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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLP-08/20/2013 LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING Minutes & Discussion Notes from Meeting held Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Town Hall Annex Executive Board Room Members Present: John Sepenoski, Chairman Anne Murray Sam McCullough Allan Connell Maureen Cullinane Lillian Ball (7:12 p.m.) Members Absent: Eric Keil Also present: Melissa Spiro, Land Preservation Coordinator Melanie Doroski, Land Preservation Secretary Tim Caufield, Peconic Land Trust Luke McKay, Peconic Land Trust Commencement: • The meeting began at 7:10 p.m. with five LPC members present. Adoption of Meeting Minutes: • Acceptance of LPC meeting minutes from June 25, 2013 MOTION made by Sam McCullough, seconded by Maureen Cullinane, to accept the 6/25/2013 LPC meeting minutes. Motion carried: 4/0/1 (Anne Murray abstained as she was not in attendance for the 6/25/13 LPC meeting -Lillian Ball not present at time of vote) • Acceptance of LPC meeting minutes from July 30, 2013 MOTION made by Sam McCullough, seconded by Anne Murray, to accept the 7/30/2013 LPC meeting minutes. Motion carried: 4/0/2 (Allan Connell and Maureen Cullinane abstained as they were not in attendance for the 7/30/13 LPC meeting) Land Preservation Applications and Inquiries: • STATUS OF PENDING PROJECTS AND INQUIRIES Melissa Spiro, Land Preservation Coordinator presented status of pending projects and inquiries and the following was noted: o Maaratooka North, LLC -closing held on July 30, 2013; closing package sent to State and is being reviewed for release of grant funds. o Macari -closing date still pending waiting for federal response re: subdivision waiver. Landowner's attorney has requested Town to close. o Mayne -deeds being reviewed by LPC Counsel, Mary C. Wilson, Esq. o Farmveu Homeowners Association -homeowners voted and are not interested in donating subdivision open space areas at this time. o Arietta (Showalter) -Tim Caufield told committee that contract for sale of PLT property was terminated by potential buyer. Also, still waiting for John Ehlers, Land Surveyor to correct 300' survey discrepancy in order for correction easement legal description reading to be recorded. Applications & Inquiries for Uses or Structures on Preserved Property: • None Stewardship and Management: • SILVER EEL PRESERVE, FISHERS ISLAND Site Visit update (John Sepenoski) John Sepenoski, presented his written report (attached hereto) re: 8/7/2013 site visit at Silver Eel Preserve, Fishers Island. MOTION made by Maureen Cullinane, seconded by Anne Murray, to accept Silver Eel Preserve report as presented. Motion carried: 6/0 • AIRPORT PROPERTY, FISHERS ISLAND Site Visit update (John Sepenoski) John Sepenoski, presented his written report (attached hereto) re: 8/7/2013 site visit at Airport Property, Fishers Island. MOTION made by Lillian Ball, seconded by Maureen Cullinane, to accept Airport Property report as presented. Motion carried: 6/0 • DEER MANAGEMENT Jeff Standish's inquiry re: potential additional properties Jeff Standish who heads the Deer Management Program in Southold Town, has requested that the LPC consider adding more open space properties into the program. The Committee agreed to recommend to the Town Board that McFeeley property at Laurel Land Preserve, Pekunka/Posillico properties at Pipes Cove, and the jointly held County/Town property at Manor Grove be included in the deer management program. LPC also recommends to the Town Board that all Town-owned open space properties in the deer management program should follow County standards that allow both hunters/hikers seven day access to the areas during bow-hunting season as long as the hunting zones are not located near hiking trails. This recommendation was made as it is the Committee's understanding that there were no conflicts last year with County program on preserves with hiking trails. The Committee noted that they are not in favor of DPW establishing trails on Pekunka or Manor Grove as trails have not yet been designed for these properties. • TRAIL MAINTENANCE STANDARDS Policy and guidelines for Preserves with trails traversing areas with Russian/Autumn Olive and Preserves with grass trails were reviewed by the committee members. Melissa to review draft with Department of Public Works. • PRESERVE SITE VISITS WITH DPW Discuss scheduling Melissa will schedule site visits with Department of Public Works and LPC members for Mill Road Preserve, Ruth Oliva Preserve @ Dam Pond, and Sound View Dunes Park. General Land Preservation Items: • LAND PRESERVATION AND COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND 2014 BUDGET Melissa explained highlights of proposed 2014 CPF projects budget for preserve projects that are over and above routine yearly expenditures within Town-owned open space properties. Next Regular Meeting: • The next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Adjournment: • The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. by the six attending LPC members. Respectfully submitted by Melanie Doroski, Land Preservation Secretary Fishers Island site visits conducted by John Sepenoski on 8/7/13 Silver Eel Preserve • Bluff trail is in excellent condition. Width of trail is appropriate and tread has been mowed. Bluff end of trail shows some signs of erosion. Mowed trail should be shortened to keep it farther from the edge of the bluff and/or a safety fence should be installed to keep visitors from the edge of the bluff. • Beach trail is in excellent condition. Width of trail is appropriate and tread has been mowed. Approximately 140 feet ofthis trail is on the neighboring private property. • New trail created in 2012 no longer exists. Based on Al Krupski's report from August 2012 it was never maintained in 2012 and unwalkable at that time. It appears that this trail was never maintained at all as there is now no evidence of its existence. It also appears that the public was not using this trail, otherwise the Town would have received complaints or it would at least still be noticeable in the field. The bluff and beach trails provide appropriate access to this preserve so there is no reason to maintain the new trail and the management plan for this preserve should be updated accordingly. • At least some of the debris (metal pipes noted for removal by LPC in 2009/2010 is still present. The vegetation potentially covers more. Another pass over the property in the winter should be conducted to find and remove this debris. • Osprey pole and platform are in good condition. Some nesting material is on the platform but it is unclear whether this is a start up nest or was placed there during installation. • The phragmites on the preserve appear to be under control. Dead stalks have been cut down and the new stalks are not nearly as dense as my last visit to the property in 2010. • The kudzu removal seems to have worked as the area that was infested in 2010 appears to be clean now. • The toe of the bluff has eroded exposing 8-10 feet of what appears to be a sewer ouffall pipe. The Engineering Department has been notified and they will investigate further. If it is determined that the ouffall is from an abandoned section of the system they will have it cleaned up. • Some brush has been dumped on the preserve. While it is possible this is from • trail maintenance it seems more likely that it is from neighboring properties because there was no sign of any recent rail maintenance beyond mowing and the pile is hidden from view along the trail. • No signage was encountered on the preserve. The entrance should be signed so that the public is aware the preserve is available for their use. With the trails in the condition noted there is no need for trail markers to be installed as the trails are very obvious in the field. Page 1 of 2 Airport Property • All trails in the grassland area in excellent condition. Trail widths are appropriate, all trails have been recently mowed and no blockages were encountered. No trash found on or near the trails. • Infrastructure noted along trails all in excellent condition. • The kudzu removal project is obviously working as it appears the kudzu has been eliminated. A discussion with DPW revealed that this was achieved through a combination of herbicide targeted at the kudzu and reseeding the area with native species with the work conducted supervised by the golf course manager. This is an example proving that invasive species can be dealt with when a plan relying on accepted best management practices is developed and followed. This project should be used as atemplate for future invasive removal projects on the Town properties. • Several people noted making use of the property in the South Beach and Race Point areas. Page 2 of 2