The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTHE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS The CEIVED CFFICT of Reservations i C,7! >s Conserving the 1006 AUG 10 PH 1' 4 til Massachusetts Landscape Since 1891 1t01,TI i -% August 9, 2006 North Andover Planning Department 1600 Osgood Street North Andover, MA 01845 RE: Watershed Special Permit for Habitat Restoration at Weir Hill Dear Members of the Planning Board, The Trustees of Reservations is seeking a Watershed Special Permit to remove twenty (20) of the thirty-five(35) trees located in a 0.9 acre area within the Watershed Overlay District's 250-foot Non-Disturbance Buffer Zone (MAPI). In this area,most trees marked for removal are structurally compromised by scarring and are a significant safety hazard (Figure 1-2). Tree removal will also help control wildfire by reducing fuel loads and by improving fire-brakes. This thinning is part of a larger habitat restoration and wildfire management project that has been funded by the Massachusetts Wildlife and the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Programs, and has been endorsed by the North Andover Fire Department. Trees will be removed using a Timbco 830 harvester, typical forestry equipment designed to minimize soil compaction and disturbance. Best management practices (BMPs)will be followed and include: • No tree removal within 150-feet of the lake shore. • Erection of a silt fence across the project area's drainage—a narrow swale. • Abstention from our annual field-cutting within the Non-Disturbance Zone to further stabilize soils. In addition, a stone wall bounds the project's lower slope and acts as a natural erosion barrier and silt fence for work occurring outside the Non-Disturbance Zone(Figure X). Thinning will occur this fall, and will not significantly degrade the quality or quantity of water in or entering Lake Cochichewick. This is supported by the fact that the 0.9-acre area is topographically flat, and has an open canopy with well-established understory and stable soils. Following best management,practices, an erosion barrier will be erected across a narrow swale that drains the project area. The barrier will be reinforced with bales of salt marsh hay, a weed-free alternative to conventional hay bales. The total Northeast Regional Office Castle Hill • 290 Argilla Road * Ipswich,Massachusetts 01938-2647 TELEPHONE 978/356-4351 ® FACSIMILE 978/356-2143 EMAIL nereglon@ttor.org s www.thetrustees.org fS ti project area(0.9 acres)represents less than 3% of Weir Hill Reservation's total acreage within the 250-foot Non-Disturbance,Zone(32 acres). Project benefits include: - • Improved fire protection through expansion of existing openings and fuel reduction. • Enhanced public safety through removal of tree hazards • Enhancement of a rare natural community • Direct benefit to many barrens affiliates including the rare purple-needle-grass (Threatened),violet bush-clover(Watch-Listed),,frosted elfin(Special Concern); coastal plain euchlaena(Special Concern),prairie warbler(PIF -III), gray catbird(PIF-III), eastern towhee(PIF-III), brown thrasher, indigo bunting, and northern harrier(Threatened). As well bird's foot violet(Viola pedata),' scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia and Q.prinoides); and wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria). • Scenic and aesthetic improvements to the existing landscape as management will open vistas and expand the pitch pine savannah that graces the southeast slope of Weir Hill. Created to protect North Andover's sole source of drinking water,the Watershed Protection District also aims to conserve.the natural-environment, and protect the public health, safety and welfare (In 4.136, Section 1., (a), of the Zoning Bylaw). This project advances those latter two elements of the Zoning Bylaw, and will do so without impacting Lake Cochichewick water quality: Again we are requesting a Watershed Special Permit to remove twenty(20)trees from a 0.9 acre area within the 250-Non-Disturbance Zone. Due to the nature and scale of this project,The Trustees formally requests a waiver of the requirements for: a)professionally engineered plans; and b) $2,000-Outside Consultant Fee. Sincerely, r . Franz Ingel roger Northeast Regional Ecologist The Trustees of Reservations. i W,111'i ill, Town of North Andover Planni P Application for Watershed Special Per ,Lt.,t R rd is } Please type or print clearly. MASS O'" ; 1. Petitioner: The Trustees of Reservations Petitioner's Address:_290 Argilla Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938 Telephone number: 978-412-2569 2. Owners of the Land: The Trustees of Reservations Address: 290 Arni 1 l a Rd , Ti swi �h , MA 01938 Number of years of ownership: 38 years (since 19 6 8) 3. Year lot was created: Pre-1968 4. Is the lot currently on septic or sewer? No / Not Applicable (N/A) A) If on sewer,please provide date the sewer connection was completed: 5. Description of Proposed Project: Removal o f twentyam)d i sea e d & damaged treesfromthe Watershed Overlay District ' s 250-foot Non-Disturbance Zone. 6. Description of Premises: Weir Hill Reservation is a 194-acre natural area managed for conservation and recreation. The proposed project covers 0. 