LYME CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes – September 10, 2007
The meeting convened at 7:30pm.
The following members of the commission attended: James Graham, Dick Jones, Lee Larson, Vicki May, and Adair Mulligan. The following members of the public attended: Doug Holler, Scott Barthold, and Peter Mulvihill.
1. Dartmouth Skiway Site Visit
Doug Holler (from the Skiway) and Scott Barthold (from Sno-matic) presented plans to widen and modify trails at the Skiway. The trail modifications are required by the International Ski Federation (FIS) to ensure the safety of ski racers. Some blasting will be done and a-netting will be installed. Blasting will be done below the surface to minimize the impact on wetlands. Adair asked if the Peregrine Falcons would be affected - Doug reported that construction would begin at the end of July.
A site visit is scheduled for Thursday, September 20 at 2:00pm.
2. Post Pond and Chaffee Sanctuary
Peter Mulvihill expressed concern over the standing water on the playing fields; he coaches 5th and 6th grade girl’s soccer and reported that if there had been a game scheduled he would have had to cancel. He distributed photos of the beach and field areas showing standing water taken that morning. He feels there must be a correlation between the water level in the pond (at 2.7 that morning) and the water on the fields and beach and asked that the commission lower the water level. Lee pointed out that lowering the level of the pond likely will not alleviate the problems in the field.
The Selectmen had voted at their last meeting to recommend to the commission that the castor master in the upper beaver dam be lowered approximately 6 inches. The commission agreed to lower the level of the pipe in the upper dam (the upper dam seems to be holding water while the lower dam appears to be inactive).
3. Approval of Minutes: The August minute were approved unanimously (Dick/Adair).
4. Tullar Easement Update
Dick moved to ratify Matt’s signature on the easement (second by Adair, approved unanimously).
5. Natural Resources Inventory (NRI)
Lee reported that the Town plans to sell copies of the NRI report in the Town Offices. Lee will have color copies made (50-100). Free copies will be distributed to the 31 donors.
Adair has already publicized the public presentation on September 24 at 7pm in the Academy Building in the church newsletter and will also send a note to the Lyme listserv.
6. Roby-Bokermann Site Visit
Lee will talk to Elizabeth Kilmarx about whether an Alteration of Terrain permit is required for this project and get back to the commission. This project goes before the Zoning Board on September 20.
A site visit has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 18 at 8:30am.
7. Town Trails
The Clay Brook Trail between the waterfall and Route 10 needs a day of work to remove blowdowns (3 chainsaws + back-up crews). The commission is not technically responsible for this trail though it is unlikely that the UVLT will assume responsibility. No decision was made regarding maintenance.
8. Amendment to Post Pond Water Level Policy
The commission agreed that changes to the policy should only be made as part of the annual review process.
9. Water Quality Monitoring
Adair moved to pay $200 in fees to DES for water quality monitoring (James seconded; approved unanimously).
10. Easement Monitoring
Dick moved to transfer $200 from the Operating Budget to the Easement Monitoring subsection of the Conservation Fund (Adair seconded; approved unanimously).
11. Post Pond Loons
Adair reported that the chick is surviving and the residents on the west side of the pond are doing a great job of watching out for the loons. She recommended that next spring we prepare for the loons by putting out buoys at the entrance to Little Post Pond.
12. CRWC land – No new news.
13. Thetford Flood Plain Development
The commission’s concerns have been forwarded to Bayne Stevenson. Adair said that Thetford citizens are circulating a petition that Lyme citizens, as residents of an abutting town, have been invited to sign.
14. Town Forest Logging
Lee presented the letter from John O’Brien indicating that there was a profit of $8,000 from the logging done in the Town Forest. This money may be used in the Town Forest (to acquire more land, re-route trails, maintain trails, etc.).
The meeting adjourned at 9:05pm.
Vicki V. May, recorder
| 
