Washington Conservation Commission
Minutes – May 16, 2007
Assembly time: 7:00 PM.
Present: Carol Andrews, Rich Cook, Sandy Robinson, Mark Cummings, Jed Schwartz, Nan Schwartz
1.0 Approval of Minutes: motion by Sandy, Jed seconded, unanimous vote to approve April minutes.
2.0 Old Business:
2.1 Dredge and Fill Committee - NRCS permit for project (Project #17) on Valley Road at Barden Pond Road was signed and returned to DES.
DES sent a notice of incomplete application (Sullivan) Map 25 Lot 53, Carol conferred with the Sullivans about their application because it was so incomplete. She made suggestions to them on how to complete it and get it signed and sent back to DES.
Permit by Notification for a seasonal dock, Howard Zern, Map 10, Lot 18. Rich, Mark, and Jed all volunteered to go out together and look at the site. It is located on the Ashuelot River and is for a 4'x12' seasonal dock with a possible 3'x5' ramp.
2.2 Natural Resource Inventory - We need a new timeline because our contract schedule is no longer valid. Sandy is researching existing Conservation Plans so we can help guide Chris to write a plan that will really be relevant to the town's needs. We will try to get Chris to agree to finishing a draft version of the NRI for June 1st, with a redraft by June 15th, with a goal to give the Planning Board a final version for July 1st. Then we could hope to hold a joint meeting with them to present it to the public sometime in August. Carol will contact Chris Kane to talk about meeting these new deadlines. Nan and Sandy are willing to meet with Carol and Chris at Carol's office in Concord if this will be helpful.
2.3 Global Warming Initiative - The town needs to form an Energy Committee. We discussed whether or not the Conservation Commission should be the umbrella for other committees such as an Energy Committee and the Forestry Committee. We felt that this would be a good fit and we are willing to do this. Nan sent an email to Johanna Young and she wasnÕt able to attend this monthÕs meeting but will attend the June meeting to talk about forming a committee.
2.4 Lake Host program - Carol wrote a letter to the selectmen in support of the program and they were able to give them $1000. for this year. Rich said the selectmen want a future program that covers all the lakes in town, not just Millen Lake. Ken Eastman is sending out a letter to all the lake associations in town about doing a program at all the lakes next summer. We feel that the town should administer the program and the lakes associations should write the grants to get funding for each year.
2.5 Planning Board update - Nan spoke about the Watershed Protection Ordinance written by a group from the Ashuelot and Millen Lake areas. The Planning Board is having a working meeting on May 22nd at 6PM at the Town Hall to focus on the ordinance and everyone is invited to come and give input.
We also discussed space needs for the future and we hope we will also be approached by the municipal space needs committee to talk about this. Nan said that Dennis Kelly is on the committee and she will mention it to him.
2.6 Adopt a Highway - The town is having a town wide cleanup day on Saturday, May 19, so we decided to do our trash pickup that day also. Sandy and Pete, Nan and Jed will meet at the Town Hall at 9AM to do our usual route. We will reschedule if it rains.
3.0 What's Happening in Nature? Sandy saw a good-sized moose on the Bradford Road one evening last week. Rich reports seeing an ermine running around on the stonewall near his house. Carol recently saw an Indigo Bunting. Mark had a Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk) hang out with him for about 5 hours went he was working outside one day. He said it was not shy at all and kept landing on his equipment (which was running at the time) and flying around between the barn and the yard. Carol said that Kestrels like to hang out around farms eating small rodents and birds, and bugs.
4.0 New Business - Sandy made a motion to submit, to the selectmen, a list of names for reappointment to the Commission for this year. Jed seconded. Unanimous vote in favor.
4.1 Rich shared with us a list of properties in LAE and elsewhere in town that will be coming up for tax sale in the near future. We have been approached in the past about taking some property in LAE to hold for conservation (these properties are not suitable for building because of wet or ledge conditions) but the Lake Association refuses to waive the yearly association fees so we can't accept them. We would like to talk to them about their future plans for lots like these.
4.2 Rich discussed a problem with the Town Forests not appearing in the records as Town Forest properties. He asked Carol for a list of these properties with corresponding tax map numbers and acreage to clear up the confusion. She said she has it at home on the computer and will send the information to him.
5.0 Other Business - None
6.0 Correspondence:
Local Government Center workshop "Obtaining Community Acceptance of you Building Program"
UNH School of Health and Human Services Dept. of Recreation Management and Policy. Invitation to fill out a NH Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan survey at: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226BL85QO4H The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete. If you'd like a paper version, or an email with the link call 862-0670 or email Joshua Carroll at josh.carroll@unh.edu survey results will be available to participants upon request.
UNH School of Health and Human Services Dept. of Recreation Management and Policy paper copy of the above survey
DES Notice of incomplete application (Sullivan) Map 25 Lot 53 Wetlands Bureau file #2007-00929
1. Photos are not dated and do not show the entire shoreline frontage. Is work to be conducted in the water?
2. Please submit a plan which shows complete dimensions for all existing and proposed structures on the frontage including but not limited to: rip-rap, retaining walls, beaches, docks, decks, patios, gazebos, etc. Label all docks as seasonal or permanent. Plans must show the structures relative to fixed points on the shoreline and show distances from the structures to property lines.
Applicant has 20 days to reply (otherwise a new application should be submitted) and is not to do any work until DES considers the project complete.
The Source (DES Drinking Water Source Protection Program)
UNH Cooperative Extension Friday afternoon community conservation workshops (12:30-3:30)
June1, How to Recognize Historical and Cultural Resources on a Property, Webster Farm, West Franklin
June 15, Birds and Their Habitats, McLane Audubon Center, Concord
June 29, Alien Invasions: A Look at New England's Invasive Species, Urban Forestry Center, Portsmouth
July 13, Conservation Easement Stewardship and Navigation, Muriel Church Conservation Land, Chester
July 27, Town Forest & Wildlife Habitat Management, Salem Town Forest
August 10, Behind Every Good Coast is an Estuary - Great Bay!, Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center at the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve education campus at Sandy Point.
For more information contact Sharon Hughes at 862-1029 or Sharon.hughes@unh.edu
Minimum Impact Expedited Application, Michael Hall, Map 24, Lot 3. NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program application
Permit by Notification for a seasonal dock, Howard Zern, Map 10, Lot 18.
Permit by Notification for repair/replacement of existing retaining wall, David Sullivan, Map 25, Lot 53.
DES letter to Antonio & Patricia Jorge Map 16, Lot 38. DES is requesting a meeting with the landowner to discuss continued, documented erosion of the beach areas resulting in a possible Wetlands & Shoreland Protection Act violation. DES Wetlands File #2004-02914.
7.0 Adjourned at 8:45 PM., our next scheduled meeting is June 20th at 7 PM at the Town Hal.l
Respectfully submitted,
Nan Schwartz
Secretary