1992/02/04 Approved As Amended
6ERLIN C04, TOWN OF BERLIN
4::titt tit INLAND WETLANDS.. AND --, .ti r
° �?s, WATER COURSES COMMISSION
ti5E� 0y 240 KENSINGTON RD. BERLIN, CT 06037
°'9PORATEV\1 -
February 4, 1992
The regular meeting of the Inland Wetlands and Water Courses
Commission was called to order at 6: 35 p.m. by Vice-Chairman Joe
Szczepanik.
PRESENT - Commissioner Colburn; Commissioner Collis; Commissioner
Daigle; Commissioner Ferraro; Commissioner Kuziak; Commissioner
Szc'zepanik and Mr. James Horbal, Agent for the Commission ABSENT -
Commissioner McCarthy
Mayor Peters welcomed the new Commission members and thanked
Commission members for their service and stated that his door is
open if anyone has questions. Mayor Peters also stated that he is
an ex-officio member of the Commission (he can give input to the
Commission but cannot vote) .
Mayor Peters gave the Commission a handout stating the purpose of
the Inland Wetlands Commission.
Mayor Peters would like to strengthen the communication between the
various boards and commissions in the Town of Berlin. It was also
suggested that specialists/consultants could possibly be hired, if
necessary, instead of just using the Town Attorney.
It was also suggested that the Commission members vote on the issue
not the individual. All violations should be enforced fairly.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Commissioner Kuziak stated he would be interested in the position
of Chairman. The purpose of the Chairman is to facilitate the
meeting.
Commissioner Szczepanik stated he is not interested in the position
of Chairman or Vice-Chairman as he has been on the Commission for
several years and feels someone else should assume the position of
Vice-Chairman.
Commissioner Ferraro stated that he is not interested in the
position of Chairman or Vice-Chairman as he does not have the
adequate time to devote to the duties of the position.
Commissioner Collis suggested waiting until the next meeting so the
Commission members could get to know each other and wait to meet
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all the members as Commissioner McCarthy was not at the meeting.
Commissioner Colburn stated he has no desire to be Chairman or
Vice-Chairman and would like to wait on making a decision until the
next meeting. If necessary Commissioner Colburn would volunteer
for Vice-Chairman.
Commissioner Daigle stated he would like to see how the Commission
operates before a decision is made.
Moved by Commissioner Szczepanik to postpone discussion of Election
of Officers until Item 3b on the agenda. Seconded by Commissioner
Kuziak.
All in Favor - Motion Carried.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES - MEETING OF JANUARY 7, 1992
Commissioner Szczepanik asked Sandy DeVivo to check the tapes of
the January 7, 1992 meeting regarding the motions made on pages 2
and 3 .
On Page 9 Commissioner Colburn conditioned the motion for approval
on Application 92-2W not Commissioner Szczepanik.
Moved by Commissioner Kuziak and seconded by Commissioner Colburn
to accept the minutes of January 7, 1992 as amended.
All in Favor - Motion Carried.
NEW BUSINESS TO COME PROPERLY BEFORE THE COMMISSION
Mr. Horbal asked that discussion of Application 90-10 - Northeast
Utilities - be added as Item 3c to the agenda.
Moved by Commissioner Kuziak and Seconded by Commissioner Colburn
to add Application 90-10 to the agenda as Item 3c.
All in Favor - Motion Carried.
PUBLIC HEARING
Application 91-20W - Proposal by Joseph and Stanley Wisniowski to
discharge drainage into a wetland area on Lot 4 , Block 73,
Kensington Road.
The applicant is proposing an affordable residential housing
subdivision on the site of the present J & S Gravel Excavation
located along the east side of Kensington Road, approximately 2, 000
feet south of the intersection with Norton Road. The site will
receive high density development and extensive erosion and
sedimentation controls will be required due to the complexity of
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the site. The applicant has revised the road pattern and these
revisions should lessen the project's impacts on the existing
seasonal watercourse which traverses the site.
Rod Hewitt represented the applicant and stated there are 14 1/2
acres on the site and there will be 30 single family homes on the
site. There will be six (6) affordable lots within the
development.
Mr. Hewitt addressed the drainage area around the system and the
detention area around the site. Regarding the sedimentation and
erosion control plan, silt fencing will be placed to control the
run-off during construction. Hay bails will also be placed in
certain areas. There will be a 3 1/2 acre open space easement
given to the Town of Berlin.
Alan Beets, Landscape Architect of Windsor - described the various
plantings that would be done around the site. The plan was to
develop something near the wetlands or easement area for plantings
that would be beneficial to the habitat (ie. , for mammals, etc. ) .
