Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – December 16, 2009

Assembly time: 7:00 PM.

Present: Carol Andrews, Nan Schwartz, Jed Schwartz, Arin Mills and Rich Cook

1.0 Approval of Minutes: Minutes from November, Jed made a motion to approve with a fixed typo, Rich seconded, all voted in favor.

2.0 Old Business:

2.1 Permits Committee -

There was a minimum impact wetlands permit and a shoreland permit from Kimball, TM 15-93 on Faxon Hill Road. The Kimballs inherited a shoreland violation that they are working with DES to remediate. The parcel is 1.4 acres on Millen Pond. We looked over the permit and decided to all go out and take a look separately (not as a group). We discussed having a problem expediting a permit when we can’t really see the property conditions with snow on the ground. Everyone should go out and send Carol comments by email. Arin took a copy of both permits.

2.2 Land Protection – No new news to report on easements. The group is working on a brochure for fundraising. Carol reported that Hopkinton had passed the Bohanan Farm easement and Henniker has protected land recently also. The Eccardt’s are talking to the Forest Society about protecting their woodland. Rich said he thinks that people are starting to think in terms of protecting land around town. People had talked to him about a community farm in Washington. He was reading an article about milk farms in NH and how they are disappearing fast. The state is talking about letting people buy milk locally. Carol commented that dairy farms in NH need a lot of land to support them and the landscape would look so different if they were gone. The Eccards cut hay on fields all over the area. As a farm they are diversifying into meat and other things to help support the farm. Milk is not paying enough to support a dairy farm at this time.

2.3 Planning Board update – Nan reported that the Planning Board is working on updating the Subdivision Regulations to reflect the changes made previously to the Land Use Ordinance and Driveway Standards to attach to the Driveway Permit. There will be a hearing sometime in January.

2.4 Energy Committee – Johanna sent a baseline report for the Town Buildings that was done with MEAP. They are meeting with the Selectmen tomorrow night to review the data. Arin asked Nan to email the report to her. Johanna also wants to write an Energy Committee report to include in the 2009 Town Report.

2.5 Forestry Committee – Carol reported that we are working with Forestry on protection and designation of the town forestland that isn’t already designated as such.

3.0 What's Happening in Nature?

Nan commented that tonight is very windy and wickedly cold.

Jed said he saw a spider in the snow, he thought it had fallen out of a tree.

Johanna saw bobcat footprints in the snow behind her house.

Arin saw a large bird twice near the "Park and Ride" in Hillsboro and thought it was an Osprey or a Red Tailed Hawk. Carol said there is a bald eagle in that area but Arin didnÕt think it could be that. Arin wondered if these birds would still be around this time of year. Nan said she would look for information about Ospreys, Red Tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles. To see what she found go here: http://www.washingtonnh.org/WCC_Html/NewinNature.html

Arin recently got a bird feeder and is learning about the local birds with her kids.

Rich saw coyotes a week ago in the early evening. He had also heard them howling and yipping close by his house. Jed said he saw one cross the road near Rich’s house on Sunday night.

4.0 New Business: Arin talked about marking the Town Forests with signs so people know where they are and indicating that the land is available for use. We could ask Forestry to use some money from their funds to make some signs.

5.0 Correspondence:

Shoreland Permit application Kimball

Expidited Minimum Impact Wetland Permit application Kimball

Letter from Barbara Skuly thanking us for our donation for the Ashuelot River monitoring program

Invitation to the Task Force meeting for those who use the Town Hall regularly, Dec 22^nd, 3-5PM

6.0 Adjourned at 8:13 PM, our next scheduled meeting is January 20th at 7 PM in the Town Hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Nan Schwartz

Secretary