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Conservation Commission
DRAFT MINUTES
Regular Meeting
August 28, 2007, 5:00 p.m.
31 Pecks Lane, Newtown, Connecticut
Commissioners Present: Hovious, Barkman, Ferguson, Wilson, Cramer, Kaley, and Wright.
Staff Present: Rob Sibley, Conservation Official; Tammy Hazen, Clerk.
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Executive session to discuss potential purchases of properties convened at 5:15 p.m. and adjourned at 6:14 p.m.
The public hearing was called to order at 6:15 p.m.
I. Public Participation
There were no members of the public present.
II. Minutes
Tammy to follow-up with Jan to add approved minutes on the website (April 10th and May 22nd 2007).
April 24, 2007: Motion to approve minutes of April 24th - under number 4, Iroquois Gas Transmission meeting, Commissioner Cramer did not attend meeting. Mr. Sibley was alone. Commissioner Cramer should be stricken as being part of that meeting. Commissioner Ferguson, Paragraph 2 on Item 1 “The EDC based their subdivision …”, should be amended to say “Mr. Danziger state that the EDC based …”; Item #3, Recommendation on Newbrook Subdivision, second line discusses how requirements for size on contiguous space was met, Open should be placed before Space. It stated that Commissioner Wright made a motion. Change to the motion was seconded.
August 7, 2007: Motion to approve August 7th minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Ferguson. Item #4 Lila is spent Lilla. Item #3, Move motion approved unanimously, move to end of second paragraph. Also, place Alicia’s last name, Messier, into the minutes. All approved.
Notes: Commissioner Ferguson will draft a letter to the EDC as mentioned in the minutes of August 7th. There was a question as to whether, if a Commissioner abstains from voting, the name of the Commissioner be noted in the minutes. Mr. Sibley will check on this.
III. Old Business
1. Commerce Road Economic Development/Open Space Discussion
Commissioner Hovious asked Mr. Sibley for confirmation that the May 4th memo was sent to the EDC. Mr. Sibley confirmed it was sent. Commissioner Hovious discussed a property walk that took place on 8/24/07. Those noted in attendance included: George Benson, Liz Stocker, Ron Bolmer, Kim Danziger, Joe Hovious, Lilla Dean, Dennis Bloom, and Marj Cramer. Several items were discussed during the walk, including the placement of drainage structures and the preservation of a conifer forest. Alicia Messier will map the area with the GIS system.
The commissioners discussed content and possible recipients of the “position” paper. The document is designed to explain the reasons why the Commission selected the open space suggestions. The paper will be further polished and the recipients will be decided upon later.
Commissioner Hovious excused himself at 6:43 p.m. The Chair was turned over to Commissioner Barkman.
There was further discussion on the Conservation Commission’s role of responsibility towards the delineation of open space and the possibility of hosting a second walk.
Further discussions were tabled.
2. Discussion of Plans to Implement 2007-2008 Budget
Mr. Sibley updated the commission on the budget. A new computer is forthcoming within the next month. Once surveyor’s quotes are received, the commission can make recommendations for approval. The Conservation Commission may fall under the Land Use Agency in the new budget. The commissioners are asked to list items they foresee as needed for next year.
3. Education Subcommittee Report.
Commissioner Ferguson stated he plans to work with the tech people to add conservation information onto the website.
4. Action on Recommendation to Planning & Zoning to Clarify Open Space Definition.
Mr. Sibley stated that there are two definitions of open space in the Planning & Zoning regulations. Although the definitions are a little different from each other, they both have the same spirit. They were both amended within the same month and year. The commission discussed particulars regarding items to be included in the open space definition.
5. Mile-a-Minute Report
Commissioner Barkman stated that Kathleen Nelson and Amanda Weiss have been working on receiving permission from homeowners to enter properties. They have been concentrating efforts on the Gallagher’s and Planter’s Choice properties. The seed can live in water for three days and are already moving downstream via storm drain towards Pootatuck.
Mr. Sibley stated it was found, through a survey of the Pootatuck, that the banks of the river are completely infested from the Sticks & Stones property down to Meadowbrook Road. This area covers acres of infestation. Mr. Sibley will work with Parks & Rec to get a machine in there to remove the vines. An entire field of the Draper property is completely infested as well. At this point, hand pulling of the vines would be ineffective. A machine may not be effective on the Draper property because of heavy growth of other dense vegetation. Using machinery to remove the infestation on the sides of the Pootatuck may damage the banks. This area was surveyed by Mr. Sibley in 2004 of which, there were no traces of the vine at that time. It is determined that
the vine has established itself within the last 2½ to 3 years.
Mr. Sibley and Kathleen Nelson are certain that Planters Choice is not the distributor of the seed. They believe it may have been brought in by a soil distributor out of Pennsylvania or New York. Mr. Sibley will remain the liaison in terms of Kathleen Nelson’s contact for the town. Even if there were unlimited resources, it will be very difficult to control this. The only option now is looking at damage control, protecting the fringes, retarding the spread, making headway year after year. This will be a pervasive problem. Newtown is one of five towns in Connecticut dealing with this. George Benson has stated he will make this a priority for the Pootatuck Water Shed Association.
IV. New Business
1. Referral of the Carolan Property, 22 Horseshoe Ridge Road.
The commission was asked to review the open space designation on this property. Mr. Sibley gave the commission an overview of this project.
2. HVCEO letter on Map of constraints on development. Item Tabled
3. Annual Report request. Mr. Sibley will draft for the Commissioner’s approval.
Commissioner Ferguson Motioned to adjourn at 8:45 p.m. Seconded by Commissioner Wilson.
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