HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Natural Resources & Conservation Committee - 09/01/2021NATURAL RESOURCES & CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday 09/01/2021 at 6:00 pm
Attending: Ashley Parker, Larry Kupferman (Vice Chr), Jean Sebastien-Chaulot (Chr), Katherine Boyk, Bill
Wargo, Lisa Yankowski, Drew Shatzer (remoted in)
Missing: John Bossange & David Crawford
Public attendees: Paul Conner (City of SB), Michael Mittag, Sarah Dopp & Barb Sirvis
1) Ashley reviewed emergency protocol. This meeting is hybrid- in person & remote.
2) Moved the updates for the 4 For Four & CVCP until after the LDR discussion.
3) No comments from the public.
4) Minutes from 08/04/21- Larry moved to accept, Jean 2nd. Approved with a correction to Katherine’s
last name.
5) Hybrid meeting options & processes in the new city hall for future NRCC Meetings- Jean wondered
what happens if the weather is bad? What if the building is not accessible?
a. a. Past meetings have been cancelled when the weather made travel dangerous. Sarah
D questioned if meetings are required by state law to have a physical location. The
pandemic created a state of emergency so committees were allowed to meet virtually
instead of in person. These meetings need to be set up ahead to allow access to all.
There needs to be a city rep on site at a meeting. What if that person is in quarantine?
b. Ashley says these are questions that have been brought up already with city leadership
and if meetings can be conducted as hybrid- live, onsite participation with others attending virtually.
We are waiting to find out the answers
6) Paul Conner joined us and wanted to let us know the Planning Commission is busy revamping the
Environmental Protections Standards & Conservation PUDs (Planned Unit Development). The
sensitive areas were identified by the Interim Zoning Open Space Group. The proposed
environmental protection standards are to help protect these areas. Public comments came during
May with some being incorporated into the new proposals. The commission wants to have all the
changes ready for consideration by the city council and in place before IZ is done in November
2021.)
a. Larry asked how closely marked habitat blocks align with the ones identified by the
group. The IZ group used various tools, maps & existing information to identify the
areas. Arrowhead was hired to reevaluate the identified areas for contiguous forest
blocks and what wildlife was using. The draft we are looking at for consideration reflects
any incorporated public comments and the Arrowhead update. (Reference the
document includes with the meeting information.) Just because a property is treed
does not mean it is a habitat block.
b. Larry & Jean each asked more specific questions about developing in identified habitat
blocks. For properties that may have a large portion considered a habitat block- the new
rules allow development on up to 30% of the parcel. The 30% cannot be transferred
beyond the property. The exception is if in the SE Quadrant, if the parcel is mostly a
habitat and an NRPD (Natural Resource Protection District) zone, no building, even with
the 30% rule. The NRP protects the conserved area. There is considerable overlapping of
habitat blocks and connectors to the blocks. These are evident when looking at specific
city maps. PUDs are designed to help set rules for developing around the city and to
help protect habitat blocks. PUDs are still being worked on.
c. Katherine was curious what percentage of habitat blocks are publicly owned vs privately
owned. And what is conserved already. Paul mentioned the interactive maps on the
South Burlington City site people can look at the known/collected information.
d. Michael Mittag wanted to add that the group looked at the 5oo yr flood zone to protect
vs the general 100 yr flood zone. The area where a consensus could not be reached,
resources in primary and secondary areas. These are not protected-agricultural soils,
grasslands and farmland. Another area of contention was area outside the habitat
boundary but still considered important to the habitat block.
7) 4 for Four update by Sarah D & Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership (CVCP) by Ashley P.
a. The Land Trust was hoping to have a stand-alone vote before the end of IZ. Their goal
was to highlight the need for protection of identified open space parcels and have the
ability to ”front load” funds for saving these parcels from development. The City Council
decides what goes before the voters. Consensus was- NO, to an October special vote.
