Conservation Commission
TOWN OF PRINCETON
BOARD/COMMITTEE: PRINCETON CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES
DATE: July 21, 2020 TIME: 7:00 LOCATION: Remote access only
Note: this public meeting and public hearing were conducted via remote teleconferencing due to COVID-19 precautions. Public participation details were posted with the agenda.
Members in attendance remotely: Brian Keevan, Bonnie Hirsh, Rachael Catlow, Barbara Laughlin, Sue Mitchell
Applicants and others in attendance remotely: Clayton Erickson, Jennifer Caswell, Ashley Brotherton, Dan Crocker (DCR), David Valcovic, Jassy Bratko, Norman Hill, Brian Quaglieri, Doug Andrysick, MaryAnn DiPinto, Larry Greene, Jr.
Brian Keevan called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.
Votes taken in the following actions are “all in favor” unless noted otherwise.
Public Hearings and Meetings:
Item 1: 7:04pm – 7:11pm – File # 267-0402 - 94 Wheeler Road for Clayton Erickson. Site walk was conducted on -July 19th by members Rachael Catlow, Bonnie Hirsh, Sue Mitchell, and Brian Keevan for the Septic system replacement. Erosion controls are no longer in place, the lawn has grown in and the site is stabilized. All members voted in favor of issuing Certificate of Compliance via roll call.
Item 2: 7:11pm – 7:14pm – File #267-0408 - Lot 12A Hickory Drive for Don Peterson. Site walk was conducted on July 19th by members Rachael Catlow, Bonnie Hirsh, Sue Mitchell, and Brian Keevan. The site is stabilized, and the work is complete. All members voted in favor of issuing an Certificate of Compliance via roll call.
Item 3: 7:14pm – 7:32pm -File #267-0429 – Continuation of Public Hearing for the DCR Weir installation off East Princeton Road. Brian Keevan recused himself and Rachael Catlow acted as the Chair. Dan Crocker (DCR) was in attendance. There have been no comments issued from the DEP. The Order was issued with a special condition of a 5-year extension due to the timing of the study. All members voted in favor of issuing an Order of Conditions via roll call except for Brian Keevan who was recused.
Item 4: 7:35pm – 8:05 pm – File #267-0428- Wachusett Mountain Project, Public Hearing Continuation for a Restoration Order of Conditions, Maryanne Dipinto, Jassy Bratko (North County Land Trust) and Larry Green Jr. (McCarty Associated) were in attendance. The Commission received additional information from the application including a drainage letter, stormwater checklist, invasive species monitoring document, staging area access & contingency plan memo and revised NOI plan. The project will reduce impervious surfaces and have no new untreated discharge. Invasive species monitoring reports will be provided to the Conservation Commission annually. North County Land Trust will be involved monitoring the project over the 5 years after construction. An updated site plan was submitted which shows erosion controls and access routes. No requirement for a water quality certificate and a SWPPP since they are not altering an acre of land.
An order of conditions was granted with special conditions for ecological restoration for dam removal. The Commission also asked to get the annual monitoring reports for part of the dam removal monitoring.
All members in favor via roll call.
Item 5: 8:07 pm – 8:35pm – File #267-0430 – Grow Lane, Jennifer Caswell, Norman Hill P.E. (owner’s representative). A site walk was conducted on Sunday July 9th by members Rachael Catlow, Bonnie Hirsh, Sue Mitchell, and Brian Keevan. The vacant lot has a proposed driveway which crosses wetlands. The Commission noted that a location on the lot has vernal pool characteristics as seen from a spring site walk. The Commission noted that there is a clear stream channel that is not noted on the site plan and Norman Hill did acknowledge that there is a stream channel. The wetland replication will be done with the excavated soils, and potentially does not need additional fill for the replication.
Requests of the Commission:
- Flag the stream channel and add the location and buffers to the plan, delineate the bank
- Normal Hill will run a stream stats on the area
- DEP comments for water quality cert
An abutter, Ashley Brotherton on 11 Grow Lane expressed concern about a potential vernal pool and impacts to wildlife habitat, as well as potential drainage issues to the site since it’s at the bottom of a hill.
The public hearing was voted by all commissioners to be continued to the next meeting.
Commission Other Business, Mail, Procedures, etc.:
Doug Andrysick was in attendance to discuss the lot on Merriam Road (File #267-0414). A site walk was conducted on July 19th by members Rachael Catlow, Bonnie Hirsch, Sue Mitchell, and Brian Keevan. A letter was submitted by Doug Andrysick on 7/16/2020 about the change in the driveway location. This change accounts for less than 2,400 square feet of site disturbance based on the revised plan dated 5/27/2020.
A motion was made to draft a letter to address the changes made in the site plan dated 5/27/2020 in lieu of reopening the public meeting to the applicant - Four commissioners were in favor and Rachael abstained. At 9:13pm
Sue left the meeting at 9:14pm
Approve Minutes
June 18 Meeting Minutes were approved (Barbara, Rachael, Brian) at 9:21pm
June 29 Meeting Minutes were approved (Barbara, Rachael, Brian) at 9:24pm
Meeting adjourned at 9:43pm
Respectfully submitted, Rachael Catlow