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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWetland Replication (2024-11-19)w attMarlborough Technology Park 100 Nickerson Road, Marlborough, MA 01752 Tel 508.786.2200 Fax 508.786.2201 tetratech.com November 19, 2024 Ms Darcy Karle, Conservation Administrator Barnstable Conservation Commission 230 Main Street Hyannis, MA 02601 Re: Rushy Marsh Farm Wetland Replication Proposal 1500 Main Street Cotuit, MA Dear Ms. Karle, This letter details Rushy Marsh Farm’s (Farm) proposed plan to offset impacts resulting from the unauthorized placement of fill in bordering vegetated wetland in the vicinity of the recently installed sculpture adjacent to Farm’s Main Street access drive off Main Street. Installation of the sculpture was approved as an amendment to the Order of Conditions issued for the Japanese Pavilion (SE3-5767). The unauthorized fill was noted during my inspection of the work and was reported to Conservation Commission staff shortly thereafter. Based on our review of aerial photography and record plans, the filling has resulted in the loss of approximately 4,493 sf of Bordering Vegetated, 3,046 sf of which occurred during installation of several large diameter willow trees adjacent to the sculpture installation and 1,447 sf of which unknowingly occurred prior to the Commission’s approval of the sculpture installation. Review of aerial photography suggests the filling was concurrent with installation of a large willow tree in 2018. For the purposes of this proposal, we refer to them as the “2024 Fill” and the “2018 Fill” respectively. Proposal Recognizing that both fills occurred for the installation of mature trees which are currently thriving and provide substantial habitat volume and on the recommendations of Wilkinson Ecological Designs, we are proposing (1)a 7,500-sf replication in the paddock area on the opposite side of the pond and (2) removal of all lawn and installation of native buffer zone plantings within the original BVW footprint in lieu of restoration of the BVW in its original location. Replication will have an overwhelmingly more beneficial ecological outcome than restoration in place for the following reasons: 1.The fill was in an area of dense phragmite growth and restoration of grade will likely result in the propagation of those phragmites into the restored area. Additionally, the restoration would be in an area adjacent to the farm driveway and more proximate to other farm activity. In the proposed replication is in an area far removed from farm activity and adjacent to an with a diverse plant community with little to no phragmite population. 2. Replication of the paddock converts lawn to wetland while allowing the willow trees to remain in place. The net result being creation of more than 5,000 sf of new wooded area without losing any of the wooded cover provided by the willows. This is in sharp contrast to an in-place restoration that would result in the loss of more than 2,000 sf of wooded buffer zone currently provided by the willows. Rushy Marsh Farm Wetland Replication Proposal 1500 Main Street, Cotuit November 19, 2024 TETRA TECH 2 3. Replication in the paddock area creates a wooded habitat connection from the pond to the expanse of upland woods adjacent to Pinquickset Cove Circle. This connection doesn’t currently exist due to the interceding fenced paddock area and is ideally situated given the proximity of Main Street. 4. The proposed replication area will connect to the small wetland replication area constructed as part of the Town’s Main Street roadway improvement project which currently appears to be in marginal condition. The Main Street replication area was constructed on Farm property within an easement granted to the Town and can be easily incorporated into any maintenance and monitoring program for our currently proposed replication. 