Conservation Commission, July 15, 2020

The town published minutes (text) and an agenda for this meeting. Those minutes are the record; what follows is a guide to the recording.

feeslegalplanning and zoningpolicypublic commenttown departments

Present: Bob Pease (chair); Katie Childs (member); Todd Dwyer (member); Carl Luck (member); Jack Rabbit (member); Ken Jones (member); Matt Merrell (conservation administrator); Richard Burch (member (absent)). Names are the caption model’s hearing and may be wrong.

Votes

1. ▶ 15:21Negative determination for 135 Gilcrest garage with straw wattles as erosion control. — moved by unclear, as heardpassed (roll call, all ayes heard)
2. ▶ 20:55Continue the 326 Townsend Harbor Road sand hearing until the 32-foot dimension and sand quantity are added. — moved by Carl Luck, as heardfailed
3. ▶ 23:20Negative determination for 326 Townsend Harbor Road, dock excluded, with sand limits and quantity added to the drawing before signing. — moved by Todd Dwyer, as heardpassed
4. ▶ 34:39Negative determination for 932 Flat Hill Road with straw wattles between the pile and the wetland, and the pile tarped.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
5. ▶ 1:17:50Continue the 99 New Street RDA hearing to August 5.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
6. ▶ 1:36:48Approve the shed at 131 Reservoir Road as drawn.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
7. ▶ 1:43:44Approve the plans for the deck and shed at 143 Reservoir Road.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
8. ▶ 1:59:59Sign certificate of compliance for 167 Reservoir Road.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
9. ▶ 2:03:10Sign certificate of compliance for 155 Reservoir Road.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
10. ▶ 2:03:32Sign certificate of compliance for 143 Reservoir Road.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
11. ▶ 2:03:52Sign certificate of compliance for 131 Reservoir Road.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
12. ▶ 2:15:11Approve the dock replacement plans for the Normandin property at Hickory Hills Lake.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)
13. ▶ 2:16:53Continue the 445 Townsend Harbor Road notice of intent hearing to August 5.passed
14. ▶ 2:50:18Fine the tree company at 32 Brookview a set amount per tree (six trees). — moved by Jack Rabbit, as heardpassed (Ken Jones no, others aye as heard)
15. ▶ 3:09:14Accept the administrator's recommendation to remove dead trees at 54 Pine Acres.passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

And 1 procedural: adjourn. (▶ 3:22:26).

Against the town’s minutes

The town published minutes (text) for this meeting; ours were compared item by item. 5 agree, 4 caption errors resolved by the official reading, 10 substantive differences. The town’s minutes are a full record.

1. differs326 Townsend Harbor Road negative determination vote▶ 23:20

   recording Negative determination for 326 Townsend Harbor Road, dock excluded, with sand limits and quantity added to the drawing before signing. — passed

   town’s minutes “the vote passed by a vote of bp, kj, cl, td and jr yes and cc no.”

   Official records a 5-1 split with CC no; ours gives no tally and adds a 'dock excluded' condition the official lacks. Check the recording for the vote count and conditions.

2. differs99 New Street vs 99 Ruth Street continuance to Aug 5▶ 1:17:50

   recording Continue the 99 New Street RDA hearing to August 5. — passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

   town’s minutes “a motion was made to continue to the aug 5 2020 meeting by kj with a second by td and a unanimous vote to continue.”

   Same continuance to Aug 5, but street name differs (New vs Ruth); likely a caption mishearing, but check the agenda for the address. The official also says remedial work moves to the NOI rather than the RDA, while ours says the dock/stairs RDA and revegetation plan are both heard Aug 5.

3. differs131 Reservoir Road shed vote▶ 1:36:48

   recording Approve the shed at 131 Reservoir Road as drawn. — passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

   town’s minutes “jr moved to issue a negative determination with a second by cc and a unanimous vote to approve.”

   Both pass, but the official calls it a negative determination, unanimous without roll call; ours says approve as drawn with roll call. Check the recording for the form of the action.

