The Falmouth Conservation Commission MEETING MINUTES - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018 Selectmen s Meeting Room, Falmouth Town Hall, 7:00 p.m. Present: Absent: Jamie Mathews, Vice-Chair Betsy Gladfelter Maurie Harlow-Hawkes Courtney Bird Steve Patton Mark Gurnee, Alternate Kevin O Brien, Alternate Jennifer McKay, Administrator Brendan Lynch, Agent Mary Schumacher, Chair, Peter Walsh, Alternate, Kristin Alexander Mr. Mathews: opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. VOTE MINUTES 12/5/2018 Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Move to adopt the minutes as corrected. Mr. Patton: Second. REQUESTS FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY Carolyn Partan, 30 Westwood Road, North Falmouth, MA For permission to remove six trees along foundation of home, replant with native species and perform invasive species removal. Mr. Lynch: Jurisdiction: within 100-ft resource area buffer to coastal beach, coastal bank, flood zone VE 18/AE 15. Staff met onsite with Theresa Sprague to review the proposed removal of trees and invasive species. The property is heavily vegetated and has had several permits in the past for invasive management and vista pruning. All permits have been complied with and no issues have been recorded. There is a proposed removal of six heavily pruned cedars within 10 of the dwelling. Inkberry holly had been planted against the deck in the past. There is a proposed relocation to where the cedars are being removed. They will add 4 Bayberry and 6 arrowwood viburnum to the area where the cedars are removed. They will selectively cut, treat and remove the small shrub honeysuckle that is overtaking the area. No stump removal is proposed. The stumps are to be flush cut and roots allowed to biodegrade. Staff recommends a negative 2 (under the State and bylaw). Resource area boundaries are not confirmed by this RDA. Ms. Gladfelter: Move to accept staff s recommendation. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Where is the honeysuckle that is being moved? Mr. Lynch: By the deck. 1
CONTINUED REQUESTS FOR DETERMINATION OF APPLICABILITY Donna Sbardella, 38 Deer Run Lane, North Falmouth, MA For permission to expand existing deck, construct an addition over existing porch, install mitigation plantings for after-the-fact approval of unpermitted patio. Mr. Lynch: The applicant has requested a continuance until December 19, 2018. Ms. Gladfelter: At the request of the applicant I move to continue the hearing until December 19, 2018. REQUESTS FOR NOTICE OF INTENT Dana Rodin, Quissett Harbor Preservation Trust, Inc. (c/o Salt Pond Bird Sanctuaries, Inc.), Quissett Harbor Road (Map 48-03-001B-003), Falmouth, MA For permission to dismantle and reconstruct two sections of revetment in same footprint and install 18-ft of fiber rolls on an eroding section of coastal bank. Ms. McKay: No comment at this time. Johnny Packard (FOTH) This is the rehabilitation of an existing stone revetment at the Knob. In order to maintain the structure repairs have been done, but there is significant settlement on the south side. It is an eroded coastal bank and is threatening the integrity of the stairs. The plan is to remove and replace the stones above the tide line. It was built from the bottom up. We would prefer to stay on the top of the bank, but the Preservation Trust would prefer we stay on the beach. There will be a temporary road for access that will be removed at conclusion. The toe stones will be removed and replaced as needed. The Quissett Harbor House parking lot will be the staging area. We will establish a sustainable path for future maintenance needs. We propose to widen the paths by 20-ft. After construction both sides will be re-vegetated (Woods Hole Group) and allowed to grow back. The first 550-ft plus 220-ft will be re-planted with 1 Junipers. The coastal bank will be planted with beach grass to establish an area on the bank and the stabilization of the bank. The access will be restored. Resource areas include: land under the ocean, coastal bank, rocky intertidal. Ms. McKay: Are you saying that you may be utilizing the same toe stones? Mr. Packard: Wherever we can maintain them, we will. Any chink stones we will replace. Ms. McKay: Do you know how large the older stones are? Mr. Packard: No. We have sized the rocks according to our calculations. The wall will be rebuilt in a way so that we won t have to come back and rebuild it in a few years. Ms. McKay: How will you do that with different sizes? Mr. Packard: If it s usable we will use it, if otherwise, we will remove it. Ms. McKay: Have you addressed the concerns in the DMF letter? Mr. Packard: If you mean the winter flounder, then yes. Ms. McKay: They also want you to work from the upland as much as possible. Mr. Packard: Because it s a rocky intertidal area we have to dig in. Basically it will be a small strip. We would love to work from the top but it has more impact. Ms. McKay: Instead of adding rocks, is there anything else you can do. Mr. Packard: It s pretty shallow to get a barge out there. Ms. McKay: Have you considered putting matting or floats there that heavy machinery could be on? Mr. Packard: I don t know if that has been considered. Ms. Gladfelter: The Army does things like that all the time. Mr. Packard: I ve never seen this in my experience but I ll talk to the contractor and see if they can 2