Buffer plantings will be placed along the Crooked Brook.
The area of the conservation easement zone will be predominately
existing red maple trees and has also been supplemented with
deciduous and evergreen variety of plantings and wetland materials
to mitigate the impact.
In the meadow zone there is a specific grass mixture that will be
used to suit the area.
Ken Stevens and George Logan of Soil Science and Environmental
Services addressed the various environmental issues on the issues.
Ken Stevens stated the impact of the wetlands is minimal. The
largest wetland is a flood plain soil. The other two wetland areas
are disturbed. One is a dove sediment basin presumably formed by
the farm in the area and the other is a sunk bowl area formed
presumably by the installation of the railroad.
The area is an aquifer recharge area. The water infiltrates into
the ground and only during a larger storm would it reach the
railroad tracks.
George Logan went over the report that was submitted to the
Commission regarding the project. The applicant had asked Soil
Science and Environmental Services to describe the wetland
resources that were on the site, evaluate the site and review the
plans.
Following the construction of the development there will be a
reduced amount of pollutants coming through the site.
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The habitat will be improved with the development of the mitigation
plan.
A shallow marsh zone has been established as well as a meadow zone,
wet meadow zone and a flood plain area above the meadow zone.
Mr. Logan also addressed vegetation and hydrology as well as
monitoring of the mitigation system.
Rod Hewitt stated that the Commission has seen most of the
alternatives that have been proposed for this project and he
addressed the variations that have been presented/established since
December.
Commissioner Colburn had several questions regarding the report
that was submitted (ie. , Page 39; Page 41 and Page 42) . The erosion
and sedimentation control devices in the gravel area have not been
maintained.
Commissioner Daigle questioned the flow of the water through the
site.
Rod Hewitt stated the run-off from the developed area would be
reduced. The detention pond is slowing the run-off down. The
detention pond is sized for the 100 year storm.
Mr. Hewitt stated soil will not be removed from the site or added
to the site.
Commissioner Szczepanik asked if this was the first proposal for
the site?
Mr. Hewitt responded that this presentation was not the first
proposal for the site and this is the most feasible and prudent
alternative that has been presented to the Commission.
Staff is still in the process of reviewing the package that was
presented (including drainage and storm water calculations) .
Commissioner Colburn is concerned with the town maintaining the
detention area.
John Kristopik of North Hollywood, CA asked several questions for
his mother who lives on Kensington Road. Would any other
development in the future affect the detention area that would be
established by this proposed development.
Mr. Hewitt stated that an additional detention area would be placed
on the north side of Kensington Road for additional development in
the future.
Bart Bovee of 85 Steeplechase Road - would the maintenance of the
d
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ponds require more help than the Town of Berlin could handle.
Ken Stevens explained the maintenance of how the ponds would be
handled.
Rod Hewitt stated there are three pools and the first pool would
collect most of the sediment.
Seb Cippolla of Crooked Brook Lane - what is the intent of the 3
1/2 acre easement of land that will be donated to the Town of
Berlin.
Commissioner Szczepanik stated that a developer will try to balance
the economics of a development. The Town will try to maintain open
space around brooks.
Mr. Hewitt stated this area will be used as a passive recreation
area.
Mr. Cippolla of Crooked Brook Lane questioned the drainage/seepage
and a lot of soil movement in the area. What area did Mr. Logan
specifically look at?
Mr. Logan stated it was the area adjacent to the drainage swail and
the area of the drainage swail.
Ken Stevens stated the greatest recharge areas would be the sand
and gravel areas.
Mr. Cippolla asked about the trees and vegetation that would be
planted in the area. What is the time frame?
Mr. Alan Beets stated the planting time frame would be from April
to July and then from September to the end •of October. It is a
seasonal operation depending on the temperatures.
Mr. Stevens stated the entire gravel area would be regraded and
seeded with a conservation mix of material.
Commissioner Szczepanik stated there is a grading plan with the
application as Mr. Cippolla had questioned the grading of the area.
Mr. Hewitt briefly went over the grading of the area. There will
be separation between buildings with trees.
Clyde Selner of 32 Edgerly Street stated that the wetlands are as
protected as a development of this intensity would allow but the
application is incomplete as there were no feasible and prudent
alternatives presented to the Commission for this application. On
January 24, 1992 the material that was on file at the Town Hall
does not really resemble what has been presented to the public and
the commission this evening.
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Attorney Tom DeMille, represented the applicant. Attorney DeMille
addressed statue 8-30G regarding affordable housing. The applicant
is trying to meet the need of affordable housing in the Town of
Berlin. The concern of the Commission should be the regulated
activity in the wetlands. The applicant has been extremely
sensitive to the environment and there have not been any
alternatives suggested to the applicant in regard to the regulated
activity in the wetlands.
