[0:03] Okay, it is Tuesday, March 10th, 6:02

[0:08] p.m. This is a meeting of Norwok's

[0:10] Inland Wetland Agency and Conservation

[0:12] Commission. Could we have roll call,

[0:14] please?

[0:16] » Yes. Uh, Commissioner Vanette

[0:19] » Here,

[0:20] » Commissioner Quagi

[0:21] » Here,

[0:22] » Commissioner Healey

[0:23] » Here,

[0:24] » And Commissioner Brereslin

[0:25] » Here. Right. So you have four which is

[0:28] acquiring.

[0:30] » Fantastic. Uh do we have anyone logged

[0:32] in from the public to comment on

[0:34] anything particular?

[0:38] » Oh uh no there are no attendees.

[0:42] » Love it. Nor do we have receipt in

[0:44] discussion. So moving on to discussion

[0:46] and or decision. S26-6615

[0:49] which lane?

[0:51] Um, this applicant has requested that uh

[0:55] discussion be tabled uh for this

[0:58] meeting. They did provide me a letter of

[1:01] um extension.

[1:03] Um, and I would um

[1:09] anticipate and encourage discussion

[1:13] about the application at your next

[1:15] meeting.

[1:16] » Love it. Moving on then. S26-662

[1:21] 26 Canon Street.

[1:24] » Okay. This application was received at

[1:26] your last uh meeting and uh upon its

[1:29] receipt, you had some initial comments

[1:31] for the um the applicant mostly having

[1:34] to do with the uh removal of vegetation

[1:37] necessitated within the upland review

[1:40] area. Uh the applicant has revised um

[1:45] their uh plans and provided some

[1:48] additional information um including the

[1:51] um kind of the drainage study that led

[1:53] to the uh proposed work um and revised

[1:57] plans

[1:59] um that include not only vegetation

[2:02] removal but also vegetation replacement

[2:04] and then a summary um project narrative

[2:08] letter. But, um, if I guess I'll have

[2:13] the applicant, um, do a a quick review

[2:17] of those changes and then I'll just note

[2:19] that I did send out a second email

[2:23] earlier today with a staff report that

[2:25] includes a draft resolution uh, for your

[2:28] consideration if you want to do that

[2:30] tonight.

[2:34] » Over floor is yours.

[2:35] » Good evening, commissioners. We uh as uh

[2:39] Miss Careti has uh mentioned we've uh

[2:42] put together a letter for a cover letter

[2:45] and summary of the project and why the

[2:47] project has taken place as well as the

[2:50] uh report that was prepared by Woodard

[2:53] and Kern and we have uh drawings on the

[2:57] demolition plan that show the trees the

[3:00] two 30-inch trees that are being removed

[3:01] as well as the uh replanting plan that

[3:04] has been installed on the uh plan a

[3:07] profile for the area of construction and

[3:11] at this point I can let Wood and Kern

[3:13] the team which has been a a great help

[3:16] to us with this project uh add anything

[3:18] that they would like to add.

[3:20] » Um hi everyone. So Jennifer Martinez

[3:23] Torres with Woodard and Curran just want

[3:25] to confirm everyone can see my screen.

[3:28] » Yes.

[3:29] » Okay great. So based on the last meeting

[3:32] um we had discussed the presence of two

[3:34] mature trees um adjacent to the area of

[3:37] the proposed um cohort improvement. So

[3:40] those have been included in our demo

[3:42] plan. These are the two trees in

[3:44] question. Um and this plan was updated

[3:47] uh was provided with the recent

[3:49] submission. Um, and the other item that

[3:52] we talked about was a planting plan or a

[3:54] restoration plan for the area that was

[3:57] also updated on our plan set that shows

[4:00] the location of the proposed plantings

[4:03] with a planting list that includes the

[4:06] species, the quantity, and the size. And

[4:09] um just to reiterate Paula mentioned, we

[4:11] also provided a copy of the drainage

[4:14] report um that basically you know

[4:16] summarizes our analysis of the

[4:18] pre-improvement and post improvement um

[4:20] flooding conditions based on um you know

[4:23] these proposed uh the upsizing of the of

[4:27] the existing drainage system in this

[4:28] area.

[4:31] » Boy, that looks wonderful to me. Uh,

[4:35] have we um Alexis, have you gotten an

[4:38] eyeball on the the species proposed?

[4:45] » I mean, I'm sure

[4:48] » I was muted. I was talking but muted.

[4:50] Um, yes, they are all native to

[4:52] Connecticut species and and all look uh

[4:56] appropriate for the uh location.

[4:59] Absolutely.

[5:00] » Beautiful. Other commissioners have

[5:02] thoughts or questions?

[5:08] Okay, hearing none.

[5:10] » Sorry, just what is the pipe um made of

[5:14] again? The material

[5:16] » Reinforced concrete.

[5:19] » Okay.

