HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Natural Resources & Conservation Committee - 09/04/2024NATURAL RESOURCES & CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
September 04, 2024
Regular monthly meeting starting at 6:00 PM at 180 Market St, Third Floor, Conference Room 301
with electronic option and phone option available.
Members present: D. Wheeler, City Liaison; J. Chaulot, Chr.; K. Boyk; L. Yankowski, M. Korpos; J.
Bossange; L. Smith, City Council Liaison.
Public attendees: R. Doyle, F. McDonald, E. & R. Waibel, F. Mazur, S. & C. Gardner, C. Geste.
1. Mr. Chaulot welcomed everyone.
2. No changes to the agenda.
3. No public comments not related to the agenda.
4. City Updates- Staff & Council.
. We are looking for a committee member to work with and help co-ordinate a presentation of
a new book- How to Love a Forest, with and written by Ethan Tapper. Ms. Yankowski and
Ms. Korpos expressed an interest. They will reach out to the library.
. No additional trees have been found with Emerald Ash Borers except the 2 already reported
and removed at the DPW.
. Chittenden County and Northern Vermont is under alert for EEE. A deadly mosquito
borne disease known as Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as EEE or triple E
. The city is working on an upgrade to the website and we need to decide what
changes or updates we would like to see to the NRCC page(s).
. Ms. Boyk, Ms. Yankowski and Mr. Chaulot will work on this at the library,
Monday 09/09 at 5:30 pm.
5. The VT Army National Guard reported to the city council, Tues
09/03, with updates to the AFFF spill that happened and mitigation work. (This was a spillage of
PFAS, a known carcinogen, that happened due to a failed seal.)
6. The City Council have approved the water/sewage billing. They have been looking at how Queen
City Park is charged since there are no meters for water or sewage volumes.
7. CRO Planning & Design has been selected to develop the Open Space Plan. Mr. Wheeler will
arrange a time for them to meet with the NRCC.
8. The VT Association of Conservation Commissions (AVCC), has a conference Thursday, 09/05. Ms.
Korpos and Ms. Yankowski are registered and will report back our next meeting. . 9. Tree LDRs- The
Planning Commission has it's first discussion as part of the agenda for September 24, on tree
regulations. Looking for possible policy intersections. Members may want to attend.
10. The upgrades for the DPW facility are moving ahead with plans for adding a wash bay, EV
charging stations and a stormwater treatment site.
11. Katherine Boyk and John Bossange were re-appointed to the NRCC. We have 6 of 9 seats currently
filled. The are no current plans for midterm appointments. Long term thinking- should we try and have
the city reduce the number of seats? Can we have it raised back we it is lowered? We are concerned
with having a quorum for voting. Mr. Wheeler will inquire if this is a possibility.
12. Perhaps we may want work with the Energy Committee. They are looking at recycling urine, this
more our area than theirs.
13. Per Mr. Smith- The Land Trust is working with the city to conserve some of the Long Property on
Spear St. Conserve some since it borders a conserved area along “The Great Swamp” and turn some
into Habitat for Humanities Housing.
5. Public meeting- Bartlett Bay Road Culvert, a VTrans grant funded project-South Burlington
TAP TA23 (26).
. The project information was provided by Marisa Rorabaugh, Stormwater
Superintendent
(802) 658-7961 ext. 6111, mrorabaugh@southburlingtonvt.gov
. This project is to replace an existing culvert that carries North Brook underneath Bartlett
Bay Rd. This project has been in design since 2015-2019. The last 2 summers with
abnormal rain storms and the inability for the culvert to handle the flow has led to flooding
of parts of the neighborhood. The current design plan by Stantec calls for a box culvert.
Several of the residents attended the meeting offering information. Erwin Waibel, an
engineer who was employed with the State of VT, had comments, questions and suggestions
that may offer better options. He and Ms. Rorabaugh will consult with each other.
6. Homegrown National Parks
. We are tabling this discussion until the next meeting. Please check out the website before
the meeting. Home - Homegrown National Park - Regenerate Biodiversity
7. Wildlife corridor mapping.
. We want to discuss this subject with CRO- the company who will be developing the Open
Space Plan. We feel this needs to be incorporated into the plan and updated . Mr. Doyle
mentioned culverts which are used for water transportation under roads and as safer routes
for wildlife movement.
8. DRB Submissions
. Mr. Smith inquired if we are contacted to review larger projects. We are not by planning or
the DRB. They can refer a developer over to us on a proposed project or a developer can
reach out to us directly. This is something we have been trying to figure out and hoping a
developer would have information on what we would look for as a project is developed.
9. Recruitment
. We do not currently have a quorum. If a committee member knows of someone who may
be a good candidate......
10. Member updates and reports.
. The Airport Landscaping Plan has been modified some. We had already talked to Nic
Longo about the project and offered suggestions. Questions were raised about soil testing
which have not been answered. Mr. Smith will reach out to Mr. Longo.
Adjourned 8:15 PM
NEXT MEETING IS OCTOBER 09, 2024 AT 6PM