4. differsReservoir Road certificates of compliance vs restoration determinations▶ 1:59:59

   recording Sign certificate of compliance for 167 Reservoir Road. — passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

   town’s minutes “a motion for issuance for 167, 155, 143, 131 by kj and seconded by td with a unanimous vote to approve by roll call vote.”

   Ours records four separate certificate votes (167, 155, 143, 131); the official records one motion for the 'restoration determinations' for the same four addresses. The outcome and unanimity agree, but the official description differs. Check the recording for whether these were certificates or determinations, and whether the votes were separate.

5. differsDock replacement at Hickory Hills Lake (Normandin)▶ 2:15:11

   recording Approve the dock replacement plans for the Normandin property at Hickory Hills Lake. — passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

   town’s minutes “kj moved for a negative determination td seconded”

   Same project and a pass, but the official calls it a negative determination for 240 Townsend Harbor Road; ours says approve plans. Check how the motion was worded.

6. differsBrookview fine amount and vote▶ 2:50:18

   recording Fine the tree company at 32 Brookview a set amount per tree (six trees). — passed (Ken Jones no, others aye as heard)

   town’s minutes “a motion of cl and a second by jr with a roll call vote to approve by a yes vote from cl, jr, td and cc and a no vote by bp and kj”

   Official shows a 4-2 vote (BP and KJ no) and a $600 fine split $300/$300; ours hears only Ken Jones no, and the per-tree figures ($100, $250, $500, $600) are unclear. Check the recording for the vote and the fine; $600 over six trees is $100 each.

7. differs54 Pine Acres dead trees▶ 3:09:14

   recording Accept the administrator's recommendation to remove dead trees at 54 Pine Acres. — passed (roll call, all ayes heard)

   town’s minutes “the commission approved the administrators determination.”

   Same item and a pass; the official gives no roll call and says 2 trees. Likely compatible, so check whether it was a roll call.

8. differs445 Townsend Harbor Road continuance vs no action▶ 2:16:53

   recording Continue the 445 Townsend Harbor Road notice of intent hearing to August 5. — passed

   town’s minutes “the commission is awaiting the issuance of the dep number”

   We record a passed vote to continue; the official says no action was taken. Check the recording.

9. differs649 Reservoir Road outcome▶ 2:39:07

   recording No certificate of compliance for 649 Reservoir Road until a corrected as-built is received; likely August 5.

   town’s minutes “continued as the as built needed corrections”

   Both say the as-built needs correction. Ours also has a $25,000 holdback (t=9401) and an Aug 5 date, which the official lacks. Check the recording for the holdback.

10. differs183 Island Road deed restriction▶ 2:30:51

    recording The deed restriction for 183 Island Road will go on the commission's cloud and agenda for full-commission discussion before it goes to the applicant.

    town’s minutes “the commission decided that the plantings could proceed”

    Official says plantings may proceed and the commission awaits Town Counsel on the deed language; ours says full-commission discussion first. Check the recording.

Compared 2026-11-03. Neither record is treated as the referee: a caption error is the same fact heard badly; a difference is for a person to check at the timestamp.

The money

1. ▶ 2:50:18Fine for unpermitted tree removal at 32 Brookview

   A per-tree fine was moved for the tree company; members debated the amount and whether the homeowner should also be fined.

   as heard:100 per treefive hundred dollarssix hundred dollars250 bucks a tree

2. ▶ 2:36:41Holdback on sale of 649 Reservoir Road property

   The owner said the buyers hold back money until the certificate of compliance issues.

   as heard:25 000

3. ▶ 3:00:50Trails grant gates

   Lack of a DPW flatbed may raise the cost of moving the gates.

4. ▶ 3:19:15Timber harvest income and grant match

   A member said timber income could fund trail and parking work and serve as local match for grants.

Settled without a vote

• ▶ 1:18:13The 99 New Street hearing is continued to August 5, when the dock and stairs RDA and the revegetation plan are both to be heard, with a more detailed planting plan requested.
• ▶ 2:30:51The deed restriction for 183 Island Road will go on the commission's cloud and agenda for full-commission discussion before it goes to the applicant.
• ▶ 1:46:39The Reservoir Road certificates were taken out of order because the engineer had to leave.
• ▶ 2:39:07No certificate of compliance for 649 Reservoir Road until a corrected as-built is received; likely August 5.
• ▶ 3:14:00The commission will consider an extra workshop meeting.

