Bethany
Conservation Commission
February
13th 2020
Meeting
Minutes (Unapproved)
Bruce Loomis
called the meeting to order at 8:06pm. Also in attendance were Brian Eitzer,
Patsy Winer, and Matthew Popp.
The minutes from
the previous meeting on November 14th, 2019 were reviewed. Patsy
moved to accept them and Bruce seconded the motion. The minutes were approved
as accepted. There were no corrections.
The Commission
entered executive session at 8:08 to discuss the Conservationist of the Year
award for 2020. The session was ended at 8:10.
There were no
bills. The Commission discussed an email received from the group Sustainable
Bethany. The group is interested in planting trees throughout the town as part
of a recovery project in response to damage to Bethany’s trees from the tornado
in the spring of 2018. The Commission had many questions about the project, and
will invite members of the group to speak at the next Commission meeting.
The Commission
discussed the budget for the coming year. The Commission will request a $500
operating budget from the town, and also a $1500 special request to spend on
mapping required for updating the town’s open space plan. The Commission will
also request that $100,000 be allotted to the town’s Land Acquisition Fund as
they have done in previous years.
The Commission
discussed the Planning and Zoning Commission’s new zoning regulations. The
Village District zone was of particular interest and concern and the Commission
had multiple questions about its details. The Commission also discussed the
issue of regulations regarding windmills and free-standing solar panels. Patsy
suggested that the members of the Commission do more research on those
regulations before its next meeting.
The Commission
discussed possible new members.
The Commission
discussed the progress on revising the town’s open space plan, particularly
properties acquired by the town through taxes that are currently open space.
Matthew volunteered to go through Appendix 2 to identify property owned by the
town that is open space but unusable by the town.
Brian moved to
adjourn the meeting, Patsy seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 9:32pm.
Respectfully
submitted,
Matthew Popp
Secretary
pro-tempore
