Warwick Open Space Plan Committee Meeting May 13 2009 1. Sign in 2. Approval of April 22 minutes by consensus, applause for George Roaf's minute taking. 3. Follow-up on "To Dos" a. Clare Green was to get Millers River PCB data to Kimberly: she is still waiting to hear back from Ivan Ussach at Millers River Education Center b. Kimberly was to get Ted's corrections of Chapter 3 to Patricia Lemon - this did not happen c. Kimberly to get Jessica Atwood to amend broad band paragraph - did not happen d. Ted to confirm date of Warwick Build out Analysis. It was 2000 not 1995 as previously discussed. e. Ted got numbers of single family and two family homes to Kimberly: 334 one family now up from 320 in 2001; and 1 two family in 2001, and 2 multi-family now. f. Mary Williamson will try to get digitized old soil survey information to Kimberly (I didn't hear if this information was transferred or not). 4. Equestrian Caucus - Many people commented on Mary Wall's presentation regarding horse trail maintenance. Should we include a Horse Trail Maintenance appendix? Pat Neville provided a typed sheet summarizing the presentation which is included as an attachment to these minutes. Ted suggested creating this appendix to Kimberly ... Group discussion as to whether this is appropriate or okay. The committee feels that this appendix would be a good idea. Karro mentions to include exotic invasive species as a maintenance issue and Pat Neville responds that it would be nice to include pictures of some of the exotics so that the trail crews know which plants to get rid of it. Dustin Shepardson suggests the horse group and the snowmobiling group work together for trail maintenance. Matt Hickler wonders about whether we should get permission for trail work in the state forest or state parks, or just do it without asking. Karro suggests talking with the new superintendent before doing the trail work. 5. Community Outreach I a. Clare Green reports on teen group discussion: Christine Duerring and Clare Green set June 13, 11 to 12:30 at town hall for teen discussion. A mix of teens may be there. b. Clare Green presented at the Community School on May 8 at an all school meeting Pre K to 6th grade. First talked about what is Open Space, and then had them generate a wish list of what they like about Warwick and their wish list for the town. (See attachments from Clare Green). Applause for Clare - great and interesting responses from the children. She also encouraged the kids to remind their parents to complete the survey. Discussion of having Pat Johnson having a tea at the school some time. c. Ted did a Senior Meal Site Presentation: productive discussion. d. Ted also did a presentation to the Warwick Women's Guild: 2 concerns came out of discussion, restoring the Gulf picnic area and beavers in town. 6. Community Outreach II: update of survey issues by Survey Subcommittee - there are 31 surveys returned to the town mail box. Due on May 15, Friday. The committee was waiting to see how many surveys are returned, if not too many they will count by hand. More than 50 reponses, Matt thought he would design a database, less than 50, he would just do a spreadsheet to count the survey results. Matt Hickler suggests four volunteers are needed to each tally 10 surveys, which would then be tallied into one big one by Matt. Deadline is June 1. End of May Kimberly is supposed to discuss results of survey with us. People have volunteered to count surveys: Dustin Shepardson, Brad Compton, Ted Cady, Karro Frost, maybe George Day, and Matt Hickler is a backup person. Matt will pick up surveys this weekend and number them. Monday morning packets with names will be delivered to the volunteer's homes for counting. 7. Chapter 5 Discussion - Should we include a list of currently unprotected land that should be protected? Mary Williamson: Mary feels a list is a static thing. Parcels are important for different reasons; and some of your top parcels may not become available for several years. Mary suggests that we think very seriously about what the categories are that are important for parcels to be protected. The most important thing are the maps that illustrate the connectivity to other parcels or that are stream corridors, farm lands, special places in the town. Example, "view-scape" of the Tully River - that wasn't important until someone wants to build on it. Matt suggests that we come up with the biological, ecological criteria now - the values for the land are here now. Matt feels we should have a list of parcels now. Karro notes the positions aren't that different that one still needs to start with the criteria, and then generate the list. Ted feels that to generate a list really limits and recommends not to generate a list. Mary feels that if there is a list that the property owners on the list might want more money for the land. Ted provided the example of a wetland parcel in Pelham that the chair of the Conservation Commission wanted, and the landowner originally felt that any money for swampland would be great, then found out that the Con Com wanted it, and jacked the price. The committee feels criteria list would be good, and not generate a list. Mary will generate a draft list of criteria which she will circulate. Ted will let Kimberly know. Discussion about Chapter 61 followed, Mary noted that Mount Grace Conservation Land Trust printed a booklet describing the law changes. 8. Discussion of any material submitted by Kimberly for our review (nothing received). Chapter 4 suggestions: remove the home ranges for animals. Matt would prefer to see a vertical list of species instead of a paragraph with commas separating species. Suggested adding migratory birds as migratory birds, year-round, breeding, winter only. Dave Brown's list includes both things he has seen and things that should be here. Species sub-committee will consist of Brad Compton, Matt Hickler, David Brown and Karro Frost. Suggestion that invasive species be included - Committee agrees. Kimberly suggested adding GIS maps that we just received from Pat Swain at NHESP. 9. Discuss list generated from each committee member of top 3 problems as requested by Kimberly (as time permits). We save for another night, possibly for June 10 meeting. 10. Discuss 2002 Goals if time permits. - this was also saved for another night. 11. Assignments and Items for May 27 Meeting with Kimberly and June10 meeting. * May 27 meeting with Kimberly: survey will be counted and ready to be discussed. * Kimberly expects to distribute draft updated Chapter 4 at May 27. * Mary needs to provide land protection criteria for Chapter 5. * Species lists need to be completed by May 20. * May 27 is about the half way point in the timeline, and the subcommittees deserve some respect (aka Celebrate!)