Wednesday, May 8, 2019


MINUTES OF THE BETHANY INLAND WETLANDS COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2019                                                      Page 1 of 5

The regular meeting of the Inland Wetland Commission was called to order at 7:31 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the Bethany Town Hall, 40 Peck Road, Bethany, Connecticut.

 

The following members of the Commission were present:

         Kristine Sullivan, Chairman

         Nancy Scanlon, Member

         Rob Huxley, Member

         James Nickle, Alternate Member, seated as a voting member

 

The following members of the Commission were absent:

         Roger Hathaway, Member

         Charles Clark, Alternate Member

 

Also present was Isabel Kearns, Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer

 

 

NEW BUSINESS 

 

1)      Show Cause Hearing pertaining to Cease and Desist Order, dated April 8, 2019, issued to John Ciola for property located at 15 Johnson Road, prepared by Isabel Kearns, Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer in regard to stockpiling of material.

Present for the Show Cause Hearing was John Ciola.  Mr. Ciola stated he cleared the trees and stumps and brought in fill to fill in where the tree stumps were removed.

 

Some comments by the Commission were:

·         Noticed material was being brought in.

·         When there are wetlands onsite, the IWEO should be contacted as to what you are planning to do and erosion controls should be put in place.

·         Would like the IWEO to take pictures.

·         Would like to visit the property.

 

It was the consensus of the Commission to continue the Show Cause Hearing to the next regular meeting on Monday, May 20, 2019, and that Mr. Ciola is to hold off on spreading the piles of material.

Tabled.

 

 

2)      It was moved by Huxley and seconded by Scanlon to add to the agenda for April 15, 2019, Application #1320 submitted by Dean M. Perry for an Inland Wetlands Permit to replace the existing pool with a smaller pool and to erect a 13 ½’ by 5’ resin deck located at 48 Ann Drive.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

 

 

 

48 ANN DRIVE, Application #1320 submitted by Dean M. Perry for an Inland Wetlands Permit to replace existing pool with smaller pool and erect a 13 ½’ by 5’ resin deck

 

The Commission formally received the application.  No one was present to speak on behalf of this application.

 

The Commission will schedule a site visit.

 

Further discussion and appropriate action on the application was deferred until the Commission’s next regular meeting adjourned to Monday, May 20, 2019.  Tabled.

 

3)      It was moved by Huxley and seconded by Scanlon to add to the agenda for discussion for April 15, 2019, the property located at 629 Bethmour Road.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

Discussion regarding 629 Bethmour Road with Timothy O’Connor

 

Present for this discussion was Timothy O’Connor.  Mr. O’Connor stated he was here for his mother, Gale Ridge.  Mr. O’Connor mentioned that it is not possible to fix the house and would probably have to take down.

 

Some comments by the Commission were:

·         House is entitled to be there but if you take down, you will need to start fresh.

·         Recommended that he hire a soil scientist to flag the wetlands.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

1)      49 EMERALD LANE, Application #1319 submitted by Mesa Excavation & Paving Inc. for an IW Permit for a residential site development

 

No one was present to speak on behalf of this application.

 

Some Commission members visited the site on March 30, 2019.  Commission members discussed and proceed to deliberate.

 

It was moved by Nickle and seconded by Huxley to approve Application #1319 submitted by Mesa Excavation & Paving Inc. for an Inland Wetlands Permit for a residential site development for the property located at 49 Emerald Lane, as presented in the application, testimony and in accordance with the following submitted plans prepared By Nowakowski, O’Bymachow, Kane, Associates, Shelton, Connecticut:

a)      “Overall Site Plan – Prepared for Paul and Mark Crotta”, dated October 30, 2018, revised to February 4, 2019.

b)      “Septic Plan – Prepared for Paul and Mark Crotta”, dated October 30, 2018, February 4, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

Also, this permit is subject to the following the standard conditions found on the Land Records, Volume 93, Page 802 and Page 803.

 

This approval is based on the fact that if the applicant follows the plan as shown there should be minimal or no adverse impact to the wetlands. 

Vote 4 to 0.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

 

2)      Discussion and appropriate action on amended Cease and Desist Order, dated    November 13, 2018, amended on November 20, 2018, issued to Alan Green, Director of Bethany Public Works Department and Paul Crotta, Registered Agent, Mesa Construction Company for property located at Rural Old Mill Road South of Valley Road

 

Member Huxley recused himself.

 

Some Commission members visited the site on March 30, 2019, and discussed what they had observed regarding the rip rap and tree to be taken down.  The Commission would like to visit site again to see what was completed before addressing the Cease and Desist Order.

 

Further discussion and appropriate action on the application was deferred until the

Commission’s next regular meeting adjourned to Monday, May 20, 2019.  Tabled.

 

 

3)      Discussion with Susan March of 285 Sperry Road regarding location of shed for goats and the Farm Service Agency of the State of Connecticut  Tabled.

 

No one was present for this discussion.  Tabled.

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

1)      It was moved by Sullivan and seconded by Nickle to approve, as amended, the minutes of the March 18, 2019, Regular Meeting.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

2)      It was moved by Sullivan and seconded by Nickle to approve, as submitted, the minutes of the March 30, 2019, Special Meeting/Site Visit.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

1)      Letter from Isabel Kearns, Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer, to Harold, Thomas and Dina Durley of 74 Munson Road, dated March 20, 2019, Re:  Notice of Violation, 74 Munson Road, tracks in wetlands from motorized vehicles.

IWEO to check if Cease and Desist Order still exists.

2)      Email from Anna Ryack of 18 Briar Road, Bethany, dated March 27, 2019, Re:  Possible intern over summer to assist in wetlands management in Bethany.

Commission discussed some suggestions that Ms. Ryack can help out with.  Chair Sullivan would like Ms. Ryack to contact her.

3)      Letter from Aquarion Water Company, dated April, 2019, Re:  May 1st nomination deadline for this year’s Aquarion Environmental Champion Award.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

 

1.      Connecticut Wildlife, January/February 2019.

 

 

SCHEDULE SITE VISIT

The Commission scheduled a site visit for Saturday, April 27, 2019.  Members to meet at the Town Hall for 8:30 a.m.  Sites to be visited are as follows:

·         15 Johnson Road

·         48 Ann Drive

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Commission, it was moved by Huxley and seconded by Scanlon to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:27 p.m.

Voting for:  Sullivan, Scanlon, Huxley, Nickle.

Unanimous approval.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Antonia R. Marek, Clerk

For Inland Wetlands Commission