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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - CC - 12/18/2014 ,r5 Cohasset Conservation Meeting December 18, 2014 Date: Thursday,December 18,2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: Town Hall Basement Meeting Room 41 Highland Avenue Cohasset,MA Commissioners Present: Jack Creighton,Chairman Patrick Kennedy,Vice Chairman Edward Graham James Marten James Gilman Justin Pimpare,Associate Patrice Vogelman,Associate Commissioners Absent: Alex Koines Commissions Consultant Present: CCC/SW Agent, Paul Shea Chairman Creighton called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. 80 Lantern Lane-SWP#14-48 Chairman Creighton read aloud the public hearing notice. Jeff Hassett from Morse Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. He asked for the hearing to be continued. The hearing was continued until 1/22/15. 45 Pleasant Street-SWP Chairman Creighton read aloud the public hearing notice. Jeff Hassett from Morse Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. He asked for the hearing to be continued as they have also filed for a NOI. The hearing was continued until 1/8/15. 87 Pleasant Street Chairman Creighton re-opened the hearing. Paul Shea stated the Commission had a site visit. The applicant has worked with the abutter and they seem to have come to an agreement. The design has been changed. The applicant will be using a swale along the side of the property instead of a stone trench along the east side of the property. Jeff Hassett from Morse Engineering updated the Commission on the changes which he has discussed with John Cavanaro of Cavanaro Consulting. Mr. Cavanaro stated his client is in agreement with the revisions. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to close the hearing and issue a SWP for the proposed construction located at 87 Pleasant Street,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Beechwood St.(Lots 1&2) Chairman Creighton re-opened the hearing. Paul Shea stated the Commission had a site visit and there have been some new submissions. Greg Tansey from Ross Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. They are asking to remove the pool and replace with plantings. Part of the mitigation plan will be donating 4.75 acres to the Cohasset Conservation Trust. This is potential development land that will be preserved. This will protect Lily Pond,which is a public water supply. They are looking to use the existing access road to avoid intrusive blasting. Dana Cushing-271 Beechwood Street stated he is Cohasset Conservation Meeting December 18, 2014 Csupportive of the project. He is pleased that part of the area is being preserved. Ralph Troupe-272 Beechwood Street stated he is also in support of the project and thinks it is great. Katie Holden-29 Norfolk Road stated she is also thrilled with the donation of land to be preserved. She stated sometimes Commissions allow positive mitigation. Bill Ketchum-255 Beechwood Street stated he is in favor of the project and this will help protect Lilly Pond. Rich Coakley-6 Bound Brook stated he is generally in favor of the project. Brian Costello-251 Beechwood Street stated he is very much in favor of this project. Charlie Higginson-159 Atlantic Avenue and Conservation Trust stated they would welcome the donation of land from Mr.Wheelwright as it abuts other properties owned by the Trust. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue a variance for work within the 50' buffer zone for the project at Beechwood Street(Lots 1&2),seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to close the public hearing and issue an order of conditions for the NOI application for the project at Beechwood Street(Lots 1&2)with two additional conditions;the portion of the driveway in the 50'buffer zone remain unpaved and that there be conveyance of 4t acres of land to the Cohasset Conservation Trust,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue a SWP for the property located at Beechwood Street(Lots 1&2), seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue a Neg.3 RDA for the property located at Beechwood Street(Lot 2),seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. .417 Jerusalem Road Chairman Creighton re opened the hearing and again explained that the applicant had agreed to open the hearing even though there may be an issue with not filing for all permits. Attorney Adam Brodsky was present along with his associate Scott Golden,Stan Humphries-Coastal Geologist, Brian Dunn- Engineer,Bob Harris-Contractor and property owners Paul and Lisa Rogers. Attorney Brodsky is confident there are no issues. There was one small problem with respect to a retaining wall and there are changes to the plan to address that. They have also applied for a Large Home Review. Paul Shea stated the Commission had a site visit and saw the coastal resource areas,the 100' buffer and 50' buffer zones. Patrick Kennedy stated he has visited the site at different tidal conditions and he believes there are tidal flats there that seem to have habitat. Mr.Brodsky explained the two types of coastal banks. This area is non-eroding and they need to protect the stability of the bank. There are wetland coastal resources seaward of the coastal bank. Patrick Kennedy stated the bylaw also stated that they need to protect the potential impacts to the coastal bank including protecting wildlife habitat. Attorney Brodsky stated all of the area they are proposing to work in within the 50' buffer zone has been previously altered. Patrice Vogelman stated she did the site visit and has read the bylaw and new construction is not allowed in the 50' buffer zone. Justin Pimpare agreed with Ms.Vogelman and stated there is over 3400 square feet of new construction within the 50' buffer zone. The new construction is closer to the coastal bank. The proposed project is three times the original structure. Attorney Brodsky stated it is actually 1200 square feet of additional work in the 50' buffer zone. Nothing they are proposing is going to have an adverse effect on the resource areas that are relevant. This is not the first project that this Commission has approved variances for new construction within the 50' buffer