Conservation Commission / IWWA Minutes 11/21/2017
Simsbury Conservation Commission
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 7:30PM
Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room
933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, Connecticut
PRESENT: Margery Winters, James Morrison, Donald Rieger, and Alternate Charles Haldeman; Assistant Town Planner Michael Glidden.
ABSENT: Jason Levy, Craig MacCormac, and Alternate Donna Beinstein.
ALSO PRESENT: Assistant Town Planner Michael Glidden.
I. CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting commenced at 7:30PM.
II. ROLL CALL:
1. Appointment of Alternates.
III. PUBLIC HEARING:
1. None.
V. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Applications:
A. Application #17-23 of Juliano’s Pools, LLC, Applicant; Christine Winn-Long, Owner; for the construction of an in-ground swimming pool on the property located at 2.5 Timber Ridge Drive (Assessor’s Map F06, Block 306, Lot 029). Zone R-40 OS.
Eric Levesque of Julian’s Pools appeared before the Commission regarding this application. He noted that the proposal includes an 18’x36’ pool. It was noted that the assembly of the steel framed inground pool occurs on site. The amount of excavation needed for the installation was reviewed. The closest distance to the wetlands was deemed to be about twenty feet away. The elevation change between the proposed location of the edge of the pool and the wetland was estimated between three and four feet but would not need to have a build-up around the pool. Discussion over the methods of draining the pool water occurred. It was noted that the front yard will need to be regraded slightly to stage the equipment across from the wetlands. A method to handle dewatering the spoils, should they be saturated during the construction, was discussed. It was noted that the front yard was the likely location for that process.
MOTION: Mr. Haldeman, Mr. Morrison second, that the Commission finds this to be a regulated activity as it is within one hundred feet of the review area; unanimously approved.
MOTION: Mr. Haldeman, Mr. Morrison second, that the Commission finds this to not be a significant activity as the work is outside of the wetlands area; unanimously approved.
MOTION: Mr. Haldeman, Mr. Morrison second, to approve Application #17-23 of Juliano’s Pools, LLC, Applicant; Christine Winn-Long, Owner; for the construction of an in-ground swimming pool on the property located at 2.5 Timber Ridge Drive (Assessor’s Map F06, Block 306, Lot 029). Zone R-40 OS, subject to the following standard and special conditions:
1. The Conservation Commission’s agent shall be notified at least 48 hours prior to commencement of any construction activity.
2. Final stabilization of disturbed soil areas shall be stabilized with the application of loam, seed, required plantings and appropriate erosion control measures.
3. At all times, during site work and until soil areas are stabilized, the applicant shall install and maintain erosion and sediment control measures such as fabric filter fence, staked hay bales or other measures deemed necessary by the Commission’s agent to prevent erosion and sedimentation impacts.
4. Erosion control and soil measures shall comply with the approved plans and the guidelines as established in the Connecticut Guidelines for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, 2002, CTDEP Bulletin 34.
5. Upon direction of the Commission’s agent, erosion and sediment control measures shall be removed by the applicant following stabilization of the site.
6. A pre-construction meeting is required with the Commission’s agent prior to the start of site work.
7. Pool’s location and the limit of disturbance are to be marked in the field prior to the start of site work. These features are to be reviewed and approved by the Commission’s agent in the field before commencing of site work.
8. Areas of disturbance associated with construction entrance shall be stabilized prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy for pool.
9. Silt fencing is to be moved closer to the edge of limits of pool excavation. Fencing location should be moved as least 10 feet to the east from illustrated location on site plan in order to provide additional separation from mapped inland wetland soils.
10. Applicant is responsible for containing sediment from construction access from entering town right of way. Measures such as sweeping of sediment in public street or installation of anti-tracking pad (per Connecticut Guidelines for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, 2002, CTDEP Bulletin 34) shall be implemented as needed.
11. Excess fill from pool’s excavation shall be removed from the site. No change in grade is permitted. A change to the grading plan for the site will require approval from the Conservation Commission.
12. As per maintenance plan submitted by the applicant, no back washing of the pool will result in drainage of pool water into area of inland wetland soils. If pool needs to be drained, pool water will be drained into truck which will remove said water from site.
