Allenstown Conservation Commission
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Allenstown Town Hall
MINUTES
- Meeting began at 7:05 pm. Commissioners Trowbridge, Bonk, and MacKay were in attendance. Three members of the public were present.
- The minutes of the 2/11/04 and 3/10/04 meetings were approved.
- Spring Cleanup Event
- The roadside and trails cleanup is Saturday, April 24, 2004 from 9 am – 12 pm. The Conservation Commissioners will meet at 8:30 am after driving Dodge Rd, Deerfield Rd. and River Rd. Everyone else will meet at the NH DOT shed at the intersection of River Rd. and Route 28 in Allenstown.
- NH DOT and Allenstown Police were informed of the event.
- Small gifts (pencils, posters) were donated by NH DES. Trowbridge and MacKay will bring water, snacks and trash bags.
- An announcement is in the Hooksett Banner.
- A member of the public suggested that the summer cleanup event for the Suncook River focus on the river banks behind Webster St.
- SB349 and SB343
- SB 343 is identical to SB 349 concerning ATV trails on public lands in NH. The bills decrease the wellhead protection radius from 4,000 feet to 400 feet. Furthermore, existing trails are exempt from the environmental fine filter criteria. Commissioner Bonk testified on 3/24/04 in opposition to this bill. She also submitted a letter to the House subcommittee on behalf of the Allenstown ConCom. The DRED Trails Bureau testified that an ‘existing’ trail refers to a class VI road and not a walking path. This bill later passed the House.
- Capital Improvements Plan
- Commissioner Trowbridge attended the April 5, 2004 meeting of the Allenstown Capital Improvement Subcommittee. As proposed by the ConCom, the 3 boat launches on the Suncook and Merrimack Rivers and the Merrimack River agricultural easement are included in the Allenstown Capital Improvement Plan. There will be a public meeting to accept this plan.
- Action Item: A representative from the ConCom should attend the public meeting to answer any questions.
- Merrimack River/Ferry Street Campground
- Commissioner Bonk attended the April 7, 2004 meeting of the Allenstown Planning Board. Mr. Tom Christie of Manchester proposed a 108 site campground and 3 bedroom year-round home on a 26 acre parcel at the end of Ferry St. bordered by the Merrimack River. This project does not include a beach, fishing area, or boat launch for the campers. Bonk stated that Merrimack River land is valuable farm land in NH. The ConCom would like to see it remain for agriculture. Federal and state grant money is available to purchase this land from Mr. Christie or place an agricultural easement on this property. Other ConCom environmental concerns are: the protection of the Merrimack River banks; oil and antifreeze seepage into the ground; existing trash dumping; and Allenstown residents access to parking at the public boat launch.
- Action Items: L. Bonk will follow-through with Mr. Christie regarding purchasing the parcel. L. Bonk will investigate federal and state grants. L. Bonk will send a memo to the Allenstown Planning Board regarding the ConCom’s environmental concerns for the project.
- 2004 Budgets and NHACC dues
- Commissioner Trowbridge announced that the budget did not pass the town vote. The ConCom lost money for the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) and road signs. The ConCom will be able to pay the NHACC dues and will pursue funds for the NRI.
- Albin Ave. Boat Launch
- Commissioner Bonk discovered that the deed for the home at 1 Albin Ave. (Map 102 lot 28) states that the beach on the Suncook River is for the residents of Pine Acres.
- Action Items: L. Bonk will review the deed of the town owned parcel on the Suncook River (map 102 lot 27, book 1843 page 32, 7/22/90) to see if it states that this land is restricted to Pine Acres residents only. The intent is to have this as a boat launch for all Allenstown residents.
- By-Laws
- The by-laws of the Allenstown ConCom were distributed to the commissioners and members of the public. The by-laws were unanimously accepted with a minor change regarding the duties of the officers (6.4). It was discussed that at some future point the Conservation Commissioners may want to be elected positions and not appointed positions.
- Prioritize parcels in Allenstown for conservation
- It was discussed that the open space parcels in Allenstown need to be prioritized for conservation protection. This prioritization will need to be done in accordance with the Allenstown Master Plan and state and federal requirements regarding threatened species and habitats. The May 12, 2004 meeting will be set aside to prepare a draft priority list.
- Action Items: L. Bonk will get the LCHIP criteria for prioritizing land for protection as well as other priority lists.
- The following mail was reviewed:
- Letter from Larry Mulaire re: parcel at Map 406 Lot 13 (he owns this parce and not the Town of Allenstown. P Trowbridge will respond and state that the GIS maps still need to be changed, but ConCom accepts that it is not a town owned parcel.)
- OEP Public Water Access Inventory (P Trowbridge will respond)
- NH Community Forestry Advisory Council Bulletin, April 2004
- BearPaw Print, Spring 2004
- NHACC Conservation News, Winter 2004
- Saving Special Places 2004 Conference Announcement (4/17/04)
- Manchester Earth Day Forum Announcement (4/22/04)
- The next meeting is: Wed., May 12, 2004, 7:00 p.m., Allenstown Town Hall
- The meeting was adjoirned at 8:45 pm.