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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988_07_21 Conservation Advisory Commission Minutes C C 0 . - ittet"4 Town of Mamaroneck QCj 11�,c�occ0 Conservation Advisory Commission r PntoNuc.. 0 rarg141 Area Code 914 740 West Boston Post Road .381 6133 Mamaroneck, N. Y. 10543 MINUTES JULY 21, 1988 A regular meeting of the Conservation Advisory Commission (CAC) was held on Thursday, July 21, 1988, in Conference Room A, at the Town Center, 740 West Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck, New York. The meeting commenced at 8:05 PM. Members Present: Robert Komitor, Chairman Charles Bernstein Elinor Fredston Steven Goldstein Jane Moss Jim Santos Phyllis Wittner Others Present: Bonnie Burdick, Larchmont Reservoir Committee Robert Hohberg, Water Monitoring Consultant P. Thomas Leddy, Beartification Director Claudia Ng, Environmental Coordinator Barbara Cleary, Recording Secretary Administrative Matters Approval of Minutes - The minutes for the meeting of June 30, 1988 were approved with a correction on page 3. Next Meeting - has been scheduled for August 18, 1988. CAC Duties -- Subcommittees - Robert Komitor requested that all Commission members give consideration as to which subcommittees they would like to serve on and inform Claudia Ng at or before next eeting. Some 47 members have already stated their preferences. Steven dstein would like to serve on a subcommittee which concerned legal and legislative areas, Charlie Bernstein volunteered to cover harbor pollutioh, and Jim Santos requested to serve on the subcommittee which concerned itself with maps and inventory. Mr. Komitor reported that he has not yet received any response to his letter to the Village of Mamaroneck regarding the appointment of a liaison and new member. He is thinking of proposing Joan Heilman. -- CAC minutes - 7/21/88 Environment Premium Conservation Area - Phyllis Wittner stated her concern for the Premium Conservation Area and advised the Commission of factors which are leading to deterioration of the area. Mrs. Wittner said the area has been used as a dumping ground and she cited several other vigttions including abandoned cars behind the marshes, vandalism by neighborhood children, and numerous illegally parked cars. Ms. Wittner requested the CAC to inspect the area and offer advice as to how to resolve some of the problems and to return it to looking like a conservation area. Ms. Ng has already written two memorandums to the Police Department asking for better parking enforcement, but the problem persists. People living on Hansen Hill, driveway, use the Premium Conservation Area entrance for access, especially during the winter. Mr. Leddy pointed out that Hansen Hill is a private driveway for those residents. Mr. Hohberg told the Commission that he visits the area two or three times a year with his classes and has noticed encroachment and "ski jumps." Mr. Leddy added that dumpings are often thrown over the end of their backyards. Jane Moss suggested writing a letter to local residents asking for cooperation. The possibility of putting the local children to work on beautifying the area was also discussed. Robert Komitor stated that each Commission member will inspect the area off Dillon Road and suggested that the Town should consider having a survey made to identify encroachments. Trappings - Steven Goldstein reported that Suffolk county had passed a law which prohibits trapping. However, the Supreme Court had overruled Suffolk County's ban. Mr. Goldstein passed out copies of this decision adding that he believed that in order to justify a municipality's jurisdiction on this issue the municipality must stick to safety reasons. Robert Hohberg said the existence of Town law prohibiting trapping in the conservation areas should be posted all at the conservation areas. The • Chairman requested Ms. Ng to provide him with copies of the Town law regarding conservation areas and the citation in the McKinney's Consolidated • Laws of New York Annotated saying municipality cannot post. Inventory of Streamside Properties - At the request of the Commission, Claudia Ng brought maps which revealed vacant lots and estates. The data for these maps were collected in the summer of 1984, therefore many lots could have been developed since that time. Mary Anne Johnson would like the Commission to consider taking steps to protect vacant areas which are adjacent to Wetlands or Conservation Areas from further development. Mr. Hohberg suggested a manual be used to instruct residents how to preserve streamsides and Mrs. Johnson volunteered to work on it. Mrs. Fredston stressed that the Commission should concentrate on the preservation of the Bonnie Briar property and take steps in the initial stages to prevent development. Ms. Ng was asked to give the Commission an update as to which large parcels of land are still undeveloped. Hemlock Blight - Ms. Ng reported that Ms. Johnson wanted to inform the Commission of the county wide blight on Hemlocks and would like the CAC to consider recommendations. Mr. Leddy recommended Cygan to control the scale which are destroying the trees. Hilltop Road - Mr. Komitor reported that there were 2 instances of tree snatching on Hilltop. CAC minutes - 7/21/88 Mr. Leddy informed the Commission that Mr. & Mrs. Livingston of 3 Hilltop Road deliberately encroached upon the conservation area, installed plantings and ignored the CAC recommendations. Mr. Leddy said he will inform Edward Lieberman and inform the Commission at next meeting. Griffen Avenue - There has been no update on this project since the last meeting. Development Projects WHS Harbor - Mr. Komitor and Mr. Bernstein were not able to attend the meeting concerning this development. Two letters have been sent to the Village of Mamaroneck's Planning Board requesting additional information but neither have received a response. David's Island - Ms. Fredston reported on a New York Times editorial dated 7/21/88 which addressed the concerns of those who oppose the development and compared it to taking 80 acres of Central Park. Water Courses and Water Bodies Water Monitoring - East Creek - Mr. Hohberg explained the findings of his research which monitored the levels of coliform and fecal counts at several important areas of East Creek. Mr. Hohberg instructed that the level of bacteria coliform reaching 2,400/100 ml closes the beach. In his 1984 study of East Creek, he reported a coliform count of 24,000/100 nil and a fecal count of 16,000/100 ml at Depot Way. This year Hohberg measured 110,000 coliforms and 46,000 fecal at the same place. He believes there are illegal sewer connections in that area. Mr. Hohberg found a large increase in coliform and fecal count between station 1 and station 2 which is at Nassau Road and Boston Post Road. Station 2 (Post Road) exhibited a coliform count of 920,000/100 ml and a fecal count of 240,000/100 ml. Mr. Hohberg immediately notified NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) local office in White Plains. Mr. Hohberg said the station in Larchmont Harbor has decreased in coliform and fecal count since he last tested the area in 1984 (from 5,400 to 2,000 each) . He attributes this to renovated pipes. The waters around Cedar Island also exhibited good counts, as did Spanish Cove and the first outfall pipe downstream from the Hommocks' outfall. But the most dangerous area is the East Creek; 33 meters downstream from the Post Road outfall, Mr. Hohberg found a coliform count of 1,600,000/100 ml. Severe storms on July 12 might have contributed to the excessively high counts. Mr. Hohberg explained that heavy rains causes a flushing effect which is then compounded by an incoming tide, which concentrates the contamination in the East Creek. The halocline (where saltwater meets freshwater) is 99 meters downstream from the Post Road. Mr. Hohberg noted that he also checked the new Volvo outlet at the request of the CZMC, but found no oil and low coliform counts. Mr. Goldstein suggested examining further upstream, p st Thompson Street, but Mr. Hohberg said he doesn't know where the undergrore.-piped stream goes from there. Mr. Leddy said he would try to find out for him, noting that he knows of a new pump station at Baldwin Street. -3- CAC minutes 7/21/88 r . Mr. Hohberg's research revealed that there might be sewer lines connected directly into East Creek between the Larchmont railroad station and Boston Post Road and that the pump stations are not up to par. Mr. Komitor said the Commission will follow up on Mr. Hohberg's findings and will try to find methods of correcting the problem. Contour Map of Waterways - Ms. Ng informed the Commission that Steve Altieri, Administrator will write a letter to the Bonnie Briar Country Club requesting permission to access the property for the contouring map project. He will inform the Commission as to Bonnie Briar's response. Solid Waste Disposal Public Re-education about Recycling- Elinor Fredston reported that she spoke to Mike Witsch in regard to making a video about recycling at the High School. She said that she was enthusiastic about the project and the details will be discussed in the fall. Plastics-Update - The Suffolk County Plastics Law will be discussed at the next meeting. Mr. Goldstein distributed copies of the law to Commission Members. Communications to the Commission Woodside Association - Mr. Komitor received a call from Mr. Rich Sartorosola, a Woodside Park Association Member concerning the use of property owned by Westchester County for affordable housing. The property is located between Wood Street and Sunnyside on Grove St. Mr. Sartorosola believes the property could qualify for Wetland status and would like the Commission to inspect it. He also said a feasibility study was being done on the property. Mr. Leddy and Ms. Ng will inspect this property and report to the Commission. Greenway Trail - Ms. Ng has requested Al Croce from the Village of Mamaroneck Recreation and Parks Department to obtain written permission to continue the Trail through private property. She noted the need for a catwalk to built on a marshy section and laying a trail of woodchips to better keep hikers on the trail. Gardens Lake - Mr. Hohberg said he did a fish count while the lake was draining and counted 12 live carp and no turtles. He also said that the rainstorms have filled the waterbodies and are carrying tremendous amounts of sediment downstream which will eventually end up in Columbus Park. Meeting adjourned 10:25 PM. -4-