LYME CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes – February 2, 2004
1. The regular meeting of the Conservation Commission convened at 7:30 PM with the following in attendance: Ben Hudson, Joan Goldburgh, Dick Jones, Paul Klee, Lee Larson, Adair Mulligan and Jamie Seidel (USDA – NRCS).
2. Jamie came in to explain the Town’s possible participation in the “Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program” (WHIP) with regard to the Chaffee Sanctuary. He and Lee had made a site visit in November and developed recommendations for improving and maintaining the sanctuary’s wildlife habitat. These included removal of the non-native plant species, annual mowing of a 50 foot strip next to the alders and bi-annual mowing of the open field. Mowing should not take place before August. Participation in the program would make the Town eligible for a grant of 75% of the costs ($2,139) over a ten year contract period. (No
contract would be required unless the grant funds became available.) Adair moved and Paul seconded a motion to apply for the WHIP program. The motion carried unanimously.
3. The minutes of the January 6 meeting were approved as submitted.
4. The following items were briefly discussed:
a. The survey of the Chaffee Sanctuary has been completed with a minor incident when one of the field team fell in the brook and his clothing froze before they could get him to the car. He was back at work the next day.
b. The Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA) has applied to the Lyme Foundation for a grant for trail work in the Town Forest. They felt that the proposed work did not meet the requirements for a Wellborn Ecology Fund grant as originally proposed.
c. The new “permit by notification” procedures for DES wetlands permits was discussed with the conclusion that it could be accommodated by the Commission’s current wetlands application review procedures.
d. Lee mentioned the site visit by three members of the Commission to the proposed Henszeys’ pond and the conclusion that there were no significant conservation issues.
e. Lee reported that the conservation easement data in GRANIT was being updated by a forest society intern.
f. Dick reported that the Planning and Zoning Administrator will be working on the Natural Resources Inventory part of the Town Master Plan and that Commission assistance would be required as this project proceeded.
5. Lee reported that the Planning Board had requested Conservation Commission input to a proposed future change to the Zoning Ordinance changing the definition of a wetland to exclude those under 10,000 square feet v. the current 2,500 square feet. Dick moved and Adair seconded a motion to recommend retaining the current 2,500 square feet definition. The motion carried unanimously.
6. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.
R. G. Jones
recorder
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