Conservation Commission / IWWA Minutes 01/02/2018

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Simsbury Conservation Commission

TOWN OF SIMSBURY

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 7:30PM

Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room

933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, Connecticut

 

PRESENT:  Margery Winters, James Morrison, Donald Rieger, and Alternate Charles Haldeman;

 

ABSENT:  none

 

ALSO PRESENT:  Assistant Town Planner Michael Glidden.

 

I.  CALL TO ORDER:

Chairwoman Winters called the meeting to order at 7:30PM.

 

II. ROLL CALL:

1.            Appointment of Alternates.

 

Mr. Haldeman was seated for vacancy.

 

III. PUBLIC HEARING:

1.  None.

 

V.  OLD BUSINESS:

1.  Applications: None

 

V.  NEW BUSINESS:

1.  Receipt of New Applications.

Mr. Glidden reported an application was received for the construction of basketball court at 100 Old Farms Rd on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Department.

 

VI. GENERAL COMMISSION BUSINESS:

1.  Approval of the Minutes of the December 19, 2017 Regular Meeting.

The December 5, 2017 regular meeting minutes were accepted as submitted.

 

2.            Forestry Management discussion & workshop

 

Chair Winters asked if any members of the public wish to speak.

 

Helen Peterson addressed the Commission regarding some of the documents which pertained to the goals and philosophy that were distributed at the last meeting. Ms. Peterson thanked the work which was completed by various commission members.

 

Ms. Peterson urged members to look at why specific properties were deemed to be put in open space/conservation when developing the management goals. She asked that more definitions be provided on some of the terms which are referenced in the documents. Finally, she stressed that costs should not drive the policy direction.

 

John Schaffer of 16 Lostbrook Drive provided the Commission with a document that focused on the need to define why conservation was chosen for certain properties and how these plans should reflect such choses.

 

There were no other members of the public came forward to address the Commission.

 

The Commission proceeded to review the philosophy and goals document. Chair Winters commented how she liked the terms stewardship versus management

 

After a discussion of the document, Commissioner Haldeman suggested that the draft could be condensed for the next meeting and some of the commentary removed. Mr. Haldeman felt that the revised document as discussed should provide a commission a starting point so that they could move to the next point on working establishing tactics on how to reach some of the goals.

 

Chair Winters suggested that members come up with a few tactics which would help benefit the review of specific management plans. For the next meeting the Chair, look at the philosophy documents and come up with some generic tactics.

 

Commissioner Morrison suggested using the Onion Mountain plan a test on whether the goals and philosophy were met with the development of this particular plan.

 

Commissioner Haldeman countered and asked to look at areas which specifically need more detail verses reviewing the entire document.

 

Commissioner Morrison was concerned that discussing tactics maybe hard without focusing on a specific plan. He liked the structure in the Onion Mountain plan and think that’s will be a good plan to use in order to assess the tactics contained and see whether they met the goals as outlined in the document.

 

Chair Winters asked commissioners to look at the documents and plans for the next meeting. The Onion Mountain Plan will be discussed as it relates to tactics for the overall goals and philosophy.

 

 

VII.   ADJOURNMENT:

MOTION:   Mr. Morrison made a motion to adjourn at 9:25PM which was seconded by Mr. Haldeman; unanimously approved.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Glidden CFM CZEO

Assistant Town Planner