Conservation Commission

City of Laconia Conservation Commission Wednesday, December 4, 2024 - 6:00 PM City Hall in the Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber Draft Minutes 12/4/2024 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER D. Anson calls the meeting to order at 6:05. 2. ROLL CALL L. Morin, R. Harrington, D. Williams, D. Anson, and M. Foote are present. 3. SALUTE TO THE FLAG 4. RECORDING SECRETARY Grey Draper 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Grey Draper, Conservation Technician 6. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS L. Morin motions to accept. D. Williams seconds the motion. Unanimous. 6.I. 11.20 Minutes 7. NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES APPLICATIONS No applications. 8. OLD BUSINESS 8.I. All New Construction Be Required To Have Solar Paneling 8.I.i. All New Constrction Be Required To Have Solar Paneling = This Is Self Explanatory. Suggest That New Building Construction Include Solar Panels As A Way To Reduce Electrical Demand From The Grid. 8.II. Winter Street Treatment Mitigation 8.II.i. Winter Street Treatment Mitigation = The Treatment Of Streets In Winter Using Salt Should Require Property Owners And The City DPW To Use Green Snow Pro. The State DOT Has A Training Program Certification For This Process. 8.III. The Water Department Drilling Water Wells 8.III.i. The Water Department Drilling Water Wells = Has The Water Department Investigated Drilling Drinking Water Supply Wells To Supply Water In The Event That There Is A Water Quality Emergency In Paugus Bay? 8.IV. Con Comm Checklist  8.III. The Water Department Drilling Water Wells 8.III.i. The Water Department Drilling Water Wells = Has The Water Department Investigated Drilling Drinking Water Supply Wells To Supply Water In The Event That There Is A Water Quality Emergency In Paugus Bay? 8.IV. Con Comm Checklist 8.IV.i. Con Comm Checklist = Applicants Get A Checklist Of Con Comm Requirements. Let’s Review Ad Update The Checklist. 8.V. All Performance Zoning Projects Be Reviewed By The Con Comm 8.V.i. All Performance Zoning Projects Be Reviewed By The Con Comm = Con Comm Reviews Seek To Improve Applications, Especially With Regard To Protecting Natural Resources. 8.VI. Stormwater 8.VI.i. Stormwater = Not Very Clear, But Suspect It Means Find The Storm Water Project Performed By The Intern From Antioch University. 8.VII. Number Of Parking 8.VII.i. Number Of Parking Spaces = Does The Zoning Regulations Allow For A Reduction In The Number Of Parking Spaces Per Size Of The Building? This Would Reduce The Amount Of Pervious Surface And Everything Associated With Previous Surface , Such As Amount Salt Usage And Amount Of Stormwater Runoff. 8.VIII. EV Charging Stations 8.VIII.i. Is There A Demand Or Additional EV Charging Stations In The City? Does The City Map Have Show The Locations Of These Stations? 8.IX. Food Waste Control 8.IX.i. Food Waste Control =. Lisa Morin Sent Con Comm An Email Regarding A New State Law Regarding Composting Food By Restaurants That Goes Into Effect In February. How Is The City Going To Deal With This Regulation? Is This A Subject That Con Comm Should Take On? 8.X. Expand The Wetland Buffer 8.X.i. Expand The Wetland Buffer = This Is Self Explanatory. Con Comm Would Have To Get Planning Board And City Council Approval. 8.XI. Fertilizer Controls And Erosion Mitigation 8.XI.i. Fetilizer Controls And Erosion Mitigation = Phosphorus Is Introduced Into Waters By Fertilizers With Phosphorus And By Soils Eroded Into Waters. Soil Particles Have Phosphorus Attached To Them. The Purpose Of This Suggestion Was To Institute A Ban From Use Fertilizers With Phosphorus In Them. The City Needs To Make Sure Property Owners And Developers Prevent Erosion. 9. NEW BUSINESS 9.I. Food Ban Update 9.I.i. A Few Clarifications About The Ban 9.I.i.1. It Applies To Individual Locations (Businesses, Universities, Schools, Hospitals, Prisons, Etc.). Towns And Cities Are Not Considered A “Generator” Under The Current Law. 9.I.i.2. Composting Facilities Are Not The Only Diversion Option. Entities Also Need To Look At Whether There Are Food Pantries, Farms, Or Anerobic Digestors Within A 20-Mile Radius That Can Accept Their Excess Food.  9.I.i.1. It Applies To Individual Locations (Businesses, Universities, Schools, Hospitals, Prisons, Etc.). Towns And Cities Are Not Considered A “Generator” Under The Current Law. 9.I.i.2. Composting Facilities Are Not The Only Diversion Option. Entities Also Need To Look At Whether There Are Food Pantries, Farms, Or Anerobic Digestors Within A 20-Mile Radius That Can Accept Their Excess Food. 9.I.i.3. We Are Not Requiring Town Transfer Stations To Serve As A Diversion Outlet For These Large Generators. In Most Cases, Town Transfer Stations With A Food Scrap Drop-Off Program Only Serve Their Residents. There Are A Couple Exceptions (E.g., City Of Lebanon Accepts Food Waste From Dartmouth College). 9.II. State Farm Grants 9.II.i. State Farm Grants 9.III. Solid Waste Management Fund 9.III.i. Solid Waste Management Fund 10. LIAISON, SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS 11. OTHER BUSINESS 11.I. Improvement Ideas Log/Report Con Com would like a log to be created that will house their improvements for the city ideas and their progress on each. G. Draper will great the log and make it available to the Con Com members. 11.II. Dec. 18th Meeting D. Anson asks if Con Com want to plan to uphold its 12/18 scheduled meeting. All members present will be available and in town at the time of the meeting. D. Draper will verify that no new items or applications are expected for the 12/18 agenda, then D. Anson will make a decision whether or not to have the meeting. 11.III. FB Environmental Grant Update The proposal has been submitted by Laura Diemer. 11.IV. Open Space There was discussion about open space and the impacts on it made by development. There was discussion regarding how to the development of remaining open spaces around Laconia. 11.V. W.O.W. Trail Pollinator Garden Update D. Williams provided an estimate from the sign vendor for the cost of the signs Con Com is ordering for the W.O.W. Trail Pollinator Garden. 11.VI. Belknap County Conservation District Letter Of Support There was discussion about the Belknap Country Conservation District and their funding sources. M. Foote moves to endorse the letter of support L. Morin drafted for Con Com to submit to Belknap County Conservation District in their application for funding. R. Harrington seconds the motion. Unanimous. 11.VII. Pervious & Impervious Surfaces In The SPOD 11.VIII. Parking Requirement Change 12. STAFF REPORT  Conservation District in their application for funding. R. Harrington seconds the motion. Unanimous. 11.VII. Pervious & Impervious Surfaces In The SPOD 11.VIII. Parking Requirement Change 12. STAFF REPORT 12.I. Performance Zoning Existing Language 13. ADJOURNMENT D. Williams motion to adjourns the meeting at 7:30. M. Foote seconds the motion. Unanimous.