HORSE HILL NATURE PRESERVE

AD HOC COMMITTEE

Minutes of Monday, October 4, 2004

Courtroom at Town Hall

7:30 p.m.

 

 

Members Present:  Andy Powell, Denise O’Dwyer, Janet Cormier, Nelson Disco, Chris Christensen, Debra Huffman, Karen Mattor, Connie Kreider, Harold Watson, Helynne Wenz, Shannon Barnes, Newton Coryell, Tim Tenhave

 

Also present: Walter Warren

 

Call to Order: Tim Tenhave called the meeting to order at 7:36 p.m.

 

Announcements and Updates:

 

The hunting season, deer hunting/archery has started, and firearms will begin in November.  Moose hunting starts in the middle of the month along with duck and peasant hunting.  There have been a few people target shooting.  Denise said she ran into a couple of people.  It was recommended that hikers not approach anyone target shooting.  The Ford Explorer was removed by Majestic Motors. There are still legal issues to be resolved.  The committee approved having the Chairman send a letter to the papers to thank Majestic Motors.  

 

The website has a new list of all the members (21). 

 

The Ethics Committee has scheduled a 2nd day of training on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s conference room.  They will make more sessions if there is a need.  They will also present the training to the BOS after the 1st two sessions. 

 

Jim and Ruth will not be here tonight.  The Forestry Plan will be presented to the Conservation Commission (MCC) on October 11th and then to the BOS on October 14th.  Tim will look into the time and send it out.  The MCC Committee members will see it for the first time at their meeting.  Connie asked if they could be told when it’s available and Debra also asked when it was going to be finished.  Andy said the draft is already finished but said the MCC won’t see it until their meeting on October 11th.  Karen asked if this Committee could take a look at it before the BOS meeting.  Karen said she would make her copy available if necessary.  Shannon said the Chairman should have a copy and Debra said she would like to see a copy before the BOS meeting.  Walter said if it’s electronic he can post on the website.  Tim said he would make extra copies. 

 

 

 

Definitive Plan:

 

The Committee members introduced themselves to Walter.  Walter passed out the

Definitive Plan outline he put together with the rest of the Community Development Department.  Walter said Jay proposed the original plan and that he (Walter) walked into it later.  Walter reviewed what he believed was intended and described the evolution of the idea behind a definitive plan.  Walter explained how our subcommittee structure fits the definitive plan.  There will be a great effort to use the Master Plan to create the background for the definitive plan.  Walter will also take the results of the Forestry Plan and Wildlife Assessment and match the recommendations with those of the Master plan.  There will be graphic overlays showing the components of the Forestry plan and Wildlife Assessment.  And there will be supplements including the work of our Committee and Staff.  The management and implementation guidelines are already recommended in the Master plan.  It will be up to the BOS to decide to assign tasks to certain entities (single or multiple).  Walter will receive the recommendations of the Forestry study, which will show sensitive habitat areas and use that study to create the conservation area (500 acre recommendation).  Walter will characterize other potential areas of the property for conservation and look at competing interests.  Walter will do an assessment of suitability factors, identify and provide recommendations for trails including which ones would be multipurpose, for example.  Walter will synthesize all this information using graphics.  There will be attachments with broad public input.  Walter will include the competing uses of property.  Walter noted there was not much deviation between his outline and the outline our Committee provided.

 

Debra asked what the time frame was and Walter said he did not know but it will probably take place over several months.  Andy said before it goes to the BOS, this Committee should discuss it first.  Walter said it will go to BOS first but it is okay to put out a draft to this Committee.  Walter said he would depend on many others to assemble the definitive plan.  It was asked if the definitive plan will rely on the Town’s Master Plan and will it have objectives.  Walter said it would incorporate the 2002 Master Plan and he will revisit goals.  And yes, there will objectives.  Nelson asked if the Planning Board should present the Definitive Plan to the BOS and added that the outline of the plan looks good. 

 

Walter said the original deadline was June 30th and he now needs to give a timeline to the BOS.  There should be a sequence of events for planning purposes, which should be accomplished first. People in the town are waiting.  Walter said it will not happen overnight but it should go quickly.  Shannon asked about the management body as recommended in the Master plan and if he would be working with Staff or the subcommittees.  Walter replied that the Staff would involve the subcommittees.   Debra said people who Staff will be working with would be similar to the way we did the Master Plan and added that she wants to get moving on providing input and especially with getting the plan to the BOS.  Walter said that the desires for all physical activities would be overlaid on the plan.  All the information will be there.  Walter added that he was concerned with so much detail. 

