City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Conservation Commission, 8 Mar 2023

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3.8.2023 Conservation Commission

A

All right: okay, we're good welcome everyone to the march 8 2023 meeting of the portsmouth.

A

Conservation, commission, I think we should have one commissioner on zoom tonight, if.

A

That's the case, then we'll be voting via roll call. She hasn't joined yet so.

A

So if she doesn't join, then brian would be voting, because you see down one okay, you.

B

Could do it as an application? Okay, so we'll see what happens there? uh All right so first item.

A

On the agenda is the approval of last month's minutes. I don't have any edits to make allison.

C

uh I have no edits and I would make a motion to approve the minutes. One question yeah.

D

Well, right at the top we say members present it lists alternates as uh abby and brian right.

D

Shouldn't doesn't abby become the permanent member, and the newest member becomes the alternate.

B

No, the way the appointments goes, the application, the application applications.

B

Came in that's the way the appointment worked, so her alternate application. Wasn't.

B

Submitted as a record, you didn't submit a regular application, so the alternate application I mean.

B

The brian's application him as an alternate because there was an opening for an alternate and.

B

I think it was stewart's who came in as a regular member, so it just depends on the timing of the.

B

Application and it's up to the mayor ultimately so I know but does the individual it's an alternate.

D

Everyone does whenever their germ ends, yeah.

B

So when your terms up, you have to apply to be a regular number or a fill a spot that was okay, yeah.

A

Does anybody else edits? Oh second, emotions all right. Second,.

E

I just won yeah. I like the time thing here, the time time, step yeah. It's sort of interesting helps.

B

For helps for the youtube video, if you want to go back and watch it, it makes it easier. Oh that's.

B

Nice once everything's recorded now yeah did we have a second? Yes, okay, yes, so nolan, thus far.

B

It says four: oh here we go, we have lynn. Now, lynn, lynn, are you there.

B

No she's, not there, oh here it is here she is. I am here sorry about that.

A

Okay, so then we don't have any comments on there on the summary.

F

No comments, the meeting, okay, great then, let's we'll vote the roll call.

A

So barbara, yes, allison, yes, jess, yes, ted! Yes, lynn! Yes, stuart! Yes, brian.

A

I know brian doesn't know brian doesn't vote. I had you on here. Sorry, you've got yours, chair votes, yes,.

A

A

Conditional use permit application for 96 buckminster way. Is anyone here to speak to that.

G

Hi, how you doing uh my name is aaron narcessian, uh so the permit I put in.

G

For was to build a small utility shed um and a slot on my property, the the.

G

Spot as I understand it is currently in the wetlands buffer area, so I have some things.

G

I'm not sure if you want to throw on the screen, I'm gonna bring it up right now. Okay,.

B

B

B

There's full screen: okay, there you go and I have three. I have the three images you present yeah. So.

G

Bottom here you can see where the shed is. If you look at the kind of the bottom of the of.

G

The picture here that red circle- I guess next to the house- that's the approximate location. I.

G

Think if you change images here, you can kind of zoom in a little more. If you move forward.

G

There's the aerial viewed if you can go in one more, I think it should give us a more.

G

Zoomed in view so right there that spot is right at the end of my driveway again flat.

G

Spot currently, it's grass and mud this time of year and snow. So the idea is how we would put.

G

The shed there it's 12 by 16 for the size it's going to be on um on gravel, with concrete blocks.

G

It will not be on a concrete pad, so I think that makes it a temporary structure. um The.

G

Area is about 50 feet or so from the wetlands, and it is an area where the water does tend to.

G

Kind of go through and pull towards the back and speaking to one of the council members. I think.

G

Last week we talked about some shrubber we can put in there. You mentioned winterberry blueberry. I did.

G

Research, those, I think some species of those are all toxic to animals and to humans. So I'm.

G

Gonna, look at other options there, but absolutely we'll be landscaping that area when the time comes.

G

um Whatever can help absorb that water, so I'm not sure if you go one more slide ahead here and pitch.

G

Your head, there might be yeah very, very rough, drawing as you can tell my artistic skills, uh the.

