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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes - WREC - 04/04/2016 Weir River Estuary Park Committee (WREPComm) Meeting Minutes from April 4th, 2016 The meeting, held at the Weir River Estuary Center (333 GWB, Hull) on Monday April 4th was called to order by 7:10pm. Committee meetings held at Hingham Town Hall were all cancelled due to snow. Members present: Dick Avery(Cohasset), Faith Burbank (Hingham), Patti Coyle (Hingham), Scott Plympton (Hull), Dave Sibor(Hingham),Judeth Van Hamm (Hull). Housekeeping: Members present reviewed and approved the notes from 2/22/2016; no other votes were taken. Patti Coyle volunteered to serve as Scribe. Updates on current activities: a) Cohasset: Cohasset Conservation Trust President Debbie Shad and Treasurer Dick Avery met on March 21'Y with Hull Land Conservation Trust officers to review and discuss HLCT status and plans for the Lofchie Property. Cohasset's Planning Committee Forum was well-attended;the Open Space Plan expires in 2017. At upcoming SPWA annual meeting, Margot Cheel will present aerial photos of Straits Pond. a) Hingham: Boyle Property: Faith Burbank reviewed the history of development plans and ideas for GWB/Rockland St properties proposed by Hingham resident Cliff Boyle,from 2004 up to the most recent March 2016 idea to build a 130-bed Assisted Living facility(see attached letter and drawings) at 124-134 Rockland St. Rockland St properties have 2 sewer hook-ups available, which continue to constrain high-density development ideas. Ms. Burbank clarified the WREP/ACEC interest in the proposal by demonstrating the Area of Critical Environmental Concern within the Boyle property on Porter's Cove, Bass Point and Sanctuary Pond. Our WREP committee work is for the preservation and protection of ACEC properties in the estuary; that includes preventing pollution or negative environmental impacts from adjacent ACEC lands, such as storm water run-off, groundwater pollution and habitat degradation. Ms. Burbank also agreed to write a letter to the Town Administrator sharing the WREP interest and thoughts for consideration re proposal; Judeth Van Hamm agreed to help. MASSDoT signage: Ms. Coyle chatted briefly with MassDOT Asst. Maintenance Engineer Kenneth Charlton on April 4th; "sign pollution" (see attached photos) is becoming an issue at the State and even Federal level. Upon crossing the GWB Bridge for this meeting, Coyle noticed that the sign project had been completed on Rockland St! Conforming signage for 60 GWB and Sidney's Pond/ACEC: Conservation Officer Loni Fournier responded to WREPComm's request for signage in an e- mail on 3/31 -- that due to cost of the signs (in 2010, $440.00 each) and other expenses recently paid from Conservation Fund ($9,000), that she will bring this to the ConComm in May, after Town Meeting (April 25th). Hingham Open Space Plan meeting: On March 22"d, Faith Burbank and Patti Coyle joined many of the stakeholders from the Trails Plan steering committee to assist in the update of the 2009-2016 Open Space and Recreation Plan. On-line Survey—https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Hingham OSR Survey. Collapsed culvert on Kilby St (behind Sidney's Pond): No updates. b) Hull: Lofchie Property/ Straits Pond Waterfowl Viewing Park and Trail: Judeth Van Hamm and Scott Plympton met with Cohasset Conservation Trust officers Debbie Shad and Dick Avery on March 21". Need to raise final$25.3K to purchase a Conservation Restriction, valued at $100K (see http://straitspond.org/?page id=695), at the end of Richards Rd. Letter of Intent/Purchase&Sale agreement expected July 8th. Fund Raising Event: Sun May 151h from 4-8pm at"The C-Note" in Hull. Judeth will hand out Lofchie flyers at beach grass planting on April 9. Informational walks will occur at Lofchie site first weekend