HINGHAM CONSERVATION COMMISSION
February 9, 2009 at 7:00 PM Central Meeting Room North
MEETING MINUTES
Present: Samuel Chapin-Chairman, Doug Harvey, Bill Grafton, Carolyn Nielsen and Cliff Prentiss- Conservation Officer
Absent: Charles Berry, Eugene Babin-Vice-Chairman
7:00 PM Old/New Business
Scenic Road Proposal – Martins Lane – Priscilla Seddon
Open Space Acquisition Committee - Reappointment
Conservation Fund
Approve Draft Minutes 1/25/09
7:15 PM Requests for Determination of Applicability - None
7:30 PM Notices of Intent
240, 242, 244, 246 Lazell St. and 120 South Pleasant St. – DEP SE 34 0986/Brief Update-Continuance
Applicant: James Robichaud, South Pleasant Street Realty Trust / Rep.: Gary James, James Engineering
Request for an Extension to Order of Conditions
Cushing Pond Preservation Group – DEP 34 0845
Applicant: Cushing Pond Preservation Group – Judith Cole, President
Orders of Conditions - (Signatures Needed)
1 and 15 Technology Place – DEP SE 34 0988
Applicant: Perry Rockland LLC / Representative: Renwick Chapman, BSC Group
155 Cushing Street - DEP SE 34 0989
Applicant: Francis Ahern
Certificates of Compliance
200 Central Street – DEP SE 34 0838 - Applicant: Stephen Soszynski
27 Stagecoach Road – DEP SE 34 0934 – Applicant: Michael & Sandra Lynch
Old/New Business
1. Scenic Road Proposal – Martins Lane – Priscilla Seddon
Discussion: Mrs. Priscilla Seddon presented an overview of Martin’s Lane, which is a rural lane with beautiful stonewalls and is the gateway to World’s End. Both the Planning Board and the Historical Commission have approved the resident’s request to make Martins Lane a scenic road. Mrs. Seddon would like the Conservation Commission to also join in the effort to designate Martins Lane as a scenic road and support the article at Town Meeting. There was a discussion about what the implications of a scenic road are. Several abutters (Al Engerheart, Roger Merrill) who signed a petition in support of this were present and spoke. The abutters would also like to see a sign posted that it is a scenic road.
Motion: Commissioner Grafton motioned to support Martins Lane as a scenic road.
Second: Commissioner Harvey In Favor: All Opposed: None
2. Open Space Acquisition Committee - Reappointment
Discussion: Postponed to 2/23/09 meeting until the Conservation Office gets a final answer from the potential re-appointee.
3. Irrigation System Bylaw – Hingham Water Supply Committee
Discussion: The Commission will take no action at this point.
4. Conservation Fund
Discussion: The Conservation Office updated the Commission on the history and uses of the Conservation Fund. The Conservation Officer is making the case to get $100,000 in additional funding from the CPC for the purpose of land acquisitions for open space, Foundry Pond Restoration, Engineering Safety Inspections of Triphammer Pond and Foundry Pond Dams and other items.
5. Approve Draft Minutes 1/25/09 – Discussion: Postponed to 2/23/09 meeting.
Request for Determinations - None
Notice of Intent - Commissioner Chapin read the usual information dealing with Notices of Intent.
1. 240, 242, 244, 246 Lazell St. and 120 South Pleasant St. – DEP SE 34 0986/Brief Update-Continuance
Applicant: James Robichaud, South Pleasant Street Realty Trust / Rep.: Gary James, James Engineering
Presentation: Gary James noted that he will be requesting a continuance after this brief update. We are proposing some significant changes in the overall way the run off will be handled on site.
• Previously we were utilizing rain gardens
• Barbara Thistle, who is reviewing the materials for Attorney Brodsky who represents a group of abutters noted that there is a requirement for pre-treatment off of the pervious areas before entering the rain garden
• It also requires a vegetative swale
Proposed changes:
• Driveway coming off of South Pleasant will be brought up to Stormwater Management Standards – will be replaced by 4 foot x 5 foot culvert, will reduce upstream impact
• Driveway will be regraded
• Replacing most of the rain gardens on Lazell Street with sub surface discharge and providing pretreatment through catch basins
• One rain garden will accept the run off from the driveway on South Pleasant Street
• Drainage system will be converted to infiltration trenches
• Where possible roof leaders will be directed to trenches
• Slope treatment will be provided via a retaining wall near the pool to reduce cuts
• House on Lot 5 will be elevated by 10 feet, driveway will also be elevated to reduce cuts
• Maintenance agreements will be associated with each of the two driveways
• There will be a net increase of work in the buffer zone dealing with the redevelopment of the driveways
• At this time do not have an estimate of what the cut will be – Mr. Robichaud (the applicant) estimated 12,000 yards for each lot
Discussion: The Chair asked if the representative has considered sloping the culvert that carries the stream along South Pleasant St. The Commission also reminded the representative that they would like a site visit. The Chair indicated that at the time the Order is issued that it be made clear the amount of soil material that will be removed off site and how much soil material will be moved around on the site. Commissioner Nielsen would like to see more detail information of where the water is going.
The Chair opened the hearing to public comment and reminded the public that it is still a design in process and that the meeting will be continued.
Katherine Morrison – 136 South Pleasant Street – asked that their consultant receive the paperwork 2 weeks before the meeting for review.
Mr. James requested that the hearing be re-convened in 4 weeks – March 9, 2009.
Motion: Commissioner Harvey motioned to continue the hearing to March 9, 2009 with the representative’s consent.
Second: Commissioner Grafton In Favor: All Opposed: None
Request for Extension to Order of Conditions
Cushing Pond Preservation Group – DEP 34 0845 -
Applicant: Cushing Pond Preservation Group – Judith Cole, President
It is noted for the record that Commissioner Nielsen recused herself, yet remained to maintain a quorum.
Discussion: The Conservation Officer noted that this was an Order for an aquatic management program of weed control with SONAR. The Order runs out this April and the applicant would like a three-year extension for touch up treatments. The Hingham Conservation Commission expects that if a second treatment of the pond is proposed by the Cushing Pond Preservation Group, a new filing will be required.
Motion: Commissioner Harvey motioned to extend the OOC for three years and that if a second treatment of the pond is proposed by the Cushing Pond Preservation Group; a new filing will be required.
Second: Commissioner Grafton In Favor: All Opposed: None
Recused: Commissioner Nielsen and she did not vote.
Order of Conditions
It is noted that Commissioner Nielsen rejoined the Commission.
1 and 15 Technology Place – DEP SE 34 0988 155 Cushing Street - DEP SE 34 0989
The Conservation Officer noted that the hearings for these two applications were closed and the Commission voted to issues Orders at the 1/25/09 Conservation meeting but the Orders were not signed at that time.
Hingham Harbor – Maintenance Dredging/Harbor Improvements – DEP SE 34 0988
The Conservation Officer noted that this Order needs to be resigned due to a clerical error with the Order. An inapplicable condition has been deleted.
Certificates of Compliance
200 Central Street – DEP SE 34 0838 27 Stagecoach Road – DEP SE 34 0934
The Conservation Officer noted that due to the snow and ice cover these two Certificates of Compliance will have to be postponed since the Assistant Conservation Officer could not perform the site visits.
The Conservation Officer gave the Commission an update on the budget. He noted that staffing cutbacks will be needed in the Conservation Department.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________________________
Cliff Prentiss, Conservation Officer
Approved as amended on 3/23/09.