2004-09-14 TOWN OF BERLIN
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 14 2004
Members Present
Michael DeLorenzo Chairman
Richard Schmldt Steven Sokolowskl
Peter F Regan Guy Hoffman
Christina Berger Wallace F Ebner
Hellyn Rlgglns Town Planner Staff Liaison
Juhet BenJamin Secretary
Absent
Rev Frederick Raap
1 CALL TO ORDER
Chairman DeLorenzo called the meeting to order (a 6 30 P M
2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES~ TUESDAY~ JULY 13~ 2004
Commissioner Sokolowskl MOVED to approve the Minutes of Tuesday
July 13 2004 SECONDED by Commissioner Regan & UNANIMOUSLY
APPROVED
3 AUDIENCE OF CITIZENS
None
4 NEW BUSINESS
A
B
Project Review - Site Plan Amendment #65935 Schaller Auto 2
story addition 249 s f Each floor) New Britain Rd & South Main
St New Britain - Town Planner Hellyn Rlgglns explained that the 2
story addition is to a building that is partially in Berhn She noted
that no new impervious surfaces are being added Commissioners
had no comment on this project
Project Review - Preliminary Subdivision App #65898 - Asal
Acres Four Rod Road - Town Planner Rlgglns noted that she
considers this 1tern to be an incomplete apphcatlon Clarification
needs to be made regarding the Town owned Ancient Highway shown
on the subdivision map Commissioner Sokolowskl upon reviewing
regulations regarding oll particle separators in the Storm Water
Management Plan found that they are required to be respected
monthly and cleaned every two to s~x months if necessary
Commission questioned who would be responsible for inspection and
cleaning of the proposed oll particle separators It was suggested that
the engineer could explore the posslblhty of detention basins instead
of oll separators Commissioners also noted the need for a drainage
right of way through property across the street on Four Rod Rd
Conser~at on Co n n ss on Whn tes 9/14/2004 Page 2
C ProJect Review- Site Plan Amendment App #65892 Randall &
Christine Sparmer 773 Farmintlton Ave - Retail use 1
floor/Residential 2 d floor - Town Planner Riggins noted that the
Planning & Zoning Commission has granted approval for this mixed
use of the property She stated that there was only a Silver of
impervious pavement added to property
D ProJect Review - Special Permit App #65895 - Gary Somerset
Dairy (~ueen Site Plan #65896 790 806 Farmintlton Ave - Town
Planner Riggins noted that Mr Somerset s latest proposal shows SlX
partang spaces being removed at the front of the property and
replaced with a landscaped gathering area with tables and umbrellas
The plan calls for planting of Arborwtae and Dogwood along the
Farmington Ave side of the property The Commissions only
comment is that it recognizes the increase of landscaping and the
gathering area as a benefit to the Town Regarding the page showing
Erosion Control Details Commissioner Sokolowski recommended that
under Item #5 All erosion and sediment control measures will be
constructed in accordance with the standards and specifications of the
Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook the engineer needs to be
more specific and hst the CT Sedimentation & Erosion Guidehnes
2002 Handbook on the plan if that is what he is referencing
E ProJect Review - Site Plan Application #65896 & Special Permit
#65895 - Cold Spring Farm Associates Limited Partnership Adult
Housing 176 Units - Wethersfield Road - Town Planner Rlggms
read Town Engineer Ferraro s comments on the plan The proposed
rental apartment complex is located in an OT 2 zone Commissioner
Berger expressed concern about the direct connection from the storm
dram on the southwest corner to the Mattabassett River
Commissioners concerned that the measures shown are not adequate
to protect the Mattabassett River Page CE1 1 shows a
wetland/watercourse and this should be labeled and wetland
floodplain and watercourses need to be shown It was also noted that
two ponds are shown only on the landscape plan Commissioners
questioned who would be responsible for the Storm dram management
plan Commissioner Berger noted that she disagrees with the
engineer s determination not to have a detention basin as part of the
development and is concerned about protecting the small unnamed
tributary stream
F Capital Improvement Requests Chairman DeLorenzo noted that
the Town is asking that all CIP Capital Improvement Project requests
be submitted for capital 1terns It was agreed that other than the
purchase of open space this Commission would not have any capital
requests
