inc., COC, SE 73-2941.-to close out Order of Conditions – FR read. All areas are stable and in compliance. Motion to issue COC JB, second RE, so voted. 2. 1404 Cohannet Street, Ferreira Development Group, LLC, COC, SE 73-2953 -to close out Order of Conditions. Vegetated areas not stable. Motion to continue to May 1, 2023 JB, second JR, so voted. 3. 469 Cohannet Street, Ferreira Development Group, LLC, COC, SE 73-2919 -to close out Order of Conditions. All areas are stable and in compliance. Motion to issue COC JB, second MH, so voted. 4. 1414 Cohannet Street, Ferreira Development Group, LLC, COC, SE 73-2954-to close out Order of Conditions. Lawn areas not stable. Motion to continue to May 1, 2023 JB, second MH, so voted. AMENDMENT: 1. 6 West Summer Street, Fils, Amend OOC, SE 73-2860 –Amend original OOC to allow paver walkways, steps, and deck. Evan Watson, W Engineering, present. ST reads FR. MR recommends that the deck be downsized to be outside the floodway and further from the river. If not amenable then MR recommends denial of the Amendment. ST I thought we had approved this. MR said she is sticking to her guns as she feels it is unsafe. LF didn’t we approve this? ST yes we did. LF said that he thinks they will have problems with the Building Dept. anyway. RE said he was a NO also that time. Motion to approve JB, LF, 4:1 (RE), motion carries. PUBLIC HEARING: 1. Hart Street (94-215), Barbour, NOI, SE 73-303-proposed site development consisting of construction of site access, parking, utilities, grading, and stormwater management system. Brian Dunn and Tracy Duarte, MBL Development, Jacques Barbour, Tanios Barbour, Dan DeAbreu, present. TD gave presentation of the project. Steeply sloped at a 2:1 slope, then 10% grade to the wetlands. Basins will handle 100-year storm and locate just before the 25-foot WPZ. Retaining wall on the right goes up to 17’ tall. Fine with installing double wattles as the siltation barrier. Also, the bottom of the basin will be at elevation 23 rather than 29, so there will be less fill. ST: how much fill and where will it be coming from? BD: This will be clean fill. ST: let Michele know how much and what the composition is. BD: the basin will have very specific material. JR: Are you taking down all the trees along Hart St? TD: need for site distance. Top of foundation is 39.75, street is 42. BD: discussed the landscape plan including along the front and will still maintain the site distance. FR read. Motion to issue Order of Conditions to include special conditions 1-7, 11, 17, 19-21, 25-27, 42, 46, 47, and 48 (send fill info to MR) JB, RE, so voted. MH asked about drainage at the wall. TD said that the stormwater will run parallel to the wall. 2. Cape Road (71-43), Almeida, NOI, SE 73-3038-proposed construction of a 4,8700 sf auto service shop and office with associated paved parking, landscaping, utilities, and grading. Don Bracken, Bracken Engineering, John & Julia Almeida, owners, present. DB presented the project. All runoff being kept on site. Roof runoff treated separately. There will be internal floor drain system (tight tank). Substantial amount of vegetation will be planted along the 25-WPZ included with the landscaping plan. FR read. Motion to issue Order of Conditions to include special conditions 1-9, 19-21, 25-27, 29, 40, 42. Snow storage kept outside the 25-foot WPZ at least, but best case would be outside the 100-foot buffer, JB, second RE, so voted. 3. Off Williams Street., Mason/Eastside Development, LLC, NOI, SE 73-3037- proposed construction of a detention basin to capture stormwater from Maynard & Hunter Streets. John DeSousa, Northcounty Group, Mark Mason, Eastside Development, Ryan Corcoran, Specialized Property Group, present. JD presented the project. Had PB hearing and to revise the plans and are working on the sewer and water comments. Talked about drainage: coming off Williams there is a drain pipe that comes down Maynard St. and opens in front of Lot 1. Small culvert with an 18” RCP, and a drainage easement between two houses on Steve Drive. We need to incorporate this into the proposed drainage system. Force main from Williams so that each lot has sewer. MR spoke of concerns regarding flooding and drainage. MR: How are you going to alleviate the flooding in front of Lot 1? JB: regrading. JB: we are going to need to see revised plans to see if drainage is going to work the way you say. John Chaves, 131 Williams St., concerned about flooding in his backyard. If I get water in my property are they responsible? ST: If it’s found the water is coming from their property then they definitely would be held responsible. That’s on the record. Asked applicant/owner to please go over and talk to Mr. Chaves about his concerns. Motion to continue to March 20, 2023 RE, second JB, so voted. OTHER BUSINESS: 1. Ligia from the Mayor’s Office had written a letter in regards to Lake Sabbatia treatment and funding that was read into the record by ST. Ligia also gave a short overview and thanks to Michele and Steve for working with the group. ST: thanks to Ligia for running the meetings. Does a great job. 2. ST: any other new business? LF: yes. Corner of Washington & Park Street. Has concerns about the two big piles along the river’s edge. Is that contaminated? MR: not contaminated. Plastic is to stop the sediment from going into the river. Tried to contact company to inspect it. ST: send registered letter? LF: it’s unlocked. MR: it wasn’t when I was there before. I will go out again. Motion to adjourn pending all signatures on paperwork has been signed 8:00 pm JB, second RE, so voted.