[5:21] Um is

[5:24] so Alexis you can tell where I am asking

[5:26] this because I've recently completed my

[5:28] uh but is anything um being done to that

[5:33] pipe? Do are there any measures needed

[5:36] to sort of make it a more

[5:39] natural the bottom of the pipe to be

[5:44] » I got baffles or anything like that that

[5:48] I so learned exist

[5:51] » Right so normally what you um you're

[5:54] referring to your recent training

[5:56] » Correct

[5:57] » Um the

[6:01] I'd say that this this is a pipe that

[6:03] conveys a storm water drainage system.

[6:05] So a upstream if you will or or pipes

[6:10] and right. So this is not a stream. So

[6:12] those

[6:13] » Uh when you have a stream crossing um

[6:17] that includes a culvert that that is

[6:20] exactly when you want to um ask the

[6:24] questions that you just asked but not

[6:26] for the conveyance of a of a whole

[6:28] system.

[6:30] » Okay. I wasn't sure about what the

[6:32] » Um Thank you. And the

[6:33] » Thought I'd ask

[6:34] » And the point is to maintain consistency

[6:36] and like the turbulence flow whatever it

[6:39] is from the creek to the culver to back

[6:42] to a creek

[6:44] » When when there is a um kind of a stream

[6:47] crossing right there is um it depends on

[6:50] the the water course certainly if there

[6:52] are um native fish in that water course

[6:55] you want to have a bottom situation

[6:58] where um the fish aren't um

[7:03] have as a natural of a substrate as

[7:05] possible so that there's not either a um

[7:08] too high a velocity if it's a kind of a

[7:11] smooth pipe or not uh not enough water

[7:14] if it's kind of flattened out.

[7:16] » Got it.

[7:17] » But there are no fish um coming coming

[7:19] out of this pipe unless it's someone's

[7:22] goldfish.

[7:24] » Okay, awesome. Thank you for that. Good

[7:26] uh good thinking though, Heather.

[7:30] Uh, okay. Any other questions or

[7:33] comments?

[7:36] Okay. So, I'll move to uh approve the uh

[7:40] resolution uh dated March 10th, 2026 for

[7:44] S26-62

[7:47] as written as far as I can tell.

[7:51] Can I have a second?

[7:53] Second.

[7:54] » Seconded. Any discussion?

[7:57] Hearing

[7:59] none, uh, we'll call to a vote. All in

[8:00] favor?

[8:02] I

[8:03] » I

[8:04] » I

[8:06] » Okay, I think that's everyone. There

[8:08] four or um, great. Well, uh, thank you

[8:13] Paul and Jennifer, for

[8:16] making it easy for us, doing a great

[8:18] job.

[8:19] » Commissioners, thank you. We appreciate

[8:21] the time and, uh, we appreciate Alexis's

[8:24] hard work and input as always, too. So,

[8:26] thank you very much.

[8:27] » Yeah.

[8:27] » Yes, definitely. Thank you so much.

[8:29] » You bet. All right. Thank you. Good

[8:30] night.

[8:31] » Take care.

[8:33] » Moving on to approval of minutes from

[8:35] our February 24th meeting.

[8:43] » Oh, sure. Fine. I'll approve the

[8:46] minutes. I mean,

[8:47] » You'll move to approve the minutes.

[8:49] » I will move to approve the minutes from

[8:52] the February 24th meeting.

[8:54] » Excellent.

[8:56] I'll second for fun. Any discussion?

[8:59] All in favor?

[9:01] One, two, three, four. Wonderful.

[9:04] Uh would we like to discuss any uh new

[9:07] or ongoing conservation initiatives?

[9:11] » I'll just put in a pitch for the um

[9:14] listening session that is scheduled for

[9:16] tomorrow evening um in support of the

[9:19] citywide plan for flood resilience. the

[9:23] um I and the planning and zoning office

[9:26] uh received a grant to look at um um

[9:31] flood resilience from across the city

[9:34] and our first public engagement is uh

[9:37] tomorrow evening and um I will be will

[9:42] also be um

[9:45] issuing a online survey for those that

[9:49] can't come and talk tomorrow tonight and

[9:53] um the survey is designed to ask

[9:56] questions that um the consultant would

[10:00] really like to have answers to as far as

[10:02] the formation of of the plan and better

[10:05] understanding what risks in particular

[10:07] Norwok residents um face during flood

[10:10] events. So I will be sending the survey

[10:13] uh link out to all of you as well.

[10:17] » Do you have to register for that or you

[10:18] just follow the link on Zoom? You just

[10:20] follow the link on Zoom.

[10:22] » Okay.

[10:24] » Does Does this have Does this include

[10:27] like coastal flooding? It does. Okay.

[10:31] I'm just making sure I'm not getting

[10:32] things crossed here.

[10:34] » Yeah. So, we're looking at um coastal

[10:38] flooding related to storm surge. Um also

[10:42] tidal or sunny day flooding, riverine

[10:45] flooding, and um

[10:49] potentially other um kind of storm water

[10:53] infrastructure related uh flooding. So

[10:57] those are kind of the three types of

[10:58] » Okay, great.

[10:59] » No rock faces.

[11:06] » That's it.

[11:07] » Okay, thanks Alexis. Uh do you have

[11:11] anything else you'd like to add as

[11:13] staff?

