ANTRIM OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE
Meeting Notes
August 9, 2005
Present:
Linda Bundy |
Gil Geiz |
Melissa Chapman |
Lorrane Corey Block |
Robert Edwards |
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Not present: Marshall Gale, Ben Pratt, Eric Tenney, Rod Zwirner
Others present: Ron Haggett, Bill Prokop, Paul Vasquez
1. Agenda – The committee reviewed the draft agenda and agreed to proceed with the meeting. Chair Levesque reminded the committee that because of its decision to hold two public meetings in June and July, the work is a month behind and it is critical that a draft report be written by the September meeting in order to get the report out for public hearing and to the other boards in town before delivering it by December 1.
2. Meeting notes – meeting notes from the May, June and July meetings were circulated and no changes were suggested. These will be posted on the town website.
3. Public Comments – Levesque handed out summaries of the public comments heard through the survey and through the two public meetings in June and July. The committee had previously seen and reviewed these. A quick review of the results of this public involvement is:
- many priorities were voiced for protecting land in Antrim
- some people have come forward and are interested in protecting their land
A discussion ensued about the development pressure being felt in Elm Ave. & Pierce Lake Road areas and the lake of adequate road infrastructure to handle this increase.
4. Priorities for land protection in Antrim – Levesque led the committee through a series of queries to develop the draft set of land protection priorities for Antrim. He said he had communicated with both Ben Pratt and Rod Zwirner about their thoughts and would share those as the committee worked through this. Results and consensus agreement:
Principles (for deciding on land protection priorities for Antrim):
- best for the future of the entire town
- use conservation easements as the tool
- can’t save it all
- context beyond the town
- willing seller/buyer & educated taxpayer
Kinds of Land to protect ( and why Antrim should protect this kind of land). These are essentially the criteria for protecting land in town:
- add to protected land – larger areas add to protection qualities
- aquifers – drinking water
- riparian areas (streams and lakes) – recreation and wildlife habitat
- agricultural land – food, rare diversity, habitat mosaic
- corridors – wildlife travel
- unfragmented forest lands – diversity of habitat for wildlife and corridors
- scenic values – aesthetic enjoyment for people & recreation values (tourism)
- historic lands – roots, education, heritage
What land (to protect):
I. Adding to protected land:
- west Antrim
- Campbell Pond/East Antrim
- Gregg Lake/Central Antrim
- McCabe
II. Aquifers:
- southern Contoocook
- northern Contoocook
III. Riparian areas:
- Contoocook River Corridor
- Campbell Pond outflow (Cochran Brook)
- North Branch/Steele Pond
- Gregg Lake
- Great Brook
- Willard Pond
IV. Agricultural land (the Contoocook River corridor)
- Platt
- Chauncey
- Tenney
- Whiting
V. Wildlife corridors
- Cochran Brook (Campbell Pd. South)
- West Antrim – the large block connecting out of town
- (Previously Denison) Pond to Contoocook
- Riley Mt. to Contoocook
VI. Unfragmented forestlands
- West Antrim
- Campbell Pond south
- Gregg lake west
VII. Scenic
- other areas listed above that accessible to people
- consideration for entry points to town
VIII. Historic lands
- Meetinghouse Hill
- Graystone Lodge area
How (to protect these areas):
Preferred method – use of conservation easements
3 tools available:
- conservation easements
o donations
o purchase
- fee acquisition (by town or conservation organization)
o donation
o purchase
- Planning/zoning/regulation (conservation development)
Discussion also ensued about raising money to be proactive about acquisition of conservation easements.
5. Committee Report – Levesque handed out the following outline for the Open Space Committee’s report. A draft will be developed by September 9 so that it can be sent out to the committee in advance of the September 13 meeting. Assignments for drafting are noted.
Executive Summary (Levesque)
I. Introduction (Levesque)
- overview
- relationship to other processes in town
II. Charge to Committee and Process (Levesque)
III. Natural Resource Inventory (Chapman & Corey Block)
- review of process used to gather data and sources
- narrative on resources in town
- maps (put in appendix?)
IV. Public Involvement (Bundy)
- survey
- town meeting (voting and mtg)
- public meeting #1
- public mtg #2
- what we heard – a summary
V. Open Space Conservation Priorities for Antrim (Levesque)
VI. How to complete protection of conservation priorities and costs (Levesque)
- conservation easement acquisition
- fee acquisition (only in special circumstances)
- conservation development techniques
VII. Recommendations – where we go from here
- Recommend continue Open Space Committee to implement plan and:
*Educate citizens about land protection
*fundraise to implement plan and protect priority lands in Antrim
VIII. APPENDIX
6. Next Meeting – the next meeting is Tuesday, September 13 at 7:00 PM at Little Town Hall. The agenda is:
- review and finalize draft report
- set public hearing date in October and agree on town board briefings and other public involvement activities around draft report.
Notetaker,
Charles Levesque
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