MINU=
TES
CONSERVA=
TION
COMMISSION/INLAND WETLANDS AGENCY
CONTINUA=
TION
OF PUBLIC HEARING
THURSDAY=
, AUGUST
9, 2007 - 7:00 P.M.
APPLICAT=
ION #591
– EVOW, LLC
HIGHVIEW
ESTATES
PRESENT: &nb=
sp; =
L=
ucia
DiBona
=
; &n=
bsp; =
; =
G=
len
Duplissie
=
; &n=
bsp; =
; &n=
bsp; =
; Donato Orsini, Vice Ch=
airman
=
; &n=
bsp; =
; &n=
bsp; =
; Joseph Polletta
=
&nb=
sp; =
;
=
&nb=
sp; =
&nb=
sp; James
Zawadzki, Chairman
ABSENT: =
; &n=
bsp; =
; =
Thomas
Murphy, Secretary
ALTERNATES PRESENT: =
; Scott
Marotta
ALTERNATES ABSENT: =
; <=
/span>Greg Hawes
OTHERS PRESENT: &n=
bsp; =
; Chuck
Berger, Town Engineer
&=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; Moosa
Rafey, Assistant Zoning Enforcement Officer
1. =
Call
Meeting To Order
Mr.
Zawadzki, Chairman, called the Public Hearing to order at 8:35 p.m.
2. &nb=
sp; Roll
Call
Mr.
Zawadzki, Chairman, executed the Roll Call.
Mr.
Zawadzki, Chairman, asked Mr. Marotta to sit in for Mr. Murphy, in his abse=
nce.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 2
3. =
Hearing
of Applications
&= nbsp; B. = Continuation of Public Hearing from July 19, 2007 - Application #591 of EVOW, LLC c/o Patrick Graziano for construction of Phase 3 of Highview Estates 8-lot residential subdivision located on Kimberly Lane and Pond View Drive, Watertown, CT.
&=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; Public
Hearing must be Closed by August 23, 2007.
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> Just a brief overview of this appli=
cation
to familiarize the Commission again with it. This is the third phase of a 3 phase
subdivision located on Pond View,
As
we discussed last month, we've been working with Town staff in an attempt to
eliminate some existing drainage problems that exist down near Route 63
primarily in the Burger King area. <=
/span>What
we originally proposed were the smaller water quality basins for our
development in an attempt to hopefully improve and reduce the drainage prob=
lems
in this down gradient area, we have proposed a very large detention basin w=
ith
water quality features. In
proposing this basin we have increased our upland activity, we're now propo=
sing
about 21,640 square feet of upland activity for this basin and about 140 li=
near
feet of impact to an intermittent watercourse. This basin however does significan=
tly
reduce the drainage going down to or the potential flooding going down towa=
rds Burger
King in upwards of 38% to 30% on the various storm events. When we presented this at the last
meeting it was our understanding that I guess the final issues with this
subdivision remained with Mr. Berger and we believe we have resolved all his
issues as we resolved Land Tech's issues before that. If the Commission has any question=
s regarding
the application, I'd be happy to answer them now.
Mr. Zawadzki: Yea, I see from Mr. A=
llen's,
Land Tech' s letter dated July 19th, he is satis=
fied
with the revisions you've made. Chuck
how do you feel?
Mr. Berger: (Inaudible) to me tonight but as we=
've
noted over the course of this public hearing we're working very closely with
the applicant's engineer in attempting to reduce the downstream flooding as=
Ted
mentioned in the Burger King parking lot area. (Inaudible) last meeting the appli=
cant
further adjusted the proposed detention basin and incorporated storm water
quality improvements into that basin and at this point in time I have no
objections to you closing this Public Hearing.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 3
I
will be continuing to review this application through the Planning and Zoni=
ng
process and as the applicant is analyzing the downstream system through the
Burger King, not necessarily to do any works of improvement down there but =
to
see exactly what this project will do to, how it will affect the flooding d=
own
there. As Ted said, it is red=
ucing
the peak flows (inaudible) what does that mean as far as drainage going dow=
n into
the Burger King lot, we'll be looking at that, so the Commission can rest a=
ssured
that through that process I will be doing a detailed review (inaudible)
adequate and should there be any changes, which I don't expect at this time=
, they'll
have to come back before this Commission.&=
nbsp;
I have no objections.
