MINUTES OF THE BETHANY
The regular meeting of the Inland
Wetlands Commission was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Commission Meeting
Room in the Bethany Town Hall 40 Peck Road Bethany Connecticut
The following members of the Commission
were present:
Kristine Sullivan, Vice-Chair acting
as Chair
Brian Smith, Member
Roger Hathaway, Member
Lisa Gaw, Member
The following member of the
Commission was absent:
Alexandra Breslin, Chair
Also present was:
Isabel Kearns, Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer
NEW
BUSINESS
1. 112 Miller Road, Application #1228
submitted by Joseph Szewczyk for an IW Permit to
construct a bridge and clearing of an
existing trail -
The Commission formally received the
application. Present to speak on behalf
of this application was Joseph Szewczyk, applicant and owner of record.
Mr.
Szewczyk noted the following:
- Proposing
to build bridge that washed away.
- Eagle Scout
project.
- Meet with
the Building Department and they suggested contacting John Paul Garcia
& Associates, who then suggested using telephone poles for proposed
bridge.
- Digging
holes and pouring concrete.
- Footings
will be 2 to 3 feet deep.
In
discussion, Commission members noted:
- Applicant should verify with Building
Department about getting below frost line.
- Applicant to obtain information from pole owner
if there is any potential of the telephone poles leaking.
- Commission would like to visit the site.
- Would be helpful if applicant was at site visit
to show Commission where bridge will be constructed.
Further
discussion and appropriate action on the application was deferred until the
Commission’s next regular meeting on Monday, October 27, 2014. Tabled.
It was moved by Smith and seconded by Hathaway
to add to this evening’s agenda Application #1229 submitted by Richard Murphy
for an Inland Wetlands Permit to construct 10-foot by 13-foot 3-inch addition
to the existing house located at 610 Carrington Road. Unanimous
approval.
2. 610 Carrington Road, Application #1229
submitted by Richard Murphy for an Inland
Wetlands Permit to construct a 10-foot by 13-foot 3-inch addition to the
existing house
-
The Commission formally received the application. The applicant, Richard Murphy, was present.
The Commission would like to conduct a site visit
and asked the applicant to stake the corners as to where the addition will be
located.
Further
discussion and appropriate action on the application was deferred until the
Commission’s next regular meeting on Monday, October 27, 2014. Tabled.
OLD BUSINESS
1.
255 Bear
Hill Road
a
22-foot by 22-foot garage on existing foundation –
No one was present to speak on behalf of this application.
Commission members discussed what was observed at
the site visit and proceeded to deliberate.
It was
moved by Smith and seconded by Hathaway to approve Application #1226 submitted
by Judi and Paul McKinney for an Inland Wetlands Permit to construct a 22-foot
by 22-foot two-bay garage on the existing foundation located at 255 Bear Hill
Road in accordance with the submitted plan entitled, “255 Bear Hill Road,
Garage” dated August 2014, prepared by the applicant. This approval is subject to the standard
conditions found on the Land Records Volume 93, Page 802 and 803.
The reason the Commission
approved this application is that the activity proposed will have no adverse
impact on the pond located on the property because the garage is being constructed
on the existing foundation and there will be no ground disturbance.
Voting were:
Sullivan, Smith, Gaw, Hathaway.
Unanimous approval.
2. 10
Round Hill Road
Development of a 125-foot by 40-foot
storage building and associated site work –
Present for this discussion was Al Shepard, P.E. of
Nowakowski, O’Bymachow and Kane, representing the applicant.
Some items noted by the Commission after the site
visit were:
- New
grading up to the trees.
- A
few of the containers were moved.
- Will
need restoration plan were grading has been completed and where the
wetlands were filled in.
- What
is shown on plan is not representative of what is seen out in the field.
- No
issue with location of the building or the building itself.
- Concerned
if there will be maintenance in the proposed building and will there be floor
drains or an oil separator.
Mr.
Shepard submitted revised plans as per comments from the Diversified Technology
Consultant letter dated September 18, 2014.
Mr. Shepard reviewed the revisions made to the plans and also submitted
a letter dated September 29, 2014 in response to DTC engineer comments.
The
Commission asked clerk to forward a copy of the revised plans to Diversified
Technology Consultants to verify the calculations.
Mr.
Shepard will visit the site and review the disturbance and prepare a
restoration plan. Also, Mr. Shepard will
look further into building description and if he will need to add floor drains
and an oil separator to the plans.
