Approved Cons Comm Mtg Minutes

Meeting date:

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Approved

Meeting Minutes

Conservation Commission

December 16, 2015

Town Hall Meeting Room

Attendees: Trudy Vermehren, Ginie Page, Barbara Brennessel, Cary Rea, John Portnoy, Ed Simpson, and Lauren McKean

4:00 - Business Meeting & Conservation Agent's Report

Mail / Discussion:

The new Vista Pruning Procedures and Guidelines were distributed to members of the Commission. The Commission had a discussion regarding the costs of vista pruning including the preparation of an acceptable NOI and site plan. It was recommended that the Agents advise applicants on the application requirements, including a plan that accurately maps the trees and shrubs to be pruned or removed; these should be flagged in the field prior to site inspection. Applications should also list the species and sizes of compensatory plantings. Most site plans have a scale and show the resource boundary, so that it could be possible for the applicants to identify the resource buffer zones in their proposals. It was suggested that “after the fact” filings for tree removal include replanting plans per the Vista Pruning Procedures and Guidelines. Hillary Greenberg-Lemos will make amendments.

Applicants and/or their contractors are not always notifying Commission project supervisors before beginning work, and it is difficult for supervisors to monitor projects without notification. It was recommended that the Conservation Department compile an inventory of outstanding projects, identifying both responsible applicants and Commission supervisors. .

Jurisdictional Opinions - none

Meeting Minutes: Barbara Brennessel moved to approve the amended 11/18/15 meeting minutes; seconded by Cary Rea; passed 5-0. Trudy Vermehren moved to approve the amended 12/2/15 meeting minutes, seconded by John Portnoy; passed 5-0.

Public Hearings 5:00 pm:

Shaefer / Fay, 520 Black Pond, Map 4, Parcel 39, Certificate of Compliance (Cont’d). Chet Lay requested a continuation to January 6, 2016. Trudy Vermehren moved to continue to 01/06/16; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 7-0.

MacLeod, 46 Springbrook Rd., Map 47, Parcel 25, NOI, remove porch and construct

addition on full foundation. A revised plan was submitted as well as a DEP number assigned by Mass. Natural Heritage. Trudy Vermehren moved to approve the NOI; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 7-0. Supervisor: Ed Simpson

Soloway / Gray, 48 Sandpiper Hill Rd., Map 22, Parcel 7, NOI, rebuild deck and stairs, install gas fire feature, rebuild walkway and patio, extend retaining wall, and plant shrubs. Chet Lay requested a continuation to January 6, 2016. Trudy Vermehren moved to continue to January 6, 2016; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 7-0.

Elkin, 100 Catboat Road, Map 41, Parcel 87, Certificate of Compliance. Gordon Peabody represented the applicant. He stated the driveway was reconfigured and there is no intent to do any construction. Gordon identified the areas on a site plan where plantings took place. Trudy Vermehren moved to approve the Certificate of Compliance, noting that some of the initially proposed work on the plan has and will not be completed; seconded by John Portnoy; passed 7-0.

Strauss, 75 Richman Lane, Map 21, Parcel 30, RDA, prune 8 to 10 pines. The applicant requested a continuation to January 6, 2016. Ginie Page moved to continue to January 6, 2015; seconded by John Portnoy; passed 7-0.

Riley, 464 Rte. 6, Map 42, Parcel 22, NOI, plant trees. Charles Wentz from Ponderosa Landscaping and Steve Riley came to the table. Mr. Wentz gave an overview of the proposed plantings, utilizing native plants. He recommended pruning the existing black locust trees to the ground annually and planting shrubs in varying sizes of 3 gallons to 7 gallons. He stated planting would take place in the spring. There will be temporary irrigation. Although Ponderosa Landscaping’s planting plan was acceptable, Hillary Greenberg-Lemos requested the applicant redo the NOI application as there are several errors in the original submission. John Portnoy moved to approve the application, contingent upon receiving the revised NOI application; seconded by Ed Simpson; passed 7-0. Supervisor: Ed Simpson HOLD issuing paperwork.

Trudy Vermehren moved to adjourn at 5:30 pm; seconded by Ginie Page; passed 7-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Christine A. Bates, Committee Secretary