13. No activities are proposed within areas of mapped inland wetland soils therefore no authorization has been granted to perform such activities in conjunction with this permit. Violations of the scope of work approved by the Commission will be subject to an immediate enforcement action.
14. An area for dewatering saturated soils will be provided in the front yard designed to the 2004 CT DEEP Stormwater Manual.
All work and all regulated activities conducted pursuant to this authorization shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this permit. Any structures, excavation, deposition of fill, obstructions of flow, encroachments or other regulated activities not specifically identified and authorized herein shall constitute a violation of this permit and may result in permit modification, suspension or revocation.
In the event that any wetland or watercourse regulated activities are required as a result of other agency permitting to support the proposed activity, the Simsbury Conservation Commission reserves the right to reconsider the proposal activity and may require modification to minimize the impact to wetland resources.
In evaluating this application, the Commission has relied on information provided by the applicant. If such information subsequently proves to be false, incomplete and/or inaccurate, this permit may be modified, suspended or revoked. Motion unanimously approved.
V. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Receipt of New Applications.
Mr. Glidden reported that one new application has been received from Ensign Bickford for improvements to the existing blast bunkers which are east to the railroad off of Hopmeadow Street. He explained that these two bunkers have been found to not conform to federal safety standards and will therefore need to be razed.
VI. GENERAL COMMISSION BUSINESS:
1. Approval of the Minutes of the October 17, 2017 Regular Meeting.
The October 17, 2017 Minutes should be amended to include the following language:
The fifth paragraph should read as follows:
Additionally, the consensus of the Commission was that there would be a better outcome if the applicant were able to reach an accommodation with its neighbor both to have a preferable design for the plunge pool and to undertake a more widespread invasives project.
The October 17, 2017 Minutes were approved as presented.
2. Forestry Management discussion & workshop.
Susan Masino of 41 Madison Lane addressed the Commission regarding a designation as an Old Growth Forest. She opined that there was no single-best approach to managing forest land. Ms. Masino shared findings from her recent Belden Forest visit with Bob Leverett. She noted that she would email a copy of the two reports that he had provided. She likened active management to sustainable forestry, where equipment is brought in to remove trees with the thought that the younger trees grow more quickly, with this practice done in a successive process.
Simsbury High School Junior Katie Galt, on behalf of the Earth’s Advocates Club, explained how the town’s forests are important to her and her peers and how the designation as an Old Growth Forest could serve the goal of developing them.
Selectman Mike Paine shared his concern that there may not be one plan for which to shoehorn all the properties and that there may be several different plans for different parcels.
Dave Chase of 39 Woodhaven Drive shared remarks about the different forests, noting his own property lays at the headwaters of Stratton Brook near Ethel Woods. While bringing in equipment to actively manage an area like Onion Mountain might be a good idea, he opined further that there are several areas in town that ought to be left alone.
Discussion ensued regarding adding what the “old growth forest” brand does for the Town’s forests. It was pointed out that the affiliation to the network alone does not afford the woods with any incremental protection. In order to gain the incremental protection, an easement would be the next step, according to Mr. Rieger. The Commission discussed the management plans in terms of goals. It was noted that there should be some sort of metrics use in evaluating the forests.
Dr. Susan Brachwitz of 10 Pinecrest Drive questioned whether one goal might be to leave the forests alone. Commissioners agreed that could indeed be one goal.
The consensus of the commission was to review the goals of the Belden Forest management plan draft.
It was agreed that Mr. Haldeman would take the first attempt at that plan to review and revise more specific goals. Those revisions will be emailed to Mr. Glidden who will then upload it to the Commission’s Dropbox.
Mr. Rieger reported that the Board of Selectmen has allocated funds for drafting master plans for both the Open Space Committee and the Culture, Parks, and Recreation Commission. The consensus of this Commission was to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that one master plan be created for both. It was noted that commissioners could submit comments to Parks Department Director Gerry Toner in advance of the RFP for the plans.
VII. ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION: Mr. Morrison, Mr. Haldeman second, to adjourn at 8:46PM; unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Pamela A. Colombie
Recording Clerk