Lee Conservation Commission Meeting Summary – November 5, 2025

The Lee Conservation Commission met on the evening of November 5, 2025, and adjourned at 7:35 p.m. No separate agenda or minutes were provided with the transcript. The board approved minutes, acted on two Requests for Determination of Applicability (RDAs), a Certificate of Compliance, and a town tree-removal/parking-lot request, and discussed site conditions observed near a floodplain. No public comments were offered.

Minutes

• The board approved the minutes of the October 15, 2025 meeting as written, with all members in favor. The transcript initially referred to "October 1st" before correcting to "October 15th."

Meadow Street over Hop Brook – RDA for Geotechnical Exploratory Borings

• Chad Raymer, a wetland scientist, presented the Town of Lee's RDA for geotechnical exploratory borings at the Meadow Street bridge over Hop Brook.
• Purpose: collect information on soil overburden, depth to bedrock, bedrock type/quality/weathering/fracturing, and groundwater depth to support future bridge-replacement alternatives.
• Four borings would be placed at the edges of the existing bridge: two advanced to 40 feet and two to 100 feet, or to refusal. Work would occur within the existing roadway using a truck-mounted drill rig and was expected to take one day.
• The activity is exempt under 10.02 but is within bordering land subject to flooding according to the 1980s flood insurance study. Protective measures would include straw wattles and, if groundwater is encountered, a sediment trap.
• The board discussed clean operations at the Mills Creep bridge, borehole backfilling to road level, silt barriers, and a target start date about two weeks from the meeting.
• Outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve a Negative 2 determination.

Cape Street Certificate of Compliance – 1375/1395 Cape Street

• Request for a Certificate of Compliance for Map 21, Lot 22, covering installation of a 1,500-square-foot accessory building, restoration of an area, and removal of trees from a steep slope.
• Board members noted the applicant had completed the approved work and the required mitigation, including planting the requested shrub-like Japanese willows, and the slope was stable.
• Outcome: Motion to approve the certificate because the work and requested mitigation were completed; unanimously approved.

10 Church Street – Removal of Vegetation for Parking Lot Expansion

• Lee DPW requested approval for vegetation removal at Long Cole Park, Map 23, Lot 31, to expand the existing parking lot.
• Proposal included removing dead hazard trees (approximately 40–50 feet tall, mostly trunks with bug holes), expanding the lot from roughly three cars to about six spaces, improving the kiosk and signage, and seeding/planting native grasses.
• The area is not in a resource area, but the bylaw requires Conservation Commission approval for tree removal on town property.
• Board discussion included tree height/trunk size and the absence of wetland concerns.
• Outcome: Motion to approve the vegetation removal and parking-lot expansion by Lee DPW; unanimously approved.

945 Pleasant Street – RDA for Parking Lot Light and Buried Power Line

• Robert Cunningham presented an RDA for installing a parking-lot light and a buried power line at 945 Pleasant Street.
• Work would include an 8-foot trench, about 8 inches wide and 18 inches deep, along the driveway from a shed to the new light; a small excavator/trencher would be used, and excavated material would be backfilled. The light pole itself would be set about 4 feet deep. One part of the work is near the wet area.
• Board members asked about neighbors, jurisdiction, and light color. The applicant stated the light would use a 3,000K bulb (yellow-toned) rather than blue-spectrum light, would be dimmable, and would operate only about four hours on Thursday nights on a timer.
• Board members indicated the pole/location might need Planning Board or Zoning Board review, with Conservation Agent Colby to confirm.
• Outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve a Negative 2 determination for the installation, conditioned on confirming any applicable Planning Board/ZBA approval for the pole and notifying Conservation Agent Colby before the work begins. During the vote the transcript contains an apparent slip in which the chair said "945 Wilson Street"; the agenda item and discussion referred to 945 Pleasant Street.

Other Board Discussion / Site Observation

• Board members discussed observations from a recent site inspection at a neighboring property, referred to as the "Souls property," near the river/floodplain.
• Concerns included straw bales that were not staked or overlapping, a possible missing silt fence, and fill material that appeared non-native in the floodplain.
• Members debated whether the fill predated recent development and whether floodplain maps covered the area. They agreed to check the project file and floodplain map, and the conservation agent would follow up. No vote was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Approved October 15, 2025 minutes as written (all in favor).
• Approved Negative 2 determination for Meadow Street geotechnical exploratory borings (all in favor).
• Approved Certificate of Compliance for 1375/1395 Cape Street (all in favor).
• Approved vegetation removal/parking-lot expansion at 10 Church Street / Long Cole Park (all in favor).
• Approved Negative 2 determination for 945 Pleasant Street parking-lot light and buried power line, with follow-up on jurisdiction/notice conditions (all in favor).
• Site-observation/fill concerns referred for file and floodplain-map review; no vote.

Adjournment

• The board voted to adjourn, and the meeting ended at 7:35 p.m.