Minutes of Special Meeting of Conservation Commission March 27, 2008
Present: Joe Hovious (chair), Mary Kaley, Mary Wilson, Marjorie Cramer, Patricia Barkman
The meeting began at 8.30 am at the end of Kale Davis Road. A “no trespassing” sign was noted blocking access to the gate to the Iroquois pipeline on land parcel 53-2-24. The area alongside the Iroquois gas pipeline bordering Newtown open space land parcel 53-7-52-LT OS (barely legible on my map-needs verification) was walked and the proposed area of disturbance by the gas company noted. The land slated for disturbance appeared to already have been marked out with surveyor’s tape. There was a great deal of damage to the topsoil and vegetation over the existing pipeline and the land adjacent to it, including the open space land, apparently from large vehicles and ATVs.
Next the land carrying the pipeline through land parcel 53-2-49 (recently purchased as town open space) and bordering town open space parcel 54-13-20 OS was walked. The land had already been marked with pink and orange surveyor’s tape. The meaning of these tapes was unclear and the Commission would like clarification. It appeared from the location of the pipeline in relation to the town open space and from the tapes that open space parcel 54-13-20 OS would be impacted by the proposed land disturbance even though the Iroquois representative, Ruth Parkins, said that this would not be the case when speaking to the commission at the March 25, 2008 meeting. Again the commission members noted that there was a great deal of damage to the topsoil and vegetation over the existing pipeline and the land adjacent to it,
apparently from large vehicles and ATVs.
At this point commissioners Barkman and Wilson left the meeting and a quorum was no longer present..
Next land parcel 32-1-29 was accessed via Newtown Forest Association land and walked. The property was noted to be land locked and completely inaccessible from town property. It is surrounded on 3 sides by Newtown Forest Association land and has several trails suitable for walking or horse riding. It was rated at an average of 32.3 points, a low score relative to other properties evaluated by the Commission. The question arose as to how Iroquois calculated that this property was valued as $200M given that it was purchased by them for $90M. The property should certainly be preserved and the question is by whom.
Commissioner Cramer made a suggestion that the Iroquois offer of land parcel 32-1-29 to offset the cost of land loss and disturbance by their proposed work was unsuitable because of its’ land-locked, inaccessible status and low rating by the commissioners, and would be better suited as a (tax deductible) donation to the Newtown Forest Association. Instead the commission would suggest the following as restitution to the town for the proposed work by Iroquois which causes residents a great deal of inconvenience:
1. A cash payment, estimated at $100,000, to be used to complete a project such as the Ferris Farm trail, fence, boardwalk, picnic/nature study area to our design, with plaques recognizing Iroquois. This would allow Iroquois a much wider public recognition as good neighbors.
2. The purchase of property 42-15-34 lot B to be donated to the town as open space and the donation recognized by plaques to give recognition to Iroquois.
3. Access to the Newtown open space 53-2-52OS via land parcel 32-1-2. This has been available for local residents from the previous owners in the past and provides access to the lower Paugussett State Forest. (Joe you mentioned “Also access at Canterbury if not currently available and residents want it” and I wasn’t sure what that meant.)
4. Replace and remark all disturbed Town open space corners and signs adjacent to the pipeline.
5. Establish a policy of policing the pipeline land to help keep motorized vehicles from using it and the adjacent town open space property. These vehicles frequently use the pipeline land.
The suggestion will be presented to the Commission and Land Use staff for consideration.
The tour was completed at 11.50 am
Submitted by Marjorie Cramer and Joe Hovious, Commissioners
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