Regular Meeting
April 14, 2009
Land Use Conference Room
Town Hall, 302 Main Street
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members in Attendance: Bob Fish, Jerry Brophy, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Robert Siegelman.
Absent: Kim Gallagher, Charlie Cobb.
Staff in Attendance: Maura Farbotka, Recording Clerk
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION: to approve the minutes of March 10, 2009 as presented.
MOVED: by Mike Kelley; SECONDED: by Pat Ingellis; IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Jerry Brophy, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Robert Siegelman; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINING: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Great Cedars MOU Meeting:
Bob Fish distributed and reviewed the minutes from the March 24, 2009 MOU Meeting. Attending were Bob Fish, Ray Allen of Parks and Recreation, and Barbara Guenther of the Old Saybrook Land Trust.
The following items were reviewed at the meeting:
Stewardship Plans – All were concerned about stronger enforcement. The police have offered more patrols/enforcement. Details will be discussed at an upcoming meeting.
Boundary Markings - Pat Ingellis updated the commission on where he left off on the boundary markings. He reported most of Great Cedars is complete with the exception of where the property abuts the Preserve. There is also an area abutting the Fairbanks property that needs further research to identify the proper location of the markings.
Parking Area – Bob Fish noted both the Great Cedars East and West Parking area need to be repaired.
Invasive Plants – The Land Trust has organized a walk thru of Great Cedars West to be held on May 2, 2009 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. to identify invasive plants. Bob Fish indicated there are grants available for invasive plant removal.
Bob also reported that the Parks and Recreation Department will be handling the completion of the proposed Founder’s Park Trail, as this area is outside the purview of the MOU agreement. A discussion continued regarding this trail. Jerry Brophy reported that the tidal wetlands have been flagged, and a surveyor has mapped it, indicating the buffers. Work may still be required on obtaining easements for some sections of the trail located on private property. The Commission agreed to make sure the Parks and Recreation Department has all relevant information.
Conservation Commission Program Review, Plans, Projects, Progress and Priorities
The Commission agreed these are the topics/projects they would like to move forward with in the upcoming year:
Open Space and Easements
All indexing and books for both Open Space and identifying of Easements are up to date. Chairman Fish stated he was contacted by two separate Old Saybrook land owners who are interested in donating their land as open space. The Commission will follow up and schedule a review of the sites.
Stewardship of Town-Owned Open Space
Conservation Plan Updates
Fishway System
The Oyster River Fishway System has been completed. Volunteers for monitoring the fishways are needed.
Natural Heritage Tour
New brochures are now available and will be placed at the Chamber of Commerce office and elsewhere. This brochure will now form the platform for future features of interest to the public, such as was done with notable trees.
Clean Water
CEQ Support Projects
Public Education
Regional Activities
The Commission agreed working together with other towns would be most beneficial in areas such as producing greenways, eco-tourism and educational programs for the public.
Support a town response to State Plans of Development
Support other land use commissions, as requested
Bob Fish asked Commission members to indicate which projects most interest them.
Mike Kelley would like to continue to work on the Natural Heritage Tour improvements.
Pat Ingellis will continue with Boundary Markings. He requested help from Bob Fish and Town Planner Christine Nelson in locating easements and proper locations of markings. Mike Kelley suggested educating the public who live near the open space properties prior to marking. Pat Ingellis would also like to work on Trail System Development.
Robert Siegelman will work on Eco-Tourism, interfacing with the Regional Planning Agency.
Adjournment:
MOTION: to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 p.m. until the next Regular Meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall in the Land Use Conference Room.
MOVED: by Jerry Brophy; SECONDED: by Pat Ingellis; IN FAVOR: Bob Fish, Jerry Brophy, Pat Ingellis, Mike Kelley, Robert Siegelman; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINING: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectively submitted,
Maura Farbotka
Recording Clerk
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