Washington Conservation Commission

Minutes – December 16, 2020

 

Assembly time: 7:00 PM, Meeting conducted online using ZOOM.

 

Members present: Arin Mills, Johanna Young, Jed Schwartz and Nan Schwartz.

Visitors: None

 

1.0    Approval of Minutes: the November minutes were approved as written.

 

2.0   Permits Committee  - Arin said that DES let her know that they haven’t visited the sites of some of the complaints in town as they are having trouble getting to everything.

New: NEFF, Forestry PBN, TM 15-42

Johnson/Kimball – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 25-93

Bologna – Notice of complaint, dredging in Highland Lake, TM 24-91

Demore – Shoreland Permit approved, TM 24-72, raze existing house and rebuild

Previous: Steiner – PBN Wetlands permit, boathouse pier replacement, beach replenishment – incomplete application

Prentiss – Shoreland permit approved, Ashuelot Drive, TM 10-21

Pellegrini – Shoreland permit, 2191 Valley Road, TM 25-45

Neubert – Shoreland permit approved, 216 Cove Road, TM 24-116

Barkie/Colette - Complaint of violations, TM 12-69, over clearing of waterfront zone, no follow up notice.

Mensch - Notice of violation from DES, 38 Lookout Point Road, TM 24-59, expanding a deck without a permit, no follow up notice.

Cordeiro – Notice of complaint from DES concerning excavation violations (no permit or erosion control), no follow up notice.

Calabro – The driveway is in.

Mill Pond dredging – Jed will check in with Aaron Weschler again. He is behind on work and hasn’t focused on this project recently.

Longval wetland issue – no news.

           

3.0   Committee and Board reports:

3.1   Land Protection Committee –No news.

3.2   Energy Committee – No news.

3.3   Planning Board – Nan said the will have LUO ballot items at Town Meeting in March.

3.4   Forestry Committee – Jed will speak with Town forester Anita Blakman about the cut.

3.5   Legislative update  - No news.

 

4.0   Public Presentations and workshops: None planned at this point.

 

5.0   New Business: No new business.

 

6.0   Other Business:

6.1   Trails and Recreation Guide Booklet – Arin and Nan are still working on the booklet. Arin is working on maps and Nan is working on writing and formatting. Arin has posted the latest version to her Google account. Nan will work with that version and add the new writing to it.

6.2   Facebook Page – Arin said she is continuing to post items when she can. To check out the CC’s Facebook page go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2173271309586226/   

6.3   Master Plan goals for 2020 – This is a placeholder.

6.4   Tracking Invasive Plants project – We are past the growth stage but you can still identify plants to report. The reporting sheets and guides are always available here: InvasiveProject.html

6.5   Arin and Jed went over the ATV/UTV usage road map. Jed will send the latest version to the Dirt Donkeys, Ed Thayer and the BoS for final review.

 

7.0   What’s Happening in Nature?

Johanna saw her otter again yesterday. Arin said she got a birdfeeder to stick on the window and she has lots of birds visiting it. The feeder is great because the birds are so close to observe.

Jed said they have had a rose-breasted woodpecker at their birdfeeder and a few other birds they haven’t seen before. Lots of Blue Jays back this year.

Nan said they had a Blue Jay snatched from under the birdfeeder by a hawk. The hawk stood on it for a while before it flew off with it.

Arin said that a mother moose and her juvenile moose have been spotted on Faxon Hill Road by a lot of people and she thinks it is a well used wildlife corridor.

Jed said the Selectmen were out looking at a property and they saw a bobcat on East Side Drive. It was in no hurry to move and the saw it twice.

Johanna has had a lot of Wild Turkeys come through and check out the seed left under her bird feeder. Jed saw a turkey highway out in the woods.

Arin said she was walking down by Ashuelot Pond and there is still a lot of open water. Nan said their pond has been open again recently.

For a wonderful Seasonal Poem written by Johanna, click here: NewinNature.html

 

8.0   Correspondence:  

DES - notice of incomplete wetlands PBN application, Steiner

DES – notice of Forestry PBN, NEFF, TM 15-42

 

9.0   Adjourned at 7:40PM, the next meeting is Wednesday, January 20th at 7PM, location to be announced.

 

Respectfully submitted,           

Nan Schwartz, Secretary