Documents and exhibits

In the minutes’ list and not identified in the recording: Memorandum and pictures submitted by MM (re: 932 Flatt Hill Road).

State law asks minutes to list the documents and exhibits used at a meeting (M.G.L. c.30A §22(a)). Names from the recording are the caption model’s hearing; the two sides are matched by name, by script, so a document named two different ways can be missed. A place to look, not a finding.

Public comment

1. ▶ 13:12Former owner of the lot across the street recalled an earlier hearing and a French drain under the driveway near 135 Gilcrest, saying he saw no issue with the garage. — a speaker, former co-owner of 125 Gilchrist Street
2. ▶ 47:02Questioned the process on 99 New Street, argued the dock and stairs should be decided now, and said the lake association has no enforcement authority. — jim lavoie, as heard, resident, Flynn Road
3. ▶ 2:12:48Attorney asked whether the 183 Island Road matter would be reached that night; later asked about the deed restriction. — a speaker, representing the applicant

Where the time went

Minutes of recording by subject, from the topic spans below. A topic with two subjects counts toward both.

• planning and zoning141 min · 70%
• legal94 min · 47%
• public comment42 min · 21%
• superintendent report22 min · 11%
• town departments22 min · 11%
• fees20 min · 10%

The whole meeting, in order

1. ▶ 0:12Roll call, remote meeting statement, public commentinformational · 3:49 long
2. ▶ 4:43135 Gilcrest garage RDAvoted · 11:39 long · planning and zoning
3. ▶ 16:22326 Townsend Harbor Road sand RDAvoted · 8:21 long · planning and zoning
4. ▶ 24:43932 Flat Hill Road retaining wall RDAvoted · 11:01 long · planning and zoning
5. ▶ 36:0499 New Street revegetation, dock and stairscontinued to August 5 · 42:29 long · planning and zoning, legal, public comment
6. ▶ 1:18:33131 Reservoir Road shed RDAvoted · 18:58 long · planning and zoning
7. ▶ 1:37:31143 Reservoir Road deck RDAvoted · 8:20 long · planning and zoning
8. ▶ 1:45:51Reservoir Road certificates of compliancevoted · 18:47 long · planning and zoning, legal
9. ▶ 2:04:38Normandin dock replacement RDAvoted · 10:54 long · planning and zoning
10. ▶ 2:16:13445 Townsend Harbor Road NOIcontinued · 1:21 long · planning and zoning
11. ▶ 2:18:18183 Island Road deed restrictionawaiting town counsel · 13:15 long · legal
12. ▶ 2:31:53649 Reservoir Road certificate of compliancedeferred · 9:03 long · planning and zoning
13. ▶ 2:40:56Enforcement: 32 Brookview fine and other violationsvoted · 19:54 long · legal, fees
14. ▶ 3:00:50Administrator reports, 54 Pine Acres, open space, upcoming agenda, adjournvoted · 22:02 long · superintendent report, town departments

What the captions could not carry

• Who moved and seconded several motions is often unclear.
• Roll-call tallies are only partly captured, so unanimity is inferred from the ayes heard.
• The vote on the 32 Brookview fine amount is garbled; the motion text suggests six trees at one hundred each.
• The meeting end time is garbled.

Reports this meeting suggests

Our reading of the discussion: questions where numbers were in play and a page laying them out would have helped. Every meeting’s suggestions are merged into one register.

• ▶ 2:48:34Conservation enforcement finesWhat fines can the Conservation Commission levy for unpermitted tree cutting and how are they set?

Written 2026-11-03 by scripts/write_recording_minutes.py (sonnet) from sources/data/youtube-transcripts/conservation-commission/2020-07-15-JucgEMOJceI.json — 5,102 caption segments, sha256 a034b954446d…. All recorded meetings.