Conservation Commission

MINUTES OF THE MEETING February 4, 2015 LACONIA CONSERVATION COMMISSION Approved at the March 4, 2015 meeting PRESENT- Dean Anson, Hillary May, Lisa Morin, Mike Foote, and Marnie Schulz. ABSENT- D. Williams OTHERS PRESENT- Colleen McCarthy I. Call To Order: Review of the minutes from the January 7, 2014 meeting -Tabled until the next meeting II. New Business: a. Jillian McCarthy, NHDES SOAK UP THE RAIN DISCUSSION J. McCarthy presented the program to the Laconia Conservation Commission. The Soak up the Rain program has made great inroads in the Seacoast and Ossipee regions of the State. NHDES looks forward to involving Laconia because Lake Winnipesaukee is a vital area to implement such practices to protect drinking water. M. Shultz and D. Anson are Master Gardener’s and look forward to implementing the rain garden concept at their respective Long Bay and Southdown Homeowners Associations. L. Morin, also a Master Gardener, added another member D. Williams is already well versed on the rain garden subject. Each year groups of students successfully implement rain garden projects on both Lake Opechee and Saunders Bay. Additional projects are always being sought out. All work is done in cooperation with the New Hampshire Lakes Association. The next step will be to have Con Com members trained by J. McCarthy. UNH Cooperative Extension Service will be one of the consulting partners. Private landscaping companies will also need to be trained to implement complex rain garden solutions. A spring Rain Garden educational event will be held at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth. The Planning Department has worked closely with the Con Com consistently requires Rain Gardens be added to site plan submittals. S. McPhie produced a recent State permit where the homeowner added rain gardens as part of their property upgrades. Shoreland homeowners taking such actions contribute to water quality improvements and ease the permitting process. Rain garden design can range from complex or low maintenance solutions. All projects require dedicated volunteers to continue to maintain their proper functionality. L. Morin, Belknap County Coordinator will act as the Soak up the Rain representative for Laconia. She is encouraged by the potential to begin the program in Laconia. If successful here other Towns should enthusiastically adopt the program. A Laconia Rain Garden lecture will occur on Monday March 9, 2014 at a location yet to be determined. III. Adjournment: M. Foote made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by L. Morin passing 5 -0-0.