Waltham Conservation Commission

March 14, 2013

Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Maureen Fowler, Gerard Dufromont, Lesya Struz, William Doyle

Absent: Daniel Keleher

Meeting called to order at 7:00pm

Public Meeting

Request for Determination of Applicability

Applicant: Paul Finger Associates, Inc.

Project Location: Intersection at Trapelo Road & Lexington Street Waltham

Project Type: Sewer Relocation Plan

Mr. Doyle recused himself during presentation due to conflict. Ms. Struz took over as chair.

Paul Finger spoke. They are working with city on project involving sewer relocation. It is a straight forward project that should only take 8 days. Excavation will be directly in paved way. Part of the city’s I and I program (infiltration and inflow program). Pipe doesn’t have slop to it, back slopped. Have to move it further downstream and then gaining slope. The sewer line runs on the north side of Trapelo Road and will be moved to the south side. Probably about 8 feet off the south curb. The run is about 150. Each day digging and removing dirt, no dirt going back will be filled with crushed stone. They will be installing two new manholes. The staging area will be off site. They are currently looking for a place to park vehicles. Project starts on April 14th from 7pm and ends at 6am each day. Catch basins will have silt installed.

Mrs. Fowler made a motion to issue Negative number 3 with no conditions and seconded by Mr. Dufromont.

Motion passes.

Public Meeting

Commission Business

  • Approval of meetingminutesfrom February 28, 2013

Motion made to approve minutes by Mrs. Fowler and seconded by Mr. Dufromont.

Motion passes.

Mr. Doyle rejoined the meeting.

Correspondence:

Peter Richardson with Green International and Ester Lwebuga with MWRA spoke about a project for MWRA.

MWRA sent letter with notification, believes project is exempt.

30 inch still pipe rehabilitation. It brings water through towns. Main comes out from Weston, mostly around route 60.

Pipe runs down Newton Street and River Street. The pipe feeds two meters one to Waltham and one to Watertown. They will excavate access pits at certain locations, clean out, and use machine to install pipe. They will use trenchless technology. They will pull new pipe from different locations. The job is out to bid right now. They are hoping to start work at the beginning of May. They should be done over the summer. Minimal are that is impacted in resource area. The staging will be right at pits during the work day and will move at end of the day. At night and will be plated and off of the street.

Work is exempt.

Mrs. Fowler makes a motion tomove new business out of order and seconded by Mr. Dufromont.

Motion passes.

New Business:

  • Carolyn Cooney spoke about Kennedy Middle School Athletic field project. It is in a wetland area. They are inquiring whether they should file an RDA or NOI. They are planning on stripping the existing field. Drains towards the school away from the wetland. They want make the field level. The drainage pattern will remain the same. Amend the soil and use phosphorus fertilizer. Whether they file and RDA or NOI the commission requested to try to fertilize in a green way and that a new fence is installed that is four inches off of the ground.
  • 74 Rumford Ave: Needs RDA. Will do this week and commission will sign.

Motion to resume commission business by Mrs. Fowler and seconded by Mr. Dufromont.

Motion passed

Correspondence:

  • Hardy Pond information
  • Department of Waterways Protection Reg Program: Applying for various permits. Old NOI. FYI informational.
  • Letter from Kathleen Cox Johnson: Write a letter saying it is taken care of. Bill will help.
  • Nstar Vegetation management project- Have them come in and explain what they are doing. Call William Hayes, Senior Arborist. Would like information presentation.
  • Lauricella Lane: asking for order of conditions-superseding order. Maureen will take property address on her list.
  • Ronnie Cincotta: Project will be starting for 36 River Street.

Old Business:

Updates:

Mrs. Fowler: No updates

  • Would like people to review rules and plan requirements.

Mr. Dufromont: No Updates

Mr. Keleher: Absent

Mr. Doyle:

  • Addition of 2 new members: Sent two emails to the Mayor.
  • 579 Lexington Street: contact DEP
  • Metal sign- sign is off
  • Law Department- Check for letter to Costco
  • 52 Rumford

Ms. Struz:

  • Hardy Pond: Request to Engineer to ask when the project on Plant Road is going to start.
  • Clarks Pond: No update.
  • The boat and trash was removed on DCR land. Removed hole from there two days ago. There is encroachment on both sides of DCR land on Riverview Ave. Does commission want to get in touch with DCR? Yes, let’s contact DCR.
  • Someone about Linden street, next to the railroad that the letter notifying DCR go directly to Law department. Maureen will do something for the next meeting.
  • The Garden Crest Apartments owns a lot on Linden Street next to Beaverbrook and someone is stock piling snow. There is an open trailer with old oil and chemicals that are stored. On the south side of Beaverbrook. Need to write them a letter. Lesya took pictures.
  • Totten Pond Road: phone call asking if property was near conversation. Lesya went on maps online outlined property, there is no conservation. Lesya drafted a letter saying he needs to get in touch with neighbors about trees.

Signage Committee: no updates

Ordinance Committee: no updates

Trust fund: no updates

CPC: The CPA had a meeting.

  • The main item that was discussed is Wellington house on Trapelo Road. They approved $160,000 to complete house with the idea that the historical society would move there upon completion.
  • Paine estate completion around April- talked about doing landscape around there.
  • Future work to be done in city on historical housing. Survey was completed in October to move forward to evaluate work that needs to be done on historic houses in the city, mainly around Ellison Park.
  • There are legal matters pending at the Fernald School. 15 to 20 people that still live there have a law suit against the state for trying to vacate them. That is holding up the discussion about 200 acre lot at Fernald School.

Site Visit Report:

  • Waltham Watch Factory: Ms. Struz met with Erik Eckman. There needs to be a bit more spiffing up. The waddles are deflated and not overlapped. Erosion is going on from soil where the garage is going to be. Dumpsters not covered all of the time. The outhouse is not attached so someone could push it in the river. Mr. Eckman said work was done in the fall. He had the whole winter to make corrections and it has not been done. He assured that it will be done. Garage has not been started because they have figured out some issues with various soils. Noticed there are a number of trees taken down from the top of the rail trail from Elm Street by the car wash.

New Business:

  • Lot 67 316-028- Needs to file an order of conditions
  • Falzone Field Preconstruction meeting- left a message to come to a meeting.
  • New Meeting dates: Wed. March 27th and Thursday April 25th.
  • Election for officers and rep for CPC commission.

Currently:

Chair: Bill Doyle

Vice Chair: Lesya Struz

Secretary: Maureen Fowler

Mr. Dufromont made a motion to vote to reelect the current board. Ms. Struz seconded.

Motion passes.

  • CPC Election: Gerard Dufromont

Mrs. Fowler made a motion to reappoint Mr. Dufromont to one year position to board and Ms. Struz seconded.

Motion passes.

  • All elected officials have to do ethics quiz online.
  • There is a Public meeting on the Open meeting law from Attorney’s General’s Office on April 10, 2013.

A motion was made to adjourn meeting by Mrs. Fowler and seconded by Mr. Dufromont.

Meeting adjourned at 9:05pm.