PROVINCETOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION

October 16, 2007

6:30 P.M.

 

 

Members Present: Dennis Minsky, Elaine Anderson, Dieter Groll (arrived at 7:50 P.M.), Lynne Martin and David Hale.

Members Absent: None.

Others Present:  Brian Carlson (Health Inspector) and Ellen C. Battaglini (Recording Secretary).

 

 

PUBLIC HEARING

 

 

Chair Dennis Minsky called the Public Hearing to order at 6:31 P.M.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

None.

 

MINUTES: October 2, 2007Elaine Anderson moved to approve the language as amended, David Haley seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Notice of Intent (continued from July 17, 2007 and September 18, 2007)

Application by David Guertin, DPW Director, for a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant has filed a Notice of Intent for work previously conducted at the Mount Gilboa water holding tank and the adjacent Foss Woods Conservation Area in Provincetown. The applicant has submitted the standard operating procedures for water storage tank draining. Lynne Martin recused herself because of a conflict of interest.

Presentation: David Guertin and Mark White appeared to present the application.

Commission Discussion: The Commission made a site visit and was satisfied with the progress made at the site and will thus vote to approve the draft Standard Operating Procedures submitted by the applicant.  These procedures will be followed for any such activity at that site in the future.

Elaine Anderson moved to accept the Standard Operating Procedures, as written and submitted by the applicant, as a condition for any future activity at the Mount Gilboa water holding tank and the adjacent Foss Woods Conservation Area, David Hale seconded and it was so voted, 3-0.

 

Notice of Intent (continued from September 18, 2007)

Application by Lynn Kappleman for a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant seeks to conduct landscaping and re-grading within the buffer zone of an isolated vegetated wetland at the property located at 4 Maple Court, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Jason Ellis and Ethan Poulen appeared to discuss the application. The applicant has submitted a revised site plan that includes more detailed contour lines. Mr. Ellis stated that the project had been scaled back, the result of which will be fewer disturbances to the site.

Commission Discussion: The Commission questioned Mr. Ellis and Mr. Poulen. The Commissioners decided that they would like to visit the site again, before their next hearing, and prior to rendering a decision. The Commissioners will meet at the site at 5:00 P.M. on October 30, 2007. The applicant requested a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing.

Elaine Anderson moved to grant the request for a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing, Lynne Martin seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Certificate of Compliance

Application by Richard L. Bready for a Certificate of Compliance under the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 131, § 40, for the property located at 531 Commercial Street, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Reggie Donoghue appeared to present the application. The applicant is in compliance with the original Order of Conditions and the amended Order of Conditions for the property. The Commission has received a revised landscaping plan with a few substitutions for species that were unavailable.

Elaine Anderson moved to approve the issuance of the Certificate of Compliance for the property located at 531 Commercial Street, in Provincetown, DEP file #SE 58-0428, and DEP file # SE 58-0421, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

Certificate of Compliance

Application by Robert Duffy for a Certificate of Compliance under the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 131, § 40, for the property located at 27 Commercial Street, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Reggie Donoghue appeared to present the application. The applicant has complied with the original Order of Conditions and the amended Order of Conditions for the property.

Elaine Anderson moved to approve the issuance of the Certificate of Compliance for the property located at 27 Commercial Street, in Provincetown, DEP file #SE 58-0381, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

Notice of Intent

Application by Jerome Albright for a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant seeks to construct proposed additions, a garage and a septic system for an existing dwelling within the buffer zone of an isolated wetland and bordering vegetated wetland at the property located at 12 Somerset Road, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Jerome Albright and Alan Cabral appeared to present the application. The proposed changes to the property include making it possible for the applicant to access the front of the building by re-locating a riprap retaining wall and giving him more usable land at the site. The existing driveway will be elevated and re-graded to end at the proposed garage. The proposed project will include some filling between the house and the newly re-located retaining wall. The applicant seeks to minimize the disruption to the site. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife determined that the resource area habitat will not be disturbed by the project and MESA has responded that the proposed project would have no adverse effects.

Public Comment: None.

Commission Discussion: The Commission questioned Mr. Albright and Mr. Cabral. The Commission voiced concern regarding the volume of fill that is being proposed for use in the project and other alterations to the west side of the site. They requested that the applicant try to revise the project in an effort to be less disruptive to the land, specifically to the buffer zone, including trying to reduce the amount of fill. They also requested that the applicant mark out any trees that will be removed and submit a landscaping plan showing specific species that will be planted on whatever land is re-claimed at the site. The applicant requested a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing.

Elaine Anderson moved to grant the request for a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing, Lynne Martin seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

Notice of Intent

Application by Burton I. & Brunetta R. Wolfman for a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant seeks to repair an existing timber bulkhead at the property located at 657 Commercial Street, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Katelyn Merrill and Mike Winkler appeared to present the application. The applicants seek reinforce an existing wooden bulkhead by repairing and upgrading it.

