Conservation Commission / IWWA Minutes 02/06/2018

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Simsbury Conservation Commission

TOWN OF SIMSBURY

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday, February 6, 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:  Jason Levy

 

ALSO PRESENT:  Assistant Town Planner Michael Glidden.

 

I.  CALL TO ORDER:

Chair 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.  None

 

V.  NEW BUSINESS:

1.  Receipt of New Applications.

a.            Application #18-01 of Kevin Kowalski, Simsbury Fire District, Applicant; to remove silt and vegetation from pond and rehab dry hydrant on the properties located at 8 Cricket Lane (Assessor’s Map C19, Block 511, Lot 004B) and 9 Cricket Lane (Assessor’s Map C19, Block 511, Lot 008). Zone R-40.

 

M.Glidden informed the Commission that the application referenced would be discussed at the next meeting for the Zoning Commission.

 

VI. GENERAL COMMISSION BUSINESS:

1.  Approval of the Minutes of the January 16, 2018 Regular Meeting.

 

The January 16, 2018 regular meeting minutes were accepted as submitted.

 

2.            Simsbury Meadows

 

The Commission discussed correspondence from Town Counsel regarding the application of pesticides in regulated areas. M.Glidden informed the Commission that the Director of Planning was not at the meeting to present workshop on the matter.

 

3.            Forestry Management discussion & workshop

 

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

 

Helen Peterson addressed the Commission.

 

Judy Schafer of 16 Lostbrook, spoke to the Commission regarding a recent article in the Hartford Courant written about health of forest.

 

Mike Payne spoke on the matter of forestry management from the Board of Selectmen perspective. The Town is not looking to timber harvest for the financial incentive. This activity is not a money maker for the town nor is the money from the harvest driving the decision.

 

Chair Winters voiced her concern regarding the need to define terms such as management vs. maintenance.

 

Commissioner Rieger read comments to the commission after watching video of the meeting on Simsbury Community Television. Mr. Rieger criticized the lack of progress on the matter and corrected some statements he heard from the last meeting. He referred to a document prepared by Ohio State which better defined the term “crop trees”.

 

Chair Winters rebutted some comments made by Commissioner Rieger and felt the Onion Mt management plan is a good start.

 

Commissioner Haldeman suggested that the Commission prepare an interim report for the Board of Selectmen regarding Forestry Management.

 

Commissioner Morrison suggested that a letter be sent from the Commission as a good starting point. The correspondence could start with noting some of the concerns which the Commission specifically had with the proposed forestry management plans.

 

Commissioner Haldeman stressed the any report or correspondence needs to be globally focused and could not be plan specific.

 

Commissioner Rieger offered sending an endorsement for the Onion Mt Plan with the following conditions:

1.)           The forester re-inventory the plan and revise marking the property in the field making a more conscience

2.)           The forester update plan to recommend minimum soil disturbance

3.)           The Board of Selectmen removes the prohibition for work on the weekends.

4.)           Erosion and Sediment control bonds be increased to appropriately cover areas of disturbance.

 

Commissioner Morrison commented how a broader sense of management should be used so that the result is not a monolithic habitat.

 

Mike Payne commented on the money and inventory.

 

Helen Peterson address the commission regarding her concerns and explained her perspective on what additional actions or steps need to be taken.

 

Chair Winters asked that members of the Commission work on a draft letter to the Board of Selectmen on the matter and be prepared to discuss said correspondence at their next meeting.

 

4.            Notification of Timber Harvest at Dyno Nobel

 

M.Glidden informed the Commission that the logger/forester did not return his calls and it did not appear the he was present. Members of the Commission asked staff to send correspondence to the logger requesting that he come to the next Commission meeting to discuss his request for determination.

 

VII.   ADJOURNMENT:

 

MOTION:   Mr. Haldeman made a motion to adjourn at 9:00PM which was seconded by Mr. Rieger; unanimously approved.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Glidden CFM CZEO

Assistant Town Planner