of each month. Committee Action Items: a) Goals for 2016 Review Matrix of actions as prepared and forwarded to all by Dave Sibor b) Aquarion discussion: understanding the impacts that have the greatest benefit to the watershed since that is our focus. We should align with Aquarion (or not) where we can affect the most change. c) Other: Clean-up Day in the Estuary will be Saturday,April 301n Wrap-up: Next WREPComm Meeting: Monday, May 9th from 7-9pm at Estuary Center(333 GWB, Hull) The meeting ended at 8:25pm Page 1 of 8 .e).LANDN4nl_K „ _ A Simsbury Associates Company March 21,2016 Mr.Ted C.Alexiades Town Administrator 210 Central Street Hingham, MA 02043 RE: Hull/Hingham Inter-Municipal Agreement Capacity Inquiry Concept Project—Assisted Living&Residential Housing,Rockland St,Hingham , Dear Mr.Alexiades: I am VP of development for Simsbury Associates,which is owned by Hingham resident Cliff Boyle. We plan to develop part of the 53 acres he owns along George Washington Boulevard and Rockland Street as Assisted Living for seniors. We have discussed putting a conservation easement on some of the environmentally sensitive land along the Weir River Estuary. We have discussed the proposal with the Weir River Watershed Association,as well as with the Hingham Planning Board and the Town of Hull Sewer. I have attached a site plan showing the proposed assisted living,(along with a plan showing possible conservation areas TB Confirmed by Mr.Boyle). We believe the most responsible plan for wastewater is to connect to sewer rather than discharge on site,and so seek to discuss a proposal to amend the inter-municipal agreement between Hingham and Hull to allow this. We also plan to finalize the plans to submit to the Hingham Planning Board for approval. This project will require careful planning to take into account many environmental and public planning issues. We request an informal meeting with you so we might discuss how to hest move forward in a way that respects all constituencies. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Bill Giovannucci VP Development CELL(617)592-5893 14 Storrs Avenue, Brointree, MA 02184 1 Page 2 of 8 j.�ANDMAPIK A Simsbury Associates Company BOYLE LAND DEVELOPMENT-ROCKLAND STREET,HINGHAM DEVELOPER: Simsbury Associates, Inc.(DBA Landmark Senior Living) 14 Storrs Ave, Braintree, MA 02184 Landmark Senior Living is owned by Mr.Cliff Boyle of 134 Rockland Street, Hingham,MA. CONTACT: Bill Giovannucci,VP Development (781)849-7722,x109 PROPERTY: i The Boyle property is comprised of substantial acreage surrounding Mr.Boyle's residence on Rockland Street,a former granite quarry and now a small lake and raw land making up the peninsula between the George Washington Boulevard Courthouse and the Weir River Estuary. In addition to Mr, Boyle's residence on the high side of the quarry cliff,which is currently connected to Hingham's Sewer System, there are two single family homes already built. Of these,one is on an active septic system and the smaller of the two is not occupied and not connected to any system. Mr. Boyle has rights for two additional sewer connections tied to this land(and yet unutilized). SITE PLAN CONCEPT: Please see attached Preliminary Site Design Plan... Please note that Mr. Boyle's primary residence adjacent to the land we are discussing, as well as the wetlands Mr. Boyle owns adjacent to the Weir River Estuary ore all North of this property. They do not appear on the concept site plan, There are no 8CQVosed changes to those areas. Our site concept,(exclusive of Mr, Boyle's current residence)in need of municipal sewer connections,is a total of 130 units of assisted living,two existing single family homes and one additionally planned single family home. The planned AL facility will be wood framed residential housing with on-site personal care/convenience services and common areas. At