5.The proposed 7,500-sf paddock area replication is more than 150% of the lost BVW area. As such replication will create at least 2,500 sf more wetland than an in-place restoration. Plans and sections of the proposal is provided in the attached figures along with a plan and section of an in- place restoration. As demonstrated in the figures, the ecological benefits of a paddock area replication are obvious and compelling while we cannot identify a single qualitative or quantitative benefit that would result from opting for an in-place restoration. As such we hope the Commission agrees and allows us to proceed with developing the replication design further in anticipation of filing a Notice of Intent for the proposed work that can be reviewed in detail by the Commission to ensure objectives are met. We look forward to presenting our proposal and addressing any related concerns at the Commission’s November 26, 2024 hearing. If you have any questions or require any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly by email at sean.reardon@tetratech.com or by phone at 508-786-2230. Very truly yours, Sean P. Reardon, P.E. Vice President CC: M. Ford, Ford and Ford Atty I. Peach, Wilkinson Ecological Designs P:\89057\143-89057-24007_ZEN_GARDEN\DOCS\WETLAND REPLICATION (2024-11-19).DOCX MITIGATION PLANTING WETLAND REPLICATION AREA MAIN STREETMAIN STREET REPLICATION AREA EXISTING VEGETATION TO REMAINPADDOCK TO REMAIN 5510 5154678911121314163 3EXISTING PADDOCK MAIN STREETMAIN STREET REPLICATION AREA EXISTING VEGETATION TO REMAIN RELOCATED PADDOCK FENCE 00 20'40' N Scale: 1"= 20' PROJECT AREAS 1 Scale: 1/8"= 1' PROPOSED CONDITIONS PROFILE A-A3 MITIGATION PLANTING AREA (FROM JAPANESE PAVILION NOI) WETLAND REPLICATION AREA (7,500 SF) PROPOSED INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT TO MAIN STREET WETLAND REPLICATION AREA (1,000 SF) FOR PERMITTING PURPOSES ONLY THIS DRAWING IS NOT INTENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION REV DATE DESCRIPTION DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY: DATE:SCALE: SURVEY PROVIDED BY: THIS DRAWING AND ALL IDEAS EMBODIED THEREIN IS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. (WED) AND SHALL NOT BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, OR DISCLOSED IN CONNECTION WITH ANY WORK OTHER THAN THE PROJECT FOR WHICH IT HAS BEEN PREPARED, IN WHOLE OR PART, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM WED. © 2024 WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. ABBREVIATIONS: &AND @ AT Ø DIAMETER #POUND or NUMBER ACEC AREA OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN APPROX APPROXIMATE AURA ADJACENT UPLAND RESOURCE AREA BLDG BUILDING BOB BOTTOM OF BANK BVW BORDERING VEGETATED WETLAND (IF APPLICABLE) CY CUBIC YARD DEP DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EA EACH EL ELEVATION EX EXISTING LOW LIMIT OF WORK LSCSF LAND SUBJECT TO COASTAL STORM FLOWAGE MHW MEAN HIGH WATER MLW MEAN LOW WATER NHESP NATURAL HERITAGE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM NOI NOTICE OF INTENT NTS NOT TO SCALE OC ON CENTER OOC ORDER OF CONDITIONS PROP PROPOSED REV REVISION SC SPECIAL CONDITION SF SQUARE FEET TOB TOP OF BANK UON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED VEG VEGETATION VZ VELOCITY ZONE WED WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC 18-Nov-24 k:\clients\main street_1500_cot\consult\plans\restoplan\20241119_resto_ main st_1500_cot.dwg 1 OF 3 IPJS VARIES11/20/2024 PADDOCK REPLICATION TETRA TECH 100 NICKERSON ROAD MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752 508-786-2200 Scale: 1/8"= 1' EXISTING CONDITIONS PROFILE A-A2 EXISTING PADDOCK MOWN AREA PORTION OF