Warner Conservation Commission

Minutes of Meeting

January 5, 2011

 

Attending: Nancy Martin, Mimi Wiggin, Russ St. Pierre, Doug Allen, Brian Hotz, Peg Bastien, and Jim McLaughlin (recording).  

Minutes of the Meeting of December 1, 2010 - The minutes of the meeting of December 1, 2010 were approved as submitted.  

Joint Meeting with Planning and Zoning Boards

Discussed the upcoming meeting with Zoning and Planning on February 14. Jim distributed a sheet that contains Natural Resource recommendations that have been drafted for inclusion in the Master Plan as part of the implementation section. He suggested that members review this list and use it as one topic of discussion at the joint meeting.  

Conservation

Kearsarge Gore Farm Project - Brian reported that this project is completed and all parties have executed the agreement.
321 acres in Warner are now protected. Brian said that Bob Bower is concerned about public access to the property over the long term. Brian said he needed to list the expenses related to securing the easement and send this to the Town in order to request reimbursement from the Q2C grant. He will contact Laura Buono about this step.

Black Mountain Project - Brian reported that this project has also been completed with 205 acres in Warner coming under protection.

Sturms - Brian discussed the status of this project - 20 acres to be placed under conservation easement as part of a mitigation action required by DES. Sturms have asked about constructing a cabin on the property. Brian said that this provision was unlikely to be approved by DES and that getting Town approval for a dwelling on a lot with no road access or frontage was most unlikely. The Sturms would probably be okay with a reserved right to do primitive camping which would be their right without actually specifying it. Also discussed was a payment to the Town that DES may require the Sturms to make. Peg will check with DES enforcement action to see if there is an actual dollar amount specified and whether or not the costs being borne to accomplish this easement are eligible as part of this dollar amount. There was general agreement that a payment of two or more thousand dollars would be reasonable and that whatever is to be provided should be put into the Conservation Fund, where it would be available for baseline documentation, ongoing monitoring or related expenses. Brian said a concern he has is that the property consists of two parcels, with separate title histories. A land survey of the property is necessary to establish the boundaries, as well as a thorough title search to ensure clear title so that the Town won’t have to incur expenses in the future to address some problem that may arise. He will convey these requirements to Sturms.  

Wetlands Issues

Russ reported that there were no new wetlands permit applications on file.  

Planning Board Report

Discussed the proposed rezoning of an area in Davisville by the Planning Board from OC-1 to C-1. Jim will check on whether a public hearing has yet been held on the proposed zoning amendments by the Planning Board. A suggestion was offered to talk to the Board about a proposed Warner River overlay district that would buffer the river and specify additional protective measures beyond State shoreland laws and existing Town regulations.  

Annual Report

Nancy said she would ask John Dabuliewicz to help her develop the Commission’s annual report for 2010.  

Storm Drain Stencil Project

Jim affirmed that the Commission should seek a grant from PSNH to cover the costs of materials for this project, since the Selectmen have cut the Commission’s operating budget by 28 percent for 2011.  

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:20 P.M.  

The next regular meeting is February 2, 2011.