Dublin Conservation Commission
Minutes
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Attending: Jack Lewis (chair), Suzan Macy, Howard Thomas, Ned Whitney, Sue Yarger, Selectman Sterling Abram.
The minutes of the meeting of Thursday, March 22, 2007 were reviewed and approved.
Japanese Knotweed: Ned Whitney reported that Dublin School would probably not be able to participate in a knotweed removal project, and that Road Agent Brian Barden had said that clearing knotweed by hand from the Church Street property would take all summer. Brian recommended that the Commission look into hiring someone with a sidebar brush cutter and trying that on a portion of the knotweed infestation. After some discussion of alternatives, Jack Lewis volunteered to talk with Pete Thomas about candidates for mowing.
Flood Insurance: Suzan Macy stated that there had been some interest expressed in having Dublin take the actions needed to allow its citizens to qualify for federally subsidized flood insurance. While some of the commissioners were somewhat surprised that Dublin residents might be able to qualify, given Dublin’s location and topography, they felt that the possibility was well worth pursuing if it could help residents insure against flood damage similar to that sustained by a number of Dublin residents as a result of the recent storms. Suzan agreed to look into the possibility further in cooperation with the Planning Board and Selectmen.
Lake Host Program: The NH Lakes Association has approved our $2,000 grant proposal, which will allow for weekend and holiday coverage from the start of July through Labor Day. After credit for volunteer hours, this should cost the Conservation Commission approximately $200. The paid position has been posted at local colleges and Conval, on bulletin boards here in Dublin and in the Dublin Advocate. Placing a porta potty for the Host is still being negotiated.
Mud Pond Monitoring: Sue Yarger reported that she had been in touch with Steve Walker, a Land Steward for the LCIP program, and that he would be happy to help us learn about land and easement monitoring. Sue expects that Steve will be available to come to Dublin in the next couple of weeks, and will let the Commission know when a date has been set. Several members expressed interest in participating in the monitoring process.
Loosestrife Management: Sue Yarger had also been in touch with the state and with neighboring conservation commissions concerning the control of Purple Loosestrife. While nearby commissions are not currently active in controlling loosestrife, Officials at DES were quite supportive of our desire to take action, and agreed that using the Galerucella beetle was the best way of attacking the problem. At this point the state gives beetle vendors permission to ship to users in New Hampshire. In order for Dublin to receive beetles, it needs to send DES photos of the area infested with loosestrife, and the photos need to show soil in which the beetles can survive the winter. Beetles can be introduced to the loosestrife any time in the growing season. The beetles cost $110 per
thousand and 3,000 are needed to manage a heavily infested acre of loosestrife.
Sue recommended that we send DES photographs of the section of Mud Pond that is infested when we can identify the Purple Loosestrife, and start with a specified area this year. Noticeable progress should be visible in a year, and major control in two years.
Valley Road Cell Phone Tower: A number of Commissioners visited the site of the proposed cell phone tower at 47 Valley Road. They confirmed that the conditions shown on the map of the proposed driveway leading to the tower were correct, that is, that the driveway would be less than fifty feet from wetlands for virtually all of its first five hundred feet, and that the driveway would cross a good-sized (possibly seasonal) stream. The commissioners did not feel that the driveway should be constructed so close to the good sized wetlands on the property. The following motion was made and passed unanimously by the Commission: “The Dublin Conservation Commission recommends that the driveway shown on the current plans for the cell tower on the property at 47 Valley Road
should not be approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment as proposed.”
Cemetery Expansion: The town is considering expanding the cemetery to some degree onto property between the cemetery and Route 101 just west of Old Pound Road. It would like to do so in conjunction with work to reduce silt runoff into Dublin Lake just south of the Women’s Club Beach. Members of the Commission walked the property, which contains a sizable stream draining Beech Hill and a good-sized area of wetlands. The Commissioners found egg masses in the wetlands, raising the likelihood that the wetlands include vernal pools. The Commission felt that the town is faced with a complex set of issues, since reducing runoff into Cemetery Cove, expanding the cemetery and preserving a wetlands and one of the main sources of water for Dublin lake are all important goals. It recommended that the town work with the NH Department of Environmental Services and with a water resources expert to develop a solution which would address the various environmental issues posed by this property.
The Commission agreed to initiate contact on this with NHDES if the Selectmen wish to proceed.
Open Space Planning: The Commission briefly discussed the work that was done at the end of last year by an ad hoc Open Space Planning Committee. It agreed to make Open Space Planning a major topic at its June meeting. At that time the Commission will go over the findings and recommendations of the ad hoc committee, and will begin to determine the direction that it will take with respect to his important long term issue.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 PM on Thursday, May 24, 2007.
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