[11:17] No, I did send out uh earlier today

[11:19] finally the email with the uh link to

[11:22] the

[11:25] required training by D for inland

[11:29] wetland agency members. Um, so make sure

[11:33] that you um

[11:37] I think uh I think nearly all of you

[11:41] have maybe already done it, but um um

[11:44] you can check check that link, make sure

[11:46] that that was the one that you you took

[11:49] or will take. Um it's required by the

[11:52] end of the the calendar year. So

[11:55] reporting to the state starts in March

[11:58] 2027

[12:00] and it basically requires that you

[12:02] retake this training every four years or

[12:06] uh each term. So um your sentence is

[12:10] five years. So that means every every

[12:13] five years um a redo and thanks in

[12:18] advance to those of you who have sent me

[12:20] your certificate.

[12:23] Do you need us to That's what I wanted

[12:25] to

[12:26] » I need um they should have issued like a

[12:28] certificate or something.

[12:30] » Yeah.

[12:31] » Just forward that to me.

[12:33] » Something. Okay.

[12:34] » Heather, if we could get a a a printed

[12:37] version and a frame on the wall behind

[12:38] you, I think that'd be helpful.

[12:40] » Listen, I am so proud of myself for

[12:43] doing it and knocking it out this like

[12:45] like this weekend. Like so proud of

[12:47] myself. Well, now that the weather's

[12:49] getting warmer, it's going to be harder

[12:50] and harder for me to do it. So, it may

[12:54] be a end of year last minute thing for

[12:57] me.

[12:58] We'll see.

[12:59] » I'll keep pestering you. Don't worry.

[13:00] » Perfect.

[13:02] » Okay, Groovy.

[13:04] Uh, thanks. I don't have anything to

[13:07] comment on. Does anyone else have

[13:09] anything they'd like to throw out there?

[13:12] » All right. Oh,

[13:13] » No. One more thing. I'm sorry. Um just

[13:16] the what is the date again Alexis of the

[13:23] uh Earth Day?

[13:25] » Oh, thank you. That is um Saturday I

[13:29] want to say April 25th.

[13:31] » Oh, okay. Cool.

[13:33] » Um

[13:33] » I didn't write it in my calendar. So,

[13:37] » Um

[13:40] just confirm that Saturday. Yes,

[13:43] Saturday the 25th. I will send out a

[13:47] email once um the organizers have more

[13:51] details as far as the the time.

[13:54] » That's I just wanted to block it out

[13:56] » Was the point. Block it out meaning put

[14:00] it on your calendar.

[14:01] » Yeah, block it out on my calendar.

[14:03] Sorry. Not mentally block it out. Right.

[14:06] [laughter]

[14:09] Um on the 25th of March in Greenwich, we

[14:13] um are having Peter Pone come and speak

[14:15] about invasive species management. So

[14:18] it's only on it's only in person. It's

[14:20] not um we're not doing via Zoom, but I

[14:23] don't know if anybody's ever heard Peter

[14:24] Pone speak before. He's a Connecticut um

[14:27] deep wildlife biologist. He's a

[14:28] fantastic speaker. I've seen him a

[14:30] couple times. and uh he'll be live in

[14:31] person um in Greenwich on um March 25th

[14:35] at um 7 p.m. at the Eastern uh Greenwich

[14:38] Civic Center if anybody's interested.

[14:42] » Yeah, he's an excellent um

[14:44] » He's good. Yeah,

[14:46] » Kind of low-key

[14:47] um down to earth um guy that knows a lot

[14:51] about plants and

[14:54] um

[14:55] e ecotones.

[14:58] Thank you. Sure.

[15:03] » That's a Wednesday then?

[15:05] » Yeah, Wednesday night 7 p.m.

[15:07] » And what is it called again if I were to

[15:08] look it up?

[15:09] » It um if you go on the Greenwich Town

[15:11] website, there's an invasive species uh

[15:13] management campaign. Uh and I can send

[15:15] you a flyer as well. Um but it's just

[15:17] it's Peter Pone um just invasive species

[15:19] lecture. Greenwich uh there should be a

[15:21] press release coming out

[15:22] » Soon about it.

[15:24] » Um regards to parks, understanding and

[15:26] managing invasives invasive species.

[15:28] Yeah. Uh the plan is to record it so

[15:31] it'll be available, but it's always more

[15:33] fun to um you know, see it live to be

[15:36] able to ask questions. He's he's a

[15:37] particularly just really great speaker

[15:39] um and very knowledgeable about

[15:40] invasives.

[15:43] » Does he say yachts to pox?

[15:46] » I don't know.

[15:48] » Be fun if you did

[15:49] » With a Boston accent. I'm not sure.

[15:50] » Boston accent.

[15:53] Uh cool. All right. That's a good one,

[15:55] too. Thank you.

[15:58] Okay.

[15:59] Anything else? Paul's awfully quiet.

[16:02] » Not much to say.

[16:04] » Cool. Okay. Uh on that note, then I will

[16:09] move to adjourn. May I have a second?

[16:13] » Second.

[16:14] » Seven. Got it. All in favor? I

[16:17] » I. All right. 618 started two minutes

[16:20] late. Pretty good.

Conservation Commission 03-10-2026

Transcript