Conservation Commission Minutes
Lenox Conservation Commission
Landuse Meeting Room
June 7, 2018
Minutes
Members present: Chair Neal Carpenter, (NC); Joseph Strauch, (JS); Vince Ammendola, (VA); Dick Ferren, (DF); Mark Smith, (MS); David Lane, (DL); DL arrived after the first two items, participating only in the AMEC Foster Wheeler discussion.
Absent with notification: Rose Fitzgerald Casey, (RFC)
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, Land Use Clerk, (PA)
Mark Smith was introduced as the newest member of the Commission. He was sworn in on June 4th.
Request for Determination of Applicability, Vincent Ammendola for property located at 290 West St., Map 6 Parcel 20. (VA recused himself to present his RDA.) The project entails the construction of second means of egress with 5’x 8’ deck within the 100 foot buffer zone.
Presenting the RDA was Vince Ammendola.. The porch will be 80 feet from the wetlands. On June 6th, the ZBA granted the Ammendolas a Special Permit for an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
DF made a motion to issue a Negative III Determination. JS seconded the motion and the Commission voted to agree 4-0.
Certificate of Compliance, Lenox Valley WTF, LLC, 64-69 Willow Creek Road, Map 9 Parcels 7 & 8.
Matt Puntin of SK Design Group presented the request for the Certificate. NC went to the site with Tom Garrity of Lenox Valley Waste Transfer Facility on May 23, 2018 and found that the project was in compliance. VA made a motion to issue the Certificate and DF seconded the motion. The Commission voted to agree 3-0-1. MS abstained as he has not participated in this process.
AMEC Foster Wheeler-Lenox Landfill solar RPV Project, Willow Creek Road (Map 14, Parcels 2 &3). DEP File Number: 198-0294. Review of proposed changes- Note: An Order of Conditions for this project was issued by the Conservation Commission on July 28, 2016. On September 7, 2017, Rich Niles provided an update on the project, project changes as well as two new drawings which depicted changes. The Commission agreed that this may be a Notice of Project Change. At the conclusion of that meeting, Mr. Niles said that he would review the policy statement on what is required regarding a Notice of Project Change, e.g. advertising and/or notice to abutters. He will also compile a list of documents supporting the changes, and have them in chronological order. It was also discussed that the changes may be minor and would only require the approval of the Commission, not a formal hearing.
Present were Meg Stemper of AMEC and Bill Gop, DPW Superintendent. Ms. Stemper provided detailed information on the changes and flood zone evaluation. Mr. Gop said that with some type of large stone the edge of the cap will be delineated so that one would see where mowing would stop without intruding into the wetlands. The DPW will be doing the mowing. Ms. Stemper stated that 32, 170 square feet of disturbances would occur and approximately 350 cubic yards of fill would be used within land subject to flooding. The figures were a concern and the Commission asked for clarification. Ms. Stemper left to meeting to contact via telephone Rich Niles. She returned to state that the 32,170 square feet is the disturbance of all work within the wetland buffer zone, and had nothing to do with the flood plain. The Commission agreed that this would fall under a minor change and not require an amended Order of Conditions. It was confirmed that the only work remaining was around the corner of the southern slope. The edge will be cleaned up.
DL made a motion to accept the change in the project with the provision that there would be no wetland intrusions. JS seconded the motion. The Commission voted to agree 5-0-1. MS abstained he was not involved in this project at the start.
Approve Minutes- May 10, 2018- DF made a motion to approve the minutes. DL seconded the motion. The Commission voted to approve 5-0-1. MS abstained as he was not at that meeting.
Other Business-
Site Visit-13 Taconic Ave, Lynn Campana-An RDA has been filed and will be on the June 21st agenda. The project involves a driveway and some tree work. NC will arrange for a site visit for either Wednesday or Thursday of next week.
Boardwalks-NC advised that work has started for the boardwalk at Parson’s Marsh and he believes that work has started for the boardwalk for Alan Schiffman, Route 20 (Lee Road) Map 2 Parcel 7
Lenox Woods (David Ward’s property), 55 Pittsfield Rd. NC and JS met with Erica Deene of CT Management (property manager of the residential condos) at the meadow at Lenox Woods and showed her where the turtle nesting area is located. A crew will be cleaning up that area. She was not aware about Native Habitat Restoration, LLC and the removal of the Hardy Kiwi that is in the meadow. NC and JS explained the issues involving conservation. There are lots of dead trees that need to be removed which falls under the jurisdiction of Mass DEP.
VA made a motion to adjourn. MS seconded the motion and the Commission voted to adjourn by a vote of 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Peggy Ammendola