zone. James Marten and James Gilman agreed with the other Commissioners regarding new construction in the 50'buffer zone. Attorney Richard Henderson was present on behalf of the abutting neighbors stated his issue remains the same as his original issue and that is that all relevant permits were not applied for prior to opening C ' Cohasset Conservation Meeting December 18, 2014 the hearing. Carmen Hudson of Cavanaro Consulting was present on behalf of the abutters. She questioned the determination of where the top of the coastal bank actually is. This coastal bank is a vertical buffer. There is an erosion issue here that the applicant has not discussed.This project has the potential to cause erosion to the onsite coastal bank. The applications site plan doesn't contain required data for accuracy runoff. The Commissioners discussed the 50' buffer zone, previous alterations with the site,and variance issues. The hearing was continued until 1/22/15 @7:45 pm. 40 Hobart Lane-NOI#14-41 and SWP#14-47 Chairman Creighton read aloud the public hearing notice. John Cavanaro from Cavanaro Consulting was present along with owner Jeff Schwartz. Mr.Cavanaro presented the proposed plan to the Commission. The area is populated with invasive overgrowth. They would like to replace with a substantial amount of native plants. Most of the work being done is landscape work. The goal is to convert back to a salt meadow type of environment. They have been before the ZBA for a special permit and the Planning Board for large home review. There are stepping stones and a small portion of the patio in the 50' buffer zone. They are replacing the existing house. The total footprint of the house is 8700 s.f. The entire structure is outside the 50'buffer zone. There is an increase of impervious of 150 s.f. in the 50' buffer zone. Marc Badia-41 Hobart Lane asked what will happen to the current parking. Mr.Cavanaro responded the parking area will still exist but it will be reduced. Charles Higginson-159 Atlantic Avenue stated he thinks the project is wonderful. He spoke of having the applicant installing a pipe to help with flooding, Chairman Creighton stated the applicant isn't required to put the pipe in;they have to prove they are not increasing the flow. Eric Eisenhauer-46 Hobart Lane asked Mr.Cavanaro about the valve mechanism in the pipe. He is concerned that should there be a nor'easter they would get a stream of salt water. Mr.Cavanaro stated this would not be a problem as there is a one-way flapper on the pipe. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to close the public hearing and issue a variance for the project at 40 Hobart Lane,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue an order of conditions for the project at 40 Hobart Lane,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue a SWP for the project at 40 Hobart Lane,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. 422 King Street-continued Terry McGovern from Ross Engineering was present representing the owner. Mr.McGovern discussed the planting plan with the commission. Mr. McGovern stated Mr.Gable has agreed to the proposed plan. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to close the public hearing and issue a variance for the property located at 422 King Street,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue an ATF order of conditions for the property located at 422 King Street,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue an ATF SWP for the property located at 422 King Street,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Cohasset Conservation Meeting December 18, 2014 Lot 3 Black Rock Road-SWP#14-49 Chairman Creighton read aloud the public hearing notice. Associate Member Patrice Vogelman recused herself from the hearing as she is a direct abutter. Jeff Hassett from Morse Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. They are proposing a new modest single family home with a paved driveway. There are no wetlands on the property and it is not located in a flood plain. There will be a rain garden in the front area to capture run off from the driveway as well as the areas above. The roof run off will go to a drywall system in the rear of the property. They will install an erosion control barrier during construction. Paul Shea stated this is just a SWP. Paul Shea asked in the area of the rain garden and the drywall if there was any soil testing done. Mr. Hassett responded in the roof drywall system they did two test pits. Wendy Wilfand-560 Jerusalem Road (direct abutter)stated there is a stream that goes along the property. There is already flooding issues in this area. She voiced her concerns about the houses around her property that are being built and blasting that has occurred. Chairman Creighton reminded Ms.Wilfand what is the board's jurisdiction. Marilyn Pitchford-552 Jerusalem Road stated she was not notified of the last house that was built in the area. Paul Shea didn't recall seeing a stream in that area. He asked Mr. Hassett to submit Brad Holmes's report. Patrice Vogelman-46 Black Rock Road explained how the lots were split. The hearing was continued until 1/22/15 @ 8:30 p.m. The Commission will have a site visit on 1/12/15 @ 9:00 a.m. 63 Nichols Road-NOI#14-43 Chairman Creighton read aloud the public hearing notice. Terry McGovern of Morse Engineering was present on behalf of the owner. The driveway in the causeway is in need of repair. It overflows about a foot of water during a full moon tide. They are proposing to raise the middle of the driveway and put a new 18" culvert in place to allow the free flow of water. They will use silt socks for erosion control. Paul Shea has no issue with the project. It needs to be done; it's a repair project. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to issue a variance for the project at 63 Nichols Road,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to close the public hearing and issue an order of conditions for the project at 63 Nichols Road,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Motion by Patrick Kennedy to adjourn,seconded by Edward Graham and the vote was unanimous. Minutes approved by the Conservation Commission: Signed by CCC hairman Jaek ereighten: