TOWN OF OTIS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
8/15/2017 MEETING MINUTES
Location: Otis Town Hall, One North Main Road, Otis
Conservation Commission Members present: Dave Sarnacki, Roger Meyer, Jeff Laramy, Bruce Wall, Domenic Battista and Renee Dube’.
Conservation Commission Members absent: None
Staff and others present: Kristen Brown Secretary; Bob Mason with MA DCR; Berkshire Design Consultant.
Opening items/Introduction of Commission members and staff. Dave Sarnacki opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. He noted that the meeting is being recorded. The deadline for applications for the September 19th meeting is September 6, 2017 @ 6:00 PM. The next office hours, for the September 19th meeting, is September 6th from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Dave introduced the members of the commission, as well as Bob Mason with MA DCR, and asked everyone to turn off/down their cell phones for the duration of the meeting.
Minutes: Dave made a motion to approve the minutes from our July 21, 2017 meeting; RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes from the July 21, 2017 meeting.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Thomas Logsdon, Giles Road, map 3D, lot 616, regarding the installation of leech field and septic system; part of leech field is in the buffer zone. Dave opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the commission. No one was in attendance for this hearing but KBB commented that there was an issue with the agenda being displayed correctly online due to the town having a new website, and there was confusion as to where the agenda was posted. Therefore, applicant may have missed the agenda posting, so Dave made a motion to table this hearing until the end of the meeting. RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted to table this hearing until the end of the meeting. Dave reopened this hearing, and no one has shown up for this hearing. However, since there was an issue with the location of the agenda posting, either on the new or old website, applicant may have missed the agenda, and thought the meeting was cancelled. Therefore, Dave made a motion to continue this hearing until the September 19, 2017 meeting; RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to continue this hearing until the 9/19/17 meeting.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Berkshire Geo-Technologies, on behalf of Melvin & Beverly Schnoll, 79 D’Wolfe Drive, map 7B lot 4, regarding the installation of a 1500 gallon septic tank & a 1000 gallon pump chamber, within the 100’ BZ of Watson Pond. Dave opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the commission. No one was in attendance for this hearing but KBB commented that there was an issue with the agenda being displayed correctly online due to the town having a new website, and there was confusion as to where the agenda was posted. Therefore, applicant may have missed the agenda posting, so Dave made a motion to table this hearing until the end of the meeting. RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted to table this hearing until the end of the meeting. Dave reopened this hearing, and no one has shown up for this hearing. However, since there was an issue with the location of the agenda posting, either on the new or old website, applicant may have missed the agenda, and thought the meeting was cancelled. Therefore, Dave made a motion to continue this hearing until the September 19, 2017 meeting; RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to continue this hearing until the 9/19/17 meeting.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Berkshire Design Inc., on behalf of Ralph & Lynn Huber, 897 Algerie Road, map 12A lot 27, regarding the renovation/conversion and 2nd story addition to an existing garage, as well as a new attached garage and entry/mudroom. Dave opened this hearing and invited the applicant to address the commission. Berkshire Design rep was present (name indistinguishable) on behalf of applicant. Dave asked if any question from the site visit – Roger just wanted to confirm the erosion controls would be installed as indicated on the plans – yes, the EC would be installed pre-start, as indicated on the plans. Dave asked if any other issues, none being stated, Dave made a motion for a 03 determination with the following conditions: Vegetable oil only in any chainsaw(s); all equipment to be stored and/or maintained outside the resource area and buffer; all debris to be removed from the resource, and covered daily if stored on site; all EC to be installed and inspected by OCC prior to work start – call 413.717.1744 to request inspection; OCC reserves the right to inspect property for 3 years from date of approval. BW 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination with the above conditions. Signed NDA paperwork was hand delivered to applicant at this meeting.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Submitted by Jeanne Steiner & William Rosenblatt, 70 Point Road, map 15A lots 9 & 10, regarding removal of 2 apparently dead trees on lot 10 within the 100’ BZ of OR, and one tree on lot 10 with a bifurcated trunk, with one side dead, that will be removed, and the balance saved. Trees are marked with red ribbons. Dave opened this hearing and invited applicants to address the commission. Per KB, applicant emailed to state that they would not make the meeting, and asked if any questions for them: one question on how tree stump would be processed – and applicant indicated they would cut the tree flush with the ground – stump(s) will stay. Dave asked the commission if any other questions or concerns with the removal of the 2 trees, and none being stated, made a motion for a -3 determination with the following conditions: Vegetable oil only in the chainsaw(s); no heavy equipment in the resource area; all debris to be removed immediately from the resource and buffer; OCC reserves the right to inspect the property for 3 years from date of approval. RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination with the above conditions.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Enforcement Orders/Letters:
- Normand & Elayne LeBeau, 61/67 North Gate Island Road, map 17C lots 19 & 30, regarding the unapproved work and/or alteration of the BZ of the OR; work done in the area that which under OOC issued for DEP File 254-0280, special condition 28, was supposed to stay vegetative buffer. Dave opened this hearing and asked if owner was in attendance. Per KB, owner’s attorney, Louis Moore, emailed and asked for a continuance until our September meeting so that the proper work on the survey could be completed as requested. Dave made a motion to continue this hearing until the September 19th meeting, for the final time; BW 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to continue this EO until the September 19th, 2017 meeting.
Emergency Certifications:
Forest Cutting Plans:
Extensions of Orders of Condition:
Certificate of Compliance Requests:
Unanticipated Business:
- Review of the Commission’s need of an agent KB – Continued from April 18th 2017 meeting. Dave opened this subject and upon discussion, made a motion to forestall the need of an agent, and review again in December 2017. RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to put this off until December 2017 for another discussion.
Next office hours: Wednesday, September 6, 2017 from 6-9 p.m. at Otis Town Hall.
Next meeting: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at Otis Town Hall. Meeting adjourned at 6:49 PM.