By Alissa Silber

Editor’s Note: This report will be featured in the April 29 print edition of The Newtown Bee, but is being advanced online ahead of the April 27 IWC meeting.

Newtown Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) had half a dozen items on its April 13 agenda, including the continued application for a wetlands violation at a car wash in town.

Application IW #22‐02 by TMR Realty Newtown, LLC, pertains to a property located at 1 Simm Lane for a wetland violation which requires confirmation for the proper functions of the on-site drainage, the water reclamation system, and the soil testing.

Senior Land Use Enforcement Officer Steve Maguire told the commission, “The applicant has completed the soil testing and they are just waiting for an analysis of that, so they requested [the application] be tabled for tonight.”

They have an extension on the application until late-May. It will be continued to the next IWC meeting on Wednesday, April 27, at 7:30 pm.

The following item on the agenda was Application IW #22‐05 by Paul Hilario, for a property located at 15 Cider Mill Road, for restoration and mitigation of filled wetlands. It was also tabled.

Maguire reported, “The applicant was available, but the soil scientist was not able to make it, so they also requested we table it for the next meeting.”

Castle Meadow Road

Soil and wetlands scientist Steven Danzer, of Stamford, and landscape architect Tracey Chalifoux, of Danbury, represented MD57 Castle Meadow, LLC, for Application IW #22‐09. It is for a property located at 57 Castle Meadow Road, for the removal of fill and mitigation of wetlands.

Chalifoux said, “The intention of this plan is to mitigate the wetlands after the fill has been removed and the hillside to the west of this portion of the plan is put together by project engineer Jay Edwards & Associates.”

She explained how it is intended to be done with various grading and slopes, as well as planting native trees, shrubs, and ferns.

“Additionally, there is a substantial amount of barberry in the area, and this would be removed and disposed of off-site,” Chalifoux said.

IWC Chair Sharon Salling asked about the standing water, hydrology, and erosion control. There was a back-and-forth discussion about the fill, contours, and planting plan.

After being asked what the sequence of plans will be, Chalifoux answered, “So the work sequence would be to install the erosion controls, remove fill from within 25 feet of wetlands line to expose native soil, realize and track machinery, bring the slope into a gradient, working around the existing trees, and then removing invasive vegetation and disposing of it off-site. There is some trash and debris within the area, as well, and that would be removed and disposed of off-site.”

She also noted the native trees and shrubs would be installed, the hillside area will have topsoil applied, then after everything is stabilized the erosion controls will be removed.

Salling said that there appears to be a need for a road of some sort for the large machines to get down the slope to get the debris.

Chalifoux replied, “They would likely have to create a temporary construction access … they will also use smaller machines to work more carefully around the existing plants.”

Salling asked for more information about the erosion controls.

Chalifoux identified where the silt fences would be located and said they would need the site engineer to get back to Salling with more information. Maguire asked if they are confident they can get the slope stabilized, and Chalifoux said yes.

The IWC agreed to keep the public hearing open to continue the conversation into its next meeting.

Bennetts Bridge Road

Lenny Manz spoke on behalf of Application IW #22‐07, pertaining to property located at 62 Bennetts Bridge Road, for the construction of a deck and extension of the lawn. Currently there is an area flagged for the deck space.

IWC member Kendall Horch inquired about what is going to be done with the logs on the property.

Manz said he is not sure at this time. He would remove them, but the landowner has expressed that he wishes for them to be left to decompose.

According to the Newtown Tax Assessor site, 62 Bennetts Bridge Road is owned by Schneider Gary Trustee of Nottingham.

“His idea was we leave the trees,” Manz said. There was also talk about how the commission would like the applicant to include a buffer in the lawn plans.

“Having that buffer would be a definite plus for the wetlands,” Salling said.

It was decided that more details regarding the logs and buffer would need to be indicated on the map, so the application was continued for the next IWC meeting.

Melody Lane

Representing Application IW #22‐10 was Greg Carnrick of GRC Construction, LLC. It is for a property located at 7 Melody Lane, for the mitigation of wetlands and the relocation of the culvert under the driveway.

Salling mentioned that the commission has visited the site and that this agenda item “is a complex situation.”

Maguire gave background, saying, “[With] the original property owner, there was some miscommunication and some work done without a permit regarding accessing upland area across the property. It turned into an extensive amount of fill that was brought in on the property. The lot is an approved subdivision lot, so it is a legal building lot. However, there was extensive fill put in there without permits.”

He added that now there is a new owner who wants to eventually develop the property, so they are looking to resolve the issue at hand and create a permitted driveway.

Carnrick gave an overview of his plan that includes removing all the excess material, replanting some of the trees that were removed, and removing the multiple brush and stumps piles without disturbing the wetlands.

He also gave an overview of the three culverts. He pointed out that they are looking to create another pipe in the middle of the current pipes on the property, saying it is the “safest bet” for the driveway. This would be a fourth pipe.

Salling inquired about the timeline, and Carnrick said they would like to start in May to try to have “something done by June.”

The commission voted to approve Application IW #22‐10’s topography survey “with standard conditions A, B, C, D, E, F, O & P” as well as the following additional conditions:

*Land Use Staff will be consulted regarding removal of brush pile to the right.

*Soil scientist will be consulted after fill on‐site has been removed.

*Three existing pipes will remain. One additional pipe will be installed as shown on plans.

All were in favor and the motion passed.

For more information about upcoming IWC meetings, visit newtown-ct.gov/inland-wetlands-commission.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.