ARLINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES
JUNE 17, 2004
Mr. Stevens called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Town Hall Annex. Present were Catherine Garnett, Ellen Reed, Nathaniel Stevens, David White, William O’Rourke and Timothy Sullivan of the Commission. Judith Hodges of the Commission was absent. Also present were Jane Howard, Jason Gillespie, David Johnson, Bernardin M. Santeusanio, Ann LeRoyer, Peter and Maria Kostorizos, John Sanchez, Director, Arlington Department of Public Works, Martha Moore, Roger Wrubel, Ellen Mass, Elsie Fiore, Aram Hollman, Clarissa Rowe, Brian Rehrig.
7:30 p.m. - COMMISSION BUSINESS
Garnett/Reed motioned to approve the 2/26 minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
Reed/White motioned to approve the 2/26 Executive Session minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
White/Reed motioned to approve the 2/5 minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
Garnett/O’Rourke motioned to approve the 3/4 minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
Sullivan/O’Rourke motioned to approve the 6/3 minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
7:45pm – NOTICE OF INTENT – ARLINGTON RESERVOIR DAM REHABILITATION PROJECT
Mr. Sanchez introduced Mr. Gillespie from Weston and Sampson. The plans called Figure 1 were presented as showing the wetland resource areas. Toe drains consisting of crush stone would be installed back to the existing grade, and need to be maintained as open gravel, not allowed to grow back in. The wetland replication, which is still being designed, would be required for these impact areas, roughly 2000 square feet.
Mr. and Mrs Kostorizos, live at 1367-1381 Massachusetts Ave which is property located along Mill Brook, downstream of the above project. They reported that heavy flows and flooding are damaging the building. They have lived there for 25 years and witnessed the erosion on the site. The culvert under Arlington Coal and Lumber needs to be cleaned out. There are cement blocks in the waterway which have altered the course of Mill Brook, its path is changing.
A resident of 51 Lowell St asked why the Town of Arlington is doing this project. Mr. Sanchez answered that the Commonwealth’s Office of Dam Safety required this action. The project would start in the fall, with approximately 6 months of construction in the winter.
Mr. Kostarizos asked where is the money for this work coming from. Mr. Sanchez replied that its is from the Town of Arlington’s capital plan.
The project seeks to be permitted as a limited project under 310 CMR 10.53 (3) (i). The site walk will be held on 6/24 at 6:45pm at the bridge from Hurd field.
White/Garnett motioned to continue the hearing to 6/30/04 at 7:30pm; motion passed unanimously.
9pm BELMONT UPLANDS ALTERNATIVE -
The Commission is drafting a comment letter in response to the proposal to allow condominiums to be built at the former MDC rink site located within the off-ramp loop off of Route 2 to Lake St. as an alternative to development in the Uplands site, off of Acorn Park Drive.
Mr. Hollman asked if delay for study will kill the project and whether the sewer line will overflow into the Alewife Brook.
Ms. Mass stated that the development is a flooding issue and there is rare habitat at the Uplands site.
Ms. Fiore went to the Belmont Board of Selectmen meeting with the owner where he stated that he is not interested in the rink site. She is also worried about the sewage release problems. She has groundwater in her basement. Belmont sewers are full of holes, leaking into Belmont basements. All development is not good. None is good here. There should be cross-border cooperation but healthy suspicion.
Ms. Fiore also report that two of the Belmont Selectmen were in support of the study of the rink site, and one was opposed. The developer could file a 40B project and trigger review and filing of a Notice of Project Change and the developer will file the old MEPA filing. The NOI for the commercial (research and development) development was denied then appealed. They had a site walk and then never acted on (finalized).
Mr. Hollman asked how the condos would all fit at the rink site.
Mr. Johnson, an architect, composed sketches of the rink site with condominiums, and was able to design in 10 acre-feet of flood storage using Frontage Rd as the access to the site. If an access roadway is moved to the interior of the site then the flood storage will be less.
Ms. Rowe liked the letter that the Commission drafted to the Arlington Board of Selectmen on this proposal.. Ms. Fiore likes the letter. Mr. Rehrig likes the letter and reiterated that the issue should be pressed to look into the pursuit of answers.
COMMISSION BUSINESS – cont.
The draft Tri-Community report went to Mr. O’Rourke and Ms. Reed.
Ms. Mass announced that there will be a meeting with Bulfinch on a component of the Master Plan for Alewife Reservation on Monday at 7pm, at the end of Acorn Park Drive.
The Commission voted to convene at approximately 10:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Corinna Beckwith
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