The Land Trust is looking at March 2022. The City council wants to look at other funding
options and what the results would be. There may be better options for building the
fund.
b. Ashley would like to have the NRCC discuss how we can help to promote the CVCP and
what they have been working on. How do they reach out to landowners in the 5
districts and promote the vision of the partnership to identify and conserve natural
areas.
8) NRCC Annual Report & CIP request
a. The annual reports and work plans for the city committees and departments will be due
soon for presentation to the City Council. The NRCC needs to work on this.
b. Capital Improvements Project (CIP)
i. Ashley wants the NRCC to look at the possibility of allocating funds from the
Open Space Fund to use towards funding other work that needs to be done
around the city. (The Open Space Fund was designated for repair work in Red
Rocks & Wheeler Parks and to develop and begin to implement that plan at
Underwood.)
9) New city –wide Policy Priorities 7 strategies Process Planning
i. Our new City Manager Jessie Baker, would like to see the city and committees
work together to develop clear and intentional decisions about the policy
priorities of the City and the implementation of the strategies to be used to
achieve the vision. She sees a goal to build upon past models and plans to
produce a city-wide work for the Council staff and commissions. (Refer to the
letter and work sheet showing more details on how this plan can be developed.)
ii. We, the NRCC, need to identify ideas we want to put forward for Jessie’s plan.
This will become our work plan. Jean feels we need a work group to do this. The
new group will be Jean, Katherine, Larry & Lisa.
10) Conservation Project Opportunities at the Goodrich Parcel
a. Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership (CVCP) is looking at work being done at the
Goodrich Parcel in South Burlington. Tom DiPietro, (SB Publicworks/Stormwater
Superintendent) believes this parcel may be appropriate for wetland restoration. The
Audubon Society would like to oversee habitat management for rare birds and removal
of invasive species. The Winooski Park District would like to see a connection between
paths on the parcel with the park district’s paths on the Muddy Brook Wetland Reserve.
(Reference the information in our packet.) There are various grants and sources for
funding for the projects and possibly for future maintenance. But the city needs to
contribute as well. Per the CVCP: The SB NRCC Committee is being asked to consider
providing a memo to the City Council that supports this restoration initiative at the
Goodrich Parcel, including the use of City Open Space Project funds to make it happen.
b. Larry moved to support, Katherine 2nd - unanimously approved.
11) Bill W will be the NRCC member on the City Council Task Force.
a. Lisa nominated him, Larry 2nd- approved.
12) Members & Staff Reports
a. No report from the chair.
b. See the information included in our meeting information from Ashley.
c. Lisa reported on activity with the Dog Park Group.
i. The site was picked, design settled on, the land was okayed to be used on an
environmental level. It just needed final approval with the DRB. Justin
Rabideau (DPW) was to have his crew build the park but has now come up with
his own plan which is missing important elements the group wanted included in
the design. Justin was to go to the DRB the week of 09/06. The Dog Park Group
cancelled it until new decisions can be made.
Future agenda items:
Marla wants us to review a project next month. Ashley will forward the information when it is ready.
Work group will work on our work plan
Ashley may have an early draft of the CIP she will forward to us.
NEXT MEETING Wednesday 10/06 at 6pm
Larry moved to adjourn, Katherine 2nd adjourned at 8:04pm
EVENTS
09/18 8am-12pm Migratory Birds & Their Habitat, Nordic Farm in Charlotte, see birds up close and
tour a newly restored habitat.
09/18 Land owner Workshop, free event with the Land Trust & Audubon VT
-to educate land owners interested in possible protection/conservation management and how
to go about it.
09/23 A Look at the Conceptual Vision for Underwood- the possibilities. City Hall Auditorium and
available to attend virtually.
09/25 9amClimate Change Impacts in Field & Forest Hubbard Recreation & Natural Area
(Underwood) Lead by Dr Annise Dobson, postdoctoral researcher, Yale School of Environment