 

Connie asked if Walter was going to ask our Committee members to work too and if they will be allowed to give information.  Connie also asked if Walter would be sharing a timeline and whether or not she or her subcommittee was overstepping their bounds if they need guidance from Staff.  Walter said he is still familiarizing himself with the subcommittees.  Andy said to let Staff know all about the historical information and then said to give the updates to Scott.  Connie said the Historical subcommittee is now researching and that it takes a long time.  She asked what would happen if they came up with something else.  Andy asked if the definitive plan would reroute trails.  Walter said first it has to be assessed where the habitats are.  Walter said he probably wouldn’t have a step-by-step guide, more like a long-term plan.  The definitive plan would probably have a vision and overriding goals. 

 

Chris said there is a good guidance and then there is clear guidance.  For example, the trails in the Definitive Plan...should this be in the plan?  Walter said there would be a map in the definitive plan.  First the considerations of trails have to be made before the site plan is created.  Chris said the definitive plan should have predetermined trails since wetlands have to be avoided.  And our best recommendations for trail locations with criteria could be shown on the zoning map, a physical map. 

 

Andy said the Forestry Plan will provide a detailed inventory and will show the trails.  Dan Cyr has commented that there are a lot of trails in the area and access is needed.  Andy said Dan also makes recommendations that we abandon some trails because of wetlands.  Andy said Dan uses 1:600 scale, which is the same as aerial photography.  Andy said he spent a day with Dan and learned how he paces with the compass, not a GPS.  Andy said there is a lot of detailed information that will be provided and the overlays will summarize.  Andy again added that parking is a big deal and this should be done quickly. 

 

Janet said when she looked into starting a dog park in town her committee looked into the HHNP but because Parks and Recreation does not have the jurisdiction and there is no parking available.  It was concluded that a dog park would not be possible.  She noted that there is no place in the Master plan to put a new activity proposed for the property.  Janet asked who would someone go to for adding an activity for HHNP and how do they reconcile new uses and old plans.  Tim said this was covered in section 8.5 in the Master plan under future considerations.  Tim said Jay also covered it in his recommendations, and until the definitive plan gets completed citizens can make suggestions.   Tim doesn’t think the door is closed.  Andy said that similar parcels have committees go to the MCC on these types of proposals. 

 

Karen asked from a conservation standpoint, would the land be protected from athletic facilities, for example, because the town can break rules.  Walter noted that for building, industry, and commercial development many different entities would probably be objecting to it.  It was questioned how do you enforce a rule in a long-term setting.  Easements could be set in the deed.  Karen spoke of her concern that sometimes concerned citizens can’t change politics such as what happened when the BOS did not accept the grants even though there were many pleading with them to take it at the public hearing. 

 

A member present said this committee would like Dan to come and make a presentation to it. 

 

Andy said the Forester would make a public presentation to the BOS.  Andy said maybe the Forester could come in November and have a public hearing where citizens can ask questions for informational purposes.  Tim added that our meetings are also public.  Andy agreed to workout a schedule with Dan. 

        

Meeting Minutes of 9/13/04:

 

Newton made the motion to accept the minutes.  Shannon seconded the motion.  Motion carries 11-0-0 (Karen Mattor and Andy Powell left the meeting at 9:00pm)

 

Updates from the sub-committees:

 

Trails- Debra informed the committee that the trails committee did meet on 9/28/04.  At that point the committee members had handed in their outline for the trails on their assigned sections to Debra the week before.  Debra said she compiled it into a master trail map.  Debra said the next meeting would focus on prioritizing which trails should be worked on first.  Debra said the trail master plan should be ready for Walter when he needs it.

 

Janet asked about the Wasserman Heights Trail.  Debra said that the scout thinks he is finished with the trail but has not officially finished.  Debra mentioned to the committee that Newton put in a grate and built up the stonewall around the well on the Wasserman trail.

 

Parking – No meeting, waiting for the Definitive Plan

Athletic- No meeting, waiting for the Definitive Plan

 

Historic – Connie said the committee did meet, and her committee would be working on researching the property through the winter.

 

Funding- No meeting

 

Clean up – did not meet, will be meeting on 10/26/04. The group will be planning a small clean up in mid-November.  Debra asked if a small group could head over to the Wasserman Heights Trail to clean up some of the trash that is there.

 

Tim asked if all committees could meet after the forester’s report comes out, but before the Nov. 1 meeting.

 

Janet made the motion to adjourn, Chris second the motion, motion passed 11-0-0

 

Adjourned at 9:11pm