OLD LYME OPEN SPACE COMMISSION
Minutes of April 13, 2017
In Attendance: Diana Atwood Johnson, Peter Cable, Amanda Blair, Gary Gregory. Bill Dunbar, Bruce Baratz, Mary Stone
Guest: Torrance Downes; RiverCog
Land Steward: Jamie Bastian
1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Quorum established
3. Approval of minutes of Jan. 13, Peter, Bill, All in favor
4. Where is new easel? Space we were hoping for is not available. Hope to have Amanda make another one so we can have a traveling one and one at Town Hall.
5. The Chair distributed a large map of Town Open Space (owned in fee) by OLLT, OLOSC, The Nature Conservancy and the State and Gateway. She also distributed extra copies of various town plans. She also shared a map she has been working on that has all conservation easements on it too. We hope to have them added to the Town’s GIS website.
6. Torrance Downes (Deputy Director of RiverCog) invited to talk about services RiverCog can provide as we work towards revising our Open Space plan.
A. Review existing plan to see what we want to keep; format, update; discard
B. Be sure to define Open Space in new plan – see State’s new Green Plan
C. Look at other Town’s plans – Torrance will send them to us (Coastal)
D. Maps – CLEAR-CTECO-State-TNC-Old Lyme’s
1. @ Train issue –what makes this area ecologically unique-endangered species
2. Add Conservation Easements to Town GIS Map
E. Recommend zoning certain areas similar to TNC’s ID as potential for Flooding
F. Survey-thru Survey Monkey - RiverCog has an account (Killingworth just did it)
Both internet and paper? Torrance will send us Killingworth’s. Survey Monkey does the analysis and RiverCog can help with that. Ask questions about shoreline issues-armoring, seawalls, sea level rise. What if’s? what are people’s thoughts on property rights vs overall land protection Co-ordinate with Planning Commission…
G. What percentage of land is protected in RiverCOG town’s-Torrance
Re: Bonding as method to acquire open space
7. Land Steward: Jamie has been mapping and logging trees down. He attended CLCC Conference in March. Next project is the bridges. They are in very bad shape and he has been identifying them. He will co-ordinate with Skip Beebe.
A. Lot of activity at Bartholomew and therefore seems to be a parking issue.
B. Whippoorwill Rd entrance to Ames is still flooded - 60 feet in length at least Beaver activity is good for water level-helps recharge the water table. Creates excellent habitat for specific birds and other wildlife and evolves over time when the beaver have eaten everything in site-they’ll move on.. Alternate entrance is the important issue.
8. Sub-Division proposed by Carons on 442-1 Shore Road on agenda at Planning Commission. Chair proposed that a conservation easement be placed on the 100” Wetland Review Area as the property abuts the Three Mile River. OLLT has protected a substantial amount at its headwaters and TNC has an easement at the outlet between Hatchett’s Point and Point O’ Woods. The Commission agreed with the Chair’s position. There would be no public access, and land is to be left in its natural state.
9. Planning Commission will be reviewing their latest POCD revision proposal tonight.
10. Discussion of a couple of properties the Chair has been reviewing.
11. Motion for Adjournment.
Diana Atwood Johnson, Chair
4-20-17
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