Hingham Conservation Commission
Meeting Minutes
June 20, 2011 - 7:00 pm - Central North – 2nd Floor
Present: Carolyn Nielsen-Chair, Charles Berry-Vice Chair, Scott McIsaac, Robert Perry, Alan McKenna, Nina Villanova,
Cliff Prentiss, Conservation Officer
Absent: Daniel Coughlin
7:00 PM
Old/New Business
Foundry Dam – Discussion with:
Beth Lambert, Division of Ecological Restoration - River Restoration Scientist
Jason Burtner, Coastal Zone Management - South Shore Regional Coordinator
Approve Draft Minutes – June 6, 2011
7:30 PM
Request For Determination of Applicability
10 Seal Cove Road
Applicants: Richard and Lindsay Watson / Representative: John Cavanaro – Cavanaro Consulting
Proposing to replace an existing failed septic system
Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation
1103 Main Street – Hingham Middle School – DEP SE 34 1073
Applicant: Hingham Public Schools – Dorothy Galo, Superintendent / Rep: J. Hall, Coler & Colantonio
Proposal to confirm the boundaries of Areas Subject to Protection under the Wetlands Protection Act and Hingham Wetlands Bylaw. No work is proposed under the filing.
Notices of Intent
227 East Street – Weir River Farm – No DEP Number or Comments as of 6/14/11
Applicant: The Trustees of Reservations
Proposal to install concrete slab for compost facility
Certificates of Compliance
21 Bradley Park Drive – TOH WPB 2006 – 1
Applicants: William and Susan Barber
146 Fort Hill Street – DEP SE 34 0863
Applicants: Laura and Chris Semlies
Old/New Business
- Approve Draft Minutes – June 6, 2011
Draft minutes are not available as of yet. Approval postponed till next meeting scheduled for 7/18/11.
- Foundry Dam – Discussion with:
Beth Lambert, Division of Ecological Restoration - River Restoration Scientist
Jason Burtner, Coastal Zone Management - South Shore Regional Coordinator
A hard copy of the presentation is in the file.
- Ecological benefits of removal
- How sediment is managed
- Funding and technical assistance for river restoration
Request For Determination of Applicability
10 Seal Cove Road
Applicants: Richard and Lindsay Watson / Representative: John Cavanaro – Cavanaro Consulting
Proposing to replace an existing failed septic system
All plans presented are in the file.
Presentation: Michael Joyce
- Proposal is to replace an existing failed septic – effluent is leaching out
- Resource Areas – Salt Marsh associated with Hingham Harbor
- Small portion of the grading for the new system will be within the 100’ buffer to the salt marsh
- Disturbance is an area that is currently mowed lawn
- New system will have an updated design and be an improvement for the resource area
Conservation Officer
- Concurs that new septic will be an improvement
- Erosion controls needed.
Motion: Commissioner Perry motioned to close and issue a Negative Determination for 10 Seal Cove Road with erosion controls.
Second: Commissioner McIsaac In Favor: All Opposed: None
Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation
1103 Main Street – Hingham Middle School – DEP SE 34 1073
Applicant: Hingham Public Schools – Dorothy Galo, Superintendent / Rep: J. Hall, Coler & Colantonio
Proposal to confirm the boundaries of Areas Subject to Protection under the Wetlands Protection Act and Hingham Wetlands Bylaw. No work is proposed under the filing.
All plans presented are in the file.
Presentation: Jay Hall
- Purpose of the filing is to confirm the boundaries of the wetland area resources within/adjacent to the property
- No work is proposed under this filing
- Wetland Resources onsite, BVW, Isolated Vegetated Wetland, Vernal Pool, Isolated and Bordering Land Subject
to Flooding, Riverfront Area
- Reviewed the Wetland Series A-E found on the site
- Abby Childs, Assistant Conservation Officer walked site on 6/15/11 and reviewed the delineation with Representative
- (Note Abby’s report was received tonight and emailed out to the Commission and read at the hearing.)
Conservation Officer
- Would like the permission of the Commission to have a third party come out and review the line (Rod Gaskell-SITEC); especially the areas in question noted in the Assistant Conservation Officers report
- This extra time and effort spent on the line will give the design professionals the right parameters to work within
Ray Estes – Middle School Building Committee
- The Middle School Building Committee is working on a very tight deadline and needs the wetland information approved ASAP so design parameters can be done
- Is it possible that the Conservation Commissions decision be moved up or partially approved?
Commissioner McKenna noted that once the wetland line was confirmed by the Conservation Officer and Wetland Scientist, the design team could move forward as the Commission would most certainly concur with the staff’s findings.
Commissioner Nielsen
- The Conservation Commission cannot partially approve a project.
Commissioner Nielsen opened the hearing to the public. No comments or questions. Commissioner Nielsen closed the hearing to the public.
Motion: Commissioner Villanova motioned to request a continuance for 1103 Main Street to the July 18, 2011 meeting with the applicants’ consent and noted that a third party will review the line with the Conservation staff.
Second: Commissioner Berry In Favor: All Opposed: None
Notices of Intent
227 East Street – Weir River Farm – No DEP Number or Comments as of 6/14/11
Applicant: The Trustees of Reservations
Proposal to install concrete slab for compost facility
Plans presented are in the file.
Presentation: Ed Pitcavage, Trustees
- As of tonight, no DEP # or comments, as DEP does not consider Trustees to be non profit and must pay fees
- A check will be mailed into the DEP’s Lockbox for one activity for the state fee after speaking with Brenda Harper-SERO
- Proposal will be to build a 40 by 60 foot cement slab directly adjacent to the cow barn building
- Slab installation will be for a covered composting facility with roof beams and gutters
- Received the money from a National Resources Conservation Services grant
- State sent out a soil scientist to the site to review the soils as indicated on the handout
Conservation Officer
- Proposal will be an improvement as the manure will no longer leach into on site wetlands.
- Trustees are non profit. Commission could waive our fees.
Commissioner Nielsen opened the hearing to the public. None. Commissioner Nielsen closed the hearing to the public.
Motion: Commissioner Berry motioned to close the hearing and issue an Order of Conditions for 227 East Street, pending DEP number and comments.
Second: Commissioner Villanova In Favor: All Opposed: None
Motion: Commissioner McKenna motioned to waive the TOH Bylaw filing fee and the Town’s portion of the state fee for this project.
Second: Commissioner Berry In Favor: All Opposed: None
Certificates of Compliance
21 Bradley Park Drive – TOH WPB 2006 – 1
Applicants: William and Susan Barber
146 Fort Hill Street – DEP SE 34 0863
Applicants: Laura and Chris Semlies
The Conservation Officer reviewed each project:
21 Bradley Park Drive – permits elapsed and the single family home was never started.
146 Fort Hill Street has been built according to the Order issued. Addition to the home was finished, however the applicant did not build the proposed garage. They did add in a terrace, but not a garage. It should be noted on the COC that the garage was not built.
Motion: Commissioner Villanova motioned to issue Certificates of Compliance for 21 Bradley Park Drive (TOH Wetlands Bylaw) and 146 Fort Hill Street (with a provision).
Second: Commissioner McIsaac In Favor: All Opposed: None
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________
Cliff Prentiss, Conservation Officer
Approved as amended on 7/25/11.