Frog Pond Walk:
At 6:30 PM, Spencer, Les, Laurence and Lynne met at the Town Hall.
All except Lynne (who has been ill) went up to the Frog Pond. Alan
joined them at about 6:50 PM.
Reviewed lot line adjustments behind houses on Maple Street.
Should make the adjustments and give to residents of those houses at no
expense to the Town. No additional subdivision to be allowed on those
lots. Those houses stay as single-family homes.
Walked dam area. Checked area for new spillway. Open
sluiceway in dam. Talked about dressing off dam area to remove brush
and put on 3:1 slope to establish grass embankment.
Found stone covered wells. All are safely covered.
Open Space Discussion at Town Hall:
Reconvened at Town Hall at 7:30 PM. Present: Spencer, Les, Laurence, Alan, Lynne.
Town Forest Lands:
Les spoke with Jon Nute, Hillsborough County Forester. Jon
is willing to look at the Town forest lands and tell us what we need.
Some of the land may need timber management plans, other pieces may need
to be left alone for some period of time. Jon will work with us to
put together a forestry plan. Les also picked up the latest soils
map.
Review of Frog Pond Walk and Other Frog Pond Matters:
Sluiceway is totally clear now.
Supposed to check it out once a week for now. Once it is fixed,
once a month should be sufficient.
On last Tuesday, the Town formally acquired the Frog Pond Land and
the land around the Town Barn (100 feet on the east side across the brook).
Spencer talked with Dawn Tuomala about the land around the Town Barn
and about the land to be potentially deeded to the Maple Street abutters.
Dawn gave Spencer all the old maps she had from David Blackmer.
Spencer gave Les the paperwork and applications, etc., to get moving
on the dam. Les will probably need some assistance as this is a lot
of work.
Spencer will need copies of some of that information to include in
the management plan.
Les will do the surveying with his son.
About the esker on the walk in to the property: Make it so
that it is maintainable and/or mowable. Suggested that it be planted
like the flood control dam on Dale Street, and mowed so that the brush
doesnt grow up and take over.
Spencer will call Trombly, who presently mows the field. Assume
they will want to continue, but if not, will offer it to Fitch who mows
Carnival Hill.
Spencer bought two locks: one for the chain next to Mark Gabels
house, and one for the gate at Stephanie Rockwells house. Discussion
about possibly getting a better gate instead of the chain next to Mark
Gabels.
Carnival Hill:
Needs stones and a gate at the playing field so that people cant
get through at that point (from the playing field to the conservation land).
Spencer noted that two timbers from the bridge work in Davisville
might be available as an option for that purpose. He will check with
Steve Elliot, Road Agent.
Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative High School:
Randy Dunn, on behalf of his wife, Gretchen, chair of the WLC School
Board called Spencer regarding having a Conservation Commission member
on the committee studying the land the School Board is thinking of buying
(land abutting the present WLC high school). The WLC Board does not
want to purchase the entire parcel; they only want about a third, and because
the owner wants to sell all the land, the Board is hoping WCC will be interested
in purchasing the remainder of the parcel.
Lynne and Spencer volunteered to be on the WLC committee. Spencer
responded to LCHIPs earlier request for grant funding, suggesting this
purchase as a possibility. He will be involved if and when the acquisition
goes forward.
Dunn Land:
Randy Dunn told Spencer that his mother, Betsy Dunn, is still interested
in giving a piece of land (less than 10 acres) to the Town. We have
been discussing this for a couple of years now, with not much forward movement.
The Dunns want to walk the land with WCC members, probably in the fall.
They might gift the land to the Town without development rights and
with a restriction that Randy can cut some appropriate amount of fire wood
each year.
Spencer will draft a note to Dijit Taylor at CLCA and/or Whitney
Beals at NEFF to see if they are interested in helping or assisting in
any way.
Hoover Property:
Agreed WCC should meet with all parties to see if we can iron out
the sticking points and move this along.
Spencer will contact Bill Keefe. Already contacted Whitney
Beals at NEFF and he is willing to meet.
Probably first week of May, will try for Wednesday, May 4.
Will invite to attend: Whit Beals, Bill Keefe, Hubie Hoover,
Stanley Young if Hubie wants to bring him, and all WCC members.
Spencer will contact everyone with final meeting day and time when
arranged.
Westview Farms (Ben Holt Land):
Surveying is finally done. Lynne will be speaking with owner.
General Open Space:
Discussed that we need to try to meet with various land owners regarding
easements on their land. Discussed wish list of various properties.
Suggested we draft a formal letter and send it with the book by Brenda
Lind of SPNHF/CLCA. Point out options to owners. Follow-up
will be needed.
A couple of town residents have volunteered to be on an open space
committee. We need to discuss need for same and how to go about formalizing
that committee. In some towns, you need approval from Selectmen.
Do you need approval from Town Meeting? Or can it be an informal
thing? What else is needed, formally or informally? Lynne to check
with Dijit Taylor.
Trails, General Discussion:
Discussion of trail rights-of-way: Corridor 13; Riparian way
easements; etc.
Agreed that we would prefer a formal right-of-way easement for trails
rather than an informal agreement with landowner.
See if we can get Bruce Rafter to attend the regular June meeting
to discuss trails.
NRI:
Spencer confirmed that David McGraw of SPNHF is available to meet
with us on Monday, May 16th at 6:00 PM. Pizza will be served.
Spencer will invite other Boards in town to attend.
Next Meeting: Regular Monthly Meeting, Monday, 09 May 2005, 7:00 PM at Town Hall Courtroom.
Submitted by Lynne Draper, Chair, with additional notes from Laurence Coronis.