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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