ARLINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES
AUGUST 4, 2005
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 Nathaniel Stevens, David White, Catherine Garnett, Ellen Reed, Judith Hodges, Timothy Sullivan and William O’Rourke of the Commission. John Sanchez, Director of Public Works and Mark Mitsch of Weston and Sampson were in attendance for the Reservoir project. Kevin O’Brien, Director of Planning, Brian Rehrig, Ann LeRoyer, Lee Ellis, Debra Dill and Karen Johnson were in attendance for the Symmes project.
7:30 p.m. - COMMISSION BUSINESS
White/Reed motioned to approve the 6/16 and 7/14 minutes with minor edits; motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Beckwith described landscaping work that is proposed at 90-92 Fairmont St. The Commission will require a Request for Determination of Applicability filed for any removal of whole trees.
7:45 pm ARLINGTON RESERVOIR DAM REHABILITATION – DEP File No. 91-171
Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Mitsch gave a project update with photos of the work to install sheeting, spillways, bridges, wetland replication, and more.
They discussed the finding of ash in the dam structure during the auxiliary spillway construction. The material is to remain on site and built into a long mound at the former “stump dump” location adjacent to the auxiliary spillway.
Reed/White motioned to allow this change to be submitted as a plan/map revision as it does not affect any resource areas, floodplain, waterways, wetlands; motion passed unanimously.
8:15pm SYMMES OPEN SPACE – management plan and conservation restriction review
Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Rehrig presented three documents for review by the Commission and requested that the management plan be signed.
The Commission asked questions regarding:
the money set aside to implement the Forest Management Plan
, and it is notmoney for the study but the actual path construction/plant purchases/landscaping work.
the amount of land to be included in the conservation restriction is 7.75 acres.
the Stewardsa neighborhood group will meet next Tuesday, 8/9/05, at David Warrington’s house to discuss stewardship and other options.
Mr. Ellis, of 137 Brattle St, remarked that a friends/land steward group is a great idea. The issue that’s most contentious is with the Buffer Areas which mainly consist of Norway maples (the location of the “tree farm” utilized by the DPW in past). [The tree farm was actually along Summer Street in the area called Symmes Woods and not in the upland buffer areas.]
The neighbors have submitted a letter emphasizing:
1) that the trees are the buffer be kept, even if they are norway maples,
2) public use should not be encouraged in buffer areas since these areas are just to the rear ofvery close to the private house lots.
3) Fences be installed to prevent car lights from roadways from shining directly into homes.
4) The buffer areas should be separated out as a third area in the documents.
Debra Dill, of 17 Rockland Ave, has issues with the development’s scale, the height being 94 feet tall. The buffers are vegetated with Norway maples (an invasive species) but nothing else will grow on the ledge outcrops of those areas. There should not be any paths in the buffer areas. Page 7 of the Management plan – statement for plant work that makes it sound like Norway maples would be taken out.
Karen Johnson, of 88 Woodside, asked what was the final plan for the Conservation Restriction, as the draft submitted for this meeting had a few errors in it. She wanted the clarification as to why the Conservation Restriction was left till the end of the development’s construction. Mr. Rehrig explained that the Forest Management Plan will be done prior to the construction, therefore we will have a record of exactly what natural resources are on the site prior to construction and that its just the final enacting of the Conservation Restriction that will take place after construction since it is a document that cannot be undone/edited in the future.
Ann LeRoyer wanted to clarify that there is a dog walk, just a trail for walking dogs, designated on the drafted plan, not to be confused with a dog park.
Mr. O’Rourke proposed a site walk to the buffer areas to review the proposal by Mr. Ellis. The Commission will hold this site walk on August 15 at 7:30am, meeting at the northwest corner of the rear parking lot.
COMMISSION BUSINESS (cont.) -
Ms. Garnett asked about advice on a homeless person at the Turkey Hill parcel.
Ms. Beckwith presented a proposal from the owners of 22 Mill St to install electrical service and a parking booth at a lot adjacent to Mill Brook. The Commission will require a Notice of Intent to be filed for this work since it is within the Buffer Zone and floodplain of Mill Brook.
The Commission voted to convene at approximately 10:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Corinna Beckwith
Administrator
| 
