NEWBURY CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes Sept. 12, 2006
Present: William Weiler, Deane Geddes, Frank Perrotta, Suzanne Levine, Eric Unger, Katheryn Holmes
August 8 minutes: Moved Geddes, seconded Unger, approved as corrected.
Intents to Cut:
1. Luke Smith, Canterbury, plans to cut 80 of 110 acres on Mountain Road, map-lot 32-784,108 and 21-116,331 beginning Oct. 1. The cut is expected to produce 230,000 mbf of timber and 4,000 tons of pulpwood. Logger: Wade Reed of Rumney, N.H. Eric Unger, logging permit observer for the commission, said he approved the cut but noted that parts may be in a steep-slope area. He told the commission that a concrete bridge has been built across Mountain Brook to facilitate removal of logs. Members noted that woodlot owners are not receiving written commission comments on their project, nor are they getting a handout describing general regulations and limitations
that once was issued with the signed intents-to-cut forms. Weiler said it might be time to ask the selectmen to mail the form to the landowner. Holmes said the commission needs a pamphlet that would answer regulatory questions, or would help people get answers. She said she is working on such a document for the Zoning Board. (Unger said that where West Branch Brook crosses Mountain Road silt has been coming off the road and building up on adjacent land. He suggested the highway department use coarser material on the road. In discussion it was mentioned that with the unusually heavy rains the town has experienced, it’s hard to keep fine material from washing off gravel roads.)
2. Jane F. Guise of Portland, Maine plans to cut 15 of 98 acres she owns on Brown Road (24-316,210). Logger Brooks McCandlish of Bradford is expected to produce 27,000 mbf of timber and 125 tons of pulpwood. The project began Aug. 1, 2006.
3. Carl A. Morris Jr. of Mechanicsville, Va., is cutting 7 of 9 acres near the Fairgrounds in Bradford (51-654,300). Cutting by MBC Timber Inc. of Bradford began July 19 and was expected to produce 21,000 mbf of timber and 275 tons of pulpwood.
4. Kimberly Mock, Brian Smith and Kelley Santti of Bradford plan to cut all 67.40 acres they own on Poor Farm Hill “ASAP.” (48-299,133) Christopher W. Mock of Bradford is expected to cut 350,000 mbf of timber and 770 tons of pulpwood. Application was made June 5, 2006.
5. Carl Larson of Deland, Fla. Received confirmation of complete forestry notification for a cut off Old Post Road (42-504,150). Authorization is good through Aug. 9, 2008.
Wetlands:
1. The Town of Newbury has applied to the N.H. Wetlands Bureau seeking a site-specific permit to disturb 261,360 square feet of land to construct playing fields and parking lots at Fishersfield Recreation Area off Old Post Road (32-344,507, etc.).
2. Richard Mozetta, 103 Bay Point Road (7-166,398) received approval to replace a dock and crib on Lake Sunapee that have been damaged and are unsafe.
3. Roger Hardy has received approval of a minimum impact expedited application to construct two culverts on property he is developing off South Road (44-562,348). Two wetlands will be crossed by a common driveway serving two houses to be built. The culverts will disturb 1,110 square feet of land.
4. Matthew A. Clark, 98 Bay Point Road (7-171,390) has filed a standard dredge and fill application to replace a boathouse. The only apparent change will be to reduce the size of a crib for walkways, allowing wider berthing space.
5. Poppie Davis of Lake Avenue, Blodgett’s Landing, contacted wetlands permit supervisor Geddes about her plan to repair a stone wall near the shore of Lake Sunapee. Geddes viewed the site and discussed the reconstruction with her agent, Dan Butter.
6. Kenneth Donnaghey. Geddes said his letter to DES about Donnaghey’s possible plan to build a lakefront platform on his property off Shore Drive brought a quick response. A DES spokesperson told Geddes no application for the platform project was on file at DES.
Old Business:
1. Conservation Plan.
a. Weiler explained that the cost of eight maps and their printing would result in an overexpenditure of $2,383 beyond the amount approved for the plan. GIS specialist Denise Rico of Hillsborough has been approved to do the maps for $2,500; printing will be $200 each. Motion: Holmes moved, Perrotta seconded, to waive the bylaw to hold a public hearing on the use the Conservation Fund for the extra amount needed. Weiler noted no one attended the hearing June 13 authorizing a $13,000 expenditure for the project. The state law requires a public hearing only for the acquisition of land, he said. Approved unanimously. Motion: Perrotta moved, seconded Holmes, to take
$2,400 from the Conservation Fund to cover the cost of maps for the Conservation Plan. Approved unanimously.
b. Weiler said he was uncomfortable with consultant E. Ann Poole’s draft outline and draft goals. He said the commission’s Request for Proposal and the draft outline don’t agree. “I don’t see her responding to what we asked for,” he said, adding that her drafts are not specific enough. Perrotta and Holmes noted the draft project goals and objectives prepared by Poole seemed detailed enough. Geddes said the commission needed to talk with Poole about the draft plan details vis a vis the RFP. Weiler and the commission agreed to study the RFP and Pool’s drafts and meet with her at the earliest opportunity.
2. Trail Map. Levine reported the disc containing data for printing the Newbury Trail Map is missing. She thought Annable might have it.
3. Library Project. Levine said she met with the trustees of the Newbury Library and they agreed to allow the commission to establish a conservation bookshelf. The trustees were also interested in a workshop for anyone interested in learning how to use the Lake Sunapee Watershed GIS program Perrotta installed on the library’s computers. Levine and Perrotta said they would discuss how to get the library project underway.
4. 2007 Commission Budget. Weiler said the town administrator had reminded him the commission’s budget request will be due soon. Weiler said he planned to request $600 again. Perrotta asked that he raise the amount, noting that increased commission activity such as the library project and upcoming hearings could result in an overage. Weiler said he preferred to go to the Conservation Fund if more money is needed. Perrotta said that was a dangerous precedent. Weiler disagreed. Holmes added that expenses for education could add to the commission’s expenses.
New Business:
1. Moose Plate Grant. Perrotta proposed that the commission apply for up to $5,000 in N.H. Fish and Game funds to conduct a pilot Japanese Knotweed eradication project at a site on a town road. Generally, knotweed is removed by injecting an herbicide over two seasons, and then roughing up the ground with a machine so native species can regrow. The herbicide, known to gardeners as Roundup, is reportedly environmentally friendly. If successful, a follow-up project could address larger areas of knotweed infestations. Perrotta said he would attempt to gather information and complete an application for a grant before the Nov. 16 deadline. The commission
approved the idea.
2. Chalk Pond. Following up a viewing of drainage problems by Weiler and Perrotta last spring, Weiler said members of the Sunapee Hills Association had identified two streams as permanent waterways feeding into the pond. As a result, Weiler has written the Newbury Planning Board to include “Roaring Brook” and “Bly Brook” in the town’s permanent streams list and zoning ordinance. The latter would make the brooks subject to town buffer requirements. Geddes and Perrotta said they would inspect the brooks for the commission. The chairman and co-chairman of the Sunapee Hills Association will meet with the commission at its next
meeting, Weiler said.
3. Cheney Road Culvert. RCS Design has proposed changes to the planned culvert-rebuilding project at Shaw Brook. The changes proposed to restore the original flow of the brook would cause the least amount of impact. Thirty-six square feet, plus or minus, will be affected by the work.
Adjourned: Moved Perrotta, seconded Holmes, adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Next Meeting: Oct. 10 at 7:15 p.m., Municipal Building
Prepared by: Frank Perrotta
| 
