TOWN OF OTIS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
11/19/2024 MEETING MINUTES
Location: Otis Town Hall, One North Main Road, Otis – Zoom Meeting
Conservation Commission Members present: Dave Sarnacki (Zoom) Dominic Battista, Chris Chaffee
Conservation Commission Members absent: Jeff Laramy, Bruce Wall, Roger Meyer, Jennifer Rivers Cole
Opening items/Introduction of Commission members and staff. Dave opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. and noted that the meeting is being recorded. Dave introduced the members of the commission, and asked everyone to turn off/down their cell phones for the duration of the meeting. The deadline for applications for the December 17, 2024 @ 6:00 PM meeting is on Wednesday, December 4th, 2024 by 3:00PM. The next office hours, for the December 17th, 2024 meeting, is on Wednesday, December 4th, 2024 from 8:00am –3:00pm.
Minutes: Dave made a motion to approve minutes from the October 15th, 2024 meeting; DB 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes for the October 15th, 2024 meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Felice Heller, 54 Loop Drive., map 15A lot 55, regarding the replacement of existing deck with a new composite decking on the existing footprint, all within the BZ of Otis Reservoir. With all the being said, Dave made a motion of a
-3 determination with standard conditions with the addition that the cutting of the decking not to take place on the lake side and for the construction site to be picked up daily. CC 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination with the additional conditions.
Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Berkshire Engineering, Inc, on behalf of Bret Calder, 1154 E. Otis Rd., map 15 lot 33, regarding the upgrade of septic system, all within the area of neighboring wetlands. With all the being said, Dave made a motion of a -3 determination with standard conditions. CC 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination.
Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Bruce Wall, 38 South Lake Ave., map 18A lot 51, regarding the replacement of existing decking with new composite decking, all within the BZ of Otis Reservoir. With all the being said, Dave made a motion of a -3 determination with standard conditions. CC 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination.
ENFORCEMENT ORDERS:
64 South Gate Island, Joshua & Lisa Warren. Follow up from last month’s meeting in regards to work that is being done in the resource area without approval. After discussion regarding this matter the the conservation agreed that waddles need to stay in place until the lawn is established and the conservation will go back out and revisit the site to give the permission to remove the waddles. With all that being said Dave made a motion to consider the enforcement order satisfied. DB 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously close the enforcement order
ANY OTHER TOPICS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR:
Steven Salvini from Salvini & Assocs., LLC came in to discuss an NOI that was previously filed for 1361 East Otis Road, map 15A lots 25/26. Steve is requesting to amend the current NOI to add the addition of a porch on the lake side of the house, all within the BZ of Benton Pond. With all that being said Dave made a motion to place this request on next month’s agenda so all the proper steps have been taken. DB 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to place this request on next month’s agenda.
Emergency order request for 0 Stebbins Road in regards to a 9’ beaver damn that could collapse and cause immediate danger. The original request came in in October. When the request came in BW went out to look for the damn and was not able to locate it. We then informed the applicant that we needed the approval from the board of health and we would need to be supplied with photos of the damn. The permit was not submitted/paid until weeks after the request was made and photos were never supplied to the commission. With all that being said Dave made a motion to deny the emergency order and to inform the applicant that they need to submit an NOI. DB 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to deny the emergency order.
Dave made a motion to adjourn at 6:28.