TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Conservation Commission
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
Telephone (860) 395-3073 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Land Use Conference Room
Old Saybrook Town Hall
Members in Attendance: Bob Fish, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Judy Preston, Jerry Brophy
Approval of Minutes
MOTION to approve the Regular Meeting minutes of October 11, 2005.
MOVED by Charlie Cobb. SECONDED by Judy Preston. IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Judy Preston, Jerry Brophy. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Commission Membership & Organization
All present members of the Commission are still interested in serving and will be reappointed. Chairman Fish mentioned that there is one (1) vacancy on the Commission and welcomes speaking to anyone who may be interested. Appointments will not occur until at least November 22, 2005.
2006 Regular Meeting Schedule
Conservation Commission meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. in the Land Use Conference Room in the Town Hall. Please see attached schedule for specific meeting dates.
MOTION to approve the 2006 Regular Meeting Schedule.
MOVED by Judy Preston. SECONDED by Bob Fish. IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Judy Preston, Jerry Brophy. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Review of ZBA Application
MOTION to add ZBA application review to agenda.
MOVED by Bob Fish. SECONDED by Jerry Brophy. IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Judy Preston, Jerry Brophy. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Commission members reviewed the ZBA application for the creation of parking spaces on the Rte 154 Oceanside Garage property. The Commission had several concerns regarding this application and its potential negative impact on the wetlands and the bodies of water it feeds into such as Cranberry Pond, Otter Cove Pond, Turtle Creek, and the Connecticut River. Jerry Brophy and Mike Kelley will draft and submit a letter on behalf of the Conservation Commission to the ZBA regarding this application for its next regular scheduled meeting in December.
Great Cedars Stewardship Plan
Chairman Fish informed Commission members that a site walk of Great Cedars is set for Wednesday, November 16, 2005. Exact start time TBA.
Commission Priorities and Plans: Task Priority List – How should we use it? Action Plans
Although it is the intention of the Commission to work on all the tasks included in the Conservation & Open Spaces section of the Plan of Development, certain tasks were identified as meeting priority attention or were of special interest to one or more members of the Commission:
· Great Cedars Stewardship
· Open space land acquisition
· Completing the town wide Fishway system
· Developing a brochure and plan for town natural history tours
· Phragmites control
· Regional greenways
· Developing a template Conservation site plan, using South Cove as the model
Special Meetings, Site Walks, Ground Truthing, Mail, Materials, Opportunities, Open Forum
Judy Preston informed the Commission that she is working with the Tidewater Institute and Leslie Lewis of the State of CT DEP regarding Greenways. Ms. Preston hopes to create a map that includes not only Old Saybrook but other area towns as well. Her goal is to promote land protection and acquisition on a larger regional scale with other town commissions.
There will be a hike of Great Cedars with the Land Trust on November 27, 2005 at 1:00pm.
Ms. Preston updated the Commission on the Phragmites Control Project and stated that the grant went out and is awaiting word.
Regarding The Preserve, Judy thanked all Conservation Commission members who helped in reviewing documents.
Charlie Cobb suggested that a picture of an Atlantic White Cedar be put on the marker plates for the Great Cedars property.
Adjournment
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 9:05pm. until the next regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, 7:30pm., Land Use Conference Room, Old Saybrook Town Hall, 302 Main Street.
MOVED by Charlie Cobb. SECONDED by Jerry Brophy. IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Judy Preston, Jerry Brophy. OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINING: none. APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Melanie Dautrich
Conservation Commission Clerk
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