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Open Space Commission Minutes 12/11/2015
Town of Old Lyme, CT- Open Space Commission Minutes

Town of Old Lyme
Meeting Minutes
Friday, December 11, 2015

In Attendance:  Diana Atwood Johnson, Chairwoman, Amanda Blair, Vice Chairwoman, Peter Cable, Bruce Baratz, George James, William Dunbar, Evan Griswold

Meeting was called to order at 9:03

  • Welcome/Introductions
  • Naming of voting alternates, none.
  • Approval of minutes from November 13, 2015 meeting.  
  • Motion to Approve made by William Dunbar, Seconded by Bruce Baratz.
  • Motion to Approve the minutes approved unanimously.  
  • Ms. Blair and Mr. Cable abstained from the vote.
  • Chairs Report-
  • Chairwoman Johnson created a placeholder budget for FY 2017 pending discussion with the Commission.  The budget is requested by the town at the beginning of November for approval in April 2016.  It is difficult to predict everything Open Space might want to accomplish over the year.
  • In response to the press release for new commission members, Chairwoman Johnson heard from Gary Gregory who has lived on Browns Lane for a long time.  He has already read the Commission minutes and loves to hike the OS trails, he also recently received a VFW award for performing work for townspeople.  He is hoping to attend the January 2016 meeting.
  • Chairwoman Johnson shared photographs of recent developments at Eklund Pond.  As discussed previously, the cattails and native grasses are growing as a result of clearing the phragmites, as well as, the dry weather.  Another result of this good environment, is that muskrats have moved into the area.  There is a muskrat house (where they sleep at night) made out of mud and cattails, they have also created a feeding house (teepee of cattails) where they eat and rest.  
5.  New Business:

  • Adopt a property/Property Sheets/Points of Interest (winter project)-  Chairwoman Johnson discussed this project again for those absent at the last meeting.  Chairwoman Johnson is working on rebuilding the list of parameters so that all members/properties will have the same information.  Ms. Stone is taking on Champlain North and South, Mr. Griswold has adopted Bartholomew, and Mr. Baratz, Mr. Dunbar and Chairwoman Johnson are going to work on Eklund Pond together.
  •  Ms. Blair and Mr. Cable agreed to adopt Ames.  Chairwoman Johnson has a great deal of information on this property which she will scan and provide.    Mr. Cable and Ms. Blair will speak to Steve Ames and John/Ned Pfeifer.  There is also information at the State Archaeologist office and Ned, Town Historian,  may have done his Masters thesis, per Mr. Griswold, at Wesleyan (Archaeology Department).  
6.  Other Business:

