Phil Trowbridge, Commissioner

David McKay, Commissioner

Laura Bonk, Commissioner

Jenna Gray

Al Heavey

Albert "Ed" Fleury

Pauline Fleury

The meeting was opened at 7:05 pm.

1. The minutes of the 4/14/04 meeting were approved unanimously.
2. Prioritize parcels in Allenstown for conservation

• The ConCom received a request from the Central NH Regional Planning Commission to review and update the "Local Resource Priorities Protection (LRPP) Layer". The LRPP layer was originally created five years ago and needs to be updated. The layer consists of points on a map showing priority locations for natural or historic conservation.
• The group reviewed the old LRPP points and decided to delete two points because they were no longer conservation priorities: beaver dams on Catamount Pond (#8), and Pork Chop Hill (#410).

• The Master Plan for the town lists three specific priorities for land conservation: Access to the Suncook and Merrimack Rivers, agricultural easements on farmlands, and easements on the properties in the northeast corner of town. The ConCom debated which of these three types of properties should have the highest priority for protection and agreed that riverfront lands were the most important. The group also decided that private parcels inside Bear Brook State Park should also be a priority because the development of these lands would fragment the open space of the park.

• The group reviewed the maps of undeveloped land from the Master Plan and found that most of the Suncook River shoreland was developed except for a 70 acre parcel at Map 101 Lot 34. This parcel covers has 2988 feet of undeveloped shoreline on the Suncook River. Because of its size, length of undeveloped shoreline, and central location to Allenstown residents, the group decided that this parcel should be the highest priority for conservation in the town. Two abutting parcels, Map 409 Lots 6 and 7, cover only 11 acres but have at least 600 feet of shoreline. These parcels should also be considered for conservation easements. One issue of importance to these riverfront lands is that the undeveloped nature of these lands would be lost if the parcels on the Pembroke side of the river were to be developed.
• There are three Merrimack River shoreland properties that are undeveloped: Map 114 Lots 2 and 3 (48 acres, 1000 feet or shoreline) and Map 115 Lot 3 (24 acres, 925 feet of shoreline). These lands are currently used for agriculture and are shown on maps in the Master Plan as being prime agricultural land. The owner of the parcel at Map 115 Lot 3 has proposed a campground development (Ferry St.). Because of the combination of Merrimack River shoreline and agricultural uses, the group decided that these three parcels should be the second highest priority for conservation in the town. The two parcels at Map 114 Lots 2 and 3 have the same owner.

• The group decided that the next level of priority should be on private lands inside the park that surround the Allenstown Town Forest. Ed Fleury, who owns several of these parcels, provided detailed maps of the area, which were extremely helpful. Three landowners own the parcels surrounding the Town Forest: Map 407 Lots 36 and 37 (81 acres), Map 407 Lot 38 (26 acres), Map 406 Lots 1, 2, and 3 (72 acres). The group decided that these parcels should be considered the third highest priority for conservation in the town.

• The fourth level of priority should be parcels in the northeast corner of the town; however, no specific parcels were identified for conservation at the meeting. The group felt that pursuing the conservation easements on the first three priority levels would fully occupy the ConCom for the foreseeable future.

• Action Items: Laura Bonk agreed to add the priority parcels to the LRPP layer and mail it back to the CNHRPC by the deadline (May 30, 2004). She will also add the "Old Reservoir" and more historical points from the Allenstown Historical Society.
• Action Items: The group decided that the ConCom should actively pursue easements on the Suncook and Merrimack Rivers shoreland properties but should take a more passive approach with the private lands inside the park. For these properties and any large properties in the northeast corner of town, the ConCom should mail information about conservation easements to the owners to inform them of their options to preserve the land.
• Action Item: ConCom members will visit the parcels identified in this process (if they are not posted) to get an "on the ground" impression.

• Due to shortness of time and uncertainty of summer schedules, the group postponed discussion of the summer event until the June meeting. Initial thoughts were that the summer event should be the river cleanup and that an orienteering event in the Town Forest would be better in the fall.

• Phil Trowbridge handed out a list of people who are on the "Friends of the Conservation Commission" mailing list and asked everyone to review it and provide him with names of anyone who should be added. Digit Taylor of CLCA and Chris Nye of Allenstown will be added. The goal is to send out a quarterly mailing to this list with the meeting dates and the other upcoming events.

• It was moved to retain the existing slate of officers for the coming year: Chair – Phil Trowbridge, Vice Chair – Dave McKay, and Secretary – Laura Bonk. The slate was approved.
• Jenna Gray and Al Heavey were strongly encouraged to officially join the ConCom.

• Phil Trowbridge contacted five certified appraisers and received quotes for assessing the value of the parcel. The appraisal will cost approximately $2000 but would be required for any grant to purchase the property.
• Laura Bonk met with Digit Taylor of the Center for Land Conservation Assistance and Carol Hall at the Trust for Public Lands about funding options for purchasing the parcel. They provided lots of valuable information on state and federal grants as well as the conservation buyer option.
• Laura Bonk also met with Ken Stern of the Five Rivers Land Trust (Concord, NH) about whether this trust would be willing to hold a conservation easement on the parcel. Ken is going to check with the board of this trust and then provide an answer.
• L. Bonk also submitted a letter to the Allenstown Planning Board (April 22, 2004) regarding the ConCom’s concerns over the Ferry St. Campground proposal.
• Action Items: Contact more state and federal agencies about funding as well as private organizations. P. Trowbridge agreed to contact U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Jenna Gray agreed to contact the N.H. Fish and Game and Merrimack River Watershed Council. L. Bonk is going to investigate private foundations that fund land protection.

• Ed Fleury notified the ConCom that the Town also owns the land at 78 Riverside Drive which could be developed into a car top boat launch.

• Not discussed due to lack of time.

• Phil Trowbridge distributed the ConCom budget for 2004. The budget listed in the previous meeting was incorrect. While the town budget overall defaulted to 2003 levels after the Town Meeting vote, the ConCom received its full budget request for 2004: $3027. Phil Trowbridge encouraged commissioners to use the funds for training and attending workshops to build skills.
• Jenna Green agreed to do research on the cost of "Welcome to Allenstown" signs. The 2004 budget contains $1000 for these signs, which must be spent by 12/31/04.

• Letter from Suzanne Rose re: Timber Sales in BBSP – No further action.
• NHDES Drinking Water Source Protection Program "The Source" Spring 2004 – No further action.
• Letter from UNH Cooperative Extension with application to the Coverts Program (4/16/04) – Laura Bonk will apply.
• Survey from UNH Cooperative Extension with survey on forestry class satisfaction – Laura Bonk will complete and return.

• Wed., June 9, 2004, 7:00 p.m., Old Allenstown Meeting House (OAMH)
• Wed., July 14, 2004, 7:00 p.m., Allenstown Town Hall or OAMH
• R2C2 Meeting, Thurs. July 15, 2004, 7:00 pm, OAMH
• Wed., August 11, 2004, 7:00 p.m., Allenstown Town Hall or OAMH