Board Members Present: Arnold Koehler, Charles Wentworth & Stephen Sackter
Alternate Members Present: David Michaud
Absent Members: John Kaufman, Stephen Mulhall & Charles Dorman (Alt.)
Others Present: William Donovan – Land Use Inspector, Diane Lauber – Clerk
Chairman A. Koehler called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. The meeting was taped. D. Michaud was seated for J. Kaufman.
Approval of Minutes: Motion by S. Sackter, seconded by C. Wentworth to approve the minutes of the June 25, 2007 meeting as presented. Unanimous.
Motion by S. Sackter, seconded by D. Michaud to approve the minutes of the June 29, 2007 special meeting as presented. Unanimous. A. Koehler stated for the record that Mr. Dorso has submitted the topo map and soils report for 20 Peter Gilkey Road.
Communications:
1. Letter from the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection to Connecticut Water Company Re: Authorization Under the General Permit for Diversion of Water for Consumptive Use: Reauthorization Categories.
2. Invoice dated July 12, 2007 from Land-Tech Consultants, Inc., for $456.50 for Professional Services Rendered re: 32 Rek Lane.
3. College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Journal – Summer 2007.
4. Connecticut Association of Conservation & Inland Wetlands Commissions, Inc. – The Habitat, Spring 2007.
Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by S. Sackter to pay Land-Tech Consultants, Inc., for professional services rendered re: 32 Rek Lane in the amount of $456.50. Unanimous.
Old Business:
a. Application #05-07 – Pete Conroy, 32 Rek Lane. Install a Culvert within the Brook. Pete Conroy was not in attendance. Edward Rek of 33 Rek Lane stated that he and Mr. Conroy have not come to an agreement regarding the culvert crossing yet but that they will be talking again. This item will be on the agenda for the next meeting.
b. Reilly Pond, 179 Union City Road. Significant Sedimentation in Pond. Bill Donovan stated that George Logan’s assistant was to have dropped off a report to Bill by the end of the day today. Nothing has arrived. A. Koehler stated that he would try to contact Mr. Logan.
c. Application #07-07 – Town of Prospect, 36 Center Street. Clean Silt from Brook at 89 Cook Road & Clean and Rip-rap a Seasonal Watercourse and Rebuild Retention Basin at 61 Waterbury Road. A. Koehler stated that this application was accepted at the last meeting and that the Town was given permission to start the work with the understanding that if there is a petition submitted for this application, the work would be stopped. No petition has been received. There are no changes to the application as it was presented at the last meeting. C. Wentworth asked if the property owner’s being affected by the work on Cook Road had been notified. W. Donovan stated that he was not aware if the property owners had been notified, but he would get a letter of consent from Mike Beard, owner of 89 Cook Road. Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by D. Michaud to approve Application #07-07 of the Town of Prospect to clean silt from the brook at 89 Cook Road and to rip-rap a seasonal watercourse and rebuild the retention basin at 61 Waterbury Road with the stipulation that a letter of consent be obtained from the Cook Road property owners affected by the work being proposed. Unanimous.
Enforcements: None
New Business:
a. Connwood Foresters, Inc., 20 Peter Gilkey Road. Timber Harvesting within a Wetlands Area. Anthony Dorso, III, owner of 20 Peter Gilkey Road was in attendance. John O’Donnell of Connwood Foresters, Inc., represented Mr. Dorso regarding plans to conduct a timber sale on approximately 5 of Mr. Dorso’s 10 acres located at 20 Peter Gilkey Road. Mr. O’Donnell stated that the total amount of trees marked for removal amounts to about 14,000 board feet or four tri-axle loads of logs. The sale is primarily to remove lower value trees and provide growing space to more vigorous trees. Mr. O’Donnell indicated that they would be working just on the edge of the wetlands. Two corduroy/brush mat crossings are proposed; one from the staging area to access the site and another at the narrowest point of wetlands on the easterly portion of the property. The staging area is proposed for the gravel parking lot behind property owned by Roberta Dorso. The log trucks will enter and exit the property from the staging area for the purpose of removing logs. There is ample room for the trucks to negotiate and turn around. There will be no staging area within the wetlands. Mr. O’Donnell stated that because this is a small timber sale, a small skidder or small farm tractor mounted with a logging winch would most likely be used. Mr. O’Donnell expects that the operation should take approximately two weeks for completion. Motion by S. Sackter, seconded by C. Wentworth to accept Application #08-07 of Connwood Foresters, Inc., for timber harvesting within a wetland area for property located at 20 Peter Gilkey Road. Under discussion, C. Wentworth asked if an application was needed from Roberta Dorso for the staging area. Mr. O’Connor stated he would get a letter of consent from Mrs. Dorso. The vote on the motion was Unanimous. Fees were set at $140.00 and $30.00. The Commission felt that a site walk was not necessary.