G

Idea is that again, 12x16 surrounded by crushed stone crushed down to be about 16 by 18. So two.

G

Feet around each side of the shed and it would open uh towards the end of the driveway. There.

G

G

I think that's really all I have questions from the commissioners.

E

Yeah, barbara, I'm your attention so with the there's not going to be a slab, it's going to be.

E

On footings is that right, because originally I was sort of thought that it might be on cinder blocks.

E

Or something I don't know what they're called but yeah so it'd be crushed stone to level the.

G

Area out and then it would be either the cinder blocks or pavers whatever you call them to kind.

G

Of keep it off the ground so different than what's in the proposal which? No because the.

E

Proposal mentioned concrete footings. Well, that was for the shed itself. I mean that was, I think, that's.

G

The same thing as a block or a paper, I think it's all the same nomenclature. It's just not a concrete.

G

Porn pad it's just going to be on blocks on the gravel okay yeah, because the footings would go.

E

Down underground too, a little bit normally, but okay, but the rest of it's gravel. Yes,.

H

I just wanted to make note. I understand that.

H

um Just in the I don't know, if that's actually who's going to do it, the.

H

um Garage shed plan from shed plans yeah in there. It has a section where it's specifically talks.

H

About the foundation, preparation and it shows bricks, and otherwise, so I just wanted to make.

H

Note that that's not what's being done, okay, yeah! I appreciate that. So that was just one.

G

Of the things I pulled off off the internet, I I'm still unsure. If we're going to build it.

G

Outsource the building or buy a prefab unit, but again the idea is not going to be a permanent.

G

Structure, it's going to be on some sort of footing or blocks the rest of that's just an example. Yeah.

G

So kind of the same idea and style I was looking for, but as far as how to build it, I didn't really.

G

Look in all the details there yet yeah. I want to make sure I get through this process. First.

D

Yeah yeah, it's a pretty big shed in 12 by 16. That's the size of mini uh garages.

D

uh uh Just wondering what you're keeping in there that's all! Well, I brought him along with me and.

G

Most of it's gonna be his stuff, so bikes power wheels, yeah, grills, lot, riding mowers, just all the.

G

Stuff I can get out of my garage, so I can actually put a car into the garage level idea right.

G

But also, as far as the size goes, the 12 by 16 it kind of matches up right with the.

G

um The wick of the driveway so it'll be again the drawing might be a little bit.

G

Off here, but the idea is that it's the same size as the driveway. It just goes.

G

Back a little bit further, so it's not a perfect square. It's 12 wide by 16, deep.

A

Question for you regarding um snow removal. I I would assume, before the.

A

Shed was there you'd push all the snow down to the end. Where do you plan on.

A

Pushing it at this point same idea, it would just probably sit around it. I would just.

G

Clear it off the roof and then clear off the gravel around it, so the the roof can drip. Okay,.

B

Can I make a comment, I guess the the one having that confusion in the application with the the.

B

Specs from the manufacturer versus what you're going to do, um we would like to get that out.

B

Of there, so when you revise the application for the planning board, can you remove that so it yeah.

B

Absolutely it might be a good stipulation for you guys to put into just so it's clear going forward.

B

um We've had that problem in the past they say that they're, not not that you do this, but they.

B

Say they're not good that way, but then the application says you are so we got to be make sure the application says what's going to happen so just take those plans out and that should be. You can leave the plans in just you know either take out the statement that says.

B

How they're going to build it with the footings or the concrete pouring concrete versus, because.

B

It's clear in your description that you're going to use uh country blocks on gravel yeah.

B

Which is what the commission wants and, what's you know, the best practice for this site? Sure.

B

um But it says the other thing later on, so just to avoid that confusion. Further.

B

Down the road, okay, understood it's a page, that's step. One foundation. Preparation, I think, is the.

A

Problematic page, okay, yeah and again honestly, I just saw the pretty looking.

G

Building online, the wife said that looks great. I downloaded the plans. This is what happened.

A

All right someone want to make a motion jess. I will uh make a motion to recommend approval of the conditional use permit for 96 buckminster.

