MINUTES ARE
NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.
TOWN OF SOMERS
CONSERVATION
COMMISSION
P. O. Box 308
Somers,
Connecticut 06071
CONSERVATION
MINUTES
10/1/03;
7:00 p.m.
Town Hall
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Chairman
Joan Formeister called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Members present were: Joan Formeister; Don Smith; Dan Fraro and
Lise Wood. Also present was Wetland
Agent David Askew.
II. OLD BUSINESS: There
was none.
III. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Wetlands Application #483,
Shed/Garage in Upland Review Area, 539 Billings Road Tullock
David
Askew said this site is on the corner of Billings Road and Rte. 83. The applicant would like to construct a
large shed/garage building. He will be
at least 20' away from the wetland.
David has no concerns with this application.
b. Wetlands Application #484,
Install Dry Hydrant in Pond, 1 Camp Road (AKA 25 Camp Road), YWCA
The
Town would like to install this dry hydrant along Camp Road. It is the same type of system they are using
on Billings Road. David has no problem
with this application but will request that the Town do the installation on low
water days.
c. Wetlands Application #485,
Modification of Permit #435 for New House in Upland Review Area, 154 Highland
View Drive, Drinan/Wolters
This
applicants are flipping the garage to the right hand on the lot and are
attempting to get a more central lot location for the house. The garage will be 25 - 30 feet from the
wetlands. David suggested that the
Commission require a 10' undisturbed buffer between the end of the grassed area
and the wetland. The applicant said the
silt fence will be 10' from the wetland and he will not go beyond that.
d. Wetlands Application #486, Dock,
Pond Dredging & Structures Within Upland Review Area, 359 Mountain Road,
Roulier
Dan Roulier brought in an
overview of his property on Worthington Pond, showing what has been done on the
property. There are (2) sheds, 60' from
the wetland edge. Dan wants to build a
fishing shed with a set of steps going down into the pond. He would like to dredge a little of the pond
to build a dock that would have a place for three or four canoes. The pond is only 4' deep. Dan remarked that beavers have built a dam
in the pond.
David Askew does not have a problem with this
application. David said that back in
2000, Dan Roulier dredged a 50' area of the pond and has since restored the
area. David asked Dan to remove the
berm that remains from this dredging operation.
Dan Roulier asked that David Askew meet with him to
decide where the dredging should be done so he can get a dock and a few canoes
in place. Dan plans to have some city
kids - that have never fished before - come to Worthington Pond on October 11,
2003. He wanted them to have a change
to fish from a canoe.
David Askew asked about a stormwater plan that will
take the drainage from the upper part of the property and bring in down into a
culvert that has already been built.
Dan Roulier will return at the next Conservation meeting. He said that Worthington Pond covers about
(15) acres and is spring fed from an underground spring. Water doesn't get any cleaner than this.
IV. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
Ken Prior, 364 Mountain Road said
that Dan Roulier backfilled the dam - not the beavers. He reported this to the DEP. He talked about a Cease & Desist order
issued by the ZEO on 3/11/03 forbidding any additional structures until the
sheds already up had building permits.
David Askew said that Mr. Roulier has applied for
building permits. However, his first
step is to get a wetlands permit.
Joan Formeister said Dan Roulier did it backwards -
the permits should have been taken out before he put up the sheds.
Marion Richard, 372 Mountain Road feels
that Mr. Roulier is doing things beyond the confines of his Special Use
Permit. For instance, there is supposed
to be a huge get-together this weekend for a bridal expo. She has a problem with things being
destroyed to accommodate a developer's plan down the road.
David Askew remarked that it is not the Conservation
Commission's role to become involved in anything that does not affect wetlands.
Karen Richard, 29 Juniper Hill Drive asked
if Mr. Roulier's application conforms with the regulations as presented.
David Askew said the Conservation Commission can
approve anything in a wetland - unless it is going to damage the wetland. There is a wetlands survey for this
application and all the wetlands have been identified.
Joan Naylor, 728 Stafford Road said
it sickens her to see the development on the mountain. She said anytime you destroy woods, you are
destroying the water supply. There is
lots of erosion caused by new roads and developments.
Blaine Buck, 29 Juniper Hill Drive said
he would like to look at maps of Worthington Pond. David Askew said they are available in the Land Use Office.
V. STAFF/COMMISSION REPORT:
David
Askew presented his Wetland Agent Report to the Commission for their
approval. The following are highlights:
Hillcrest Drive, 3-lot
Subdivision: This site was overwhelmed by excessive rainfall and
the erosion control measures already in place were destroyed. Don Smith said this area has no ledge and is
predominately clay. As soon as grass is
in place to help hold the water in the clay soil, the erosion problems should
go away. The developer, Blaine Buck,
said he is going to grass the sites.
Also, he will make a berm to collect the water and direct it into the
brook. David Askew will re-inspect the
site this week.
Lot #7, Stafford Road
(Maffeo) - Wetlands Application
#481 - approved at the 9/3/03 meeting:
The applicant has planted (350) bushes and shrubs
and has a building permit for the back lot.
He has restored the wetland area destroyed by the homeowner when he cut
down some trees. He kept to the
planting plan. David had to write a
letter to both the owner and the seller noting the requirement for an undisturbed
buffer to the wetland. David said we
have a $15,000 bond in place that we can release or hold. It was the consensus of the Commission that
half of this bond should be held until the end of May, 2004 to be sure that the
plantings are surviving.
Don Smith made a motion to hold half of the $15,000
bond until the end of May, 2004 to ensure that the plantings already in place
survive. This motion was seconded by
Dan Fraro and unanimously approved by the Commission.
Lise Wood made a motion to approve David Askew's
report; seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously approved by the Commission.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND BILLS:
$67.00
for toner for copier in Land Use Office.
Each department takes turns when buying toner.
$4.500 - North Central
Conservation District - to pay for David Askew's services for the
next six months.
Lise Wood made a motion to pay the bills; seconded
by Don Smith and unanimously approved by the Commission.
Joan Formeister said the Commission needs alternates
- both Democratic and Republican. She
may have a Democratic volunteer - Todd Whitford. She asked the Commissioners to try to think of someone who might
be willing to be an alternate on the Commission.
There was a lengthy discussion about the surveying
and appraisal of the Whittaker property - which is up for sale. Don Smith indicated that the Land Trust is
interested in acquiring this property.
David Askew passed out copies of the Habitat and
said their 26th annual meeting will be held on 11/16/03, if anyone is
interested in attending.
VII. MINUTES APPROVAL: September
3, 2003
Lise
Wood made a motion to approve the 9/3/03 minutes, as written. This motion was seconded by Don Smith and
unanimously approved by the Commission.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion
to adjourn was made by Lise Wood; seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously
approved by the Commission. The meeting
adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lise Wood, Secretary
Connie Carenzo, Recording Secretary
MINUTES ARE
NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.