9 acresof relatively flat and open _terrain_with a well established undergrowth of shrubs , grasses , and broad-leaf plants. 7. Address of Property Being Affected Weir Hit ., Stevens qt- - Zoning tZoning District: R 2 Assessors: Map: -16 Lot# 8 Registry of Deeds: Book#: 1 1 2 9 Page#: 5 7 8. Existing Lot: Lot Area(Sq.Ft) 116 acres BuildingHeight N/A Street Frontage: 449 feet Side Setbacks: N/A Front Setback: N,1 A Rear Setback: N,/A Floor Area Ratio: N/A Lot Coverage: N�n 9. Proposed Lot(if applicable): N/A Lot Area(Sq.Ft) Building Height Street Frontage: Side Setbacks: Front Setback: Rear Setback: Floor Area Ratio: Lot Coverage: 10. Required Lot(as required by Zoning Bylaw): Lot Area(Sq.Ft) Building Height Street Frontage: Side Setbacks: Front Setback: Rear Setback: Floor Area Ratio: Lot Coverage: 11. Existing Building(if applicable): Ground Floor(Sq.Ft.) #of Floors: Total Sq.Ft. Height: Use: Type of Construction 12. Proposed Building: Ground Floor(Sq.Ft.) #of Floors: Total Sq.Ft. Height: Use: Type of Construction 13. Has there been a previous application for a Special Permit from the Planning Board on these premises? If so,when and for what type of construction? 14. Section of Zoning Bylaw that Special Permit Is Being Requested 4. 136: Watershed Protection District Section 3. , ( c) , ii . 15. Petitioner and Landowner signature(s): Every application for a Special Permit shall be made on this form which is the official form of the Planning Board. Every application shall be filed with the Town Clerk's office. It shall be the responsibility of the petitioner to furnish all supporting documentation with this application. The dated copy of this application received by the Town Clerk or Planning Office does not absolve the applicant from this responsibility. The petitioner shall be responsible for all expenses for filing and legal notification. Failure to comply with application requirements,as cited herein and in the Planning Board Rules and Regulations may result in a dismissal by the Planning B oard of this application as incomplete. Petitioner's Signature: /" ' L /n4 Ae Print or type name here: Inaelfinger , for TTOR Owner's Signature: V IV Print or type name here:Franz Ingelfinger for TTOR 16. Please list title of plans and documents you will be attaching to this application. P t - - `J�e&f- Arew,3 are S q /fieAb,,kie The Trustees of Reservations Memorandum To: North Andover Planning Department From: Franz Ingelfinger, The Trustees of Reservations Date: August 9, 2006 Subject: Certified List of Abutters for Watershed Special Permit Application Per our conversation with Planning Assistant Mary Ippolito,dated August 9,2006. The Trustees will be submitting a certified abutters list and appropriate mailing labels and postage as soon as the list is available from the North Andover Assessors Office. The Assessors Office was contacted on the morning of August 90'to initiate the compilation of an abutters list for the parcel affected by the proposed project: Map 36,lot 8. Thank ou, rJ Franz Ingelfinger Northeast Regional Ecologist The Trustees of Reservations 290 Argilla Road Ipswich, MA 01938 Map 1 : 0.9-Acre Project Area + • • • , . Ile ooH a N P f 250-Foot Buffer . • : � f v� 4 5 • '• + :• • • 150-Foot Buffer :r • • Legend Currently Mowed T o Be Thinned �1 To Be Cleared —• trails arc 0 125 250 375 500 t `` � ��. Potential Phase If Feet Expansion 'a CO) N W L C cu N Q (N (a — Q N 0) N c E cu N ` Ar O C O N co � CUAriL t'�x v r ; e t a { CoIM +� Y a f n yy�6S. i q I A {[( F 5 h t - . r W 1 w f w y h ~xrr * x,� re.`x \ /14i ., n ;� x »'7- k• .sic «' a• v w- y , A t , req r s , r Figure 2: The stone wall that bounds the lower slope of the larger restoration project. The stone wall is located approximately 300-feet from the shore of Lake Cochichewick, and functions as a natural erosion control barrier for work occurring outside the 250-foot Non-Disturbance Zone. r M — s M y 3;r t '.,. ��..x i ..,,► r"�• �,�' _��*< -rw � .* 1` Pr's '� � � "''" " ' '�,, � .:r �hk,«� �Y a{�� y yyyy Aw yM +,. 'y� �i�'+: `'`sy4 �`P,.✓y&i�, ;v.. 1. �i r$ -* >"+.r � „s.,rx r..,� �'•,a.',�" ��'�«.'�`s` 't -'Y�� 7"'T, Al "XII ,X } Ir Iv o ..�nv.cs..,aw �, Figure 3: Current conditions within the project area include an open-savannah-like setting. A well established understory of shrubs, grasses, and broad-leaf plants stabilize the soil. Note: Trees that will not be removed include pitch pines and those marked with orange tape. 1 w. r , e Q.Ar7V IS -411T ♦ww sus *- a ""3.� 00 74 A,71' i y ti • .. ar � R -` wap a '�'"' m '. �` t.^ � i`� t"+ s Figure 4: Current conditions within the project area include an open-savannah-like setting. A well established understory of shrubs, grasses, and broad-leaf plants stabilize the soil. Note: Trees that will not be removed include pitch pines and those marked with orange tape.