MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 3:30 P.m.
Pasbeshauke Pavilion
Saybrook Point
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman L. Ritzhaupt called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Walter Smith
Larry Ritzhaupt
William Webster
Janice Holland
William Johnson
Douglas McCracken
Michael Momparler
Thomas Gezo
Robert Yust
Land Use Department Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Christina Costa, Zoning Enforcement Officer
Also in attendance were members of the Old Saybrook Inlands Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, members of the Conservation Commission, members of the Old Saybrook Land Trust and two member of the CT Nature Conservancy.
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee’s Regular Meeting of May 22, 2014 as presented.; MADE by M. Momparler; SECONDED by R. Yust; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, L. Ritzhaupt, W. Webster, D. McCracken, J. Holland, W. Johnson, T. Gezo, R. Yust, M. Momparler; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 9-0-0.
There was no new correspondence.
C. Topics & Timelines
Potential topics for future meetings include a presentation by Zoning Enforcement Office Christina Costa on building in high-risk flood hazard areas, a review of survey results, assignment of topics to committee members for analysis and presentation to the committee, and discussion and agreement on the format and timing for the committee final report.
Chair Ritzhaupt then discussed the process to be used for the next 17 months to complete the committee’s report and recommendations and asked that all SLRCAC members fill out a survey on Survey Monkey regarding Topics and Issues by July 8, prior to the next scheduled meeting on July 10. The link to the survey will be distributed to the committee members (surveymonkey.com/s/slr). The results of the survey will be used to identify key questions and specific interests of all committee members.
Post-Meeting note: link to survey was distributed to committee members on Friday, June 27, 2014.
IV. GUEST PRESENTATION
- “An Assessment of the Salt Marsh Mitigation Zone in Old Saybrook”
Dr. Adam Whelchel, Director of Science, Nature Conservancy in CT
L. Ritzhaupt introduced Dr. Adam Whelchel, Chief Scientist for the CT Nature Conservancy (CTNC). Dr. Whelchel made a PowerPoint presentation and led a discussion on the topic of “A Salt Marsh Advancement Zone Assessment of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.” All commission members received a copy of the study. This study as well as other studies regarding sea level rise by CTNC are available online.
Highlights of the presentation included the following:
Marshes provide additional resilience to coastal areas by protecting people, property, and stabilizing the shoreline. Marshes are known to aid in decreasing effects of wave action, act as a flood plain and hold excess water, and decrease the deposition of silt.
This is a model that predicted a 36” rise in Old Saybrook marsh elevation by 2080. This is considered to be a conservative estimate as other current estimates predict an elevation that could be double that by the turn of the century.
This model did not consider storm surge from either tropical storms or hurricanes.
What is presented is (1) existing salt march locations and (2) salt march location projections by 2080 based on the expected migration of the marsh associated with sea level rise. Dr. Whelchel was careful to note this is a projection, not a prediction. Other activities such as further development and increased imperviousness, more marshland hardening, faster and higher rising sea level could significantly alter the projection.
Dr. Whelchel noted that while increasing salt marshes in town would definitely provide ecological benefits, it also, just as importantly, provided economic benefits by allowing the natural infrastructure to provide climate resilience and risk reduction.
Dr. Whelchel noted that this was a guide to see where salt marshes would be in the future given existing conditions. This would significantly affect the town, as many residences would be considered a salt marsh.
Dr. Whelchel noted that this projection could be used by the town Conservation Commission and the Old Saybrook Land Trust to prioritize land acquisition to protect the town in the future. He noted that the larger parcels and those parcels that were contiguous to existing marshes would be good candidates.
Dr. Whelchel advised that a logical next step would be for the SLRCAC to prioritize parcels for the greatest amount of advancement potential.
L. Ritzhaupt thanked Dr Whelchel for his presentation and his willingness to field difficult questions. The audience provided a strong round of applause as thanks.
L. Ritzhaupt addressed the SLRCAC once more outlining a process to be used in the future and the need to put forth a strong outreach and education effort.
V. STUDY & REPORT
- ENVIRONMENT – NATURAL PLANT COMMUNITIES
- Inventory – Where Are We?
- Analysis – Where Are We Going?
- Plan – How Do We Get There?
VI. OUTREACH & EDUCATION
- Building a Level of Familiarity in Old Saybrook
- Measuring Community Values in Old Saybrook
VII. MEETING SUMMARY
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 4:55 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 3:30 p.m., Town Hall, 302 Main Street, 1st Floor Conference Room.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes for Larry Ritzhaupt
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