Clyde Selner stated the indirect affects are a concern and the
human element is a concern. There are alternatives for the layout
of the houses on the site.
Roughly twenty people attended the Public Hearing for this
application.
Moved by Commissioner Kuziak and Seconded by Commissioner Daigle to
table the Public Hearing of Application 91-20W until the March 3,
1992 meeting.
All in Favor - Motion Carried.
REGULAR MEETING
Application 92-1W - Proposal by Charles H. Munson to fill in a
wetland area on Lot 1A, Block 53A, 685 High Road.
The applicant is proposing to fill the remaining portion of his
property located along the northeast side of the intersection of
High Road and Copper Beach Court. The site will be filled and
graded in such a manner so as to provide for the flow of water
through his property from an adjacent pond. This filling is being
performed in anticipation of the construction of a future three car
garage on the site. At the January 7, 1992 meeting the Commission
gave the applicant sixty days to provide the Commission with a
detailed plan of his proposal.
Mr. Horbal stated the applicant's plan is not yet complete and Mr.
Munson would be making a presentation before the Commission at the
March 3 , 1992 meeting.
Moved by Commissioner Szczepanik and Seconded by Commissioner
Colburn to table discussion of Application 92-1W until the March 3,
1992 meeting.
All in Favor - Motion Carried.
APPLICATION 92-4W - Proposal by Frank, Sr. and Frank, Jr. Sataline
to install drainage within a waterway on Lots 1 and 1A, Block 29E,
Lincoln Street.
Bart Bovee represented the applicant. The applicant is proposing
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a three lot subdivision along the east side of Lincoln Street on a
site located between the intersection of High Road and Farmington
Avenue. The site was previously before the Commission in 1990 at
which time the Inland Wetlands boundary was established via the
public hearing process. The regulated activity being proposed at
this time involves the culverting of an existing seasonal
watercourse/drainage ditch running along the street line of the
property. The culverting has been reviewed and accepted by staff as
proposed.
Moved by Commissioner Szczepanik and Seconded by Commissioner
Kuziak to approve Application 92-4W as shown on the plans entitled
"Proposed Residential Subdivision, Property of Frank Sr. and Frank
Jr. Sataline; Property Known as Lots 1 and lA/Block 29E, #314-316
Lincoln Street Berlin, CT; MBA Engineering, Inc. , 1263 Wilbur Cross
Hwy, Suite II, Berlin, CT 06037; Job No. 89044; Scale: 1" = 20 ' ;
Sheet: 1 of 2 and 2 of 2 ; Date: January 23 , 1992" with all erosion
and sedimentation control devices to be installed to the
satisfaction of the Town Engineer prior to the commencement of
construction.
Commissioner Colburn - no; Commissioner Collis - yes; Commissioner
Daigle - yes; Commissioner Ferraro- yes; Commissioner Kuziak - no;
Commissioner Szczepanik - yes.
Four - yes; Two - no; Motion is carried.
OTHER BUSINESS TO COME PROPERLY BEFORE THE COMMISSION
a) Correspondence
The only correspondence was from Mayor Peters and if anyone is
interested in the seminar on February 28, 1992 , please contact
Jim Horbal at Town Hall.
Mr. Horbal stated that a letter was sent to Mr. Nielsen
regarding a sedimentation and erosion control violation in the
gravel area. The situation should be taken care of by the end
of next week.
The Berlin Conservation Commission sent a letter to the
Commission regarding the New Britain Machine Property. Mr.
Horbal stated this issue would be more suitable for the Fire
Marshall.
b) Application 90-10 - Northeast Utilities
A letter from Northeast Utilities regarding the situation was
given to the Commission.
Mr. Horbal stated Staff was contacted by the site manager of
the construction project stating that they were made aware of
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an oversite on the plans and on the construction of the
project of sedimentation structures that were not properly
referenced and the structures were deleted from the plans.
Staff met with the project manager and discussed the problem
and the requirements that the Commission requires. Northeast
Utilities came up with an alternative to prevent tearing up of
the project and starting all over. Staff visited the site and
felt comfortable with the alternative that was presented by
Northeast Utilities as long as there was proper maintenance by
Northeast Utilities.
The Commission advised staff to write a letter to Northeast
Utilities advising them to bring in a revised plan to the
Commission for a formal approval.
c) Election of Officers
This issue will be addressed at the March 3, 1992 meeting. It
was also suggested that the next meeting would start at 6:30
p.m.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10: 05 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sandy DeVivo