Office of Planning and Town of Groton, Connecticut Development Services Town Hall Annex Conservation Commission 134 Groton Long Point Road Groton, CT 06340 Regular Meeting Agenda 860-446-5970 Monday, January 04, 2021 5:00 PM Virtual Meeting via Zoom I. ROLL CALL I.1. Roll Call II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES II.1. November 30, 2020, Special Meeting III. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS III.1. Public Communications IV. ITEMS OF BUSINESS IV.1. Election of Officers IV.2. Open Space Plan IV.2.1. Status of Posting IV.2.2. Parcel Update IV.2.3. Open Space Plan Outreach IV.2.4. GMTV IV.2.5. Website IV.2.6. Trail Booklet IV.3. Open Space Stewardship Workbook IV.4. Open Space Ordinance IV.5. Plastic Ordinance Update/Pandemic Related Litter/NIPS IV.6. Commission Action IV.6.1. Governor’s Council on Climate Change GC3 IV.6.2. Tree Canopy Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 1 Printed on 12/29/2020 Conservation Commission Meeting Agenda Monday, January 04, 2021 IV.6.3. North American Wetlands Council IV.6.4. DEEP Forest Action Plan IV.7. 2020 Objectives/Section 7 Short Term Action Items V. REPORT OF CHAIRMAN V.1. Report of Chairman VI. REPORT OF STAFF VI.1. Report of Staff VII. ADJOURNMENT VII.1. Adjournment Next Regular Meeting: February 1, 2021 Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 2 Printed on 12/29/2020 Town of Groton, Connecticut Office of Planning and Development Services 134 Groton Long Point Road Special Meeting Minutes Groton, CT 06340 Conservation Commission 860-446-5970 Monday, November 30, 2020 5:00 PM Virtual Meeting via Zoom SPECIAL MEETING Members Chair Larry Dunn Member Kristin Distante Member Michele Fitzpatrick Member Thomas Olson Member Brae Rafferty Member Anne Schmidt Member Karen Scopino I. ROLL CALL I.1 Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm. In attendance: Rafferty, Dunn, Distante, Schmidt, Olson, Scopino, Fitzpatrick Absent: None Staff: Lofgren II. PUBLIC HEARING II.1 Open Space Conservation Plan for Groton, Connecticut Chairman Larry Dunn opened the public hearing for the Open Space Conservation Plan for Groton, CT, at 5:02 p.m. Larry Dunn and Tom Olson gave an overview of Plan, the history of its development, and the work that the Conservation Commission has done. Larry Dunn then asked if there were any members of the public that would like to comment. The following provided comments to the Commission during public hearing. - Jim Furlong stated he appreciated the Conservation Commission’s work on the Plan. Furlong then provided comments regarding the proposed open space ordinance. - Sidney Van Zandt stated that she was very grateful for the Plan and the Commission’s work that went into it. Van Zandt provided written comments that she would like to be included in the record. - Eugenia Villagra, a member of Groton Conservation Advocates, thanked the Commission for their work on the Plan. Villagra also stated that the plan should further emphasize a balance of carbon sequestration with trees lost and trees planted. She added that the Commission should consider recommending that more than one tree be Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 1 Printed on 12/29/2020 Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, November 30, 2020 planted for each large mature tree that is removed. - John Waller thanked the Commission for the work on the Plan. He stated that he would like a copy of the Plan. - Zell Stever, a member of the Groton Resiliency and Sustainability Task Force and Groton Conservation Advocates, thanked the Commission for their work on the Plan. Stever stated that he submitted written comments from the Task Force that he would like included into the record. Stever also added that the thought the Plan would be more effective if it was no more than 20 pages long. Stever also stated that he objects to the open space definition in the plan. - Peter Roper thanked the Commission and supports the Plan. Roper stated that he thinks public outreach on the Plan is important and he hopes that the Plan helps spread awareness of open space in the future. A motion was made by Michele Fitzpatrick and seconded by Brae Rafferty to close the public hearing. Motion passed unanimously and the public hearing was closed at 5:53 p.m. Moved by: Fitzpatrick, Michele Seconded by: Rafferty, Brae Commission Members YES NO ABSTAIN Larry Dunn X Kristin Distante X Michele Fitzpatrick X Thomas Olson X Brae Rafferty X Anne Schmidt X Karen Scopino X APPROVED III. CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC HEARING III.1 Open Space Conservation Plan for Groton, Connecticut The Commission then addressed and discussed a few of the comments. The Commission determined that they would like some time to consider the comments and that this item would be continued to their next regularly scheduled meeting on December 7, 2020. VII. ADJOURNMENT VII.1 Adjournment MOTION: To adjourn the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Motion made by Fitzpatrick, seconded by Rafferty. Motion passed unanimously (6-0). Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 2 Printed on 12/29/2020 Conservation Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, November 30, 2020 Moved by: Fitzpatrick, Michele Seconded by: Rafferty, Brae Commission Members YES NO ABSTAIN Larry Dunn X Kristin Distante X Michele Fitzpatrick X Thomas Olson X Brae Rafferty X Anne Schmidt X Karen Scopino X ADJOURNED Michele Fitzpatrick, Secretary Conservation Commission Prepared by Bruce Lofgren, Planner I Town of Groton, Connecticut Page 3 Printed on 12/29/2020 Lofgren, Bruce From: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2020 9:12 AM To: Lofgren, Bruce Cc: Larry Dunn Subject: Input for Jan Conservation Commission Meeting Attachments: Groton Open Space Inventory 12-29-20 Update.xlsx; Connecticut General Statues 16-50b-c.docx The Parcel Team has been working to update the parcel protection status of the Open Space Inventory over the past month. I have attached the spreadsheet we have developed, and will review it at the meeting along with the word document that outlines the basis for what we want to propose for the minimum open space acreage. I request these documents be included in the upcoming package, and this item be included on the agenda. Tom Olson Groton Town Conservation Commission [email protected] 860-917-6116 1 29 Dec 2020 Parcel Team Protection Status Town-owned Dedicated Open Space Sort by deed status, then acreage for each category from POCD Layer PIN Acres OWN1 Address OWN2/Name P&R Classification 2016 ParkType Map Protection Comment Action Town_N260812864109 99.15 TOWN 851 ROUTE 215 RD BEEBE POND PARK Natural Resource Park with Rec Silent Deed 1969 deed Propose Deed Restriction Town_W271010354427 E 43.70 TOWN 0 WELLES RD Closed dump site Silent Deed 1977 Deed; Abuts Crary Farm PIN 271010361210 Propose Deed Restriction Town_W168812856575 30.13 TOWN 0 POQUONNOCK RD JOHL/Birch Plain Creek Open Space no rec Silent Deed 1989 Forclosure Propose Deed Restriction 260813031425 22.45 TOWN 0 INDUSTRIAL DR Disposal Plant outflow Silent Deed Water protection for Sewage Plant? Abuts 260813034627 Propose Deed Restriction Town_W271014448906 14.39 TOWN 0 WELLES RD Silent Deed Appears to be subdivision open space Review Plot Map 4/71 Town_W260907794702 10.97 TOWN 0 BREEZY KNOLL DR WOODCREST Open Space no rec Silent Deed Appears to be subdivision open space Review Plot Map V54/108 & 110 Town_W169808991728 8.71 TOWN 0 RING DR RING DRIVE REC AREA Mini Park Open Space no rec Silent Deed 1976 Deed Propose Deed Restriction Town_W271017104941 6.64 TOWN 39 NANTUCKET DR FIELDCREST PARK Neighborhood Open Space no rec Silent Deed 1960 Deed Propose Deed Restriction Town_W169805197419 5.09 TOWN 0 DROZDYK DR Open Space no rec Silent Deed Appears to be subdivision open space Review Plot Map V535/867 Town_W261917123060 4.53 TOWN 0 CONRAD ST HILLTOP Open Space no rec Silent Deed Forclosure on subdivision Propose Deed Restriction 261917116969 2.42 TOWN 0 CONRAD ST HILLTOP Open Space no rec Silent Deed Forclosure on subdivision Propose Deed Restriction Town_W260807780510 1.46 TOWN 0 FARMSTEAD AVE RAMBLE BROOK Neighborhood Open Space no rec Silent Deed Forclosure on subdivision No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W260918306833 1.28 TOWN 0 FLANDERS RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed wetlands gift? No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W168916830355 1.21 TOWN 0 Long Hill Road Silent Deed Added Foreclosure No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W168912973189 1.14 TOWN 0 TOLL GATE RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed Adjacent to Avalonia Antonino property No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W169806488042 0.93 TOWN 1208 POQUONNOCK RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed Entrance to GU No action, less than 3 Acres 270016938446 0.86 TOWN 126 PACKER RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W169809079362 0.74 TOWN 800 POQUONNOCK RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed Abuts Housing Authority Property PIN 169809074112 No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W179016844875 0.67 TOWN 0 NORTH RD Silent Deed No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W168811774117 0.65 TOWN 0 TWIN HILLS DR Open Space no rec Silent Deed No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W260708886303 0.50 TOWN 0 PEARL ST (NOANK) TRIPLETT PARK Open Space no rec Silent Deed No action, less than 3 Acres 168916831852 0.41 TOWN 0 PLYMOUTH AVE WEST Silent Deed I-95 Access No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W169809064444 0.33 TOWN 698 POQUONNOCK RD Open Space no rec Silent Deed Abuts Kolnaski School No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W168812775236 0.31 TOWN 0 TWIN HILLS DR Open Space no rec Silent Deed No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W270015542053 0.31 TOWN 0 Hillside Drive Silent Deed Abuts Carrigan No action, less than 3 Acres Town_W169917003011 0.29 TOWN 75 SUNNYSIDE