  • Mr. Griswold brought up a discussion from last month's meeting regarding Lord’s Woods Trail and boundary issues.  He stated that he went in recently and the trail did not seem to change.  Chairwoman Johnson stated there is still work to be done there and that the trail has not changed substantially, she would like to make the opening clearer and close the opening people are currently using which is on private property.  Mr. Hendricks has been hired for this properties boundary issues and he has gone in and marked the trails.  Mr. James has also gone in and done some work.  The red plastic diamonds have been put up by Ms. Niccolai.  
  • Mr. Hendricks also marked boundaries at Champlain North and Ames.
  • Ms. Blair commented regarding the marking of boundaries- she asked whether Mr. Hendricks changes boundaries and/or files new maps.  Chairwoman Johnson stated that Mr. Hendricks is not moving boundaries, he is only flagging the existing boundaries as he finds them.
  • Update on Bartholomew by Chairwoman Johnson
  • Mr. Hendricks informed Chairwoman Johnson that Todd Machnik had a 20 year agreement with Dana Bartholomew to use a piece of his property for Todd’s cattle.  Chairwoman Johnson requested the Commission's thoughts on what to do about this situation.  
  • +99989Mr.  Dunbar asked how much dry land is around Eklund Pond.  Chairwoman Johnson stated it is less than an acre, at present time there is likely more as it is so dry and the water has receded.   There is 100 foot buffer established by the Inland Wetlands Commission.  Chairwoman Johnson is going to ask Ms. Niccolai to locate the markers on OS property that abutt Ferry Road and flag it.    
  • Ms. Blair noted that homeowners in these areas are not aware of conservation easements and suggested creating a letter to provide them with notice, especially in the case of new construction.  This letter could provide the parameters and contact information.   Discussion was had about whether this information was in the deed, title search, and whether attorneys for buyers gave notice to their clients of these easements/restrictions.  Chairwoman Johnson noted that Eklund does not have any conservation easements.  
Mr. Baratz had a question about the rights of Open Space to land in the creation of a new subdivision as it relates to Eklund Pond.  Chairwoman Johnson noted that Open Space Commission was entitled to 15% of the acreage as open space (which can be in fee, or a conservation easement), or a fee in lieu of open space.  Chairwoman Johnson noted that in Eklund Pond, Open Space owns the pond, plus a small portion of actual land, total of 7 acres, the majority of which is water, but about 15% in land.  This is Open Space, not a conservation easement.  Inland Wetlands has jurisdiction over the 100 foot buffer in this area.  Mr. Griswold noted that the wetland boundaries are based on soil type as mapped by soil scientists in the 1950s, not how wet the soil actually is.  The subdivision maps are required to be mapped and marked for soil and wetlands.  Mr.  Griswold notes that when there are wetlands, there is a “review zone” (rather than buffer, which implies nothing can happen in this area).  He notes a review zone is an area 100 feet in which if someone proposes to do something, it must be reviewed by the Wetlands Commission.
  • Mr. James discussed the Notice put out by Open Space for bridge builders.  He mentioned again that Ellie Czarnowski is interested though she has not contacted Dave McCullough.  Chairwoman Johnson noted that this is a process in which Ms. Niccolai and Wetlands must be involved, a design must be made and the funds need to be addressed.   
  • Mr. James also noted that at Champlain South it would be helpful to have a border established with clear markers at the western side (by Library Lane).     Mr.  James also noted that he raked a trail from the Old Lyme Inn to the Barbizon oak and questioned the status of the clearing around the Barbizon.  Chairwoman Johnson noted that Wilcox will go out as soon as the conditions are amenable.   Mr. James also asked about the status of the trees across the trails.  Mr. James also provided the Commission with a hand out, a list of suggestions for topics for the next year.   
  • Chairwoman Johnson discussed spending for next year,. She would like to change the original stewardship budget formula to allocate more money to the Land Steward position than the current $1200 annually.
  • Mr. Cable commented on the Gateway Commission and the Peterson property that is part of the Silvio Conti Preserve.  The perspective from the Gateway Commission was that Fish and Wildlife was to reach out to Friends and Stakeholders, but they did not contact anyone on the Old Lyme Commission or the Gateway Commission, which is a stakeholder.   Mr. Cable sees the main issue from an Open Space perspective as to whether this is an advantage to have Old Lyme contact with Conti.  It is not clear that Conti is going to have sufficient funds in its budget to do what is in the recently issued plan for all of Conti’s preserves.
Mr. Cable also spoke about the proposed Connecticut Audubon Society Field Station.  There have been a series of talks at Essex Meadows.  Mr. Cable heard them gave presentation to Gateway.  The initiative they are speaking about is something OS should keep an eye on as they could be doing marvelous research.  

Chairwoman Johnson said that at Thursday’s meeting of the State Open Space Review Board, other ways to preserve open space were discussed because of the lack of funds available in the State budget for land acquisition. She noted some towns are not aware they can establish a  Land Acquisition Fund, a mechanism set in place by State Statute in the 80’s. A town can budget an annual amount to be contributed to this fund each year.  All agreed that the Town of Old Lyme land acquisition is doing quite well because of this fund.  
  • Ms. Blair added that a goal of the OS commission during the winter might be to look at passive uses of properties, such as biking, dogs, etc.  

7.  Adjournment:
  • Mr. Dunbar motioned to adjourn, seconded by  Mr. Griswold.
  • Motion approved unanimously.
Meeting Adjourned at 10:34.

Minutes submitted by:
Suzann Gintoff Vautrain