G Town Planner s Comments - Town Planner Riggins discussed a new
piece of equipment for instalhng silt fencing This machine called a
Tommy silt fence machine digs a trench and properly buries and
secures the silt fence This is a great improvement over silt fencing
that is not installed correctly and falls over or fails during rain and
windstorms Town Planner Rlgglns discussed the disposition by the
Planning & Zoning Commission of several projects that were
Conserxat on Co n n ss on 1Vhn tes 9/14/2004 Page
previously reviewed by the Conservation Commission New buildings
have been approved for Premier Building a retail building next to the
Berlin Fire Dept on the Berlin Turnpike Hunter Development has
been given approval to demolish the former Newman Brothers
Amusements and build a new gas station and retail building Ted s
Dry Cleaners was approved and they were approved for a retaining
wall with a fence that will not obstruct the view
5
OLD BUSINESS
A USE OF TOWN LANDS
I Sanitary Septic Survey/Watershed Assoc - Commissioner
Hoffman noted that all work is complete and he will get a final
report for the Commission
2 Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesett Trail Study - Draft
Concept Paper - Chairman DeLorenzo noted the next meeting
of this group would be held on Thursday October 7 2004 in
Middlefleld at the CT Forest & Park building
3 Other - Study of Town Owned Open Space Report
Commissioner Sokolowski suggested sending a copy of the
report to the local Boy Scouts so they will know in the future
what Town owned properties would not be designated for
future Eagle Scout ProJects The report hsts what can and
what should not be done on various Town owned properties
That way when an Eagle Scout candidate conceives a project
they will know if it will meet with the designs of the land
Commissioner Hoffman agreed to scan the existing document
completed in 1994 so the Commission can update it at a
future time Commissioner Hoffman also suggested that Open
Space Parcels be made a part of the Commission s monthly
review He suggested that the Commission needs to spend
time on projects that have a real environment/conservation
concern and less time on projects that do not affect
conservation or open space
B OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION - Defining Open Space - DEP
Books What s Legally Required & Soil & Sedimentation
Guidelines - copies are available at the Town Hall for
CommlssloneYs to Yevlew
C REVIEW ACTION ITEMS
6 COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
Commissioner Schmldt reviewed the latest information on the land
portion of the Meriden/Berlin Power Plant off the Chamberlain Highway He
quoted from a Record Journal newspaper article dated July 15 2004 Also
incomplete is the four mile natural gas pipeline that would power the Meriden
plant The Yankee Gas Co built the pipeline from Southington but halted
construction early last year as the plant project stalled one mile short of its
eventual destination And Yankee Gas is the company now barring NRG from
transferring the more than 800 acres of land to Meriden and Berlin through an
injunction that is part of legal action it s taking against the company A Yankee
Gas spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit holding up the land
Conser~at on Co n n ss on Whn tes 9/14/2004 Page 4
transfer but state Sen Thomas P Gaffey D Meriden smd that despite ~t the
c~ty (Meriden) should begin eminent dommn proceedings agmnst NRG to obtmn
whats been deemed theirs Its one of the most ~mportant aspects of th~s
whole power plant agreement Gaffey smd of the land and ~t s still hanging
out there Commissioner Schm~dt d~scussed the S~t~ng Council Enwronmental
Considerations Docket 190 F~nd~ngs of Fact #79 and their op~mon regarding
the land We are encouraged that the C~ty of Meriden and Town of Berhn will
recogmze and protect the long term potential of th~s umque s~te as an ecological
and recreational preserve The Conservation Commission will check w~th the
Town Manager s office regarding the status of the power plant land and whether
the Town of Berhn would consider working ~n conjunction w~th the C~ty of
Meriden ~n requesting the transfer of the land
7 CORRESPONDENCE
Commissioners rewewed various seminar hteratures
8 ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Schm~dt MOVED to adjourn the meeting ¢9 05 P M
SECONDED by Commissioner Sokolowsk~ & UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
Respectfully submitted
Juhet K BenJamin Secretary