Minutes of the Old Lyme Conservation Commission
May 2nd, 2007, 7:00 pm
Members: Ted Crosby (ex-officio representing Gateway Commission)
Eleanor Czarnowski
Paul Dean
Taffy Holland
George James
David McCulloch
Agnes O’Connor
Marianne Pfeiffer
Tom Sherer
Mike Silberberg
Attending: Ted Crosby, Eleanor Czarnowski, Paul Dean, Taffy Holland, George James; David McCulloch, Marianne Pfeiffer, Tom Sherer
Visitor: Diana Atwood Johnson
1. Meeting Location Change
The commission will meet in the Christ the King Church on McCurdy Road during renovations to the town hall. Tonight’s meeting was the first. This may continue for a year or so.
2. Diana Atwood Johnson - Open Space Land Swap and other items
· Diana distributed copies “A proposal to the board of selectmen for improved public access to waterways and additional open space” from the Harbor Management Commission. They are asking for approval from the Conservation Commission.
George gave a brief background of the 1930-31 survey of town landings. The landing is at the end of Tantummaheag Road – Lord’s Cove. Diana owns property north and south of the access road (a 5’ wide easement). People park on Diana’s property, and pedestrians walk to the landing. The water has filled in – it has become so shallow that boat access is limited.
Diana is offering to donate about 12 acres to Town open space for water access, in exchange for closing the driveway. The 5’ pedestrian easement will remain.
The Conservation Commission voted unanimously to endorse this proposal.
· AWWA – Diana asked to owner to have a forester assess the tree damage and necessary replacement. He gave her a description of the damage (not done by a forester), but missed a large number of trees, including those about 6” in diameter. Diana has now hired Tom Degnan – forester – to do the assessment. Based on this, the town will demand monetary compensation to the Open Space
fund, and payment for the forester. They will also have to have a plan for renewal.
Diana said the big, ugly, stone spreader is going to dump into the wetlands. They need to plant vegetation to protect the wetlands. Riprap is messy and ugly, and we shouldn’t allow it in town.
· Four Ponds – Diana said that the mismatch between the PRDC regulations and the subdivision regulations is causing problems. 4 ponds takes this to mean they can do a number of things in the open space. This shouldn’t be negotiable. An easement means that all regulations apply there. The sets of regulations should be updated to match, and be clearer.
· AWWA again - Diana also said that plans should specify where grading is allowed. AWWA is grading on open space land. Also CL&P wants a 60’ right-of-way through the property. If AWWA gives it to them, then they should be required to go back and recalculate the lots and open space.
· Diana said George will lead a walk on Champlain South on Saturday (May 5). Meet in front of the town hall at 9:30 and carpool.
· Diana said Open Space needs a lot more trail booklets. They have money to pay for them. Ellie will get quotes from Kathy Frank’s printer and from the original printer for Diana.
3. April Minutes
The group accepted the minutes from April 4, 2007.
4. April Assignments
· Ellie sent out the letter to the Selectmen about using organic lawn care on the Town Woods fields.
· Taffy will relay relevant emails from Judy to commission members – hasn’t gotten any yet.
· George and David finished editing the Organic Lawncare Pledge letter.
· Ted will draft a preamble for the POCD questionnaire – for next meeting.
· Ellie wrote a paragraph announcing the POCD questionnaire. This will appear in the next Lyme Tymes.
· George helped Pat Davidson to write a letter in support of organic lawn care.
5. Pesticides – Town fields
Paul said the PTAs want a presentation and to view the films. David will propose that Clayton Penniman do the presentation.
David said the First Selectman has formed a subcommittee to study pesticide use, and appointed Phill Neaton as chairman. David went to the meeting, but most of the members didn’t. David will ask Tim to put George and Clayton on the committee.
At the next meeting Judith Prill (DEP) will talk about Durham, which has gone pesticide free.
David described the fate of the latest Pesticide bill, which was amended to give towns an extra year, and added the use of IPM.
6. POCD Progress
George handed out a list of items he would like us to consider for the 2010 POCD. This would then go on the Open Space and Water Pollution Control. He would like the group to review the list and send him comments.
Ellie proposed sending a letter to every board, commission, organization (police, schools, etc) asking them to tell us their number one issues (for the POCD). Ted handed out copies of the last POCD. He said the questionnaire should be paid for and sent out by Planning, as should the POCD. Ellie said she’s already proposed that we assemble and edit the next version. Planning is very busy, and she doesn’t think they will object.
Ted will draft the POCD preamble for our next meeting. Next we will write a letter to the boards and commissions asking them for up to five areas of concern. Finally we will draft the questionnaire.
George said then we should get official endorsement from Planning to let the commission edit the POCD.
7. Natural Resources Inventory
This is still on the agenda. Ted said both UCONN and the State have web sites with maps and information.
8. AOB
· Ellie asked George to take over the agenda for the next six months. She will let him know how to email the agenda to Irene etc.
· Dave said he will think about the long-term water resources problems. George said the state has elaborate drought plans, but it’s not backed up by any gathering of information.
· OLCT has just purchased a lot of property east of Tooker. This is about 60 acres in the river watershed area.
· Elizabeth Chandler left an 8 acre parcel on Sill Lane to OLCT.
Assignments
· Ellie will get quotes from Kathy Frank’s printer and from the original printer for Diana.
· Ted will draft a preamble for the POCD questionnaire – for next meeting.
· David will propose that Clayton Penniman do the pesticide presentation for the PTAs.
· David will ask Tim to put George and Clayton on his pesticide subcommittee.
· The group should review George’s list for the POCD and send him comments
· Taffy will relay relevant emails from Judy to commission members.
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