Rochester Conservation Commission
Minutes of the March 23, 2016
Public Hearing and Regular Meeting
Members Present:
Michael Dionne, Chair
Kevin Sullivan
Deborah Shigo
Merry Lineweber
Mark Jennings
Roger Burkhart
Michael Kirwan
Jack Hackett
Staff:
Seth Creighton, Chief Planner
The chair convened the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Minutes: The regular and nonpublic meeting minutes of February 24, 2016 were reviewed. Mr. Sullivan highlighted several needed revisions. A motion was made to accept the minutes with revisions by Mr. Jennings and seconded by Mr. Kirwan, all voted in favor.
1. Discussion:
2. Conservation Overlay District: Map-Lot : 111 – 48,The Monarch School of New England, Eastern Avenue (by CLD Consulting Engineers, Inc.): Site plan to construct two school buildings, six bay garage, parking, and site access, and associated wetland buffer impacts.
Engineer Richard R. Lundborn from CLD Consulting Engineers introduced the site plan and explained that the project was being presented to the Conservation Commission because a gravel wetland is proposed to be located within the City’s 50’ and 25’ wetland buffers, thus requiring a Conditional Use permit. He gave an overview of the drainage and stormwater treatment system, as well as explaining the proposed use of the property.
The Commission talked about where this onsite wetland flowed to, and the downstream wetland complexes and watershed. Susan DeRoy of the Monarch School explained that the current school is located downstream from this site, and vouched that this all flows towards downtown. Mr. Dionne said the wetlands eventually flow into Willow Brook.
Ms. Shigo asked how many square feet of wetland buffer disturbance is proposed. Mr. Lundborn said it is an area that is 80’x90’. The Commission discussed the area of impact.
Mr. Creighton suggested changing the last 100+ feet of closed drainage to an open swale; Mr. Lundborn said that the grades would not allow for this. Mr. Creighton then suggested that the applicant consider using a tree-box filter in place of at least one catchbasin because the tree will uptake nutrients, while a catchbasin cannot. He also suggested that a wetland scientist verify that the proposed plantings in the gravel wetland will be self-sustaining long-term and will not be invasive/out compete the natural abutting vegetation. Illumination of the wetland buffer was also dicuscussed.
There was discussion regarding what motion to make. Ms. Shigo motioned to approve the Conditional Use Permit with the following conditions:
1)The lighting should be shielded/reduced so that it does not illuminate the wetland buffer.
2) A wetland scientist must verify that the proposed gravel wetland plantings will not outcompete native species, not be invasive, and will survive well (flourish fluctuating dry/wet conditions).
3) The outer slope of the gravel wetland (area within wetland buffer) be seeded with a New England Conservation Seed Mix.
Ms. Lineweber seconded this motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Move to Non Public: At 7:22pm Ms. Shigo motioned to move into Non-public session, with Mr. Kirwan seconding, and all voting in favor.
At 8:44 pm the pubic session resumed.
3. Dredge and Fill Application/Wetland Permit Application: None.
4. Correspondence: (emailed/sent prior to meeting):
a) Saving Special Places – Mr. Creighton told the members that this was the last opportunity to tell him if they wanted to attend the annual Saving Special Places workshop.
b) NH DES Mitigation Update – Mr. Creighton explained he, South East Land Trust, and the development team for “The Ridge Phase 2” participated in a meeting with NH DES regarding the proposed wetland filling associated with Phase 2. Mr. Creighton said that he presented two properties that could be considered as mitigation if conserved; Mr. Creighton said that DES said one of the properties was definitely not eligible, and the other was not desirable. The Commission discussed this matter and decided that Mr. Dionne and Mr. Sullivan should contact Lori Sommer at DES. Mr. Creighton said a recent EverSource wetland permit met their mitigation requirement by paying into the ARM Fund, the Commission said this should also be discussed with NH DES because neither NH DES nor EverSource partnered with the City on alternative mitigation options.
5. Notice of Intent to Cut Wood or Timber / Intent to Excavate: None.
6. Reports:
a) TRG update – Mr. Jennings briefly explained the TRG /PB applications that were going to
be voted on by the Planning Board. Mr. Creighton stated that the several other applications
that were not discussed tonight would be discussed in coming months, as the projects
progressed.
7. Old Business: Community garden discussion.
Mr. Creighton shared an email exchange that he had with the City’s Water System’s Chief Operator about the possibility of locating a community garden on the Route 11 parcel that houses one of the City’s drinking water treatment facilities. Mr. Creighton explained that the reasons that the Chief Operator had reservations about having a public garden on the same property as a public water supply. Mr. Creighton suggested the Commission consider other possible City owned locations and he could investigate each. Ms. Lineweber suggested that Rochester Housing Authority should write letters to its residents to gauge how much interest they had in community gardens. Mr. Hackett said that he had built raised beds and donated seeds to the Housing Authority before. Mr. Sullivan encouraged Ms. Lineweber to work on this with the Housing Authority.
8. New Business: a) Mr. Burkhart said that he had contacted the school system and learned that a high school teacher who teaches an environmental class was interested in having the Commission speak to his class. Mr. Burkhart said that the class is from 7:30 – 9:00 am, and he was willing to speak, but asked that another Commission member join him. In the interest of time, the Chair decided that the details of this would be discussed further outside of the meeting.
9. Other Business: a) Update on Boston Bacon Felt Dam, East Rochester
Mr. Dionne said that after last month’s meeting, he researched the status of the Boston Bacon Felt Dam. Mr. Dionne explained that he talked to NH DES and learned that the FERC permits for the dam have never expired. Because the FERC never expired, the permitting is out of the State’s hands; however, the project falls to review by the Federal Government. He said that in his research he found that the Federal review has noted that several upgrades are being required, including flashboards eel passages, flood controls, etc.…
Mr. Kirwan said he has regularly been viewing the work that is being done, and has seen some but not all of the upgrades (that Mr. Dionne mentioned) implemented.
10. Non-Public Session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3 II(d): Discussion of acquisition of real property and/or recent site walks and LACE sheets.
11. Adjournment: A motion was made by Ms. Shigo and seconded by Mr. Hackett to adjourn at 9:33 pm. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Seth Creighton
Chief Planner