PADDOCK FENCE TO BE RELOCATED EXISTING FENCERELOCATED FENCE1500 MAIN STREET COTUIT, MA A A EXCAVATE APPROXIMATELY 18" (PER TEST PITS CONDUCTED OCT 24, 2024 RUSHY MARSH FARM PADDOCK REPLICATION PLAN AND PROFILE A-A NATIVE WOODLAND EXISTING WETLANDMAIN STREET REPLICATION AREA NATIVE WOODLAND WETLAND REPLICATION AREA EXISTING WETLANDMAIN STREET REPLICATION AREA551051546789111213141633EXISTING PADDOCK Scale: 1/8"= 1' EXISTING CONCITIONS - PROFILE B-B2 Scale: 1/8"= 1' PROPOSED CONDITIONS - PROFILE B-B3 EXISTING PADDOCK RELOCATED PADDOCK FENCE 00 20'40' N Scale: 1"= 20' PROJECT AREAS 1 MITIGATION PLANTING AREA (FROM JAPANESE PAVILION NOI) WETLAND REPLICATION AREA (7,500 SF) PROPOSED INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT TO MAIN STREET WETLAND REPLICATION AREA (1,000 SF) FOR PERMITTING PURPOSES ONLY THIS DRAWING IS NOT INTENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION REV DATE DESCRIPTION DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY: DATE:SCALE: SURVEY PROVIDED BY: THIS DRAWING AND ALL IDEAS EMBODIED THEREIN IS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. (WED) AND SHALL NOT BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, OR DISCLOSED IN CONNECTION WITH ANY WORK OTHER THAN THE PROJECT FOR WHICH IT HAS BEEN PREPARED, IN WHOLE OR PART, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM WED. © 2024 WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. ABBREVIATIONS: &AND @ AT Ø DIAMETER #POUND or NUMBER ACEC AREA OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN APPROX APPROXIMATE AURA ADJACENT UPLAND RESOURCE AREA BLDG BUILDING BOB BOTTOM OF BANK BVW BORDERING VEGETATED WETLAND (IF APPLICABLE) CY CUBIC YARD DEP DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EA EACH EL ELEVATION EX EXISTING LOW LIMIT OF WORK LSCSF LAND SUBJECT TO COASTAL STORM FLOWAGE MHW MEAN HIGH WATER MLW MEAN LOW WATER NHESP NATURAL HERITAGE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM NOI NOTICE OF INTENT NTS NOT TO SCALE OC ON CENTER OOC ORDER OF CONDITIONS PROP PROPOSED REV REVISION SC SPECIAL CONDITION SF SQUARE FEET TOB TOP OF BANK UON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED VEG VEGETATION VZ VELOCITY ZONE WED WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC 18-Nov-24 k:\clients\main street_1500_cot\consult\plans\restoplan\20241119_resto_ main st_1500_cot.dwg 2 OF 3 IPJS VARIES11/20/2024 PADDOCK REPLICATION TETRA TECH 100 NICKERSON ROAD MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752 508-786-2200 PORTION OF PADDOCK FENCE TO BE RELOCATED 1500 MAIN STREET COTUIT, MAEXISTING FENCEEXISTINGFENCEMOWN AREA B B EXCAVATE APPROXIMATELY 18" (PER TEST PITS CONDUCTED OCT 24, 2024 HABITAT CONNECTION NO HABITAT CONNECTION RUSHY MARSH FARM PADDOCK REPLICATION PLAN AND PROFILE B-B ACCESS ROAD WETLAND 2024 LAWN NATIVE WOODLAND ACCESS ROAD WETLAND 2024 LAWN TO REMAIN LAWN NATIVE WOODLAND LAWN CONVERSION TO NATIVE VEGETATION x x x x x x x x x56 7 8 9 43 POND WETLAND L AWN WILLOW WILLOW WILLOW WILLOW L AWN 00 20'40' N Scale: 1"= 20' RESTORATION PLAN1 Scale: 1/8"= 1' EXISTING CONDITIONS PROFILE C-C3 Scale: 1/8"= 1' PROPOSED CONDITIONS PROFILE C-C3 LAWN FOR PERMITTING PURPOSES ONLY THIS DRAWING IS NOT INTENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION REV DATE DESCRIPTION DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY: DATE:SCALE: SURVEY PROVIDED BY: THIS DRAWING AND ALL IDEAS EMBODIED THEREIN IS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. (WED) AND SHALL NOT BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, OR DISCLOSED IN CONNECTION WITH ANY WORK OTHER THAN THE PROJECT FOR WHICH IT HAS BEEN PREPARED, IN WHOLE OR PART, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM WED. © 2024 WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. ABBREVIATIONS: &AND @ AT Ø DIAMETER #POUND or NUMBER ACEC AREA OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN APPROX APPROXIMATE AURA ADJACENT UPLAND RESOURCE AREA BLDG BUILDING BOB BOTTOM OF BANK BVW BORDERING VEGETATED WETLAND (IF APPLICABLE) CY CUBIC YARD DEP DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EA EACH EL ELEVATION EX EXISTING LOW LIMIT OF WORK LSCSF LAND SUBJECT TO COASTAL STORM FLOWAGE MHW MEAN HIGH WATER MLW MEAN LOW WATER NHESP NATURAL HERITAGE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM NOI NOTICE OF INTENT NTS NOT TO SCALE OC ON CENTER OOC ORDER OF CONDITIONS PROP PROPOSED REV REVISION SC SPECIAL CONDITION SF SQUARE FEET TOB TOP OF BANK UON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED VEG VEGETATION VZ VELOCITY ZONE WED WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC 18-Nov-24 k:\clients\main street_1500_cot\consult\plans\restoplan\20241119_resto_ main st_1500_cot.dwg 3 OF 3 IPJS VARIES11/20/2024 PADDOCK REPLICATION TETRA TECH 100 NICKERSON ROAD MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752 508-786-2200 1500 MAIN STREET COTUIT, MARUSHY MARSH FARM PADDOCK REPLICATION WETLAND BUFFER PLANTING (LAWN CONVERSION) 4,500 SF AREA OF LAWN CONVERTED TO NATIVE VEGETATION 2024 WETLAND 2014 RECORDED WETLAND C C ACCESS ROAD NATIVE WOODLANDWETLAND2014WETLAND2024 ACCESS ROAD EXISTING LAWN NATIVE WOODLANDWETLAND2014WETLAND2024LAWN TO REMAIN x x x x x x x x x56 7 8 9 43 POND WETLAND L AWN WILLOW WILLOW WILLOW WILLOW L AWN 00 20'40' N Scale: 1"= 20' FILL AREA RESTORATION PLAN1 Scale: 1/8"= 1' EXISTING CONDITIONS 2024 PROFILE A-A3 Scale: 1/8"= 1' FILL AREA RESTORATION PROFILE A-A3 EXISTING LAWN FOR PERMITTING PURPOSES ONLY THIS DRAWING IS NOT INTENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION REV DATE DESCRIPTION DRAWN BY:CHECKED BY: DATE:SCALE: SURVEY PROVIDED BY: THIS DRAWING AND ALL IDEAS EMBODIED THEREIN IS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OF WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. (WED) AND SHALL NOT BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, OR DISCLOSED IN CONNECTION WITH ANY WORK OTHER THAN THE PROJECT FOR WHICH IT HAS BEEN PREPARED, IN WHOLE OR PART, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM WED. © 2024 WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC. ABBREVIATIONS: &AND @ AT Ø DIAMETER #POUND or NUMBER ACEC AREA OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN APPROX APPROXIMATE AURA ADJACENT UPLAND RESOURCE AREA BLDG BUILDING BOB BOTTOM OF BANK BVW BORDERING VEGETATED WETLAND (IF APPLICABLE) CY CUBIC YARD DEP DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EA EACH EL ELEVATION EX EXISTING LOW LIMIT OF WORK LSCSF LAND SUBJECT TO COASTAL STORM FLOWAGE MHW MEAN HIGH WATER MLW MEAN LOW WATER NHESP NATURAL HERITAGE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM NOI NOTICE OF INTENT NTS NOT TO SCALE OC ON CENTER OOC ORDER OF CONDITIONS PROP PROPOSED REV REVISION SC SPECIAL CONDITION SF SQUARE FEET TOB TOP OF BANK UON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED VEG VEGETATION VZ VELOCITY ZONE WED WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, INC 18-Nov-24 k:\clients\main street_1500_cot\consult\plans\restoplan\20241119_resto_ main st_1500_cot.dwg 1 OF 1 IPJS VARIES11/20/2024 IN-PLACE RESTORATION TETRA TECH 100 NICKERSON ROAD MARLBOROUGH, MA 01752 508-786-2200 1500 MAIN STREET COTUIT, MA REPLICATION FOR 2018 FILL (1,447 SF) RUSHY MARSH FARM IN-PLACE RESTORATION PLAN AND PROFILE A-A RESTORATION OF 2024 FILL (3,046SF) 2024 WETLAND 2014 RECORDED WETLAND EXISTING WILLOWS A A REMOVE EXISTING WILLOWS EXISTING LAWN UNAUTHORIZED FILL EXISTING LAWN REMOVE UNAUTHORIZED FILL RESTORE WETLAND/VEGETATION EXISTING PHRAGMITES EXISTING PHRAGMITES EXPANDED PHRAGMITES