HomeMy WebLinkAbout22SITE 9 DEEP LWRD Comments 110422
79 Elm Street • Hartford, CT 06106-5127
www.ct.gov/deep
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
Connecticut Department of
ENERGY &
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
November 4, 2022 Town of Montville Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Liz Burdick Town of Montville Planning Director 310 Norwich-New London Turnpike
Uncasville, CT 06382 Subject: 55 Dock Road, Uncasville CT – Improvements to Town Dock and New Fishing Pier Dear Commissioners: Thank you for notifying this office of the Coastal Site Plan Application proposing the
reconstruction and improvements to the Town Boat Launch and installation of a new Fishing Pier for public use. We have reviewed the proposal for consistency with the policies and standards of the Connecticut Coastal Management Act (CCMA), and we offer the following
comments. Public Access We commend the Town of Montville for taking initiative to enhance and promote public access with the proposed improvements to the existing boat launch, town dock and installation of a new fishing pier for general public use. As you may already be aware, the CCMA requires that
highest priority and preference be given to locating water-dependent uses at waterfront sites [CGS Sec. 22a-92(a)(3)], and public access such as represented in this project is defined in Section 22a-93(16) as a water-dependent use. We encourage the Town to incorporate appropriate signage that indicates the location of the access point if this has not yet been incorporated into the project or is not currently present at the site. Generally, signs should, at a
minimum, be located at the street entrance to the site and, if somewhat distant from the entrance, at the parking area. Stormwater & Water Quality The application materials indicate that there will be 0.06 acres of impervious surface increase as a result of the proposed work. It is noted in the associated drainage report prepared for this
project that stormwater detention for the site was not considered to mitigate this increase in impervious area due to the proximity to the Thames River and the location at the lower reach of the watershed. Instead, a water quality basin has been incorporated into the project to mitigate for the proposed impervious increase. The Commission must assure that the increase in impervious cover associated with the project will not result in a cumulative adverse impact from stormwater. To better protect water quality, we encourage the Town to evaluate incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) practices into the design of the parking area to help manage stormwater at the site, if feasible, such as incorporating pervious pavers and biofiltering parking lot islands into the proposal if determined to be practicable. Furthermore, we recommend that
the installation and maintenance of adequate sedimentation and erosion controls for the completion of the work be made conditions of coastal site plan approval.
Flood Management Certification and DEEP Permitting We note to the Commission that it appears that a Flood Management Certification (FMC) from
this office will need to be obtained given that DEEP funding from a pass-through federal grant is being provided for the construction of the new fishing pier. Additionally, please be advised that a search of the DEEP’s electronic permit database indicates that there appears to be no DEEP authorization for the existing Town dock, boat launch, or seawall described in the CSPR application. Activities proposed in tidal wetlands and/or waterward of the Coastal Jurisdiction Line require authorization from our office. We strongly encourage the Town of Montville to contact William Sigmund (William.Sigmund@ct.gov), Supervisor of the Regulatory East Region and myself at (Eimy.Quispe@ct.gov), for pre-application coordination in order to assist with recommendations for the proposal’s in-water components which will need to be evaluated through DEEP’s permitting process. Preliminary coordination with our office in advance of the forthcoming application submittal may aid in addressing any potential concerns regarding unauthorized structures and/or design modifications based on recommendations from our office.
We hope these comments have been helpful to the Commission.
Should you have any questions regarding this letter or any other coastal management or Long Island Sound matter, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely, Eimy Quispe Environmental Analyst Land and Water Resources Division EQ/