Essex Conservation Commission

MINUTES

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Essex Conservation Commission was conducted on Thursday July 12, 2007at 7:30 p.m. in Room A of the Essex Town Hall.

1. Call to Order

Ms. Tucker called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m. Those members present were: Kay Tucker, Robert Graulich, Doug Demarest, MaryAnn Pleva and Goody LeLash. Richard Helmecki was absent and excused.

2. Review and Approve Minutes for April, May and June 2007

Ms. Tucker asked to have the following changes applied to the April 2007 Minutes:
" Change the word trellis to trails.

Ms. Tucker asked to have the following changes applied to the May 2007 Minutes:
" Second paragraph: donated to the Town of Essex changed to proposed as open space.
" Fourth paragraph: meet at the passive recreation parking lot.

Motion made by Goody LeLash to approve the April and May 2007 Minutes as amended.

Motion seconded by Doug Demarest and passed unanimously.

Ms. Tucker stated that there was a lack of a quorum at the June 2007 meeting and as such the approval of those Minutes will not require a vote.

3. Old Business
a. Discuss, Review and Assign Pending Projects for Canfield Woods, Bushy Hill and Viney Hill Brook Nature Preserve

Rich Helmecki drafted a list of the priorities of the Conservation Commission. One item noted on that list was to meet with Don Carlson who is a local surveyor, to complete the work in Viney Hill Brook to mark the ridge line between the Lee Company and Viney Hill Brook Park and areas on old Quarry Trail that abut the Clark and Cook property.

Additional work to be completed includes the remarking of the Oak Ledge access route (in Bushy Hill) which has become overgrown. Mr. Carlson is familiar with the area and he has been involved with previously surveying the areas between the active and
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passive areas. Mr. Carlson has not been available to meet with Mr. Helmecki. The Commission members discussed retaining another surveyor to complete this job and Mr. Graulich suggested that the Commission contact Richard Gates, L.S. It was noted that Mr. Carlson had previously surveyed the areas between the active and passive areas. Ms. Tucker stated that Mr. Gates would be asked to survey areas within Viney Hill Brook land and to also ask to redefine where the access point is between the two homes on Oak Ridge.

Ms. Tucker noted that the second point on the priority list was to meet with Wendy Arnold to plot the Town's easements and open space on the GIS system and work with Don Malcarne on continuing the inventory. Mr. Helmecki met with Wendy Arnold and she did agree to put together a large aerial rendering of the areas that she has begun mapping. Ms. Tucker went on to say that the Commission had agreed to work with Applied Geographics and their end of the project is 100% complete. The final bill for their work is $230.

Mr. Demarest suggested that Wendy Arnold attend an upcoming Conservation Commission meeting to review with the Commission what she has done and what she thinks might need to be accomplished in the future.

Mr. Graulich stated that the Conservation Commission is too small a commission to attempt to identify all of the easements within the Town of Essex.

Mr. Demarest noted that it is his hope that Ms. Arnold might be able to assist in this process.

Ms. Tucker noted that she would wish to have maps created which establish water access points.

Ms. Tucker discussed the possibility of placing a child's swimming pool in the back yard of Ms. LeLash in order to cultivate the Beetle Project in conjunction with the control of invasive plant species. Ms. LeLash noted that this would be acceptable as an upcoming spring project.

Ms. Tucker noted that Richard Helmecki will remove and anchor the Boy Scout Bridge with the help of Mr. Carl Kaufmann at the Bushy Hill Nature Preserve. The trails need to be remarked and repaired from the heavy rain run-off. A chain and a new sign are also needed. Ms. Tucker discussed the format for a new sign. Mr. Graulich offered to place the criteria discussed this evening into his computer and design a new sign. Mr. Graulich will present the design at the August 2007 Conservation Commission meeting.

Mr. Demarest suggested to place on the August 2007 Agenda an item to contact Marian Staye, Essex Zoning Enforcement Officer. Ms. Staye will pursue the planting of twenty-five trees in the area of the subdivision which was built on Bushy Hill Road.
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Ms. Tucker advised the Commission members to visit the site to determine if the trees have been planted. Mr. Graulich suggested that if the homeowner's have not yet planted the trees, the Commission should write a letter to Ms. Staye requesting that she pursue this issue. Mr. Graulich stated that the Commission is in possession of a letter dated 2004 mandating that trees be planted on the property of the homeowner.

