Conservation Commission

Montpelier Conservation Commission (MCC) - April 13, 2017 7:00 – 9:00 pm; Montpelier City Council Chambers MCC Members: James Brady, John Jose, Emily Byrne, Glennie Sewell, Brenna Toman, Nick Giannetti, Charlie Hohn, Roy Schiff, Geoff Beyer • Meeting called to order • Agenda approved as amended • Comments from the public – no members of the public present • Kate Stephenson – Energy Advisory Committee (EAC) successes o EAC organization o Four sub groups with about three action items each ! Have a convener for each sub group • Convener reports out to the larger group at the monthly meeting o City Plan could be a great excuse to merge different interests and agenda items between EAC and MCC ! Each commission should review each other commission’s City Plan chapter o Energy Commission uses Google Groups and Google Drive • Meeting with Montpelier Parks Commission (MPC) and Montpelier Conservation Commissioner and Jon Anderson from the Montpelier Planning Commission to discuss Official Map and zoning o Parks Commission Members present: Dan Dickerson, Carolyn Grodinsky, Geoff Beyer (liaison between MCC and MPC) o Started with Jon Anderson o Carolyn is interested in know how zoning can be used to address conservation ! MCC members explained how the conservation priorities map was not seen as a good model in the City’s Lawyer’s eyes o Introductions – MCC, MPC, Jon Anderson o Jon explained how an official map is used and what it can do ! Different types of tools • Zoning • Official Map o These are privately owned areas that the citizens of Montpelier hope to own as public land in the future o When someone asks to develop a piece of land, the city is given the right of first refusal o Another tool is to put money aside and purchase the land o Official Map does not require a lot of process to become part of the city o Can include as much or as little information o Map can be amended as much and as often as needed o Jon offered to help out as much as needed o (Parks Commission) what would allow us to single out land on an Official Map, but not in zoning? ! Priority Natural Resources Map is regulatory, but the city can’t buy land for a park as a regulatory tool  o Draft map from MCC includes the Green Print and “charrettes” of different trail priorities o Jon Recommended making the language on the Official Map as clear and concise as possible o Carolyn – where does the Official Map live? ! Need to confirm, but it likely lives by itself o Carolyn Grodinsky – Have the map but also work on how it’s referenced in the zoning ! It’s in the city council’s hands for taking up the issue ! This may come down to challenging the legal recommendation ! It was in the zoning but was challenged and taken out o There is state law on how Official Maps are implemented o Where does an Official Map live in other towns? ! Cholchester has one on their website o Should there be a sub group that includes members from the Parks Commission, Conservation Commission, and the Planning Commission? o James will redo the draft of the Official Map and send out for comments ! Parks, Trails, Existing (one color) o Roy – Would be more powerful if it came from both commissions o Roy will work on language for the Charrettes o Carolyn will work on the language for the Green Print o James will work on update of map ! Will work with Geoff on the map ! Sub group to work on making sure the map is clear and legal • Strategic Plan o Draft of the narrative o Aspirations, goals, strategies o Doodle Poll for an extra meeting • Google Group – James to setup • John – what is the size of our group? How do establish what our size is or should be o There is a vacant Alternate position • James - Vernal Pools wetlands project • Geoff – NCCC Group coming to working with invasives o Geoff will keep us posted o Coming end of April, starting in May o Green Up Day May 6 • Adjourned – 9pm