The
Commission will schedule to visit the site again.
Further
discussion and appropriate action on the application was deferred until the
Commission’s next regular meeting on Monday, October 27, 2014. Tabled.
3. Revisit site in November the continue
discussion regarding road and overland run-off
across 37 Hilltop Road (DeCesare) down
to Route 69 - Tabled.
4. Discussion
regarding Bethany West clearing. (Letter
from Roman Mrozinski of the
Southwest
Conservation District) – Tabled.
5.
185
Beacon Road, Discussion with Daniel Cusano regarding non-permitted barn
–
Tabled.
6.
Continuation
of Show Cause Hearing regarding Town of Bethany drainage repairs
conducted in a
regulated area without an Inland Wetlands Permit
–
The Commission agreed to send a letter to the Town
to make sure that the area disturbed by the Town will be restored but the
Commission wanted the Town to approach the property owner (since Town did work)
that the area is no longer going to be a lawn and that it needs to be restored
back to its vegetated state. The
Commission was going to draft a letter to Town but the Chair had a discussion
with the Board of Selectmen and the Chair will report back at the next regular meeting. Tabled.
7.
Discussion
in regard to amendments to the Inland Wetlands Regulations per State
of CT – Tabled.
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES
Approval of minutes tabled to the
October 27, 2014, Meeting. Tabled.
BILLS
1.
It was moved by Smith and
seconded by Hathaway to approve the payment of $114.90 to Diversified
Technology Consultants for professional services for the review of Bethany Mesa
Drive Culvert.
Voting
were: Sullivan, Smith, Gaw, Hathaway.
Unanimous
approval.
2.
It was moved by Smith and
seconded by Hathaway to approve the payment of $75.00 to the
Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission, Inc.
for the Membership Renewal for the period of July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015,
for two commissions (sustaining). Share
with the Conservation Commission.
Voting
were: Sullivan, Smith, Gaw, Hathaway.
Unanimous
approval.
CORRESPONDENCE
1.
Letter from Diversified
Technology Consultants, dated September 18, 2014, Re: Comments on review of application for 10 Round Hill Road
2.
Email from Russ Direnzo, dated
September 5, 2014, Re: 74 Amity Road
3.
Letter from Alan Green, Director
of Public Works dated September 9, 2014, Re:
Review of proposed location of the Community
Garden at the Airport property between
Recycling Center
and the horse rings on the north end with attached photographs of the
Woodbridge Community Garden.
4.
Letter from Diversified
Technology Consultants, dated September 4, 2014, Re: DTC Hourly Consulting Rate increase.
5.
Letter from Isabel Kearns, IWEO,
to Mr. & Mrs. William Grieger, dated August 27, 2014, Re: Removal of debris, junk and vehicles located
at 63 Sargent Drive, case closed.
PUBLICATIONS
AND WORKSHOPS
1.
Connecticut Association of
Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission, 37th Annual Meeting and
Environmental Conference, Saturday, November 15, 2014, Wallingford,
Connecticut.
ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER REPORTS –
Mesa Drive culvert – The
Commission visited the site where the beavers dammed and feel instead of
removing the pipe have one of the beaver experts come out and investigate. The Commission would like the expense of this
investigation to come out of the Department of Public Works budget.
Proposed Community Garden at Airport Property
(near horse ring and recycling) – Not within the jurisdiction of the Inland
Wetlands Commission’s regulated area.
10 Northrop Road – The IWEO
stated the property owner clear cut, constructed stone wall, regraded, and
pushed material over stonewall near wetlands without permit. The Commission directed IWEO to send an order
to Cease and Desist and schedule a show cause hearing at the October 27th
Regular Meeting. If property owner
submits an application before this, then the order will not be necessary. Tabled.
SCHEDULE SITE
VISITS –
The Commission scheduled a site visit for Sunday,
October 19, 2014, at 8:30 a.m.
Commission members to meet at the Town Hall parking lot and proceed to
the following properties:
- 112
Miller Road
- 610
Carrington Road
- 10
Round Hill Road
ADJOURNMENT
There
being no further business to come before the Commission, it was moved by Smith
and
seconded by Hathaway to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:35 p.m.
Unanimous approval.
Respectfully submitted,
Antonia R. Marek, Clerk
for the Inland Wetlands
Commission
