WESTFIELD – Despite COVID challenges, the Conservation Commission has held regular virtual meetings to review notices of intent and requests for determination of building projects falling under the Wetlands Protection Act. On Aug. 17, several such projects were approved by the Commission.
Andrew Liptak received approval to build a single-family home at 0 City View Road utilizing an existing gravel driveway within the 200 foot riverfront area to the Little River.
Ryan Nelson of R. Levesque Assoc., who was joined by Liptak, said the property across the street from the Little River is currently an agricultural field. He said there is a single entrance crossing through the riverfront area to get to the upland site for the house.
Nelson said all of the wetland boundaries to the river and a perennial stream were previously determined in a request before the commission. He said the driveway will impact the riverfront area as little as possible, and they will be incorporating a grass swale with stone dams to manage the stormwater.
An identified neighbor on Alexander Place called into the meeting to say her property abuts 0 City View. She said her only concern was if there would be an additional build beyond the house and garage in the plans. Liptak said he had no plans to build in the rear of the property.
Conservation Coordinator Meredith Borenstein said she thought it was a good site for a single family home. She said her only concern was slope washing out during construction of the driveway, and suggested use of an erosion control blanket, which Nelson called a “viable and reasonable request.”
The Commission also proposed that the strip of land separating the east side of the driveway from the buffer zone not be mowed. Liptak said the riverfront area, currently a mown field, will also revert to an open field. The notice of intent was approved with conditions, which included a pre-construction meeting with Borenstein.
A request for determination for a patio installation on 60 Lewis Road within the buffer zone to Buck Pond was also approved.
Sergiy Suprunchuk said he wanted to put down concrete behind his deck for a table and grill. Currently, he said the highly trafficked area is open dirt. He said he did not plan to excavate the dirt, but to pour a thin two-inch layer of concrete on top of it, or use pre-made pavers, whichever would be preferred by the commission. The area is fenced in, with a slope beyond it leading to Buck Pond.
The plan was approved for pavers, as recommended by the Commission, with a two-foot buffer inside the fence for plantings to catch water.
Final approval was also given to Philip and Katia Ball for installation of a dock on Horse Pond, which had been continued from the previous meeting on July 28 to hear from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding Chapter 91 approval of the dock.
In the previous meeting, Ball said he is in a wheelchair, and wanted to build a ramp with concrete supports to a dock on the pond.
Borenstein said she had done a site visit, and that it was a good location, and no trees or shrubs would be removed. She said there is a beach on the pond, and neighbors on both sides had docks.
At Monday’s meeting, Borenstein said she had communicated with a representative of the Department of Envorinmental Protectio, who said their approval did not inhibit the commission from issuing a permit. She said any time there’s a dock, the DEP has to issue a separate permit.
The Commission approved the request with the conditions that the work start date be communicated to Borenstein, and that five native shrubs be planted by the pond and installed by the fall of the year that the dock is constructed.
