Conservation Commission — 2016-05-05
Minutes
CITY OF MELROSE CONSERVATION COMMISSION City Hall, 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Telephone - (781) 979-4312 Fax - (781) 979-4290 Melrose Conservation Commission Minutes for May 5, 2016 Present: Susan Murphy, Zachary Drench, Aaron Weieneth, Richard Doucette and Kate Hickey Absent: Michael Paiewonsky, Kevin Anderson Ms. Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Minutes: Motion by Mr. Drench to approve the minutes from April 7, 2016. Mr. Weieneth seconded the motion and it was voted 5-0 in favor. Discussion Items: 69 Cranmore Lane- The property owner, Harold Delaney was present to discuss plans to remove an existing in-ground (Gunite) pool from his property. He has already obtained a permit from the building department and would also like to add some fill to the rear corner of his yard and place some large boulders there also. He informed the commission that his landscaper instructed him to present his plans to the commission for approval. Ms. Murphy- Owner should hire a wetland scientist to flag the wetlands boundary to determine the exact distance of proposed work from property line. Afterwards, schedule a site visit for staff and commission members to see the exact location of where the fill and boulders would go. The project will need to file a notice of intent and the site will either need to have a survey map created or a current mortgage survey plan could be used if you have it. The next meeting is June 2 and the deadline for a legal ad for that meeting would be May 19. Melrose Master Plan Update- Erin Zwirko from the Melrose planning department was present to provide additional information on progress and to solicit comments from the Commission. A new master plan is expected by late 2016, it is a multi-component guidance document that is typically updated every 10-15 years and is aimed to closely incorporate elements from the open space and recreation plan (updated in 2015) into a more comprehensive plan. At the moment, the City is looking to identify any gaps in the current and previous plans and address them in the new one, which is expected to be released early this fall. Some topics to be explored include energy efficiency goals, better land use options including possible conservation land acquisition funding sources such as the adoption of the Community Preservation Act (CPA). The master plan can be a tool to introduce or start a conversation on specific topics such as pond eutrophication, overall water quality, artistic and educational events, sustainability and trail management. A formal trail stewardship program could be suggested that could make Melrose trail network for prominent and or visible. An expanded recycling program could potentially address issues with plastic shopping bags litter. It could also reflect that there is overall citywide support for educational components being tied into the trail network like outdoor classrooms. Any feedback on what is missing or needs to be highlighted in the current plans is encouraged from the Commission. Ponds Treatment- Conservation staff shared a copy of the proposal from Solitude Lake Management (formerly Aquatic Control Technologies) with the Commission. Staff has reviewed previous treatment and informed the Commission that the last water quality test results on file are from 2008. A more holistic treatment plan should be explored to address what could be going on in the ponds rather than the current reactionary treatment proposal. The proposal has been approved by the Commission pending additional water quality testing, more detailed treatment reports and split budget between this fiscal year and the next fiscal year. A single phosphorus test for Towners pond and Swains pond will be required, along with a pre-treatment and post-treatment test for phosphorous from Ell pond. This should help better identify the effectiveness of the current treatment plan. Motion by Mr. Doucette to accept the proposal from Solitude Lake Management, pending additional testing. Mr. Weieneth seconded the motion and it was voted 5-0 in favor. House Bill 3906 Letter- Staff prepared a letter for review for the Commission to voice support for amendments suggested by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) regarding House bill 3906. The proposed bill is too ambiguous on the issue of access to conservation funds. The proposed MACC amendments would remove the ambiguous text and preserve Commission discretion over conservation funds and ensure that they can only be used for activity related to enforcing the wetlands protection act. Motion by Mr. Doucette to approve the letter in support of MACC amendments. Mr. Weieneth seconded the motion and it was voted 5-0 in favor. Community Preservation Act- Ms. Murphy has begun working on a grass roots movement for getting a CPA ballot measure. Signatures from 5% of the registered voters needed to get it on the ballot this year. Question on whether it is better to wait until next year or try for this year. Healthy Melrose Table- Ms. Murphy will be at the table for the day (10:30-1:30). She is looking for any other members who are interested in joining her. Proposed Trail Rules- A public hearing will be advertised for the June 2 meeting to gather any public input on new rules and regulations before they are formally adopted. A copy of the proposed rules will be posted on the city conservation website for inspection. Trail Clean up- A trail clean-up will be scheduled for Sunday, June 5. Meet at Flagg Acres parking area (time TBA). Outdoor Classroom- The Hoover school PTA held a clean-up and refreshed the classroom area with crushed stone that was delivered by the Commission and the Melrose DPW. The PTA also blocked the ATV access entrance with some of the old stumps and some stones. Next Meeting: The next scheduled meeting will be Thursday, June 02, 2016 at 7:30 PM. Adjourn At 9:15 PM Mr. Doucette moved to adjourn, seconded by Ms. Murphy and it was voted 5-0 in favor. ____________________________ _________________ Approved Date. Pursuant to the ‘Open Meeting Law, ‘ G.L. 39, 23B, the approval of these minutes by the Commission constitutes a certification of the date, time and place of the meeting, the members present and absent, and the actions taken at the meeting. Any other description of statements made by any person, or the summary of the discussion of any matter, is included for the purpose of context only, and no certification, express or implied, is made by the Commission as to the completeness or accuracy of such statements.