Mr. Duplissie: Also, aren't you clear=
ing,
there is a drainage swale of some sort that you're picking up about the Bur=
ger
King?
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> Yes, that was presented at last mon=
th's
meeting. There is an existing
drainage swale that has become less functional I guess due to non-maintenan=
ce
and sub siltation. What we're
proposing is two small activities within that swale to essentially bring it
back to its existing state, to help convey that water away and help allevia=
te
any flooding issues. As you c=
an see
those two activities shown here in the circles are significantly north of o=
ur
proposed activity and well outside our proposed development, however we feel
that this will help in working with the Town to alleviate drainage with use=
of
our increased basin size, we thought this would be a benefit to the neighbo=
rs
of the south and to the west.
Mr. Zawadzki: That's
Mr. Crawford: Yes,
Mr. Duplissie: And you're going to ac=
cess
those two points at the corner of
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> Yes.
Mr. Duplissie: It's pretty much a fie=
ld in
there, isn't it? It's not for=
ested.
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> No, it's really an overgrown field,
exactly. This area appears to=
have
been somewhat of a cultivated farm field or an orchard of some kind, many w=
heel
and drainage ditches that were dug by the previous farmer I think and we
anticipate using a small excavator to essentially go in and reshape the ber=
ms.
Mr. Duplissie:<=
/b> You're going to make a beeline pat=
h to
those two areas and then work your way back out?
Mr. Crawford: Essentially it would be the same a= ctivity as if you went in to do a test pit for a septic system,= the small machine would go in and do the work, a lot of hand work as well.<= o:p>
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 4
Mr. Polletta: Is that where the det=
ention
pond will be located?
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> No.
Mr. Polletta: I don't understand, w=
hen
you come up Belden Street there won't be any construction over there, all t=
he
water is still going to go down?
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> No.
Well right, it will maintain existing drainage patterns. What had happened was there was an
existing swale that came down from north to south and over the years the sw=
ale
became compromised by siltation and we're just going to return that back to=
its
. . . . .
Mr. Polletta: But by doing that you=
're
saying you're reducing by 30% in the Burger King parking lot?
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> No, this will help to alleviate the
drainage to these people located on the corner of
Mr. Duplissie: Two different areas of
drainage, two different problems.
Mr. Polletta: <=
/b> I understand, I brought up the fact=
about
Burger King originally but I thought it was coming from that watercourse up=
on
top, downstream. Okay.
Mr. Rafey: We received another
application from the owner of
Mr. Duplissie: Is that gentleman here
now? Is it the same activity?=
Yes or no?
Terry Meyers, Professional Engineer and Land
Surveyor
Mr. Meyers: Well I haven't seen t=
he
plan, but Moosa and I discussed this the other day and he thought it was the
same activity. We're trying to
clean out the channels for Mrs. Gibbs who has an issue because the existing
swale has built up with silt over many years.
Mr. Duplissie: I think they're taking
care of it. If they're taking=
care
of it then we don't need to . . . .
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 5
Perly Grimes, Attorney Representing Applicant
Atty. Grimes: =
I represent the applic=
ant on
this public hearing. I just
wondered if we could have the gentleman to my left identify himself, althou=
gh
some of you know him apparently.
Mr. Meyers: Terry Meyers,
and I'm here with Atty. Mahaney.
Mr. Zawadzki: As soon as the public
participation opens up, you can look at this and comment at that time and t=
hen
we can clear up the question of whether it's the same or not. Is that the extent of your present=
ation?
Mr. Crawford: <=
/b> Yes, I would be happy to answer que=
stions. Do you have any questions of the
engineer?
Mr. Zawadzki: Now it's our turn.
