MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at 7:30 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
Members Present
Robert Fish
Bruce Sherwin
Richard Esty
Pat Ingellis
Kimberley Gallagher
Walter Smith
Members Absent
Jerry Brophy
Land Use Department Staff Present
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of October 9, 2012 as presented; MADE by K. Gallagher; SECONDED by R. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, P. Ingellis, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, K. Gallagher, W. Smith; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Correspondence
There was no new correspondence.
Sustainable Saybrook Website Support
B. Sherwin and R. Fish discussed putting together a survey. This could be done through Sustainable Saybrook or through the Conservation Commission. It would provide a vehicle for outreach to the community. The survey could be done through e-mail, the web site, a mass mailing or an in person meeting format.
B. Sherwin shared the town of South Windsor’s survey with Commissioners.
R. Esty said the survey has to be in a familiar format so people will fill it out. He suggested a telephonic survey. Members discussed the pros and cons of this type of a survey such as not being able to reach those who’ve replaced their land lines with cell phones and those who have caller ID and choose not to answer.
W. Smith emphasized that in order to get a true representation of the town; you need to have a large quantity of residents respond. Also Commissioners wanted to be sure the survey generates responses from many demographics.
R. Fish said the starting point for a survey should be a sub committee, and he volunteered to be on it. W. Smith also offered to help. R. Esty said he could teleconference from work with R. Fish and W. Smith. B. Sherwin offered to put the survey on the SS web site.
R. Fish would like the survey to be published and sent to every household in town via regular mail.
Regional Trailway Projects
R. Fish said J. Brophy is working on the trailways. At the last CC meeting, he said he would be asking P. Ingellis for his help with this, but because J. Brophy is not in attendance at tonight’s meeting, R. Fish suggested this be tabled until the next CC meeting.
Water Resources Projects
P. Ingellis talked to J. Brophy about town cleanup. There is a town resident who came to Family Day, and he expressed interest in doing an Old Saybrook clean up day. P. Ingellis is very interested in participating in that. They plan to meet this summer.
S. Prisloe passed out two “Old Saybrook Percent Impervious Cover” maps dated 11/13/2012. W. Smith explained how the percentage of impervious surfaces relates to storm water runoff and water quality.
At 25% impervious cover (depicted in red), there is poor water quality from the water runoff. The big red area in the center of the map drains into the Oyster River. W. Smith suggested that the Conservation Commission make recommendations to the PC regarding storm water based on this data.
At about 10% impervious cover (depicted in yellow), the town should adopt low impact development principles. Low impact means managing the storm water before it gets to the catch basin and to our wetlands and waterways. There is a lot of information available on how to create a low impact development.
As development moves into the areas with less than 10% impervious cover (depicted in green), W. Smith recommended the town recommend a conservation, low impact strategy. Soils in these areas have a higher capacity for absorption and infiltration.
The second map focuses more on habitat preservation and biological integrity. There are landscaping and ecology issues to be discussed here such as a wildlife corridor. Commissioners discussed the importance of wildlife migration through the different parts of town.
R. Esty suggested having the CC sponsor a bird count and possibly a wildlife count and a tree count at some point in the future. Commissioners agreed this would be a great idea.
W. Smith said he would really like to use this information to empower the town’s boards and commissions when regulating development.
Other Updates
R. Fish explained that a few years ago, data was collected on vernal pools in town. A study was done based on aerial photographs, and Town Hall Land Use staff went out and identified which vernal pools were productive. R. Esty has offered to pick this project up again and finish the report.
R. Fish asked Commissioners if a report on vernal pools throughout the town would be useful to the PC and the IWWC. K. Gallagher offered to bring this up at the next IWWC meeting, and R. Fish said he would ask C. Nelson to bring this up at the next PC meeting.
R. Fish said at their January meeting, the CC would be electing officers and their representative to the IWWC. He asked commissioners to start thinking about this as well as a succession plan for the Chairman’s position.
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 7:30 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by K. Gallagher; SECONDED by P. Ingellis; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, R. Esty, B. Sherwin, P. Ingellis, K. Gallagher, W. Smith; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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