I

Way uh with the conditions that there is some planting as absolutely the applicant discussed.

I

To help manage water and that, in fact, the shed is built um with a crushed stone base and concrete.

I

Like styling cinder blocks concrete box.

I

um As compared to a poured foundation, excellent.

J

The sake of that okay discussion, um I'm just gonna- ask if it would be okay to clarify native.

E

Plantings on the planting, and maybe do we need to say that we're going to take out the.

E

And pick out the page or does it I think that's what she was just saying: yeah all right.

D

Yes, thank you. They come before us and uh build within and close to the wetlands.

D

When they maintain their property, they agree to maintain it. According to the standards of the.

D

Nova standards which are maintaining organically and we can provide you, the link to the manual it's.

D

Very very flexible, and it just we just want to protect the wetlands and make sure everything.

D

You're not using fertilizers and things of that nature, so it's pretty easy to follow. So if you.

D

Could we'd like to add that to the stipulation so that you'll follow the nova standards to maintain.

D

Your property yeah, absolutely thank you. We uh we also required the um installing of wetland.

A

Boundary markers which you can purchase those to the city um to just set up to to you know, show.

A

Where the boundary is there, so quick question on that? How do I know what the boundaries are.

K

Yeah at the toe of the slope in your property is where it is right there. It's pretty obvious.

B

There's a clear drop off where they probably filled for the house or something. But um what.

K

We usually ask, is that you just put it on a plan or you can come talk to us and we can go over.

B

Locations- it's not, you don't have to put a million in, but we do have them. You can buy from us at a.

B

Pretty nominal fee um and probably like three or four in your back just to start to designate.

B

Where the wetland boundary is in the city, okay- and let people know and educate people, okay, but.

B

um If you don't have a location for them, we can work with you. You can put.

B

It on your: if you're going to update your plan for the planning board, you could add it to that and then you could use that to put them in the field got it.

C

Yeah and do we need to specify any more regarding the area of planting or.

C

Anything to you like if we said 20 feet four feet on center native plantings: okay,.

B

So what was that yeah four feet on center, so there'd be five shrubs.

C

Going in at least five straps five shrubs four feet on center.

B

20 feet in length about four feet: on center: yeah math works; yes, five, five new shrubs.

B

Four feet on and they're native peter: do we have to do the wetland boundary.

A

Marker as a stipulation, if it's like one of our ordinances now uh it helps to get it in there. Okay,.

A

So then I have that we have four stipulations, which is the yep me too. Okay. uh Well, the.

B

So the native plantings just adds more detail, so yeah four is what I have.

A

Yeah nofa standards, the wetland, boundary markers, the native plantings and the.

A

Foundation, yeah, okay, any other discussion. Thank you for your efforts. Thank you. I appreciate it.

A

All right, we ready for a vote; okay, barbara, yes, allison! Yes, jessica, yes, ted! Yes,.

A

Yes, stuart yes and the chair votes. Yes, thank you excellent. Thank you.

C

She forgot her ipad. She left it in the car. uh Next on. The agenda is 86. Newcastle ave.

B

Mark I'm gonna open this up, for you.

L

My name is mark west, I'm here to go over this project, which was previously approved in 2019.

L

And it expired and they did not renew it in time, so we're.

L

Back and they're doing the exact same project.

L

And I guess when peter gets getting there yeah I'm almost there no pressure. My problem here.

D

It's really pretty back in there.

B

All right so tell me what sheet you want. American.

L

um I I think it would make sense to go to the color sheet because everything's on that, okay, oh.

B

That's the right angle: okay,.

L

So, um oh, is this me yep wow. I was looking for a red pointer, so this has a right-of-way off.

L

Newcastle down to the lot- and it goes all the way down to the tidal wetland- there's a big berm here.

L

We saw on the sidewalk there's a little bit of salt marsh and the berm has a pipe through it.

L

And this wet meadow wetland has old ditches in it that drain into a culvert that carries.

L

The water under the berm to the tidal wetland, um the proposed project, uh the existing house.

L

Is here there's a studio here and the proposed project is an addition on an existing porch here.

