Town of Mansfield
Meeting of 21 May 2008
Conference B, Beck Building
Members present: Robert Dahn, Peter Drzewiecki, Quentin Kessel, Scott Lehmann, Frank Trainor. Members absent: John Silander, Joan Stevenson (Alt.). Others present: Grant Meitzler (Mansfield Wetlands Agent).
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:34p by Chair Quentin Kessel.
2. The draft minutes of the 6 April 08 meeting were approved as amended: “Ken Meitzler” (item 3) should read “Ken Metzler”. Lehmann asked whether Commission comments (recorded in the minutes) on an IWA or PZC referral would automatically be entered into the record of any public hearing on the application. Apparently not: if we wish comments to be included in the hearing record, the Secretary should extract them from the minutes and send them to Greg Padick with a request that they be so included.
3. IWA referrals.
a. W1398 (Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC; gas line repairs) This referral is for information only: since gas line regulation is a federal matter, the Commission has nothing to say about it (see U. S. Constitution, Art. VI, Sec.2). The pipeline company will be digging up the pipeline in three locations, two of them close to wetlands, to check its integrity.
b. W1399 (Sandall; Crane Hill Rd.) A proposed second-story bedroom supported by piers would be within about 20 ft of a large pond in the drainage to the west; there is no other feasible location for an additional room. The applicant proposes to remove a significant amount of earth (piled against the foundation for insulation) below the addition; it is not clear where this would go, or why its removal is necessary. Commission unanimously agreed (motion: Drzewiecki, Dahn) that the proposed addition does not appear to involve a significant impact on wetlands, as long as soil now insulating the foundation is left in place and appropriate erosion controls are employed during construction.
4. Membership. Since Rosen has resigned (due to other demands on her time), the Commission now needs two Alternates, assuming that Stevenson replaces Rosen as a full member.
5. Adjourned at 8:00p.
Scott Lehmann, Secretary
21 May 08
Attachment: Report on the 14 May 08 IWA/PZC field trip
W1399 (Sandall, 84 Crane Hill Rd.) A 12 by 20 ft second-floor bedroom addition
(with semi-circular deck?) is proposed along the back of this house; it would
rest on piers. There does not appear to be a feasible alternative to this
location, given the design of the house. The ‘footprint’ of the addition would
extend out a bit farther than an existing earth terrace (to be removed) against
the back of the house. The addition would go on the corner of the house that
is already quite close to a large pond on the brook to the west. Its corner
pier would be less than 20 ft from the pond, assuming that the site sketch
included in the packet is accurate. However, it is not clear that the addition
would add significantly to whatever wetland impact the house already has –
except during the construction & stabilization phase, when a lot of
sediment could end up in the pond and stream if special care were not taken.
W1393/PZC1108-2 (Laguardia, Dodd & Warrenville Rds.) This visit was to see
some of the land proposed for open space along Warrenville Rd. We looked down
into the property from the ACE dike off Rt. 89, then walked down to an old
dam-site on Chapin Brook from a point farther south on the highway. The CC has
already commented on this application, and I did not see anything that seems to
me to require additional comment. (On the walk to the old dam, I did notice a
lot of fringed polygala, which I don't recall seeing elsewhere in Mansfield.).
There were two other stops, but neither of them involves a referral to the CC.
Scott Lehmann, 20 May 08
Approved 20 August 08