Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes
– January 16, 2019
Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Town Hall
Members present: Arin Mills and Nan
Schwartz.
Visitors: None
1.0 Approval of Minutes: November minutes – there
were not enough members present to approve the minutes this month.
2.0 Permits Committee - Wetland/Shoreland
permitting update – Arin reported she went to the public input session
with DES and there were a lot of CCs there. She said most of the comments made
were similar to hers and were concerning PBNs, lack of oversight, etc. DES held
focus groups but never asked CCs what they thought, so this session was held.
Arin wrote a letter that we had reviewed and approved for her to send on our
behalf.
Highland Lake dredging
– Nan reported that a complaint was made about some unpermitted heavy
dredging and filling that took place on a property on Highland Lake. We looked
over a letter that was written by DES to the owner. We will keep an eye on what
happens next.
Center Pond dredging
– Nan reported that the Selectmen are talking to Anthony Costello and
Aaron Wexler about engineering and wetlands plans for a future dredging
project. Arin wants WCC to be kept in the loop with the planning.
Arin suggested we keep
current and ongoing projects and issues on the agenda as well as new
issues/projects. Nan will figure out a way to do that.
3.0 Committee
and Board reports:
3.1 Land
Protection Committee – Jed will contact NEFF again.
3.2 Energy Committee – Johanna
wasnÕt in attendance but Arin reported that Andrew is going to meet her at the
school to do some investigating on heat loss issues. He is bringing the camera
to do an audit of problem areas. He is also doing an audit at DeFosseÕs house.
3.3 Planning
Board – Nan reported that PB will have some LUO
items on a ballot for Town Meeting concerning under 50sf construction and
parking. The Town Center Vision subcommittee is working a report and suggestion
boxes to get ideas prior to a community meeting early next summer.
3.4 Forestry
Committee – No meetings held. Nan reported that Tom Taylor has resigned
from FC and CC because he is selling his house and moving away.
3.5 Legislative update - Arin said there is a bill to revise the
billing structure for wetland permits, making them more expensive. She said
there is also a rule change on wave boats.
4.0 Public Presentations and workshops:
4.1 Snowshoe Hike – We planned a
snowshoe hike for January 26th, Saturday for 10am. E will meet at
the parking lot by the Faxon Hill communication tower and do a loop along the
lake and back to the parking lot. Nan will make a handout and Arin will put it
on the Facebook page. We will reschedule if there is a weather event that day.
4.2 Elementary School nature journaling
project –We are scheduling the day for February 22nd and Arin
will check the date with the teachers. We plan to snowshoe with the older
grades and will probably just take the youngest kids outside. She will check
with the teachers.
5.0 New Business:
5.1 Trails Day – Jed spoke with
John Butcher who was planning a Trail Day (Monadnock-Sunapee
Trail Club) to promote trail maintenance and hiking opportunities in town. They
are partnering with Parks & Rec and thought we might want to be involved.
They have reserved Camp Morgan Lodge for June 1st. Jed thinks that
John Butcher may be interested in joining the CC. He may come to our February
meeting.
6.0 Other Business:
6.1 Composting
Signs for Transfer Station - Arin brought the signs from the State Prison print
shop. We checked them and they came out great. Nan showed Arin a handout for
the Transfer Station to promote composting and explain the system,
she will bring both to Ed Thayer.
6.2 Driveway
on Rte. 31 – Arin asked about the driveway being installed near the
wetlands on Rte. 31. Nan said it is permitted by DOT but everyone is worried
about the location. She said that she thinks there was a complaint to DES about
it but didnÕt have any details.
6.3 Facebook
Page – Arin said she is trying to post things at least once a week. Nan
will add a link to the page on the website. Arin said that our meetings should
be added to the calendar on the town website. Nan said she will
get that done. . To check out the CCÕs Facebook page go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2173271309586226/
6.4 Natural
Resource Inventory Map updates –Arin picked up the printed maps from
Chris along with his invoice. We didnÕt have time to review them tonight but
will get together next week to look at them.
6.5 Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – We will
keep working on this through the winter. Arin said she has GIS software at work
and can possibly keep making our maps.
6.6 Master Plan goals for 2019 –
Nan is working on the NRI update.
6.7 Barker easement – see 3.1
6.8 Tracking Invasive Plants project – The
reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html
7.0 WhatÕs Happening in Nature?
Arin
and Shayne saw a gray fox at the end of Ashuelot
Drive, she said it was really healthy looking and quite striking.
Phil
saw a grouse on Farnsworth Hill.
Shayne
saw fox or coyote near the school on Wolf Way.
Nan
said they have seen flocks of turkeys and a red fox in their yard.
She
said it has been really cold and no new snow. Arin said we have had continuous
snow cover since November. Arin said she has seen people out ice fishing on Ashuelot Pond. Nan said not long ago they had open water in
Center Pond during a warm spell but now it is frozen over again.
Jed
and several neighbors have heard a lot of coyotes howling in East Washington.
To
find out more about gray foxes and how they are different from red foxes, click
here: NewinNature.html
8.0 Correspondence:
ARLAC
annual report
Copy
of Knotweed Best Practices manual from NH Dept of
Agriculture
Updated
copy of NH Guide to Upland Invasive Species
DES
Copy of Dredge and Fill permit for Ayers Pond bridge project
DES
Copy of complaint against Hubbard, Beech Way, dredging and filling without a
permit
Copy
of Forest Notes
9.0 Adjourned
at 9:30PM, our next scheduled meeting will be February 20th, at 7PM
at TH.
Respectfully
submitted,
Nan Schwartz, Secretary