ARLINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES
APRIL 11, 2002
Mr. Stevens called the meeting to order at 7:30pm in the second floor conference room of the Town Hall Annex. Present were Nathaniel Stevens, Timothy Sullivan, David White, Christine Wallace and Judith Hodges of the Commission. Gerald Foley of Belanger & Foley, Inc., presented the Keyspan project. Joseph Rossi, contractor, and Inez Hatfield, owner, represented the 83 Sunnyside project. George Sarkisian of 28 Mystic Bank and Katayama Toshihiro of 18 Mystic Bank were also present.
7:30pm MISCELLANEOUS –
Hodges/Wallace motioned to approve the minutes of 3/21 and 4/4/02 with edits from Mr. White and Mr.Sullivan; motion passed unanimously.
Fiscal – White/Hodges motioned to approve the payment of the bill for copying the Great Meadows report; motion passed unanimously.
7:45pm 83 SUNNYSIDE AVE., REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY for a small addition –
Mr. Stevens opened the hearing by reading the public notice. Mr. Rossi explained that the surveyor had not been able to complete the plot plan of the property for review by the Commission.
Sullivan/White motioned to continue the hearing at the request of the applicant to May 2 at 7:45pm; motion passed unanimously.
8:00pm LOWER MYSTIC LAKE, REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY for installation of anode protection by Keyspan
Mr. Foley presented the project to the Commission. Long metal probes will be placed on the lake bed approximately 200’ from the shore where the Mill Brook enters the Lower Mystic Lake. The probes will be weighted down with sandbags. Wires that connect to the existing junction box will also be laid on the lake bed and weighted down with sandbags or rocks. The work will be conducted by a diver from a small boat.
The Commission held a site walk on April 6th and observed this corner of the lake. There are very shallow sand bars in this location; it is possible that these sand bars may have to be dredged out in the future. Mr. Foley said he would communicate this “potential” future work back to Keyspan. Mr. Foley also said that they would direct Keyspan to place a warning sign on the rectifier pole across Mystic Valley Parkway describing the structure in the lake.
Mr. Foley explained that he had not, as of yet, located the MDC permit for this work but it has been requested from Keyspan.
Mr. Toshihiro asked if a debris catching device could be reinstalled at the mouth of Mill Brook. The Commission said that they would look into the possibility of such a device.
Sullivan/White motioned to approve the project as described with the standard condition of the receipt of the MDC permit; motion passed unanimously.
MISCELLANEOUS, CONT.-
The Conservation Lands regulations are currently being promulgated. Ms. Beckwith asked if the Stewardship Handbook could be finalized and distributed to a few residents who have been calling about litter on public open spaces. Mr. White described what specific work is still needed on the Handbook. Ms. Beckwith asked permission to distribute the draft handbook. The Commission agreed that the draft version could be selectively distributed.
The Friends of Arlington’s Great Meadows, a stewardship group, met on April 9, 2002. Three committees within this organization have been formed, including legal, resource management and education. The zoning of the land was depicted and described in a handout. Activities are in the planning stages.
The effort to remove water chestnuts by hand and cleanup debris from the Arlington Reservoir has been scheduled for May 18 and 19. Volunteers are being sought.
The Warrant article regarding isolated wetlands was approved by the Board of Selectman. The Commission discussed another Warrant regarding the holding of a bond for large projects within 200 yards of a waterway. The Commission sees some difficulties in the implementation of such a provision.
The fence at Meadowbrook Park has not been installed as of 4/10 and the dirt piles are still in place. Mr. White observed that one pile had washed down and the siltation had accumulated at the erosion control barrier resulting in 5-6 inches of deposition.
The Commission will cancel the August 15th meeting and reschedule it for August 22nd, since Ms. Beckwith will be on vacation.
The Commission received notice from the Mystic River Watershed Association that the MDC is intending to draw down the Mystic River up to 1.5 feet below the lowest winter level at the Earhardt Dam in order to allow work MDC boat launch at the Mystic Wellington Yacht Club in Medford. Unfortunately, the timing of this work is coincident with the herring run. Ms. Beckwith will call the Medford Conservation Commission which permitted this work and get more information.
Mr. Stevens reported on his site walk to Hills Pond at Menotomy Rocks Park on which he observed the wall repair work. Ms. Clarissa Rowe described to Mr. Stevens the need to modify the dewatering plan for the new footing in the area of the treatment wetland. The new sedimentation area will be located in the nearby forested area. Ms. Rowe mentioned the need to repair the well supply line. This work should be an amendment to the permit for the work on the wall.
Ms. Beckwith received a letter from Marion Coulter regarding the use of the weevil in Spy Pond to control Eurasian water milfoil. Ms. Beckwith will respond to her letter.
Ms. Beckwith will attend the May 3 conference of the Massachusetts Society of Municipal Conservation Professionals in Sudbury.
The Commission will hold a site walk at 642 Summer St. regarding the installation of a flood relief drain on Thursday, April 25 at 7pm.
The drain markers for Spy Pond will be ready soon. A message regarding a fish kill in Spy Pond was received by the Selectman’s Office. The Health Dept. called the Fish and Wildlife Service who sent out a biologist and they observed approx. 100 dead blue gills. The biologist drew the conclusion that the fish died probably due to temperature fluctuations, causing low oxygen levels and bacterial infection. The biologist explained that if poisoning was responsible for the deaths, then multiple species would have been affected.
Another call was received regarding work on the shoreline near Linwood Circle by two DPW workers. The Commission is looking into the nature of this work.
The Commission voted to convene at approximately 10pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Cori Beckwith, Administrator
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