L

And then a little bit of addition, but a new front breezeway here, so uh this is 405 square feet, a new.

L

Footprint, the closest of which is 63 feet from the tidal wetland. Then there's a pervious patio here.

L

Proposed in what is now a lawn area and um there's a pervious walkway proposed from the front door.

L

To the patio and also to the driveway and then everything else in light, green here is existing.

L

Landscaped areas that they need work in the work zone and all of that will be replanted, um they're.

L

Probably going to salvage some of the existing shrubs that are salvageable and they do have.

L

To remove a tree that we saw on the sidewalk right next to the deck and they're going to replant. That.

L

Tree another large cherry tree and then uh any additional plantings will be native shrubs and.

L

Wildflowers and they have a whole set of gardens on this side of the house. So there's a lot of.

L

Landscaping there and they want to basically return it to that condition. So um this whole.

L

Area represents 1700 square feet, a little more than that of impact, most of which is temporary and.

L

um There was a question on the sidewalk about. They would probably propose a foundation under.

L

This part of the addition and then a frost wall under the new front door, breezeway or entrance way.

L

I'm not sure what other questions you all have go ahead awesome. um I was really surprised when.

C

You when I saw the architectural renderings of the size changes to the house itself, I mean.

C

They're, pretty dramatic and and the thing that still concerns me- is the drainage like right now.

C

It's pretty reasonable to see how the gutter system is working to direct the flow of the.

C

Drainage from the roof, but with the new design. I have no idea what's going on with the drainage.

L

Okay, but I we did need to- I need to cover that there's an existing trench, infiltration system.

L

In front of the house and around the house and uh my response to that question in my submittal.

L

Additional submittal was that any addition to that system to make it a comment, help it.

L

Accommodate any new storm water would be part of uh the design, so we can, that can be conditioned.

L

That we add that infiltration and if you need a an additional drawing, there's a whole sheet.

L

Of drawing of details, but I'm not sure if it has the infiltration it has all the pervious patio.

L

Yeah and that, and as far as the house design and addition, the architect is here life and he can.

L

Come up and have a discussion about because I didn't think it was that much new square floor.

L

Well, it's the way the the roof angle is totally different. There's like a middle section now that.

C

Has a roof angle: that's uh perpendicular, to the roof that we see right at the moment. Right and.

C

So the gutter system that they had the way the roof was draining worked very nicely. I'm sure.

C

But right now you've got a couple of different roof sections and I'm just wondering how you're.

C

Going to handle that drainage now another option is, to put um you know, a stone drip edge around.

C

The periphery of the house, so you'd have to set your plants back a little bit further, so that you.

C

Can have that stone drip edge so that the um you know the water has some place to infiltrate.

C

But I understand that we do that a lot with projects and I guess we would, uh if we needed.

L

To I believe, there's one on this front side of the house now, because the uh everything goes into the.

L

Ground there and uh I can- we can go confirm on the back side and if we need to add something.

L

On the on this side also, it could be done. However, we need to design that does that make sense to you.

C

Well, just don't want it to run directly back into the wetland understood so, and I understand about.

C

The berm further away, but I mean there's wetland very close to the the back end of that house. So.

C

Understood so maybe we'll uh have a little more information with that uh uh that we can submit.

L

uh As part of a condition before we go to the planning board, it's a pretty easy thing to address.

A

Anybody else other questions you mentioned. They would sorry go ahead. Okay, there would be some.

J

Landscaping and specifically you're taking a tree and some shrubs out well there'll, be those.

J

Be replaced in the same amount, or will there be more and go in there'll be more uh well most of.

L

That area now, oh there is landscaped so again we'll salvage, but they want to re-landscape.

L

It as thick as as it is there, but they probably are going to have some additional plants, because.

L

This is lawn now and they're. Now they talked about putting some additional landscaping in so uh the.

L

There will and not everything can be salvaged that has to be removed during construction. So the goal.

L

Is to have it as uh a similar landscaping scene situation that exists there today.

J

Would it be possible to ensure that that those plant things are replaced because.

J

Your your wording is, they talked about it, so I'd like to ensure that that's the.