b. Connwood Foresters, Inc., 120 New Haven Road. Timber Harvesting on Connecticut Water Company Property within an Upland Review Area. John O’Donnell of Connwood Foresters, Inc., was representing the Connecticut Water Company. A. Koehler stated that a letter signed by Cindy Fazendiero of the Connecticut Water Company was received authorizing Mr. O’Donnell to act as agent for the Connecticut Water Company. Mr. O’Donnell distributed an Amended Inland Wetlands Narrative to the Commission describing one additional crossing for a total of four wetland crossings and noting that the additional staging area adjacent to the water tower will not be used. All logs will exit onto Route 69. One crossing will be a portable bridge crossing and the remaining three crossings will be temporary corduroy crossings that will be removed upon completion of the harvest. Mr. O’Donnell described the operation as a first cut thinning, removing approximately 225,000 board feet on 63 acres. Fees were set at $140.00 and $30.00. D. Michaud questioned the letter of authorization from the Connecticut Water Company being on letterhead of Connwood Foresters, Inc. Mr. O’Donnell stated that it is standard practice to send a letter to the Water Company for Ms. Fazendiero’s signature. Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by S. Sackter to accept Application #09-07 of Connwood Foresters, Inc., for timber harvesting on Connecticut Water Company property within an upland review area for property located at 120 New Haven Road. 3 votes in favor and 1 opposed. Motion Carried. A site walk was scheduled for July 31, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Commissioners will meet at the corner of Talmadge Hill Road and Route 69.
c. Nancy & Ronald Clement, 17 Country Brook Road. Shed/Cabana within a Regulated Area. Ronald & Nancy Clement were in attendance. Mrs. Clement presented the application stating that they would like to have a 20’ X 24’ shed/cabana built near their in-ground pool. Mrs. Clement stated that the shed is being proposed in the only location possible, which is right at the wetlands. Mr. Clement stated that very little site work needs to be done. The shed will be built on-site. Fees were set at $140.00 and $30.00. Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by S. Sackter to accept Application #10-07 of Nancy & Ronald Clement, 17 Country Brook Road, for a shed/cabana within a regulated area. Unanimous. A site walk was scheduled for July 31, 2007 at 5:30 p.m.
d. Applications Received after Filing of Agenda: None
W. Donovan explained this new agenda item to document the date of receipt of applications received after an agenda is filed.
Public Hearings: None
Public Participation: None
Land Use Inspector’s Report: W. Donovan stated that Mark Guastaferri of PaulMar Associates and Toby Strileckis of Curtiss Water Gardens were in attendance to discuss the issue of wood chips placed in the wetlands at 38 Union City Road. A. Koehler stated that the wetlands are not delineated at that location and the Commission has requested that a soil scientist mark the wetlands. C. Wentworth noted that Curtiss Water Gardens has also seemed to encroach onto an abutting property that is not part of the original permit. Mr. Strileckis said he was not made aware that there was an issue with plants on the abutting property but would correct that situation. Mr. Guastaferri stated that he did not contact a soil scientist because he would stipulate that the property at the rear of 36 Union City Road (38 Union City Road)) is all wetlands. A. Koehler stated that the Commission would like to see the wetlands restored, i.e. remove all of the wood chips. The Commissioners felt that a site walk should be scheduled to delineate exactly what need to be restored. A site walk was scheduled for July 31, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. Mr. Strileckis was instructed not to remove any wood chips until the site walk is held. C. Wentworth updated the Commission regarding siltation in the Spreda pond. C. Wentworth noted installation of an in-ground pool at Prospect Estates and didn’t see any erosion controls around the pool and felt that this may be where the siltation had come from. W. Donovan stated that the pool is more than 100 feet from wetlands and a standard zoning permit was issued for the pool. W. Donovan further stated that he had asked the homeowner to put additional silt fencing, which has not been installed yet. C. Wentworth noted for the record that the homeowner did not have erosion controls in place before the storm hit. The Commission asked W. Donovan to ask for an “as-built” to confirm that the detention basin has been constructed as shown on the “Prospect Estates” subdivision plans.
W. Donovan noted that George Logan’s assistant had dropped off the report on the Reilly pond during tonight’s meeting. The report dated July 21, 2007 from REMA Ecological Services, LLC, was distributed and the Commissioners will review it for discussion at the next meeting. The clerk noted that checks were still in her possession from Stephen & Karri Lombardo for fees associated with a second application for 84 Union City Road that was not required. Motion by C. Wentworth, seconded by S. Sackter to return checks submitted in March 2007 to Stephen & Karri Lombardo, 84 Union City Road, as the second application presented was not required. Unanimous.
Motion by D. Michaud, seconded by S. Sackter to adjourn at 8:22 p.m. Unanimous.
Arnold Koehler
Chairman