Conservation Commission

4/9/2018 4/4/2018 - Minutes CITY OF LACONIA CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING 45 BEACON STREET EAST 4/4/2018 - Minutes 1. Call To Order Chairman D. Anson calls the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. Members Present: D. Anson, D. Williams, R. Christopher, L. Morin, and M.Foote. Members Absent: M. Schulz There are currently no alternates. Staff/Recording Clerk: E. Rathburn Guests: Richard Tilton and Code Enforcement/Planning Director, Dean Trefethen. There are no members of the audience present. 2. Pledge Of Allegiance/Handicap Exits/Silence Cell Phones 3. Establish A Quorum A quorum was established of the members present. 4. Liaison And Subcommittee Reports 4.I. Master Plan Update D. Trefethen begins his presentation about the Land Use Chapter of the Laconia Master Plan after R. Tilton is finished with his milfoil presentation. D. Trefethen reads the vision statement of the Master Plan to the commission. This information along with the Master Plan can be found on the City of Laconia website. D. Trefethen reads the target of the Master Plan. This chapter of the Master Plan is targeting to bring more people from the middle/young age group to the city since business and population has stagnated. These statistics for population do not include tourists. This chapter is geared towards encouraging a year-round population. R. Christopher asks whether the key to having a stable population is having jobs in the area. M. Foote says that the hospital nearby has shed jobs recently and that the key to having a more stable workforce is for companies to adapt to encourage people to come to the area. M. Foote also says that the area needs to change to encourage people to want to raise their families here. He also voices that people portray Laconia in a negative light when it is a decent place to grow up. D. Trefethen again states the goal of the LUC is for encouragement of a middle age population to settle in the city. D. Trefethen is asked by M. Foote what the average middle family income is in Laconia and D. Trefethen answers that it is 60,000 dollars. D. Trefethen says that the LUC will hopefully be accepted at the next Planning Board meeting but is not sure at the moment whether they will be able to have a meeting or not. D. Christopher says that the Downtown has lost its incentive for people to spend time shopping. D. Trefethen says that the Downtown does indeed have a lot of empty store fronts and that they are working on revitalizing it. The Colonial Theater restoration is one action they are taking. D. Christopher states that many of the stores downtown are specialty shops which does not help draw people to the Downtown. D. Trefethen states that is true and that many active downtowns are also like that but they have a residential aspect to them. Laconia's downtown does not at the moment have that residential aspect. D. Trefethen states that during the LUC process they will be recrafting the Laconia Zoning Ordinance to help bring parts of the City back to life. E. Rathburn states that the Storm water Ordinance is also something that has the potential to be implemented too. Two things that will be focused on in the ordinance are signs and parking. D. Trefethen moves onto the subject of various outskirts properties in Laconia and that they are looking to expand only municipal utilities out to those properties at the moment. This will help encourage development of these areas. D. Anson asks whether anything about aesthetics will be covered in the new LUC. D. Trefethen is not sure at the moment. D. Anson says that the reason why he brings this up is because of the tree cutting that Eversource Energy is doing at the moment which is cutting away https://www.laconianh.gov/AgendaCenter/GenerateMinutesFile?id=532&agendaID=671 1/4 4/9/2018 4/4/2018 - Minutes swaths of trees near one of their right of ways. He also wonders if the City could have Eversource replant those areas. E. Rathburn says the commission/City of Laconia cannot force Eversource to do anything but can contact NHDES. He also says that he can contact Eversource and extend an offer for the LCC to plant wildflowers/bushes in the right of way to offset the amount of open space that is exposed now. L. Morin asks about the State School in relation to the Master Plan and D. Trefethen states that there have been multiple meetings about the property and it has been factored into the Master Plan. 4.II. Other Various Subjects Of Concern D. Anson brings up the subject of recycling in the City of Laconia. D. Trefethen has spoken with Wes Anderson from DPW and Wes cautions the LCC about any activity related to recycling. E. Rathburn has also spoken with W. Anderson. Since it is a volatile time right now in relation to recycling the commission will wait to make any major moves and will consult with Ann Saltmarsh at DPW who oversees solid waste/recycling. E. Rathburn has also told Wes Anderson that he will run any action the commission wishes to take by him first. 