CONSERVATION COMMISSION SEA LEVEL RISE CLIMATE ADAPTATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, July 10, 2014 from 3:30-5:00 pm
Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room
I. CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 3:34 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Robert Yust
Larry Ritzhaupt
Janice Holland
Jerry Brophy
Douglas McCracken
Michael Momparler
Members Absent
Bill Webster
John Donnelley
Walter Smith
William Johnson
Stephen Tagliatela
Thomas Gezo
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Director, Land Use Department
Christina Costa, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Land Use Department
James Monopoli, Director, Connecticut River Area Health District
Steve Mongillo, Program Manager, Water Pollution Control Authority
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 June 26, 2014 as presented; MADE by M. Momparler; SECONDED by D. McCracken; NO DISCUSSION; VOTED IN FAVOR: R. Yust, L. Ritzhaupt, J. Holland, J. Brophy; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
B. Correspondence & Announcements
Ms. Nelson reported that she received correspondence from Walter Smith that he would not be able to remain a member due to other obligations.
ACTION: L. Ritzhaupt will contact Mr. Smith and thank him for his participation.
The Sea Level Rise / Climate Adaptation Committee has a $1,000 operating budget that it will use for clerking in the new fiscal year. The Land Use Department will support the cost of other outreach and education efforts.
C. Topics & Teams
The Committee reviewed the results of a member survey distributed by the Land Use Department to the Committee to gauge its interests/concerns about sea level rise and climate adaptation. The Committee discussed the many topics. The Chairman created a team for each of the three focus categories as a framework for the study – environment, economics, and community. Members present stated which category of topics they’ like to focus within.
Environment
L. Ritzhaupt - Lead
J. Holland
Economics
J. Brophy - Lead
D. McCracken
Community
M. Momparler - Lead
R. Yust
Ms. Nelson pointed out that many concerns/interests fit under more than one of the topics; likewise, many topics cross-pollinate within the different categories.
ACTION: Absent members will choose a focus area.
IV. STUDY & REPORT
A. MISSION STATEMENT – Study of Sea Level Rise & Climate Adaptation
The Committee whittled down its Charge to draft its Mission Statement:
The Sea Level Rise and Climate Adaptation Committee (SLRCAC) will provide recommended policies and actions for the Town to adapt to and mitigate against the effects of climate change and the impacts of sea level rise on Old Saybrook in the near- and long-term. The Committee will educate the townspeople about its findings.
ACTION: C. Nelson will send the draft Mission Statement to T. Gezo and S. Tagliatela for review and refinement for discussion at the next meeting; the Committee will finalize the mission statement for approval at the next meeting.
- Inventory - Where Are We?
J. Holland informed the Committee that the Town of Guilford, CT created a Community Coastal Resilience Plan and distributed copies as a resource with which the Committee could become familiar and build its knowledge base.
Robert Yust explained, and Committee members agreed, that the Committee may want to bring additional speakers to meetings to be better educated about the various models and their recommendations. Mr. Yust suggested that he and Sandy Prisloe meet to discuss other models and report to the Committee afterward on their findings.
ACTION: R. Yust and S. Prisloe will meet concerning additional models and will educate the Committee on other views and recommendations in 2 meetings from now.
The Committee agreed that Christina Costa, the Zoning Enforcement Officer, will speak at the next regular meeting regarding FEMA regulations and flood management.
C. Analysis - Where Are We Going?
The Committee discussed and reaffirmed that 2035 (20 years) and 2085 (50 years) will be the projections that the Sea Level Rise/Climate Adaptation Committee will focus on.
D. Plan - How Do We Get There?
The Chairman reviewed the study time frame with the eventual adoption of the study report in a format appropriate for consideration as a section of the Town Plan.
ACTION: L. Ritzhaupt will report next meeting with more specific dates for the study period.
Ms. Nelson explained that Mr. Prisloe created a web-based tool for members to post information and share documents with the Committee.
ACTION: S. Prisloe will finalize, and make accessible by all members, the research sharing tool in the upcoming weeks.
V. OUTREACH & EDUCATION
A. Building a Level of Familiarity in Old Saybrook
The Committee members discussed how to bring in guest speakers to the meetings, and if they should speak to the Committee alone, or open up the meetings to other committees and the community.
B. Measuring Community Values in Old Saybrook
The Committee will develop outreach and education ideas once it forms its focus groups.
VI. MEETING SUMMARY
The Chairman summarized the decisions moved this meeting and the actions assigned for completion before the next meeting.
VII. AJOURNMENT
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 5:00 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission Sea Level Rise/Climate Adaptation Committee on Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 3:30 p.m., Town Hall, 302 Main Street, 1st Floor Conference Room.
Respectfully submitted,
Katelyn Monroe
Acting Clerk
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