Lincoln Conservation Commission
MINUTES
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Lincoln Town Offices
COMMISSIONERS: Peter von Mertens, Joyce Hersh, Sara Lewis, Ari Kurtz & Jim Henderson
STAFF: Tom Gumbart, Angela Kearney
WETLANDS FILINGS
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Joint Discussion with Planning Board. Nicholas Konstandakis. 22 Old Cambridge Turnpike. (Map 24-Block 6-Lot 0). For stream crossing to construct a pool house outside the Buffer Zone Resource Area.
The Conservation Commission and Planning Board held a joint meeting to discuss the proposed pool house on the Konstandakis property. The Planning Board did not make a final decision on the pool house and wanted feedback from the Conservation Commission prior to doing so. While the proposed pool house would be constructed outside the 100-foot Buffer Zone Resource Area, the Commission was concerned with construction impacts to an intermittent stream that would be crossed to build the pool house. In March 2007 the Commission issued an Order of Conditions allowing Mr. Konstandakis to make a temporary crossing in order to construct a replacement septic system in the same area of the back property. The outstanding Order of Conditions states that the stream must be restored upon installation of the septic system and that only pedestrian access is
allowed across the stream. A Certificate of Compliance has not been issued for the septic system work, therefore the Commission was willing to consider allowing the Konstandakis’ to use the same crossing to construct the pool house provided that the same conditions were met and that the following information be provided to the Commission for further review and final determination:
• site plan which locates all existing infrastructure, new septic system, wetland restoration area, proposed pool house and associated infrastructure,
• sectional details of infrastructure proposed in stream crossing.
There shall be no vehicular access across the wetland area or intermittent stream to the pool house once construction is complete.
Hanscom Air Force Base Plans
Tom Gumbart met with Don Morris, Environmental Specialist for Hanscom Air Force Base and representatives from the Housing Redevelopment Design Team to review 65% design plans. While more graphics and calculations were needed to fully understand existing and proposed development and potential impacts to the resource area, the design team expressed their goals to use existing infrastructure and rehab existing buildings instead of build new buildings where possible. The Commission reviewed the preliminary plans and questioned several areas where new homes were proposed closer to the wetland resource area that the existing structures. Tom Gumbart will relay the Commission’s comments back to the design team before they come in with a full Notice of Intent filing.
Snow Property
A Warrant Article for the March 2009 Town Meeting will request the Town to take a parcel of land on the border of Lincoln and Waltham for acquisition as conservation land. It is being taken for negligence in taxes and is in Cambridge Watershed land and is adjacent to existing conservation land. There are no structures on the property.
CPC Funds
The Community Preservation Committee approved the Conservation Commissions request for funding for another year of invasive species removal with a summer work crew and to treat the Codman hemlock grove.
ADA Accessibility
Joyce Hersh expressed concern regarding accessibility guidelines for open meetings. While the Commission has always been willing to relocate their meetings to an accessible room should someone need it, Joyce discussed the need to make meetings accessible no matter who may be in attendance. Because of broad challenges surrounding meeting space and time in the Town Hall Building, the Commission will need to do some coordinating to find an alternative meeting night and/or location. Conservation Staff will look into availability of the Donaldson Room and/or downstairs meeting room and will likely look to reschedule Conservation Commission meetings to the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month in the Donaldson Room starting in the fall of 2009.
ACTION ITEMS
Minutes approved 2/18/09
Bills Paid & Payroll Signed
Respectfully Submitted,
Angela Kearney
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