present there is the geological possibility of servicing this project,or part of it with an engineered septic system. However,it is likely that the magnitude of the project means planning for a municipal connection would be prudent. Although the density and use is would be allowed in this area of Hingham under the Special Permit process,we are under the impression there is currently no capacity available in the sewer system for 14 Storrs Avenue, Braintree,MA 02184 2 Page 3 of 8 A Simsbury Associates Company such a project in this location. This Rockland Street property is on the town line with Hull. We have spoken to the Hull Sewer Commission and initially it seems Hull would have sufficient capacity. Therefore,with only two legal connections currently available we find ourselves researching the potential of bringing this project to the attention of the appropriate powers in both Hingham and Hull. Our hope is that with this project there may be incentives for multiple parties to favor a revisiting of the Inter-municipal Agreement at some point in the near future- BOYLE LAND DEVELOPMENT-ROCKLAND STREET,HINGHAM ESTIMATED CAPACITY NEED 310 CMR 15.203(2)Attached... Assisted Living Apartments 130 Bedrooms (`Other institutional Ilse":Hingham,Zoning By Lows) ("Nursing/Rest Home 310 CMR 15.20.3) @GALLONS PER DAY/PER BR 150 Gallons SUBTOTAL DESIGN FLOW 19,500 GPD/Per BR i Residential Housing i f"Residential SF Horne": 310 CMR 15.203) i Existing SF Home#1... 4 Bedrooms (Currently on Septic) Existing SF Home#2... 3 Bedroom(Minimum Standard) (Currently unconnected) Existing SF Home#3... 3 Bedrooms (TB Constructed) @GALLONS PER DAY/PER BR 110 Gallons SUBTOTAL DESIGN FLOW 1,100 GPD/Per BR TOTAL CALCUGATE'D DESIGN FLOW! 20,500 GPDay/Per BR ANTICIPATED(MAX)PROJECT REQUEST 21,000 GPD Capacity Increase 14 Storrs Avenue, Braintree, MA 02184 3 i Page 4 of 8 y M � Y " T i r Ly V ♦b Y T` } gand6 S �t I! � y x fy T al \! N T E QQg c � $6 g r e At IYY r E .jr1.1 Ln 14 Page 5 of 8 /UT-lRRRT-jt w f ' F 1 CONSFAVA N;AREAS DEVMOPFAMWAREAS draft 2 AY=0 CONSULTING RQCKi.1A'tT SIliF2T ' srm CO\CF'S'T' RO(:KLS.NT)SF'RBkT IIENGEIA,N,MA 1I6 11 pC1Rl.i�'117u" IiIYWNH,NA ataa9 �' TgRTIR.ora. LRApv� sc Nage b OT 8 tL: { - - 4 5 Y "Before": GWB Bridge- entering Hull from Hingham; no sign on northbound (inbound) lane in Hingham... STATE �E+ro le HIGHWAY PARKING 4 ` PROHIBITEd ■ LITTERING _ PROHIBITED ir'04 - '00Q FLIE =/ "Before": GWB Bridge--entering Hingham from Hull;no sign in Town of Hull... Page 7 of 8 ; - Weir River Estuary Park Dornmittee 4 Hingham, Hull,and Cohasset Hingham Town Hall 210 Central Street Hingham, IMA 02043 ....R 2' I:P. r;.r JAKK March 9,2016 To. Loni Foumier, Hingham Conservation AgentfSenior Planner From: Weir Fiver Estuary Park Committee The Weir River Estuary Park(WREP) Committee is working to achieve appropriate signage on Park properties to aid the visitors by foot, bike, or car_We are working with Mass Department of Transportation re bridge signage to mark the Weir River_ Extendi ng the Weir River Estuary signage to mark the Hingham Conservation properties not marked in the Estuary will enhance this endeavor_ Hence, the Weir River Estuary Park Committee requests approval and placement cf conforming Hingham Conservation property signs at: 1) 60 George Washington Boulevard &entrance to Porter's Cove Point properly to announce entry into Weir River Estuary Park, an Area of CHtical Environmental Concern{ACEC}_ 2) Noonan Sidney Pond conservation area_ Thank you foryour help in expanding interpretative appreciation of this resource_ Sincerely, The Weir River Estuary Park Committee Patti Coyle, Hingham co-chair Faith Burbank, Hingham member David Sibor, Hingham member Richard Avery, Cohasset Co-chair Judeth Van Hamm, Hull Co-chair Scott Plympton, Hull member cc:Scott Mclsaac, Chaimian Hingham Conservation Committee Page 8 of 8