Chichester Conservation Commission Minutes
March 8, 2012
• Present: were Bob Mann, Zack Boyajian, Gordon Jones, guest Lindsay Jones, Blaze Konefal, Dawn Marshall, and our new Alternate Member, Frank Harrison.
• Meeting: called to order at 7:10
• Minutes: of the February 9, 2012 meeting were approved.
• Mail: was reviewed.
• Goals and Projects:
a) Conservation Fund investment – Blaze has not had the time to work on this.
b) Invasive plant control on town lands – Gordon spoke with Charles Moreno about the phragmites infestation at Marsh Pond. Mr. Moreno said it is not a large infestation but will meet with Gordon about it next week. Gordon learned that phragmites grow by rhizomes and are best controlled while small. Any chemical control would probably need a permit due to being in water. Zach has heard of two herbicides that might work on the barberry plants without killing other vegetation. Control of barberry can be done more easily in the early spring when the plants show up better before other plants have leafed out. Writing a series of articles on invasive plant control for the Suncook Sun was discussed.
c) Continued improvement of land and easement stewardship – Blaze bought a $1.00 plastic NO HUNTING sign as an example. Bob will make wooden backings for 5 signs. Gordon suggested using ear tag markers to write information on the signs as the ink is long lasting.
d) Public outreach, including walks and workshops - The required annual walking of the boundaries of town conservation easements was discussed. Blaze agreed to head this up. Frank is interested in the boundary walks as is Lindsay. Blaze will plan some times and get in touch with the interested parties. The easements that require annual walks and the submission of a report to the State Office of Energy and Planning are the Blackman, Drinon, and Sanborn parcels. There was also discussion of how to get data off the GPS. Dawn reported that the Heritage Commission would be pleased to join forces on a public walk. Zack will lead the walk and would like to do it in mid to late April, perhaps Earth Day, April 22nd. The target audience would be adults and the walk would be at the Madeline Sanborn Conservation Area
behind the Grange Hall. Possible topics besides the natural features of the land could include: Madeline Sanborn, the deed restrictions on the conservation area, and the historical uses of Marsh Pond. Whether to include the Shaw Fields in the walk was discussed. Zack and Dawn will plan this event further.
e) Carpenter Park Planning- There was a Parks and Rec. meeting 3/7 on the warrant for improving the park. The committee is trying to get the info on the warrant out before the town meeting. Frank has set up a web site for the public to sign up to donate time and supplies for the renovation of the park. (www.webharrison.net/carpenter-park) If the warrant passes the bids will have to go out quickly as the timing on the logging at the site is critical. Although we are involved, this is being overseen by the Parks and Rec. Committee not the CCC.
f) Public information to promote conservation easements - Gordon called Bob McAnney about conservation easements as Bob and his wife Faye had come to the talk by
Five Rivers Trust on easements. They are not going to pursue an easement at this time.
g) Spaulding Lot - Bob spoke with Daniel Lamy, who owns land abutting the Spaulding Lot to see if he was still agreeable to allowing the commission to access the forest through his property for a timber harvest, which he is. A motion was made to obtain Charlie Moreno’s forest management plan before the April meeting, review it, and give Mr. Moreno permission to proceed with a timber harvest. The motion failed. Gordon will call Mr. Moreno and ask him for the Carpenter Park plan by Town Meeting and the Spaulding Lot plan by April.
5. Other Business
Wetlands applications
1. The Suncook River may be nominated for the Rivers Management Protection Program. The Central NH River Planning Commission is overseeing the nomination. A letter of support by the selectmen will be considered and is on the agenda for the March 20th meeting at 7:45. The program forms a river advisory committee for all the towns along the river and raises the visibility of the river as an important natural resource. The controversy associated with this is that the land is in a floodplain and how inclusion in this program will effect farming on the floodplain.
2. Wetlands application for work on the bridge over Sander’s Brook. The concern is replacing the open bottom with a manmade bottom which over time could cause a lip or mini dam restricting movements of aquatic life. Bob will write a letter stating our concerns.
3. ZBA meeting on lot on Higgins Road, March 21st, for violation of the 50 feet buffer on this high value wetland. Bob will get information from the Planning Board secretary, Jamie Pike, about an “equitable waiver of zoning ordinance” by 15 feet and find out the plans so the site can be viewed ahead of time. Bob will go to the meeting and see Jamie for information to determine what type of building will be done on the lot and therefore how big an impact the proposed building will have.
Meeting adjourned at 9:10
Submitted by Dawn Marshall
Robert Mann, Chairman
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