Town of
Meeting of 16 July 2008
Conference B,
Members present: Quentin Kessel, Scott Lehmann, Frank Trainor. Members absent: Robert Dahn,
Peter Drzewiecki, John Silander,
Joan Stevenson (Alt.). Others present: Jean Haskell (Parks
Advisory Committee), Grant Meitzler (Mansfield Wetlands Agent).
1. The
meeting was called to order at 7:36p
by Chair Quentin Kessel.
2. The
June meeting was cancelled.
Consideration of the draft minutes
of the 21 May 08 meeting was deferred to such time as a quorum is
present.
3. Kessel
reported that our recommendation that the Torrey
Property be so named appears to be at odds with a Town policy that
properties acquired by the Town not be named for their previous owners; he
wondered how we might secure an exception in this case. Ms. Haskell observed that the Town Council is
the ultimate authority and suggested that the best time to make a case for a
particular name is when a management plan for a property is presented to the
Council for approval.
4. White Oak septic
easement. In January, the CC learned
that the Town was considering granting the White Oak Condominium Association an
easement in
After some
discussion, it was agreed that Lehmann would revise our 1/19/08 statement,
incorporating the points below, to be e-mailed to CC members for approval
before being sent on to the PZC and Council:
·
Elaborate on
item 1 as suggested by Kessel, noting that the land
was purchased with public funds dedicated for open space.
·
Observe that the
proposed easement allocates public land to private use, not public
benefit. A private landowner would
certainly insist on compensation for use of his/her land by someone else for a
leaching field, and the Town should demand no less. At the least, it should be paid enough to
purchase an equal amount of open space elsewhere (perhaps via a lease instead of
an easement, with rent going to the Open Space Fund).
·
Modify item 3 to
indicate that the CC should have been notified of Henry Torcellini’s
request to dig test holes in the
·
Drop the
suggestion of an engineered system on the White Oak property from item 4, since
it is apparently not feasible, but ask what alternative sites on private
property were considered and why they were rejected. Perhaps note that
5. IWA
referrals. Neither Lehmann nor anyone else on the CC was
notified of the field trip to these sites, which (according to Meitzler) was
conducted this afternoon.
a. W1407 (Lewis,
b. W1409 (Unistar
Properties, Browns & Stafford Rds.) Three
houses are proposed for this property.
There are 3 wetland areas; driveways for lots 1 and 3 will pass close to
them. The CC agreed unanimously to the
following motion (Kessel, Trainor):
the CC is concerned that much of the proposed work is within the regulated area
and that for this reason there may be a significant negative impact on
wetlands; the CC would prefer a plan with only one or two homes on the
property.
6.
Adjourned at 8:45p.
Scott Lehmann, Secretary
21 July 08
Approved 20 August 08