Lincoln Conservation Commission
MINUTES
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Lincoln Town Offices
COMMISSIONERS: David Katsuki, Peter Von Mertens, Jim Meadors, Sara Lewis, Ben Horne, Ari Kurtz, Jim Henderson STAFF: Tom Gumbart.
Presentation to Conservation Commission: by Ellen Meadors.
Resources in the Conservation Office for Managing Conservation Land and Conservation Restriction Overview.
Ellen Meadors led an open discussion on the resources available in the Conservation Office. Buzz Constable was also at the meeting and gave additional support and feedback. The Commission was pleased to understand the Conservation Land Database better and learned more generally about Conservation Restrictions. Following are the different types of resources available in the conservation office.
• Files (documents, plans, correspondence, other background info)
— Conservation Restrictions
— Conservation Deeds
— Trail Easements
• Binders on shelf — by Property (56 named areas that can each include many parcels)
— Property Baselines
— Property Monitoring Reports
— Property Management Plans
• Conservation Land Database (To assist in better management and monitoring of conservation lands in Lincoln)
— Index to files and property binders
— Repository of documents, plans, maps, assessor’s data
— Info available: CRs, APRs, Deeds (TOL & LLCT), TEs, House Restrictions.
• Management Database
— Maintained by Anna Wilkins, Conservation staff
— TOL only but may transition to LLCT use
• Geographic Information System (GIS)
Ellen and the Commission also discussed continuing work and opportunities for coordinating conservation land stewardship.
• Go to Registry of Deeds to search for missing documents (Ellen)
• Baselining — done except for new acquisitions (LLCT summer interns and Conservation staff)
• Monitoring — yearly (LLCT summer interns and Conservation staff)
• Management Plans — beginning this summer (LLCT summer interns and Conservation staff)
• Further acquisition (committee of 6, RLF staff)
• Trails — protect as many as possible with permanent easements
• Enforcement — by holder of restriction (ConsCom or LLCT trustees)
Future protection efforts suggested by Ellen include:
• Identify town-owned municipal land that should be protected as conservation land (bring to vote at Town Meeting)
• Double-protect town-owned conservation land by granting Conservation Restrictions to LLCT
(Requires 2/3 vote at Town Meeting)
• Change the Zoning By-Law so that Open Land in a cluster subdivision must have a CR on it
(if not deeded to the Town or LLCT)
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Beavers at Mt. Misery
Ari Kurtz would like to establish benchmark water levels for monitoring the effectiveness of the beaver devices located along Beaver Dam Brook. Last fall, Beaver Solutions worked with the Commission to install pipes and cages at the outfalls of the two ponds. They agreed to lower the water level by two feet in hopes that the beaver would tolerate the change in water level while also lowering the water level enough for Lindentree Farm to regain use of the lower farm field. While it appears that the beaver are tolerating the water level and remain active throughout the brook, the overly wet spring and/or new water levels have not dropped enough for Lindentree to use the fields. Ari Kurtz and Conservation staff will follow up with the following:
1. Measure height of water table at several locations along Beaver Brook at regular intervals.
2. When water flow in the brook is at the designated height as set by flow devices, (one foot lower than water level at the time of installation), arrange a site visit to determine how the agricultural land at Mt. Misery is affected.
3. Create a map showing the type and location of all beaver control devices.
Fall Town Meeting
On Saturday November 4th, 2006 the annual State of the Town Meeting will be held. Following the meeting will be a Special Town Meeting that will likely include the following agenda items: rezoning for the New England Deaconess senior living project, rezoning for the South Lincoln Planning District (the Mall) under a Preliminary Use and Redevelopment Plan, and funding for the Master Planning initiative.
ACTION ITEMS
Conservation Commission agreed to take first steps toward forming an Open Space and Recreation Committee. Conservation Staff will prepare a request for Committee members for review and distribution.
Minutes Approved from 6/21/06
AMC group use permit signed
Bills & Payroll Signed
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Gumbart
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