June 13, 2005
Board Members Present: Arnold Koehler, Charles Wentworth
Alternates Present: Charles Dorman, George Carrington, Stephen Sackter
Absent Members: Brian Doody, John Kaufman
Others Present: Bill Donovan, Land Use Inspector/Clerk
Chairman Koehler called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. C. Dorman was seated for J. Kaufman; S. Sackter was seated for B. Doody; G. Carrington was seated for the vacant commissioner seat.
Approval of Minutes:
Motion by G. Carrington seconded by C. Dorman to approve the minutes of the May 9,2005 meeting as presented. Unanimous.
Communications:
1.) Rinker, Inc.: New England Stormwater Technology Workshop;
2.) Connecticut Federation of Lakes, Inc: Spring 2005 CFL Newsletter;
3.) CT Department of Environmental Protection: Request For Proposals for the Nonpoint Source Management Grant Program;
4.) Regional Water Authority: Annual Report 2004.
Old Business:
a. Application 17-04: Connwood Foresters, Rockfall, CT. Logging operation on CT Water Company property adjacent to Old Logtown Road. The applicant was not present. Chairman Koehler stated a site walk took place with David Beers of Connwood Foresters on June 1st. The commission was pleased with the plans to limit wetlands and watercourse impacts consequent of the logging operation and noted Connwood's past logging projects in Prospect have been performed in a professional manner with minimum impact to the wetlands. Motion by G. Carrington, seconded by S. Sackter to approve Application 17-04 of Connwood Foresters, Inc. as presented and as further detailed in a narrative entitled "Notice of Timber Harvesting Operations to the Town of Prospect Inland Wetlands Commission on 4/27/05" included with the application. Unanimous.
b. Application 15-04: Gregory and Kimberly LaChance, 93 Plank Road. Application for regulated activities associated with a proposed residential house and septic. Chairman Koehler noted a petition signed by over twenty-five persons requesting a hearing on this application has been duly filed with the commission's agent. He noted that both the CT Statutes and Section 6.0 of Prospect's Inland Wetlands regulations recognize the requirement for a public hearing when such a petition is submitted. Chairman Koehler scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, June 27, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. Nancy Levesque of Net Engineering, LLC who is representing the applicant submitted a revised Plot Plan dated June 13, 2005 for 93 Plank Road that addresses recent comments from the commission. She also presented a graph depicting stand pipe test data to monitor ground water activity within the driveway area to June 13th. There was no further discussion on this application.
New Business:
a. Michael & Grace Perugini, 21 Royal Crest Drive. Application for an in-ground pool in regulated area. John Quick of Wallin Pool Company represented the applicant. Mr. Quick described the project as a 12,000 gallon in-ground pool installation located in the rear yard and within a regulated area. The pool will utilize a cartridge filter, thus reducing the need for filter backwash. Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by C. Dorman to accept Application 18-04 of Michael & Grace Perugini. Unanimous. A site walk was scheduled for Wednesday, June 22nd at 6:30 p.m.
b. Shannon Mucciacciaro, 20 Salem Road. Application for a house addition within regulated area. Bill Scarpati represented the applicant. Mr. Scarpati described the project as a 24' x 15' house addition for an accessory living unit that would be located approximately 64 feet from wetlands. Motion by G. Carrington, seconded by C. Dorman to accept Application 19-04 of Shannon Mucciacciaro. Unanimous. A site walk was scheduled for June 22nd at 6:45 p.m.
c. Robert & Mark Capanna, 100 Scott Road. Application for a driveway crossing over wetlands; industrial site development within a regulated area. Mr. Capanna described the project as a proposed industrial development on vacant land. There would be a driveway crossing over wetlands with a direct impact of 3,375 SF. Other activities within a regulated area consist of a proposed building with direct impact of 725 SF and site development with a relocation of an existing watercourse. The applicants are proposing an optional wetlands creation area of 3,900 SF with a total upland and wetland replanted area of 4,900 SF. Motion by C. Dorman, seconded by G. Carrington to accept Application 20-04 of Robert & Mark Capanna. Unanimous. A site walk was scheduled for June 15th at 6:15 p.m.
d. John Schieffer, 15 Kluge Road. Application to fill wetlands and restore an existing pond. Mr. Schieffer stated he is proposing to clean out debris from an existing wetland drainage area and place crushed stone at the bottom with a drainage pipe to replace an existing drainage pipe with the intention of enhancing this drainage area as a storm water outlet for upper surface runoff. He would then fill the area to a level surface with clean materials. He wishes also to dredge a wetland area that was previously a pond and restore the pond to prior conditions. He proposes to construct a concrete wall on the easterly side of the pond to retain road sand and silt runoff from Route 68 and replace an existing pipe on the westerly end of the pond with a new pipe with equal diameter. Motion by C. Dorman, seconded by S. Sackter to accept Application 21-04 of John Schieffer. Unanimous. A site walk was scheduled for June 15th at 6:00 p.m.
Public Hearings: None
Public Participation:
Hank Tesco, 151/155 Union City Road wanted to bring the commission up to date on building activity within the Boulder Brook Elderly Housing Complex. Mr. Berberat is proposing to add 12' x 12' individual decks or patios to many of the 35 units at the request of current and potential buyers. None of the proposed decks will go beyond the area of disturbance associated with the individual unit grading or construction. The proposed deck for Unit 23 does enter the Conservation Easement area by approximately 6 inches. After review of the plot plan showing the locations of all proposed decks or patios the commissioners felt no need to amend Boulder Brook's current permit and would note for the record that this added construction is acknowledged under the existing permit.
Land Use Inspector's Report:
Bill Donovan stated he had received a complaint of working within a regulated area at 89 Cook Road. Upon investigation, Bill realized that Mr. Schieffer had received an inland wetlands permit in 1996 which has since expired for regulated activities associated with a septic system installation for a new house at 89 Cook Road. The current owner, Mr. Michael Beard, has been fine grading and seeding the general disturbed area that was the regulated area designated in 1996. Bill did not observe any sediment entering the adjacent brook or pond that was created years prior to 1996. After discussion with Mr. Beard, commissioners agreed to meet at this location on June 22nd at 6:00 p.m. to determine whether a new permit is required. Commissioners also discussed the letter sent by Justin Gill, 118 Cook Road challenging the "Cease & Desist" order sent to him for work being performed on his property associated with bringing in top soil and grading adjacent to a recently constructed detached building. The commission confirmed their opinion that Mr. Gill has never addressed their original concerns going back to his working within the regulated area in 2003 when he was asked to cease any further work anywhere on his property until the wetlands have been located and marked by a soils scientist to determine the extent of the work thus far performed within the regulated area. The subdivision map presented with Mr. Gill's May 24, 2005 letter is almost 20 years old and the commissioners felt is unacceptable as an accurate document designating the locations of wetlands and watercourses on his property.
Adjournment:
Motion by C. Wentworth seconded by G. Carrington to adjourn at 9:10 p.m. Unanimous.
Arnold Koehler, Chairman