Minutes of the Old Lyme Conservation Commission
Christ the King Church
June 6, 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, Taffy Holland, George James, Agnes O’Connor, Marianne Pfeiffer, Tom Sherer
Visitor: Cindy Fecher (Coult Lane)
1. Minutes and Agenda
Ellie has asked George and Taffy to take over some tasks. George will request agenda items, and email the agenda to Eileen Cornell and commission members. Taffy will email final minutes to commission members, take a signed copy to Eileen Cornell, and email a copy to Ruth Roach.
2. May Minutes
Minutes for May 2nd, 2007, accepted.
3. May Action Items
· Ellie said Kathy Frank’s printer will charge about $1 apiece for the trails booklets. This is on hold for now.
· Ted drafted a preamble for the POCD questionnaire.
· David will propose that Clayton Penniman do the pesticide presentation for the PTAs – hold over for next meeting.
· David will ask Tim to put George and Clayton on his pesticide subcommittee - hold over for next meeting.
· The group should review George’s list for the POCD and send him comments
· Taffy will relay relevant emails from Judy to commission members.
4. POCD Questionnaire
Ted said the State Legislature hasn’t defined the PD Plan yet. These are the guidelines for the towns. Ellie said we should go ahead – not wait. Ted said we can check with the State PD Plan before we go to print.
(a) The group reviewed Ted’s Preamble to the POCD Questionnaire. Ellie and Taffy will make changes based on their suggestions.
(b) The group reviewed George’s letter to the town boards, commissions, and service organizations requesting their input for the questionnaire. Ted will make sure the final version of the 2000 POCD is posted on the town website. Agnes suggested changing “is supposed to guide” to “guides” in the last paragraph. George will send out this memo this week. Ellie will provide a list of recipients (Ellie – add Economic Development and Harbor Management). Ellie suggested a deadline of August 1st for their responses.
(c) The group reviewed George’s list of items for the questionnaire. Marianne suggested we hold off doing this until we get the requested input from (b). Ellie said this is just to get the process started, and that we have plenty of time to design the final questionnaire. Tom said he would like to add forest preservation, limiting clear cutting, ensuring forest buffers, enforcing noise ordinance (stereos, motorcycles, speed boats, jetskiis) etc.
Ellie said we can put the POCD Questionnaire on the Town website. If needed, we can add explanations for some items. It could also go onto Lymeline.com.
5. Natural Resources Inventory
This is still on the agenda. Ted is going to look at a CREPRA report that is being updated and might be a good resource.
6. Diana Atwood Johnson Proposal
Cindy Fecher visited to talk about Diana Atwood Johnson’s proposal to donate 12 acres to the Town in exchange for closing the access road to the landing at the end of Tantummaheag Road to all but foot traffic. She said a group of about 40 people who live near this property, or who use it, met to talk about their objections to the swap. A petition opposing the swap has about 75 signatures already. She listed their disagreements with the rationale for the exchange. Cindy has been “stomping” the phragmites in the area, and has cleared around the landing. She will continue clearing.
Ellie gave Cindy a copy of the Harbor Management Commission’s proposal. (The Conservation Commission voted unanimously to endorse this proposal at the May meeting.)
Ted said the exchange is a good deal for the town, but not for the neighboring residents. Cindy said it would add water frontage to Diana’s property.
Agnes said we should walk this property, and also the Black Hall property.
7. AOB
· George asked everyone to call Jodie Rell at 800-406-1527. Ask her to sign the Pesticide bill, HB5234 as quickly as possible.
· George said Maureen Plumleigh and a DEP representative took photos of the lawns around Rogers Lake that dump directly into the lake. They will contact the homeowners and urge them not to use pesticides, and to create little buffers to prevent runoff.
Assignments
· George will send out the memo to the town boards, commissions, and service organizations requesting their input for the POCD questionnaire this week.
· Ellie will provide a distribution list to George.
· Ellie or someone else will find out who runs the Federation of Beaches – to be added to George’s distribution list.
· Someone will organize a walk of the Diana Atwood Johnson property and the Black Hall site. Please notify everyone when scheduled.
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