do that. In some places we only have 4 or 5 inches at high tide. Ms. McKay: Can you go back and talk to the contractor about a different construction method in shallow areas. This type of construction has worked in shallow areas before. Ms. Gladfelter: I have access concerns. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: I looked at the old Orders and all have soundings on their plans. Marsh grass, if there is any, should be on the plan. It should be the same there when the project is done. Mr. Packard: Do you mean a hydro-survey? Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Yes, we used to ask for them and they were helpful. You don t have land containing shellfish or eel grass on the plan. Mr. O Brien: You are looking at not having to go back here for a long time. Are you confident that the 50-60-ft gap is a good area to work in? Mr. Bird: I think it s a typo but you have the flood going out and the ebb tide coming in. I don t think you mean that. Mr. Packard: I see. I will correct that. Mr. Patton: What is the 560-ft connection? Mr. Packard: I m requesting to widen 220-ft by 20ft. It will grow in over the years. Mr. Patton: Does it come out around the staircase? Mr. Packard: Just east of the staircase. Mr. Patton. You will restore the 20-ft after construction? Mr. Walsh: How many toe stones are embedded? Mr. Packard: 12 6 ½-ft wide. About 60. Mr. Gurnee: In cross-section DD, you show coir logs. It s steeper than 1 to 1. Mr. Packard: It s vertical now. Mr. Gurnee: If the sand is wiped out in the front the coir logs will be fully exposed. Mr. Packard: We will try to avoid cutting into that. Mr. Gurnee: The sand will wash out. Mr. Packard: In March, we will place some sand there and re-vegetate it over the spring and summer. Mr. Gurnee: Beach grass will not stay there. Mr. Packard: We ll put something more substantial there. Mr. Gurnee: Re the 20-ft swath, will you have temporary water there for the plants? Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Did CZM weigh in? Ms. McKay: They would if we asked. We can request that they do. The replanting of section A put lots of beach grass there, fill over the stones and plant the grass. Mr. Packard: We can put a splash pad there so the grass stays where it is. Ms. McKay: What if people walk over it? Mr. Packard: There will be a splash pad there. Mr. Gurnee: If you use coir logs at 1 ½ to 1 slope and pre-plant them, it is likely to last long. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: You should have soundings where you re going to work. Locate the salt marsh on the harbor side. Discuss reducing the construction of the road in the shallower area. Have a discussion with CZM. Re-vegetate with other than American Beach Grass. No black oaks. Ms. Gladfelter: At the request of the applicant s representative I move to continue the hearing until January 9, 2019. 3
VOTE ORDER OF CONDITIONS Karen Munroe, 26 Ferry Road, E. Falmouth, MA (12/19/18) Quorum: Mark, Steve, Jamie, Betsy, Maurie, Kevin, Courtney Ms. McKay: Dock will be in the previously approved configuration. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: They will put in cedars. Ms. Gladfelter: Do we have an updated plan? Ms. McKay: No. Ms. Gladfelter: The cedars will be planted between the house and the water. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: There will be four trees and one will be on the coastal bank. Ms. McKay: Do you want the trees put back? Ms. Gladfelter: Yes. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Yes. They are not to plant a black oak white or red. Ms. Gladfelter: Move to adopt the Order of Conditions as discussed. Paul & Patricia Hogan, 112 Racing Beach Avenue, Falmouth, MA (12/19/18) Quorum: Mark, Steve, Jamie, Betsy, Maurie, Kevin, Courtney Mr. Mathews: Do we have a DEP #? There is to be no mortaring the seawall. Staff is to meet on site after the invasive removal. Ms. Gladfelter: The plan shows the patio here they will remove and replant and come back in the path. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: There will be 186 shrubs planted in over 6,000-sq.ft. That doesn t work. We need more plantings; no mattings; no mortaring; more small cedars. Ms. Gladfelter: Move to adopt the Order of Conditions as discussed. OTHER BUSINESS Ms. McKay: I went out to Menauhant Beach on Friday to see the erosion. Ms. McKay showed pictures to the Board members. There is a line of rocks exposed. The fence was in front of the dune. You can see the old road now. The DPW removed some of the road. We need to protect the parking lot in the winter. There are 4 different projects the beach Superintendent maintains the parking lot, a sacrificial dune will be installed, there will be beach nourishment, but not on this side of Menauhant. Now they can nourish the other side because of the bridge widening project. The Menauhant Beach study done by Applied Coastal just approved allowing a sacrificial dune in the parking areas. They will come back with an amendment to complete the dredge permit. Ms. Gladfelter: They will put sand on the inland side to build up the beach again? Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: Is the sand from the NOAA dredging? Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: We have to protect the road. Will things go right back into the Pond? Mr. O Brien asked a question on an object in a photo. Ms. McKay: It s the old bridge for the old road. There will soon be an NOI to study the west side of Menauhant Beach. 4
Mr. O Brien: Every piece of property has small piles of rocks going out (groins). If they continue to put sand there we ll need a couple of jetties to keep the sand there. Ms. Gladfelter: There is a jetty proposed for the new bridge. Ms. McKay: There are different alternatives from Applied Coastal to add structures. They may or may not be allowed. Ms. Gladfelter: Sandwich has been putting millions of dollars worth of sand to save their beaches and the sand is eroding, but the beach on the Sagamore side has grown out a mile. Ms. Harlow-Hawkes: How much sand will be put there? Ms. McKay: We don t know yet. It will be the sand from Rand s Canal. Mr. Mathews: No grain requirements? Ms. McKay: No. The beach nourishment part has to go under an amendment. Mr. Bird: Is this a long term solution by Applied Coastal? Mr. Bird: It s kind of a band aid on a mortal wound. Ms. Gladfelter: Move to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:04 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Cronin, Recording Secretary Board will consider any matters not reasonably anticipated by the Chair. 5