Atty. Grimes: <=
/b> I just want to make a remark before=
the
applicant (inaudible). As you=
know
this application started out, we had a public hearing in June and another o=
ne
in July. Throughout the whole
process there has been a review by Land Tech, their consultants that allude=
d to
one of their reports. Their r=
eports
are very positive with this. =
We
worked very hard with Chuck Berger and Land Tech to address all of the issu=
es,
we think we've addressed all of the issues, and my request of your this
evening, I think probably we will close the public hearing on this particul=
ar
application, I don't think it should be intertwined with another application
that comes before you subsequent to that and what I would suggest is that we
would like to close the public hearing this evening and ask you if you coul=
d,
because we're going to have a Planning and Zoning Meeting I think next week,
August 15th, in the meeting portion of your agenda for this evening if you
could perhaps determine this application tonight that would be very helpful=
to
us. Thank you very much.
Mr. Rafey: I need some clarifica=
tion
because if this is the same area that we are talking about, I may ask the o=
ther
applicant to withdraw the second application.
Mr. Duplissie: When we go into break =
they
can talk to each other before we start our next public hearing.
Mr. Zawadzki: As soon as we open up=
the
public hearing he can look at it and tell us. At this point I'll open it up to t=
he public. Any comments form the public on th=
is
application?
Mr. Meyers: Basically it appears that this is t=
he
swale you're picking up, the blue line, and you're bringing it into the
drainage system on
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 6
Mr. Crawford: No, we're just continuing it (inau=
dible)
it flows naturally on this side.
Mr. Meyers:=
It flows naturally and then it gets
picked up into a culvert which then, see what's been happening is this thing
has been overflowing and going down Mrs. Gibbs' driveway which this is her
house here and this is her driveway that comes off of Belden Street, comes =
down
and through here and goes out onto Main Street and what's been happening is
this has been overflowing and coming down and eroding her gravel drive, and
Atty. Mahaney's I guess are you a trustee?
Atty. Mahaney: My client.
Mr. Meyers: His client owns the property that y=
ou are
apparently working on and Mrs. Gibbs wrote him a letter as the owner and sa=
id
you need to fix this drainage swale so that's why we made an application, we
met with Mrs. Gibbs on the site, saw what the issue was and made an applica=
tion
to correct the situation. Tha=
t's
what we were here for. Then M=
oosa
mentioned it later on after we applied that this might be the same thing th=
at's
already the subject of an application.
Mr. Zawadzki: Okay, well you stated=
your
case and you got the drawing there, if you have any more questions I guess =
you
could consult with them during our Recess and decide what you want to do wi=
th
your application. Any other comments from the public on Application #591?
Mr. Crawford: =
I'd like to address th=
at one
applicant. I personally did n=
ot
walk the swale, Ted Hardt from my office walked it with Mr. Berger and they
noted these areas in the field. Now
the maps might be close to each other, I'm not exactly sure where they're p=
roposing
it so at this time we'll probably just remain ours, we could work with them
obviously to see if the repairs are in the same location. It looks like they're close but I =
can't
exactly say for sure at this point.
MOTION:<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> (Mr. =
Duplissie,
sec. Mr. Polletta) to Close the Public Hearing f=
or
App. #591 of EVOW, LLC c/o Patrick
Graziano for construction of Phase 3 of Highview Estates 8-lot residential
subdivision located on
Discussi=
on: =
; None
MOTION P=
ASSED
UNANIMOUSLY
&nbs=
p; Public
Hearing Closed at 8:53 p.m.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION/INLAND WETLAND AGENCY
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
APPLICATION #591 - EVOW, LLC, HIGHVIEW ESTATES
AUGUST 9, 2007
PAGE 7
&nbs=
p; Mr.
Zawadzki, Chairman, Called a 10 minute Recess at 8:53 p.m.
Respect=
fully
submitted,
Thomas
Murphy, Secretary
Conserv=
ation
Commission/
&nbs=
p; _________________=
_________________
&nbs=
p; Lynn
M. LaForme, Minutes Secretary