Conservation Commission

City of Laconia Conservation Commission Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - 6:00 PM City Hall in the Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber Draft Minutes 8/20/2025 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER D. Anson calls the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL Dean Anson, Deb Williams, Bob Harrington, Lisa Morin, and Jen Kreitzer 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 6.I. 8/6 Minutes L. Morin abstains due to being absent for the 8/6 meeting. D. Williams motions to accept the minutes with corrections. J. Kreitzer seconds the motion. Unanimous. 7. NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES APPLICATIONS 7.I. Approval Letters 8. OLD BUSINESS 8.I. Wetland Regulations Con Com discusses the need to incorporate intermittent and seasonal streams into the regulations. D. Anson agrees to contact NH DES for guidance. If no state-level regulations are in place, Con Com may reach out to the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions for additional support. 8.II. Gale Ave Rain Garden Con Com reviews progress on the Gale Ave. rain garden project. Soil, jute matting, and seeding are being installed by the Dept. of Public Works and the Parks & Rec. Dept., while Con Com will be responsible for planting native species. One resident has offered to assist with watering once the planting is complete. Proposed plantings include black-eyed susans, coneflowers, asters, irises, goldenrod, bee balm, milkweed, cardinal flower, and several native grasses. The target installation date is early to mid-September. The project will be funded through a $500 reimbursable grant administered by the Parks and Recreation Department. D. Anson will obtain nursery quotes and confirm the reimbursement process with the city.  the planting is complete. Proposed plantings include black-eyed susans, coneflowers, asters, irises, goldenrod, bee balm, milkweed, cardinal flower, and several native grasses. The target installation date is early to mid-September. The project will be funded through a $500 reimbursable grant administered by the Parks and Recreation Department. D. Anson will obtain nursery quotes and confirm the reimbursement process with the city. 9. NEW BUSINESS 9.I. PB2026-006; 783 Scenic Rd (110-234-4.001) Tyler from MC Development, along with property owner Larry Bruno, presented a proposal for a 500 sq ft addition at 783 Scenic Cove Road Unit #1. The project is located within the wetland buffer of the intermittent stream on the property. Construction will be completed using helical piles, which eliminates the need for excavation. Mitigation measures will include the installation of gutters connected to a drywell and rain garden, the use of permeable pavers and geogrid for parking, and erosion controls consisting of double silt socks and silt fencing. Con Com has recommendations for the project, which G. Draper will send to the applicant. Con Com's recommendations include landscaping using native species selected from the city’s approved list. Excess parking be replaced with permeable surfaces such as pervious pavers or geogrid that allow for vegetation. Gutters, drywell, and rain garden be installed and properly maintained Erosion controls be in place throughout construction. Con Com also recommends that invasive species such as purple loosestrife and bittersweet be monitored and removed. 10. LIAISON, SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS D. Williams notes the upcoming “Lunch and Learn” sustainability series. Scheduled topics include Recycling 101 on September 23, Film Recycling on October 8, Clothing Waste on October 22, and Zero Waste and Reuse on November 5. 11. OTHER BUSINESS Perley Pond Maintenance D. Anson notes that vegetation has been encroaching around Perley Pond, with tall grasses, shrubs, and young trees beginning to establish along the banks. To prevent further encroachment, the pond will be mowed this fall to a height of two to three feet, and the cut vegetation will be removed to avoid nutrient buildup. Several trees along the roadside were identified as potential hazards to the pond structure and should be removed. Con Com also expresses concern that the water level in the pond remains unusually high, possibly due to a clogged overflow pipe. Con Com will ask Rob to contact Wes Anderson to request that the stormwater system be inspected. Black Brook D. Anson discusses recent beaver activity near Black Brook and the HK Powersports area. A new dam has been constructed, and the water appears more stagnant than in previous years. It was noted that beavers typically relocate within one or two years once local food supplies are depleted. At this time, no flooding has been reported in the nearby area. Meeting Schedule L. Morin requests that the Con Com meeting time be rescheduled, moving the regular meeting start time from 6:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Con Com supports the change, noting that it will allow meetings to conclude earlier in the evening. No formal vote was taken, and the matter will be revisited at a future meeting pending staff scheduling. Project List D. Anson and J. Kreitzer discuss creating a working project list that could be shared with the City Council. J. Kreitzer has prepared a draft outline of projects, which will be sent to G. Draper. Cyanobacteria and Water Quality Updates  Project List D. Anson and J. Kreitzer discuss creating a working project list that could be shared with the City Council. J. Kreitzer has prepared a draft outline of projects, which will be sent to G. Draper. Cyanobacteria and Water Quality Updates D. Anson reviews recent reports of cyanobacteria outbreaks in Lakes Winnisquam and Waukewan. D. Williams and D. Anson note that the outbreaks were exacerbated by the hot and dry summer, which provides little natural dilution. Unlike the typical surface mats of blue-green algae, this year’s outbreaks included Leptothrix-like white specks. Con Com also discusses the environmental impacts of wake boats, referencing studies showing that their turbulence can disturb sediments as deep as fourteen feet. D. Williams shares that jet ski races may also be identified as a contributor to shoreline erosion and turbidity. Con Com agrees to add event-related water quality impacts, including jet ski races and wake boat activity, to its project list for further discussion. NRI Update The Commission received an update on the Natural Resources Inventory Request for Proposals. Responses are due on September 5, 2025. Submissions will first go to Gina, who will forward them to city staff and the Commission for review. To date, no questions have been submitted regarding the RFP. 12. STAFF REPORT 13. ADJOURNMENT D. Williams motions to adjourn the meeting. L. Morin seconds the motion. Unanimous. The meeting adjourns at 7:43 PM.