Inland Wetlands Watercourse Agency

MEETING MINUTES OF INLAND WETLAND AGENCY JULY 20, 2021 The West Haven Inland Wetlands Agency will held a Regular Meeting on Tuesday July 20, 2021, at West Haven City Hall, 355 Main St West Haven, CT Harriett North Room 2nd floor at 6:30 P.M. PRESENT: Commissioners Kane, Beecher, Perrone, Gilbane, Assistant City Planner Conniff and Director of Planning Soto. Absent was Commissioner Carr. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Beecher made a motion to approve the meeting minutes of June 15, 2021, seconded by Commissioner Perrone and passed. Acceptance: 350 Frontage Road: The application includes the proposed construction of a two-story ±10,200 square foot standalone building addition within the existing rear parking lot of the property and expansion of the front parking lot. Landscaping, stormwater drainage, lighting, utility, and associated site improvements are also proposed. Katherine Gagnon, Langan Engineering, represented the application for acceptance. Commissioner Beecher made a motion to accept 350 Frontage Road, seconded by Commissioner Gilbane and passed. Public Hearing: 239 & 245 Front Avenue: The proposed activity will include filling and grading of land within 200’ of a watercourse. Catch basins will be installed to capture water runoff. The area along the watercourse will be planted with suitable vegetation in order to restore previously disturbed area. Appropriate sedimentation and control measures will also be installed less than 1000 CY is expected to be brought on site, under section 7 & 9 of the City of West Haven Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations. Owner/Application: City of West Haven on behalf of Front Avenue Development LLC; File #012-21 IW Attorney Douglas Corning, Corporation Counsel, City of West Haven is representing the application. Commissioner Kane stated this property is in the rear of a current business. Attorney Corning stated 245 Front Avenue is for the bus depot. The rear of 239 Front Ave as shown on the plan shows no catch basins, curbing or sedimentation control. The existing building will be demolished and the property will be cleaned up of all debris. Silt fences will be installed as well as curbing, catch basins and drainage. The property will be capped so there will be no leeching into the creek. A new building will be constructed on Front and Elm. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Commissioner Beecher made a motion to close the public hearing on File #012-21IW, seconded by Commissioner Gilbane and passed. Deliberations on Public Hearing Item: File# 012-21 IW Commissioner Beecher made a motion to approve File #012-21IW with the condition that the property be cleaned up of all debris, seconded by Commissioner Gilbane and passed. 1 27/322 (291 Campbell Avenue); 35/473 (313 Campbell Ave); 35/472 (315 Campbell Avenue); 35/450 (288 Washington Avenue) The regulated activity associated with this application is construction, earth moving and filling within 200’ of the existing watercourse located in the southeast corner of the 288 Washington Avenue property. The construction project includes the demolition of the existing buildings at 291 and 313 Campbell Ave and removal of any existing groundcover to accommodate the construction of two mixed-use residential buildings with associated site, parking, drainage and utility work under sections 7 & 9 of the City of West Haven Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations. Owner: Shmuel Aizenberg; Applicant: Shmuel Aizenberg, GLI Holdings, LLC; File 013-21 IW Attorney James Perito, Halloran & Sage, and introduced the team that will be representing the application. The site is the former Buckle property. Attorney Perito stated all the information submitted complies with the regulations. The plan will enhance the wetlands on site. Proof of mailings were submitted to the file. Kathy Gagnon, enginee of Langan Engineering, gave an overview of the property. The two existing buildings will be demolished and new buildings will be constructed. There will be 150 units with 210 parking spaces. Accesses will be from Campbell and Washington. There is an existing watercourse that currently drains into a water ditch. DEEP has received the application and approved it. There will be eight rain gardens on the site that are designed to collect overflow. There are four underground detention systems as well. Commissioner Gilbane stated the area drains down Washington and into Peck Avenue. Peck Avenue pipe needs to be cleaned and requests the city to look into this matter. Commissioner Kane expressed his concern about the creation of more water with the construction of the apartments. It is the developer and the city’s responsibility to clean the pipes. Attorney Perito stated this development will catch and treat all the water on this site but they cannot control flow off of the property. