MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday, March 10, 2015 at 7:00 P.m.
Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Walter Smith
Nina Garrett
Robert Fish
Richard Esty
Members Absent
Pat Ingellis
Jerry Brophy
Emily Grochowski
Land Use Department Staff Present
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Regular Meeting of February 10 , 2015 as presented.; MADE by R. Fish; SECONDED by R. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, R. Fish, N. Garrett, R. Esty; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
- Correspondence and Announcements
The following correspondence was received: the CT Wildlife Magazine (November/ December 2014 issue), US Fish & Wildlife Services newsletter about the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, The Winter 2015 edition of The Habitat (a newsletter of the CT Association of Conservation & Inland Wetlands Commissions), information about the UConn Webinar series on the Emerald Ash Borers (March) and the CT Shellfish Mapper (April), information regarding the CT Land Conservation Council Conference which will be held on 3/21/15 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, a flyer for the 24th Annual Shrub and Seedling Sale which will be April 24, 25 & 26, 2015 at the Old Saybrook Shopping Center and a flyer about the CT Association of Wetland Scientists (CAWS) 2015 Annual Meeting and Environmental
Conference on 3/19/15 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Southbury, CT.
W. Smith shared e-mail correspondence he had with Tom ODell, Chair of the Westbrook Conservation Commission, regarding the purchase of open space at Toby Hill in Westbrook which will connect trails to Cockaponsett.
W. Smith announced there will be a Coastal Certificate Sound Gardening: Sustainable Landscaping for Clean Waters Master Gardening Certificate Program run by Judy Preston. She asked the Conservation Commission to sponsor it. She’s offering the first night for free to any Conservation Commission member. It will be held on 5/12, 5/14, 5/17 and 5/28, at the Pasbeshauke Pavilion. There will be one field trip as well. In order to receive the certificate, one must attend all of the classes.
- Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee
S. Prisloe reported that at this time, Committee members are giving presentations on their assigned topics. Many Committee members are also already writing their reports. The draft report will be completed this summer. It will be the same format as recent Town Plan documents that have been written for Scenic Roads and Mariner’s Way. Each topic is written in such a format as to answer the following questions: Where Are We? Where Are We Going? How Do We Get There?
W. Smith asked S. Prisloe to ask SLRCAC Committee Member Michael Momparler, who wrote the March article for Saybrook Events, if he would also submit an article for the June Saybrook Events Magazine.
D. Sustainable Saybrook
R. Fish had nothing new to report.
- Wetlands and Aquifer Commissions
The Wetlands Special Committee is working on updating the Wetlands Regulations. They plan to meet on 4/30/15.
The Conservation Commission budget was approved by the Board of Selectmen. The budget will go to referendum the first week in May.
IV. PROJECT UPDATES
The 2/24/15 Board of Selectmen’s meeting was dedicated to discussion of The Preserve. It was decided to form an Ad Hoc Committee. At today’s BOS meeting, it was decided that Ray Allen, Director of Parks & Recreation, will be the Convener of the Ad Hoc Committee. Walter Smith will represent the Conservation Commission, Judy Preston will represent the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, Elizabeth Swenson will represent Economic Development, Joe Nochera will represent The Old Saybrook Land Trust, Tom Elliot will represent the Westbrook Land Trust, and the 2 citizen representatives will be Kathy Connolly and Chis Cryder. S. Prisloe will staff the committee.
The closing for The Preserve will be towards the end of March.
N. Garrett distributed copies of the rough draft of the newsletter, and she asked Commissioners for any suggestions they might have.
Commissioners discussed the title, layout, font and overall look of the newsletter.
N. Garrett asked R. Esty if he would submit conservation tips for the newsletter.
Land Use staff will post the CC newsletter on the Town web site.
- Municipal Ecological Landscape Planting Guidance Document
W. Smith met with Casey Constable. They talked about creating this as a four page document with the last two pages focusing on plant lists and plant nurseries. References will be cited.
W. Smith would like to share this document with Planning and Zoning. S. Prisloe said he will talk with Town Planner Christine Nelson and Zoning Enforcement Officer Chris Costa about it.
S. Prisloe said C. Costa offered to speak to the Conservation Commission about what the Zoning Commission’s current process is regarding planting guidance. Commissioners would like to invite her to speak at their April 14, 2015 meeting.
W. Smith will invite Casey Constable to attend the April 14, 2015 CC meeting.
R. Esty contacted Town Attorney Michael Cronin to ask him to review the letter he drafted for residents who have vernal pools on their properties.
He also spoke to Old Saybrook High School Science Teacher Karen Carlone about recruiting student volunteers.
There were no new updates.
V. NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business to discuss.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission which will be Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 7:00 P.M., Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street; MADE by R. Esty; SECONDED by R. Fish; VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Smith, R. Esty, N. Garrett, R. Fish; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none.; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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