4.III. Milfoil Management Due to time management the LCC has R. Tilton give his presentation/report for milfoil management in Paugus Bay. R. Tilton was also asked to give a presentation of his project at Resort On The Bay that deals with stormwater management/treatment. The project consists of drainage pipes and a rain garden that will treat all run-off into Langley Cove through way of natural plants. Additionally, a water bar will be installed on paved roadways through the cottage complex to divert the run-off from other areas on the property into the rain garden. R. Tilton gives a brief overview of the milfoil situation in Laconia, specifically in Paugus Bay. An explanation of what was accomplished in the past is given. Resort On The Bay has historically handled all milfoil treatment in Langley Cove in the past with NHDES assistance. This year, NHDES has taken all grant money for the coves, including Langley Cove, and combined it into one grant. The City of Laconia will handle all other expenses that do not come from private property owners. D. Anson asks whether the amount of milfoil had reduced in the coves over the years as more treatment is done and R. Tilton says yes, they have noticed less milfoil in the cove. The State of NH DES's method of identifying milfoil is discussed along with discussion about getting the people that live on the lake involved. D. Williams asks whether the State in the past has done herbicidal treatment in the lake every other year. E. Rathburn states that he believes that it is indeed done every other year in the past or by how much milfoil is in the lake. The subject of incentive for private property owner involvement is brought up. One idea that is discussed is having a plaque made for marinas around the lake that contribute to the control efforts. Another idea is for an item of recognition in the Laconia Daily Sun. D. Anson asks whether the milfoil has come down from up Langley Brook and R. Tilton says that he is not sure. The City Council budget for milfoil is discussed. E. Rathburn tells the commission that there is currently 20,000 dollars in the city’s budget for milfoil. D. Trefethen tells the commission that the city council is due to budget another 10,000 dollars in the future. It is agreed upon that a plan will need to be created for future milfoil control funds since prices are going up and the State's grant money is not increasing. E. Rathburn says that the two companies that will be handling milfoil control are SOLitude and New England Milfoil. SOLitude will be handling administration of 2,4-D and NEM will be handling DASH work. E. Rathburn also tells the commission that the City Council will be reading the resolution to have the mayor sign the grant from DES on the 9th of April and will vote on said resolution on the 23rd of April. The commission thanks R. Tilton for joining them and giving his presentation. 5. Old Business All agenda sub-items have been tabled till the April 18th, 2018 meeting. 5.I. Brownfields 5.II. Black Brook Candidate Sites For Habitat Improvement 5.III. Interns For The Conservation Commission Future Projects 6. New Business All agenda sub-items have been tabled till the April 18, 2018 meeting. 6.I. Culvert Surveys In Laconia https://www.laconianh.gov/AgendaCenter/GenerateMinutesFile?id=532&agendaID=671 2/4 4/9/2018 4/4/2018 - Minutes 6.II. Other Issues The Conservation Commission Could Address. 7. Review Of The Previous Meeting's Minutes L. Morin makes a motion to accept the minutes as amended. D. Williams seconds the motion. All in favor: Aye: 5 Nay: 0 The motion carries. 8. Other Business D. Anson makes a motion to table the undiscussed agenda items till the next meeting on the 18th of April, 2018. L. Morin seconds. All in favor: Aye: 5 Nay: 0 The motion carries. 9. D. Anson makes a motion to table the review of non-public minutes until the next meeting on April 18th, 2018. L. Morin Seconds. All in favor: Aye: 5 Nay: 0 The motion carries. 10. Adjournment D. Anson makes a motion to adjourn at 8:15 PM. M. Foote Seconds. All in favor: Aye: 5 Nay 0 https://www.laconianh.gov/AgendaCenter/GenerateMinutesFile?id=532&agendaID=671 3/4 4/9/2018 4/4/2018 - Minutes The motion carries. https://www.laconianh.gov/AgendaCenter/GenerateMinutesFile?id=532&agendaID=671 4/4