Kensington Conservation Commission

Minutes of October 14, 2008

Members in attendance: Rob Garneau, Sydnee Goddard, Heather Douglas

1. Call to order 8:00.

2. Minutes approved with a small change to item 3A changed from “lease trails” to “designate trail use.”

3. Met with Mary Jane Solomon, attending on behalf of the Kensington Recreation Committee, to discuss the regulations regarding building a bridge or some other structure that would allow hikers and pedestrians to access wet trails between the pond on Route 150 and the ballfields in the town park.  Advised that a permit is needed for any structure requiring digging.  Group discussed all possible ideas and suggested that Mary Jane make a plan that the KCC can review and obtain permits if needed.

4. Sydnee reported on her walk of the town trails with Mike Delsesto to determine what is needed to link the trails in the town park with the trails in the Charles Hodges conservation land.  Land linking the trail to Charles Hodges would have to go across the wetland.  Decided to contact owners of adjoining land to see if a drier route could be found and to see if the owners would allow a trail across their property. Sydnee to check in with Mike Delsesto and also with the Land Trust regarding allowable uses for the Charles Hodges conservation land.

5. A motion to pay the NH Association of Conservation Commission membership dues was unanimously approved.  Dues are $200.00 and should be paid from the Kensington Conservation Commission fund.

6. Received the NHEP Coastal Watershed Land Protection Transaction Grant Award to reimburse town for closing and legal costs associated with the Cole and Kimball easements totaling nearly $6,000.

7. NH Association of Conservation Commission Center for Land Conservation Assistance recommends adding two warrant articles to the next ballot:

a. allow the Kensington Conservation Commission to give money to other “qualified organizations” to place land in conservation.

b. allow the Kensington Conservation Commission to place land in other towns in conservation.

8. Group discussed the benefits of these proposed warrant articles and agreed to present them to the selectmen at the next meeting on Monday.

9. Possible wetlands violation on Stumpfield Road.  About two years ago, Sydnee suggested the concerned citizen contact DES to file a complaint because she knows the specifics of the situation.  When Sydnee visited the supposed wetland filling violation (2 years ago), she could not tell if the filled area was a wetland.  Sydnee felt DES, who is qualified to identify wetlands, needed to visit the site.  Sydnee will share this information with the selectmen at the meeting on Monday.

10. North Road pond dredging.  Sydnee to speak to owner to encourage him to apply for a wetlands impact permit.

11. Group received a notice about a workshop sponsored by the Rockingham County Conservation District (RCCD) about how to responsibly manage horse waste.  Sydnee to call group to see if they sent the workshop information to the horse farmers in town.

12. LCHIP application round coming up.  Group to think about other lands to possibly place in conservation.

13. Adjourned 9:15 p.m.