Town of Fitzwilliam
Minutes of the Conservation Committee
Date: 09/22/03
Time Meeting Opened: 7:30 p.m. Katie Metzger convening the meeting.
Members Present: Paul Kotila, Katie Metzger, Chuck Roth, Jeanne Sable, Fred Slavic, Rosalind Slavic, Carmen Yon.
Others in attendance: Eleanor Vander Haegen
Minutes of Previous Meeting dated 8/25/03 moved accepted by Katie, seconded by Jeanne. Unan.
Unfinished business:
CIP—Katie and Barbara filled out and turned in the forms, which did not require meeting again as previously scheduled. Funds were designated for land purchase, maintenance, and protection. Spending money in the CIP requires a public hearing.
Land Use Change Tax—Katie reports we have $16,000 in the fund, which is available to us without public hearings or town meetings. We will begin discussing best uses of it.
Invasive plants –Videos issued to Eleanor.
New members—Eleanor Vander Haegen attended to get acquainted.
Newcomers’ Bulletin—Katie & Jeanne will meet to decide what goes into it. Fred thought the handout might be useful to other residents besides newcomers. Rosalind suggested we have it printed as an insert to the town newsletter, which wouldn’t be very expensive. Consensus was this would be a good idea. Fred volunteered to typeset the document. Rosalind will do the layout.
Aerial Photos of Wetlands—Carmen asked about the status of obtaining these. Eleanor will check with Southwest to see what we have.
Follow-ups—Katie passed around a reminder of our vote last month to assign a member to follow up each project we have made recommendations for. Carmen is watching the LaValley project and Jeanne will follow up on Nickersons’. Katie will follow up on the Rte. 12 elderly housing complex when the time comes.
Planning Board Report—Carmen: The Planning Board granted conditional approval of the Nickerson plan, which will be announced as a public hearing. We had some discussion as to whether this involved the state or not.
The Planning Board is also rewriting the excavation regulations, which has generated much discussion. The town can regulate excavation but not mining. They will also rewrite agricultural and livestock regulations, and are still working on the Master Plan.
Riparian Systems—Katie: We are doing water monitoring as best we can.
Trails project—Katie reports Barbara is still committed to project.
Forest Management—Katie would like to see more done on this. Chuck asked if we could hire someone. Paul will talk to forester Charlie Koch who has worked with us in the past. Katie will meet him at town hall to show the map, and Eleanor will walk with him on the property.
Hazardous Waste—Katie suggested a visit from Martin at the recycling center, but Jeanne noted that all hazardous waste is taken care of in Keene now.
New Business:
Site Walks—Jeanne reported that Barbara, Fred, Rosalind, Carmen and Jeanne viewed the Nickerson property on Old Troy Rd. for a proposed utility shed with attached horse lean-to at 86 Old Troy Rd. The horse already grazes the area in growing season but has no place to go in a storm. It is stabled in a barn away from any wetland. The structure would be 50 feet from the pond and over 75 feet from a vernal pool area. The request was referred to the Planning Board as it involves a new structure within the POD. We observed minimal further impact from the structure as the ground slopes away from the pond.
Workshops and upcoming events—Paul: Oct. 11—Harrisville workshop will prepare GIS for towns in attendance. Paul will go and pick up maps.
Eleanor: Oct. 1. Municipal law lecture series , 7-9 p.m. in Jaffrey, concerning water, wetlands, and role of local government. $25 plus pre-registration. Carmen, Eleanor, Katie and Jeanne will attend.
Paul: Oct. 4—Monadnock Institute of Nature, Place, and Culture, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at Franklin Pierce College. Three naturalists featured. Jeanne and Paul will attend.
Katie: Coming next Spring—A conference in Fitzwilliam on the adaptive use of historic houses to small businesses.
Budget—Figures due Oct. 31. We should include new expenditures from land use change tax. Katie and Carmen will work on it.
Other Business:--Paul: Handout—NH Lakes Association study about the economic value of NH’s lakes, rivers, streams & ponds.
Discussions: Bowker Pond—Chuck would like to see the small island protected from development, and wondered whether we could assist in paying for survey work. Members discussed whether the lot was big enough to be built on and whether existing wetlands regulations were sufficient to protect it, and “where do we draw the line?” on financial assistance. Chuck will discuss status of land with current owner, Mr. Hongisto.
Regulation of pesticides near wetlands—Rosalind questioned whether we had anything in our laws about this. She will look into it. Paul and Eleanor will inquire again about the Water Source Protection Plan at Southwest, which was awaiting action from Rindge.
Dues—NH Assoc. of Conservation Commissions: Jeanne will submit bill to Town Office.
New SWRPC manual: Katie will order ours.
Draft of minutes posted and/or sent out to members: 09/25/03
Minutes sent to Selectmen’s Office: 11/3/03
Meeting Adjourned at: 8:45. Motion by Katie, seconded by Jeanne. Unanimous.
Next Meeting date: Oct. 27, 2003. Barbara will chair.
Signed: Jeanne Sable,
Secretary
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