IWWC
Inland Wetland and Watercourse Commission
40 Old Farms Road, Willington, CT 06279
May 14, 2018
Meeting Minutes
Members Present:
Dave Schreiber – Chairman
Tess Gutowski – Co-Chairman
Mark Drobney
Patrick Lord
Members Absent:
Also Present:
Attorney Richard Roberts
Emily Perko
Public Hearing
D. Schreiber called the meeting to order at 7:00
W2018-9 Adopt Town of Willington Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Forest Practices Regulations
D.Schreiber entered the Legal Notice as Exhibit 1, the May 4, 2018 publication as Exhibit 2A and the May 11, 2018 publication as Exhibit 2B.
Brennan Sheehan, a Licensed Forester with Hill Forest products, was present. He asked if the proposed regulations had been given to CT DEEP and T. Gutowski said they have been submitted but the Commission has not heard back.
Mr. Sheehan said the regulations are hard to digest and expressed his concerns on the following; filing a separate permit from IWWC, the fees and costs to landowners to have a timbers harvest, buffer zones, Section 3.6 regarding slash, Bonding, required Certified Mailings, and the cost to seed the property. He said every harvest is a regeneration process and the Commission is regulating a process that is an agricultural process. Mr. Sheehan said he believes there will be $1000’s lost to the landowner with what is being proposed.
Mr. Sheehan expressed his concerns on the mapping size required and asked why comprehensive liability insurance was included. He asked why an email is required and questioned how people will comply with an electronic version. Mr. Sheehan said the previous system worked for Willington and questioned how the proposed changes are going to work. He said he thinks the regulations are terrible and the commission is over-regulating.
No further public comment. D. Schreiber closed the Public Hearing at 7:25.
Regular Meeting
T. Gutowski motioned to add W2018-9 Adopt Town of Willington Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Forest Practices Regulations to the agenda. P. Lord seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
W2018-9 Adopt Town of Willington Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Forest Practices Regulations
The Commission discussed fees, buffers, slash and stacking. A discussion was held on seeding and D. Schreiber said they would not expect the applicant to seed the entire project. A discussion was held on bonding and D. Schreiber said the regulations say “may require a bond”.
A discussion was held on section 3.3 Erosion and combining A and C. A discussion was held on buffers, slash, stacking, abutters, liability insurance, email and requiring an electronic version.
The Commission agreed to the following comments/revisions to the draft regulations to be discussed at the June 25, 2018 meeting:
1) pg 9, section 3.2 buffers. Change distance for (i ) delete 25 and insert 10.
2) pg 9, section 3.2 buffers. Change (iii ) to now read as follows: A buffer of a minimum of 10 feet in width from the edge of any existing public right of way.
3) pg 9, section 3.2 buffers. Tabled for discussion to the June 25 meeting (iv ) A buffer of a minimum of 50 feet in width along any watercourse.
4) pg 10, section 3.3 Erosion. Attorney Roberts to redraft sections a and c.
5) pg 11, section 3.6 Slash. Change b to read as follows: Slash shall be placed no closer than 10 feet from any boundary of an abutting property. If slash is to be stacked, it is not to exceed a height of six feet.
6) pg 16, section 5.3. Add to last sentence the following new sentence: However, the Commission may waive one or more of the foregoing requirements for good cause.
Minutes
P. Lord motioned to approve the minutes of 3/26/18. T. Gutowski seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
Correspondence
Letter from Robin McBreairty regarding her concerns on a logging company that was on her property
Meeting adjourned at 9:00.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michele Manas
Michele Manas
Recording Clerk