Public Comment: There was a letter from the Division of Wildlife and Fisheries stating that construction materials cannot be placed or stored in the inter-tidal or sub-tidal zones and construction activity must not go outside of the footprint of the existing seawall and seaward encroachment should not be permitted because of their concern for potential impact on the soft shell clam and quahog habitat in the area.

Commission Discussion: The Commission questioned Ms. Merrill and Mr. Winkler. The Commission would like to see a better schematic of what exists and what is being proposed and a more complete construction protocol. The applicants requested a continuance until the November 6, 2007 hearing.

Elaine Anderson moved to grant the request for a continuance until the November 6, 2007 hearing, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 4-0.

 

Amended Order of Resource Area Delineation

Application by Provincetown Airport Commission, represented by the Horsley Witten Group for an Amended Order of Resource Delineation, under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant seeks approval of additional Bordering Vegetated Wetland (BVW) and isolated Freshwater Wetland boundaries delineated since the last order at the Provincetown Municipal Airport.

Presentation: Amy Ball, Amanda Crutchman, Michael Leger and Butch Lisenby appeared to present the application. The applicant would like to amend the resource area delineation approved by the Commission in January of 2007. There are areas that need further delineation; one to the south and one to north and east of the runway as a result of comments that the project has received as a result of their submission of a draft Environmental Impact Report.

Public Comment: None.

Commission Discussion: The Commission questioned Ms. Ball, Ms. Crutchman, Mr. Leger and Mr. Lisenby.

Elaine Anderson moved to accept the Amended Order of Resource Area Delineation for the Provincetown Airport Commission as presented by the Horsley Witten Group, representing the Provincetown Airport Commission, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 5-0.

 

Notice of Intent

Application by Joan Roderick, Trustee for a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act M.G.L. c. 131, § 40 and the Provincetown Wetlands By-Law Chapter 12. The applicant proposes plantings and restoration of land within the 100’ buffer zone of coastal wetland resource areas at the property located at 2 Commercial Street, in Provincetown.

Presentation: Paul Shea, of Independent Environmental Consultants, and Greg Morris appeared to present the application. Mr. Shea submitted a landscaping plan and explained why the vegetation on the property had been recently cleared. He contended that the only vegetation removed consisted of invasive and nuisance species or were infested with beetles. The applicant seeks to return the property to what it looked like shortly after the house was built. There is no DEP number for this project and there has been no response from MESA regarding the project, although Mr. Shea anticipates these responses shortly.

Public Comment: Rose Kennedy commented about how the property had looked in the past. There were two letters in support of the project.

Commission Discussion: The Commission questioned Mr. Shea and Mr. Morris. The Commission requested that the planting plan be revised to reflect more detail, that there be more diversity in the vegetation, both in type and in height, and that the applicant submits a plan as to how the land will be managed in the future. The applicant requested a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing.

Elaine Anderson moved to grant the request for a continuance until the October 30, 2007 hearing, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 5-0.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

None.

 

CORRESPONDENCE:

The Commission discussed the request for a Superceding Order of Conditions for the property located at 781 Commercial Street, DEP file No. SE58-0434, received by the Commission from Attorney Edward Patten, attorney for Michael Winstanley.

 

The Commission briefly discussed the letter from Brian Carlson concerning the intent of the Commission to begin work at the Shank Painter Pond Resource Area under a Request of Determination of Applicability on or before November 1, 2007. The work will consist of completion of the present walkway to the parking lot at Route 6, completion of the parking area, minor re-grading of the topsoil on site, installation of benches at the observation deck and installation of native plantings. Amber Stonik, from Americorps, will be assisting Brian in the completion of the project.

 

Amber Stonik will also be tackling other projects, including:

  • A public outreach and educational program for conservation projects;
  • Beach cleaning and maintenance procedures;
  • Mapping out purple loosestrife stands and possibly phragmites; and
  • Getting out information to the public highlighting the open space and recreation areas in Town, including possibly placing a story in The Banner.

 Brian will add working on the Conservation Commission database to the list.

 

DISCUSSION:

The Commission discussed the art installation at the Shank Painter Pond Resource Area. It was suggested that there may be ways that the Commission could help Frank Vasello, who organizes the exhibit, with the project in the future, possibly with publicity.

 

The Commission discussed their application fee schedule.

 

The Commission discussed their finances. Lynne Martin gave a financial report. Elaine Anderson moved to approve Lynne’s vouchers, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 5-0. It was decided that a finance subcommittee should be formed, to include Lynne Martin and Dieter Groll. Elaine Anderson moved to nominate Lynne Martin and Dieter Groll as the Conservation Commission finance subcommittee, Dennis Minsky seconded and it was so voted, 5-0.

Brian Carlson informed the Commission that they need to discuss and approve a budget for FY2008.

 

ADJOURNMENT: Elaine Anderson moved to adjourn at 9:30 P.M. and it was so voted unanimously.

 

These minutes were approved by a vote of the Conservation Commission at their meeting on ___________________, 2007.

Respectfully submitted,

Ellen C. Battaglini

Approved by ________________________________ on _____________, 2007

Dennis Minsky and Elaine Anderson, Co-Chairs