Ms. Tucker discussed the possibility to meet with forester Rob Rock to establish a forest management plan including Viney Hill Brook.

Mr. Graulich thanked Mr. Demarest for the timely delivery of trail markers. Mr. Helmecki has those markers in his possession and Mr. Graulich and Mr. Helmecki will meet in the next few weeks and work on clearing the trails. Mr. Helmecki has a color code plan for the trails within Bushy Hill.

There was discussion surrounding the need for additional maps. Ms. Tucker suggested that the Commission might wish to wait to have those maps created by Anne Penniman until such time that the trail is cut all the way around the larger active pond (Viney Brook) and also pending the notation of the other ponds all to be identified and marked on the map. Ms. Tucker suggested that the Commission table the discussion on the re-order of maps to the August 2007 Meeting.

There was a brief discussion on the construction of map shelters, which the Commission decided not to pursue at this time.

Ms. Tucker indicated that the Commission had discussed conducting a study of the invasive plants within Viney Hill Brook Park. Ms. Tucker suggested the creation of a grid of the area to determine how the fragmite are further encroaching on that location.

Mr. Graulich suggested that the Commission members bring their maps to the next meeting and then make a date and go out on the trails and conduct a site inspection. Those trails to be inspected are Observation Rock and Old Quarry (to mark the fragmite).

b. Discuss Cooperative Policies, Practices and Stewardship Efforts for Maintaining Canfield Meadow Woods Nature Preserve with Deep River, Essex Land Trust and Essex Conservation Commission

Ms. Tucker noted that she, Goody LeLash and MaryAnn Pleva have been in contact with the Deep River Land Trust, Essex Land Trust, Deep River Conservation Commission and have had two meetings to discuss cooperative policies, practices and stewardship
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efforts for maintaining Canfield Meadow Woods Nature Preserve. There will another meeting to discuss common unified trail markings along the same idea as those of the Appalachian Trail. At this next meeting, discussion will take place as how to improve the bridges and improve the area to the entrances along with the construction of kiosk at the trail heads.

c. Other

4. New Business
a. Discuss State of Connecticut Inspection Deficiencies, Correspondence and Remedies for Canfield Woods, and Bushy Hill Park Nature Preserve

Ms. Tucker discussed a letter dated May 1, 2007 from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection addressed to Selectman Miller. The DEP inspects the land in the area of Viney Hill Brook Park every five years and found that the Town was remiss in the content of the signage. While the signage was visible, there was no mention on the sign of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program. Ms. Tucker indicated that she was not aware of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program and she suspects that the DEP might be confusing the Conservation Commission with the Essex Land Trust. Ms. Tucker further noted that the DEP is not responsible for the donation of any land within Bushy Hill and Canfield Woods Nature Preserve and as such, Ms. Tucker did not feel that the Town of Essex should be required to mention the DEP Land and Water Conservation Program within the signage. Mr. Graulich offered to pursue this.

b. Other

Ms. Tucker stated that the Commission is required to submit a 2006/2007 annual report on activities that have occurred within the fiscal year. Ms. Tucker noted that the Commission has been extremely busy in the past year and some of the projects would include the trail markings and maps for Viney Hill Brook Park, the GIS study (Wendy Arnold) along with an update on the inventory including the Oak Ledge access which the Commission is attempting to re-claim as well as activity within all of the Preserves. Mr. Graulich noted that the Conservation Commission has been involved with the Harbor Management and Planning Commissions this year as well.

5. IWWC Report

Mr. Graulich noted that a Permit for Phase 1 of Essex Glen has been approved by the Inland Wetlands and Courses Commission.

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Mr. Graulich commented on the Marulli property, 39 South Main Street, Essex. Mr. Graulich noted that the homeowner cut a channel into South Cove. The property has since been remediated.

6. Adjournment

Ms. Tucker noted that the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission will be conducted on August 9, 2007.

Mr. Graulich and Ms. LeLash were not sure if they would be available for the August meeting. Ms. Tucker stated that the Commission is in need of filling vacancies for one regular member and two alternate members.

Motion made by Kay Tucker to adjourn.

Motion seconded by MaryAnn Pleva and passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Stella C. Beaudoin
Recording Secretary

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