Conservation Commission

City of Laconia Conservation Commission Wednesday, November 3, 2021- 6:00 PM City Hall in the Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber Approved 11/17/2021 11/3/2021 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Dean Anson called the meeting to order at 6:03 pm 2. ROLL CALL Members present: Dean Anson, Deb Williams, Mike Foote, Stacy Soucy 3. SALUTE TO THE FLAG The Commission saluted the flag 4. RECORDING SECRETARY Taylor Daigle, Conservation Planner Technician 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE 6. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS 6.I. Meeting Minutes 10/20 Draft D. Williams motions to accept the October 20 th minutes with a few spelling corrections. M. Foote seconds. All vote in favor. 7. OLD BUSINESS 7.I. Natural Resource Inventory 2021 The Commission discusses comments on the first section of the NRI update with the Conservation Tech. It is suggested to make ‘climate change’ its own recommendation category. T. Daigle will reach out to the GIS coordinator about how we can include the local data into the update. The commission will read through page 30 for the next meeting. 7.II. Green Space Dimensional Requirements T. Daigle and M. Foote discuss the situation and interest in updating the green space dimensional requirements for the CR, RS, and RG zones. There is attention put on the fact that there are differences in the CR zone based on commercial or residential use. The commission discusses what the underlying objective of changing this requirement is and the conflict related to drainage issues in the developed area of the city. The commission likes the idea of a case by case, parcel by parcel consideration rather than a change to the entire zoning requirements. T. Daigle will look into mapping options regarding what parcels are meeting their green space requirements and those that are not. M. Foote notes that the intention here is to encourage infill in areas that are already not meeting the green space requirements and have access to city services. The commission likes the idea of involving a range of values rather than one single, stand alone value for each zone. D. Williams discusses the conflict between comparing Laconia to other municipalities that do not have the same natural resources as us as well as the fact that the communities people tend to move to from Laconia are those that are ‘greener’.  consideration rather than a change to the entire zoning requirements. T. Daigle will look into mapping options regarding what parcels are meeting their green space requirements and those that are not. M. Foote notes that the intention here is to encourage infill in areas that are already not meeting the green space requirements and have access to city services. The commission likes the idea of involving a range of values rather than one single, stand alone value for each zone. D. Williams discusses the conflict between comparing Laconia to other municipalities that do not have the same natural resources as us as well as the fact that the communities people tend to move to from Laconia are those that are ‘greener’. 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. Artisan Court/Waterford Place (257/370/1) The engineer on the project presented the self-storage facility and wetland buffer impacts to the commission. Applicant explains that only 1.5 of the 13 acres lot is being disturbed. There will be five buildings and an underground drainage infiltration system for the property. The driveway will have wetland impact in Gilford. Currently the project is not planned to be phased out. D. Anson and the engineer discuss drainage concerns related to the Lily Pond area and the engineer explains that the site was designed using both 2-year and 25-year storm models. The change for the 2- year model is negligible and the 25-year model shows a decrease. The drainage will discharge outside of the wetland buffer and contribute back into the Lily Pond watershed. Roofs on the buildings will be pitched and drain into catch basins that connect to the underground infiltration system. The commission also discussed lighting, utilities, and the presence of an office on site. There will be cameras and security lighting and there is no plan for an office on site. Two of the buildings will be climate controlled. Snow storage is also discussed. Applicant explains that the parking area will be used to store snow. The commission and applicant discuss the use of salt on the property for the winter and concerns for the proximity to the buffer. T. Daigle will research alternatives to salt application. D. Williams asks about erosion controls during construction. Engineer explains they will use silt socks or a woodchip berm. D. Anson suggested to the engineer that he ask the owner about putting the rest of the property into a conservation easement with the city, since there is not much he can do with the rest of the land. Engineer will pass that along to the owner. M. Foote notes that the plan utilizes the property well without impacting neighbors and views. It also limits the disturbances to wetlands and addresses drainage concerns. D. Williams motions to accept the application with the following comments to be made at the next TRC meeting (11/10): l Any invasive species in the area of disturbance are brought to the burn site on Hilliard Road. l Silt sock should be used for erosion controls l There should be no use of salt on the property in the winters and snow storage should be delineated on the plan l A drainage maintenance plan should be provided to the owner l There should be no vehicle/machinery maintenance work within the storage units M. Foote seconds. All vote in favor. 9. NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES APPLICATIONS 10. OTHER BUSINESS S. Soucy discusses the need for more communication about recycling within the city and the resources available for it. S. Soucy left the meeting at 7:00 pm T. Daigle gave an update on the Antioch application. The Commission discusses options for the scenario where the project is not selected. T. Daigle can reach out to folks at UNH about interest in this. D. Anson discussed the sediment build up in Jewett Brook with DPW. DPW indicated that the problem is fairly complicated and the best possible solution would likely be an upstream detention pond in Gilford.  T. Daigle gave an update on the Antioch application. The Commission discusses options for the scenario where the project is not selected. T. Daigle can reach out to folks at UNH about interest in this. D. Anson discussed the sediment build up in Jewett Brook with DPW. DPW indicated that the problem is fairly complicated and the best possible solution would likely be an upstream detention pond in Gilford. M. Foote shared photos of the bridge/dam structure on Hilliard road. He suggests that the commission should be a part of any future redesigns that are likely needed there. 11. LIAISON AND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS 12. STAFF REPORT 13. ADJOURNMENT D. Williams motions to adjourn at 8:08 pm. M. Foote seconds. All vote in favor.