ARLINGTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES
NOVEMBER 2, 2006
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 David White, William O’Rourke, Ellen Reed, Catherine Garnett, and Chuck Tirone of the Commission. Timothy Sullivan and Judith Hodges, of the Commission, were not in attendance.
7:30 pm - COMMISSION BUSINESS
Mr. Tirone volunteered to contact the property manager at 17 Mill St to have them attend a meeting to review the winter site management plan.
There will be a meeting in Arlington, Robbins Library, on November 20, 6:30-8:30pm to review the design of the new DCR path through the Alewife Reservation between the Mystic River and Rt. 2.
O’Rourke/Reed motioned to approve the 10/5 and 10/19 minutes with edits; motion passed unanimously.
In regards to final details of the path permit at Menotomy Rocks Park, Mr. O’Rourke and Ms. Garnett reported on the need to have two trees removed at Hills Pond. Both the oak and the pine do need to be removed. Mr. Tirone reminded the board that a raingarden was discussed at the swale leading to the stormdrain inlet near Jason St. The path material selected should be one of the stabilized aggregates and no deep excavation of the pathway base should be allowed. Haybales should be discouraged from use as erosion controls, since most are full of invasive weed seeds.
Mr. White announced a site meeting with the Arlington Garden Club at Cookes Hollow on Wednesday at 8:15am to discuss planning of work.
Mr. White and Ms. Reed discussed the republication of the Walking book. The initial step will be to have the existing copy of the book scanned in to the computer in order to be edited. Mr. White got an estimate from Charlotte Pierce of the cost to scan, near $300.
There will be an Open Space meeting on Monday at 7pm to organize a Friends of public parks group, as an overall umbrella organization to coordinate issues and work.
Ms. Beckwith asked the board if they were ready to sign off on the Certificate of Compliance for Spy Pond Park, DEP File No. 91-170, but they responded that they still had not received the Operation and Maintenance plan for this site. Ms. Beckwith would request this of the consultant.
Ms. Beckwith asked the board if they were ready to sign off on the Certificate of Compliance for Armstrong Ambulance, DEP File No.91-186, but they responded that they wanted better erosion control, or control of mulch along the embankment next to Mill Brook. Ms. Beckwith will contact the consultant on this matter.
Mr. Stevens reported to the board on the court case regarding 339 Mystic St enforcement proceedings. The house has now been forfeited to the US government now under Homeland Security auspices. Our claim for seven tree plantings might be removed from the record in this situation. The Commission will probably have to contact new land owners when they move in, in writing, to foster better land stewardship practices of this shoreline parcel.
Ms. Garnett brought to the attention of the Commission to suggest a site walk to the Sunnyside St neighborhood to inspect the Alewife Reservation in regards to landscaping, mowing, plant removal in the embankment area next to Alewife Brook. Ms. Hodges recounted the last time the board had site visits to the neighborhood was during the Algonquin gas line rehabilitation project in 2001. Some trees were planted by Algonquin at that time. Also, a group of neighbors had asked about control of Japanese Knotweed, and some neighbors were using the open space for vegetable gardens.
The Commission voted to convene at approximately 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Corinna Beckwith
Administrator
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