MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:00 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
Members Present
Robert Fish
Richard Esty
Bruce Sherwin
Walter Smith
Members Absent
Kimberley Gallagher
Pat Ingellis
Jerry Brophy
Land Use Department Staff Present
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of February 12, 2013 as presented.; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by B. Sherwin; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, B. Sherwin; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Water Quality Project – Presentation by Walter Smith
W. Smith presented a Power Point on surface water quality recommendations for Old Saybrook. He emphasized that the responsibility for water quality is a joint effort involving the land use boards and commissions specifically the CC, Planning Commission, Water Pollution Control Authority, Zoning Board of Appeals and Zoning Commission.
The combined goal is to reduce the impact of non point source pollution. He talked about the Plan of Conservation and Development and why Old Saybrook is such a unique and special resource with its location on the CT River and the Long Island Sound.
He discussed the hydrologic changes resulting from urbanization and the percentage of runoff in relation to the percentage of impervious surface. As development increases, there is more pollution contained in the runoff. The polluting constituents of urban non point source runoff are sediment, nutrients, toxic contaminants and chemicals and pathogens, which come from animal waste. With increased impervious surface area and increased stream quality impairment, watershed development will be impacted. Some of these impacts are irreversible.
The Land Use Department created a map of Old Saybrook which depicts the percentage of imperviousness in the different sections of town. Route 1, which is highly developed with a high percentage of imperviousness, contributes to impairment of water quality. The town’s marshlands help to filter and protect the watersheds from direct contamination.
There are not a lot of new developments at this point in time because there is not a lot of buildable land left in town, but when new applications come in for redevelopment of land, Land Use boards and commissions may be able to remediate what has been done through low impact development, retrofit opportunities and land acquisition. Specifically, minimizing impervious cover, providing riparian buffers, encouraging infiltration, preserving natural vegetation and creating pocket parks are some recommendations.
W. Smith suggested encouraging the Land Use boards and commissions to ask the Conservation Commission to review site plans. He also suggested that the CC discuss appointing a CC member as a liaison to the Planning Commission.
W. Smith asked about updating the CC’s section of the Plan of Conservation and Development. R. Fish said the CC updated their section of The Plan in 2006, however, they can update it again if members would like to. R. Fish showed Commissioners the newly released CT River Estuary Regional Planning Agency Report of the Region Topics, Trends and Tools 2012-2022 dated December 2012.
Commissioners discussed the importance of land acquisition, potential uses of land, and acquiring land in concert with the Old Saybrook Land Trust.
Sustainable Saybrook Support
B. Sherwin asked if R. Fish thought providing a scholarship was an acceptable use of Sustainable Saybrook funds. R. Fish said he thought this was a good idea.
R. Fish noted that the Sustainable Saybrook website needs to be updated to show the new starting time of CC meetings is 7:00 P.M. instead of 7:30 P.M.
Regional Trailway Projects
Updates on Regional Trailway Projects will be discussed at the next regularly scheduled CC meeting which will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Town Hall, 302 Main Street.
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Vernal Pool Project
R. Esty will present his information on vernal pools at the next regularly scheduled CC meeting.
Old Business
There was no old business to discuss.
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by B. Sherwin; SECONDED by R. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Fish, W. Smith, R. Esty, B. Sherwin; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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