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. John Lewis, 273 Peck Ave., is opposed because it is going to be a strain on the area. He is in favor of development and mixed use but the number of units is too much. Thomas Sciarappa, 327 Washington Ave., stated the site floods now with only 15% utilization and with the number of units it will flood. The parking lot will create more water. Bridgette Hoskie, 326 Washington Ave., and councilwomen for this district, is concerned about flooding. She feels this project will bring foot traffic to the Center District and additional taxes to the city. She feels there needs to be a collaboration with the city and the developer. Richard Moore, 278 Washington Ave., is concerned about the easements of the pipes that drain into the culvert and flooding into his property. The city did clean out the pipes about 8 years ago. The pipes have no grates. He would like to know how much rain will be contained before it overflows. Mike Lipsett, 302 Campbell Avenue, is opposed because the city doesn’t need anymore apartments. The city has no long term plan to fix these pipes. John Crouch 333 Washington Ave., has seen flooding over the years and doesn’t know why it has taken so long. He is concerned about the development adding to the water problems. Cindy Palmer, 256 Washington Ave., is opposed to this development. the water flows downhill towards this development. Ellen Moore, 278 Washington Ave., wants an explanation how the water is going to be handled on this property. She is opposed to the size of the development. 2 Lorraine Justin, 68 Leete St., concerned about flooding and is opposed to this development. Katie Gagnon explained how the system will operate on this property. The flow will go into the rain gardens that have drains and grates. Commissioner Gilbane made a motion to close the public hearing on File #013-21 IW, seconded by Commissioner Perrone and passed. Commissioner Kane stated the city needs to deal with this issue. Commissioner Perrone stated there are many unanswered questions. Commissioner Gilbane suggests the city do a feasibility study. This commission needs assurances that the system as it exists can handle this flow. Ms. Conniff stated there was no comment from the town engineer. Deliberations on Public Hearing Item File # 013-21 IW Commissioner Gilbane made a motion to continue File #013-21 IW to the August 17, 2021 meeting to acquire further information from the city engineer regarding the water issues, seconded by Commissioner Perrone and passed. 1 Circle Street: to construct two (2) tennis courts and one (1) Multi-purpose court at West Haven High School in the area of an existing parking lot with in the upper review area. No wetlands will be impacted by the proposed work and all disturbed areas will be stabilized. Under section 4 & 9 of the City of West Haven Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations. Owner/ Applicant City of West Haven Board of Education LLC File # 014-21 IW Mike Power, Luchs Engineering, and Ken Carney, Chairman, West Haven High School Building, are representing the application tonight. Commissioner Kane asked whether the parking area on the corner of Platt is going to remain. Mr. Power stated the entire lot will be replaced with courts. The entire footprint will be on top of the flat area above the Cove River. The wooded area from the parking lot to the existing house will stay the same. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. John Lewis, 273 Peck Ave., questions the size of the parking because they usually get full especially with games. Mr. Carney stated parking has been increased at the new high school and these courts are not lit at night and will only be used during the day. Commissioner Beecher made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Gilbane and passed. Deliberations on Public Hearing Item File # 014-21 IW Commissioner Beecher made a motion to approve File #014-21 IW, seconded by Commissioner Perrone and passed. Staff Reports: Commissioner Kane stated this commission needs to address these issues. Ms. Conniff stated the Inland Wetland Agency is just responsible for this property and not the city issues. This applicant has met all the MS4 regulations and the engineer has reviewed this. Commissioner Gilbane stated he doesn’t think just 3 because the wetland agency approves the wetland on this property, it still is adding to an existing issue. The commission would like Abdul to provide further information. Other Business: None Adjournment : 8:12 p.m. Commissioner Beecher made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Gilbane and passed. 4