It was a long time coming, between waiting for the engineer to complete the design and for Marion Conservation Commission approval, but the repairs to the spillway at Grassi Bog off Mill Road will finally move forward.
The commission continued the hearing back on November 18 after a disagreement with Marion Open Spaces Acquisition Committee Chairman John Rockwell over the updated plans and the commission’s refusal to look at them in light of some discrepancies between the features of the plan and comments made by the Town’s peer review engineer.
On December 9, MOSAC representative Jeff Oakes presented the updated plan to the commission with the requested answers to the commission’s questions from November and, although the commission still had a few questions, the consensus was that the commission could go ahead and issue the amended Order of Conditions, placing specific stipulations relative to the location of a turtle habitat not mentioned on the updated plan and to the removal of a concrete structure that was never completed.
During discussions, Conservation Commission Chairman Norm Hills determined that the first comment made by CDM Smith, engineer for the Town, was not a correct statement, thus it was now deemed a “non-comment.” The plan that did not specify a slope of the site now was noted as well, although the wording was a bit confused and will be changed, as per the OOC.
Hills was concerned about the elevations of the main spillway, the overflow, and the auxiliary spillway, with the auxiliary spillway being shown as a higher elevation.
Hills still preferred all details from the initial plan be included on the new plan, saying, “Normally when we get a new set of plans, they become the plan of record so you don’t have to go back to the other plan.” He added, “The question about the elevations of the spillways … it just bothers me … I wouldn’t think that the auxiliary spillway would be higher than the overflow.” He suggested it might be reversed.
Commission member Jeffrey Doubrava wondered if the commission could still move the project forward, despite the myriad of unanswered questions.
“We could probably write some of these comments into the order … or include these comments as part of our amendment and have them specify the size of the rock,” said commission member Joel Hartley. “And I think we need tighter inspections.”
Hills also wanted a number of fallen trees in the overflow ditch removed.
Commission member Cynthia Trinidad suggested the commission make more frequent inspection visits independently.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 6 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
