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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-04-06-LCC-min.pdf April 10, 1964 Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held April 6, 1964--10th Meeting Mr. Sussman called the meeting to order at 8 30 p.m. , in the Con- ii ference Room opposite the Building Inspector' s office in the Town Office Building. ' All members were present. Mr. Robert Ellis., of the Acton Conserva- tion Commission, was an invited guest. There was one correction to the minutes of the last meeting. The first sentence under the paragraph entitled "Willard's Woods" was changed -sot�� �f1 h9atit now reads Mr. Ells discussed "dedication to public uses." vl-erCei' d OLD BUSINESS Mr. Sussman reminded the members of two more Conservation Conferences held by the Mass. Assn of Conservation Commissions for members of Town 1 Cons. Commissions, Town Forest Committees, and other interested persona /i 7. The meetings will be held on Saturdays, Apr. 18 and May 2. Mr. Smith j and Mr. Richey took reservation cards. 0 - NEW BUSYNESS Mr. Ells reported on the Conservation Conference of Apr. 4, in Wren- tham, in which he participated. He said that the meeting was full of , information and he suggested that any conservation teacher in the Lex- ington schools be invited to attend one of the forthcoming meetings. il Mr. Ells mentioned several pieces of information he had gained at the conference for instance, Connecticut has appropriated $2 million in state aid for local conservation aid already, which is much more than Mass. has done He learned of a "Natural Resources Inventory" now available to towns for approximately the sable price as the soil map set described two meetings ago by Mr. Shaffrath of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul ture. The Soil Mapa are, however, the basis for the Inventory. Mr. EIIs thinks this Inventory is vitally important and should be requested as soon as possible. He proposed that the Conservation Commission request money for a Natural Resources Inventory at the next Town Meeting. MR. SUSSMAN will ask Miss Murrary to notify him of the date of closing of the warrant for the next Town Meeting. _— Mr. Ells MOVED that a committee be appointed to attend a Soil Conser- vation District meeting in Concord, Monday, April 13, at 9 p.m. The LCC had been specifically invited through Mr Ells. It was agreed that the entire Commission would go, holding a brief regular business meet- ing in the usual room at 8 10, then adjourning at 8 15 to attend the Concord meeting. iMr. Ells reported that there is no longer a ceiling on state reim- bursement for Conservation Commissions A bill had been passed and signed by the Governor; therefore, the $15,000 ceiling will be removed in 90 days. u 1 . / A ' 1 t - - r 2 - Mr. Sussman announced that the Audubon Society is to give a series Iof conservation lectures at Drumlin Farm, Lincoln, beginning April 23, on Thursday evenings. He suggested that anyone interested contact Mrs. Baxter at Drumlin Farm, and that it is desirable that a member or representative of the Commission attend the lectures. Mr. Smith reported on an excellent speech on conservation by Mr. Allen Morgan of the Audubon Society at the Lexington Rotary luncheon Monday, April 6. HOBBS BROOK BASIN Mr. Ells reported on a letter reply from Mr. Paul Brooks (the most recent Cary Lecturer) concerning the possibilities of the Cambridge Resdtoir for recreation. Mr. Brooks is going to bring up the matter at a meeting in the near future Letter is attached. Mr. Sussman announced that he has arranged for a group of Lexington's Jr. High Girl Scouts to meet the LCC on May 4 at 8p.m. Mr: Sussman, Mr. Ells, and Mr. Mazerall will be there at 8; the other members will come in as soon as they can. The Scouts ' leader, Mrs. Smailman, asked for this opportunity in connection with her group' s work on a conser- vation badge. Mr. Ells said he wrote to Mr. Snow, asking for plans drawn up while Mr. Snow was the Town Planner Mr. Snow said the plans are now in the archives. MR. SUSSMAN will ask Mr. Zaleski, present Town Planner, to locate the plans. ?2crriou , /Hans om Air Ells reported that he wrote to Mrs. Wade aboutAHans om Air Base, in reply to a letter from her He pointed out to her that Bedford is in the Bay Circuit, and use might be made of this fact to delay a deci- sion on Hanscom for several months Mr. Sussman asked Mr. Ells about filling marshes. There have been recent newspaper reports on refusal of Dept of Natural Resources ' per- mission to fill salt marshes. Mr Ells stated that the sanctity of salt marshes dated from Colonial times, but that freshwater marshes did not come specifically under that provision. ACTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION Mr. Ellis, of Acton, was invited to speak on his experience as a Conservation Commissioner in Acton. He stated first that Acton has a set of soil maps (9) which the Commissioners have found invaluable. They also purchased transparencies of those maps, which can be overlaid on other maps. The Soil Conservation Service provides the transparen- cies for a very small fee. Mr. Ellis stated that publicity was very important. He suggested that the LCC contact other organizations in town such as the Historical Society, Garden Club, DAR, Scouts and LWV Education is also very important, including education of the Commis- sioners themselves in conservation, as well as education of the public. . - 3 - He said that an initial step should be a review of applicable parts of the Town By-Laws. Soil Conservation Service bulletins and booklets are available through onels Congressman. He suggested that the library may have a shelf for the collected material, which will make it avail- able to students and other interested organizations. Mr. Ellis suggested a Comprehensive Master Conservation Plan, but ' not one made exclusively with outside help. The townspeople must be allowed to share in the development of it by suggestions of what they want and need. Otherwise, there is the possibility that the plan will be paid for and then relegated to the shelf, which has been known to happen in other communities. i Mr. Ellis also suggested exchange of information and minutes with other Boards in the town Planning Board, Health Dept. , Town Engineer, and, of course, Selectmen. The Acton CC is attempting to preserve two major streams in the town They are establishing a Flood Plain Zone on one stream. They have con- tacted owners along each side of the stream for conservation easements. Mr. Ellis said that one thing a Conservation Commission can do is ask industrial firms for a 50- or 75-foot conservation easement around each site, to act as a buffer zone. He also mentioned the establishment of Conservancy Districts. Con- cord has a Conservancy District, Mr Ellis reported. It is a zoning process--a town can zone areas for Conservancy just as it zone for Residential or Business. Mr. Ellis suggested that the Board of Assessors be asked for a lit 1f of tax title lots owned by the town. Mr Sussman reported on a clump ti of such lots which seems to be swampy and might be of interest to the I• LCC. * I. MR. SUSSMAN will write to Mr. James Carroll about tax title lots. 4 MR. SUSSMAN will also write to the Selectmen to request notification of intention to sell tax i es, and a so _ . cing oojLtax titles on lots or foreclosure on lots. -1 Mr. Ella distributed a booklet published by the Dracut Conservation Commission. Copy attached. Mr. Ripley suggested the LCC get the publication of the Mass. Wild- life Dividion. MR. SUSSMAN will write for a subscription. It was observed that there have been verbal complaints from towns- people concerning the house construction on Eldred Street in the middle of the swamp, and the partial filling of same. It was observed that this could mean later requests from the owners to have the swamp drained, at full cost to the town. The matter was deferred for further study. / .1 / - 4 - GREAT MEADOW Mr. Ripley suggested the LCC inquire of the Wildlife Division its '! opinion on conserving the Great Meadow. MR. RIPLEY will make the inquiries. It was decided that minutes of the LCC meetings wi Il be sent to the Planning Board and other Boards concerned, with a letter from Mr. Sussman. In the future, minutes will have to be dittoed to pro- vide enough copies. ---Mr. Maxerall said that he would like a piece of land for an arboretum. This was considered an excellent suggestion. Mr. Sussman suggested that MR MAZERALL consider various spots and recommend a possibility. MR. SUSSMAN will speak to Dr. Fobert to discuss 'Conservation educa- tion in the schools. It was unanimously agreed that the Lexington Conservation Commission would make two requests at the next Town Meeting: $3000 for Soil Maps and Analysis, and $12,000 for a Conservation Fund. The request will be deferred until after the meeting in Concord. The meeting was adjourned at 11 02 p.m The next meeting will be a brief one, beginning at 8:10 p.m. , Mon. , Apr. 13. Mrs. David Reiner Secretary c