Conservation Commission

Laconia Conservation Commission Meeting Agenda Minutes February 6th, 2019 6:00 PM City Hall, 45 Beacon Street East Armand A. Bolduc Council Chamber 2/6/2019 - Minutes 1. Call to Order Members Present: Chairman Dean Anson, Vice Chair Deborah Williams, Marnie Schulz, Michael Foote, and Wesley Bates Planning Staff: Evan Rathburn Members Absent: Richard Christopher and Lisa Morin There are no guests. There is no one in the audience. Michael Foote arrives at 6:18 PM. 2. Review of The Previous Meeting's Minutes D. Williams makes a motion to accept the minutes with amendments. W. Bates seconds. All in favor. The motion passes 3. New Business 3.I. Introduction of New Full Member Wesley Bates D. Anson takes a moment to introduce the newly appointed member Wesley Bates. W. Bates has a education in the environmental field and will be a great asset to the commission. All the members welcome M. Bates to the commission. 3.II. City Purchase of Land Along Pickerel Pond Road Discussion begins about the recently acquired City lands out on Pickerel Pond Road. E. Rathburn informs the commission that the purchase has been completed and that the City of Laconia now owns the former Hughes property on Pickerel Pond Road. If the public goes to the maps section of the City of Laconia website and goes to the parcels, it now shows that the City of Laconia is the sole owner of them. M. Foote thanks everyone involved for their hard work and thinks the lands will be a great boon to the City and citizens that would like to use the properties. D. Anson gives a summary of the improvements that are going to be done. E. Rathburn informs the commission that he has been looking at grant money for the improvements for the properties and has started the application process for a federal grant. The commission would also like for the building inspector and/or the fire inspector to go out to the property and look at the structural integrity of the two shacks that are out on the property before the commission advertises in the paper that they have land out there. They would also like to put a sign on each shack until the inspection is done telling people that the shacks are unsafe. M. Foote asks whether snowmobiles will be allowed on the property's snowmobile trails. E. Rathburn says there  is nothing in the deed language for the properties that prohibits snowmobile activities. M. Foote also would like the commission to keep in mind that if they do improvements to the property that result in boardwalks over the wetlands, they will need to make them ADA usable along with making the main trail ADA usable. 4. Old Business 4.I. Proposed Stormwater Regulations Update E. Rathburn informs the commission that the Planning Director and himself have met with Department of Public Works about the proposed stormwater regulations to prepare for the impending MS4 compliance. The EPA is slowly making its way up to Laconia with bringing municipalities into MS4 compliance. The City departments are going to be using the proposed regulations to get the jump on this, so they are not caught unawares. 4.II. Perley Pond Improvements Update Discussion begins about the Perley Pond Improvements that the Buildings and Lands Commission has called for. D. Anson says that the Perley Family has complained to the City Council that the City of Laconia has not been upkeeping the Perley Pond property correctly. They wish for it to be mowed and for all the vegetation to be cut back so the people who drive by the property can see the pond. There was also talk about trying to keep the Perley Oak alive. The BLC would like a landscape architect to draw up a plan for improvement to the property and have an arborist come and look at the tree to come together with a plan on how to best keep the tree alive or at least slow down the process of its declines. D. Anson would like to go on the record that the City is not going to be entertaining any notion to cut down the tree and will only be improving the property. The City of Laconia will also be going to its Planning Board for a wetland CUP since the improvements will take place in the wetlands buffer for the pond. The Commission and the City know they are exempt from their own regulations but would like to use this opportunity to set a good example and keep transparency. D. Anson has also spoken with the Planning Board chairman and he is in favor of the City applying for a wetland CUP for the improvements. The commission will be coordinating with the Parks and Recreations Department during this process and will also be including the Perley Family in the whole project, so they have input. 5. General Business D. Williams gives an update on the Lake Host program and what to expect in the coming year. She also uses this as an opportunity to explain what Lake Hosts are to W. Bates. 6. Liaison and Subcommittee Reports E. Rathburn informs the commission that the City has received grant funds for the upcoming milfoil treatment scheduled this spring/summer/fall from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. E. Rathburn has also had the acceptance of the funds added to the next City Council meeting for them begin the process of voting to have the City Manager accept the funds for use. 7. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Applications There are no applications for review before the commission. 8. Staff Report There are no new subjects in relation to the staff report. 9. Adjournment M. Schulz makes a motion to adjourn at 7:45 PM. M. Foote seconds. All in favor.  The meeting is adjourned. 10. Non-Public Session (According To RSA 91-A:3, II)