TOWN OF OTIS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
12/19/2017 MEETING MINUTES
Location: Otis Town Hall, One North Main Road, Otis
Conservation Commission Members present: Roger Meyer, Jeff Laramy, Domenic Battista, Bruce Wall and Renee Dube’.
Conservation Commission Members absent: Dave Sarnacki
Staff and others present: Kristen Brown OCC Admin Secretary; Bob Mason with MA DCR; Adam (illegible) with MASS DCR; Kristin Malone; Carl Legrand; Ryan Nelson with R. Levesque; Jill Peters-Gee;
Opening items/Introduction of Commission members and staff. Jeff Laramy is acting as temporary chair as Dave is absent from this hearing. Jeff opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. He noted that the meeting is being recorded. The deadline for applications for the January 16th 2018 meeting is January 3, 2018 @ 6:00 PM. The next office hours, for the January 16th meeting, is January 3rd from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Jeff 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: Jeff made a motion to approve the minutes from our November 21, 2017 meeting, with revisions as outlined; RM 2nd the motion and the commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes from the November 21, 2017 meeting, with revisions as outlined.
- Public Hearing – NOI – Submitted by Kristen Malone, Brookman A. Association, Brookman Beach Area, end of Westerly Road, map 18 lot 34, regarding the rebuilding of the existing dock on Otis Reservoir. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the Commission. Kristin Malone (President of the Brookman A Association) and Carl Legrand were in attendance for this hearing. KB gave Jeff the new plans for the docks, since all the Commissioners were on site for inspections, when the revised plans were submit. Per Carl, David Foulis with MASS DEP said that if they kept the original footprint for the new dock, they would not have to get a new Chapter 91 license, but could just revise their currently held chapter 91. Therefore, that is why they scaled back on the project, to encompass only the original footprint. Since is a miniscule (342 SFT total) change from original Chapter 91 license, and OCC has no issues, nor does MASS DCR, Jeff made a motion to issue an order of conditions, with standard conditions, including special condition that OCC has the right to inspect the property for 3 years from date of approval. RM 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to issue an OOC for this project.
- Public Hearing – NOI – Submitted by Robert Levesque, with R. Levesque Assocs., Inc., on behalf of Ralph J. and Joan M., D’Amato, 6 Blandford Dr., map 18C lot 59, to renovate & construct an addition to existing single family house, along with associated site improvements, in the BZ of OR. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicants to address the Commission. Ryan Nelson was in attendance on behalf of applicant, and explained the project and that it will consist of work in Otis, as well as work in Blandford, for which they have also filed an NOI with Blandford Concom. They are removing 6 trees and replacing them in kind with a planting plan that they submit to the file for the record, and the placement of new trees is also outlined on the plans, with highlighter (orange). The Commission is OK with all, and there is no work involved with the dock. The trees will be ground flush. There will be an excavator above high water mark, and the EC is also outlined on the project plans. Jeff made a motion to continue this NOI until MASS DEP can issue a file number, which one will not be issued until the fees have cleared the bank. RM 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to continue this NOI until the next meeting on January 16, 2018.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Continuation – Submitted by Jill Peters-Gee, 81 N. Gate Island Rd., map 17C lot 33, regarding the vegetation of the area of shed removal, and some pruning of trees & shrubs in the BZ of OR. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the Commission. Jill Peters-Gee was in attendance and she explained the work they want to do to bring the area back to vegetation. Jill submit a planting plan with her RDA and all plantings are native to the area. Jeff made a motion to issue a -3 determination with the following conditions: install EC and call OC for inspection prior to work start; remove debris daily; OCC reserves the right to inspect the property for a period of 3 years from date of approval. RM 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to issue a -3 determination with the above conditions.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Continuation – Submitted by Domenic Battista, 58 S. Lake Ave., map 18B lot 3, regarding the permitting for construction to DEP on 5/8/17 & Ch. 91 app submitted on 10/23/17 to DEP. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicants to address the Commission. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the Commission. Domenic Battista recused himself from the vote. Since this RDA was only for a chapter 91 license on existing docks, and MASS DCR has no issues with the license nor placement of the docks, per the MASS DEP Chapter 91 license application. Domenic marked the MASS DEP plans that the shed is only a plastic temporary structure, not a permanent structure. Since no issues, Jeff made a motion for a -3 determination with our standard conditions: No equipment in the resource area; OCC has 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 standard conditions.
- Public Hearing – NOI – Continuation – Submitted by Donald Torrico, on behalf of Michael & Ellen Granoff, 22 Loop Dr., map 15A lot 49, regarding the replacement of existing stairs from rear of house to lake edge in the existing location, in the BZ of Benton Pond. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicant to address the Commission; per KB, applicant has requested a continuance until the January 16, 2018 meeting; RM 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to continue this hearing until our January 16, 2018 meeting.
- Public Hearing – RDA – Continuation – 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. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicants to address the Commission. No one was is attendance for this meeting so Jeff made a motion to let this RDA dies; since we cannot seem to get in touch with applicant for the additional information required under this RDA, per this Commission. BW 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to let this RDA die.
- Public Hearing – NOI – Continuation – Submitted by Mitchell Chambers, 45 Pine Grove Ridge, map 15D lot 97, regarding the repair of the north facing retaining wall facing OR, due to disrepair caused by frost and resulting erosion from adjacent land. Jeff opened this hearing and invited applicant(s) to address the Commission. No one was is attendance for this meeting so Jeff made a motion to let this RDA dies; since we cannot seem to get in touch with applicant for the additional information required under this RDA, per this Commission, and they have still NOT sent to MASS DEP so we cannot close with a decision. BW 2nd the motion and the Commission voted unanimously to let this NOI die.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Enforcement Orders/Letters:
Emergency Certifications:
Forest Cutting Plans:
Extensions of Orders of Condition:
Certificate of Compliance Requests:
Unanticipated Business:
- 64 Drive B, Wagner, Review OOC issued in 2015. Continued until January 16, 2018 meeting, as Commissioner that wanted to review is absent from this hearing. Jeff opened this hearing and the Commission was given the NOI file from the approval in 2015. Bruce indicated that there were fresh trees taken down recently, that were NOT on the approval paperwork. Per Jeff, John Wagner called him and they are going to do a planting plan in the spring of 2018. The problem is that they took down more trees that approved. Per the Commission, they want an enforcement order against applicant for the additional trees that were taken down. Order should require applicant to attend the next meeting and cease and desist on work over and above the OOC. KB to create the EO for the Commission to sign and deliver to applicant.
Next office hours: Wednesday, January 3, 2018 from 6-9 p.m. at Otis Town Hall.
Next meeting: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. at Otis Town Hall. Meeting adjourned at 7:01 PM.