J

Case whatever you all need to uh have for for that they're happy to do landscaping. Thank you.

E

That's what I was going about so we're very much in favor of removing any lawn area.

C

um Lawn is not as good as plantings, so if they could increase the plantings, especially between.

C

That patio and the wetland that would be very helpful, okay, yeah. I follow up on that. A little.

E

Bit because we did discuss at the site walk having a planting plan. I I said I would ask them if they.

L

Had had done that yet, but they haven't so and the last review didn't require it, so it wasn't.

L

Done yet and they hadn't gotten that far along. So um I don't know if that's a requirement or if we.

L

Could provide you with a list of uh species that could be planted or areas that would be planted.

E

Yeah, because it's a kind of vague you know and it's hard to like, say: okay, well, we required or.

E

Requested this amount of plantings or whatever that would be helpful to know you know what you're.

E

Going to plant and where you're going to plant it, um you know about because, as allison said, that you.

E

Know there is it's pretty straight down lawn right to that wetland area and so even having things.

E

Down closer to the wetlands, you know low bushes or something like that would be great helpful.

E

um Yeah, that's not something we had talked about before we talked about re re-landscaping. This.

L

Whole area, where they're working um they're not planning on there's a big tree here,.

L

um But I I I'd like to be able to talk to them before we commit to anything.

L

All the way down in here, uh but we can commit to they're committed to landscaping this entire area.

L

uh And we were there in the winter, but in the summer it's pretty densely planted and that's.

L

What they said they want to do so, whether we can come up with a preliminary landscaping plan.

L

If that's what you're looking for, that would be helpful, I mean I don't know how everybody.

E

Else feels about it on the commission yeah, something more of an assurance that it will.

J

Be planted and or replanted and an idea of what kind of plants are going to in there. Okay.

L

So we can provide a list of tree uh the tree, the shrubs and the flowers and.

L

uh The area that we're covering and.

L

An idea of the numbers, but again they do want to salvage some of the stuff. That's there now.

E

Okay, follow it yeah, and I um was there uh any kind of.

E

Maintenance plan on the previous areas, I believe that's on the detail sheet. You have to power wash.

L

Them regular every annually to get the uh and that's part of, and if it's not, we can add that.

L

Okay, you just put it there. Oh it's going to be a little tricky.

K

But typically, oh sorry, I can't I don't know.

L

Here, all of this is for the impervious.

L

So I can look at that. If you're missing anything, we can add it there's a whole.

L

You're correct: you have to basically clean it once.

B

A year it's down on the bottom that blue texture, oh yeah, oh okay,.

K

I'm not going to try to read it.

E

Okay, does regular cleaning will help maintain a high enough surface infiltration rate to soak.

B

Through the joints, at least one inspection and cleaning should be performed during the first.

B

Year of service, and thereafter, as required, cleaning is recommended when the surface.

B

Infiltration rate is less than 9 8 per hour, something like that 9.8. I think I think yeah.

M

It's per hour or 99 percent 99. Oh there we go yeah. They just need to clean anything that isn't sandy.

L

And often they put in this anything that has to be replaced. They put in the the sandy gravel material.

L

And reapply it they talk about vacuuming them and making sure snow removal blades are covered with.

M

A protective coating and yeah great so just to make sure that the homeowners have that.

E

It's not just in the plans because a lot of times it's just in the plans and then the.

E

Homeowners never going to go back and look at those plans. So if there's a method to.

E

Pass that on to the homeowners with that maintenance guide the sheet or.

E

Something we'll make sure they we do that and then it's passed on to new owners too.

D

If I might, this is a uh I walk through here, all the time, it's a great site. You know it's.

D

Really nice neighborhood back then anyway. uh This clearly is it's all wetlands back there.

D

And uh we hope that you could follow a plan of organic property maintenance for that property.

D

So that we can protect the wetlands, the uh northeast organic farms association has a.

D

Set of guidelines that regularly, we recommend to people to follow so that we can make sure that.

D

There are pesticides or anything else flowing into that into the wetlands, so we would ask and.

D

I'll request it via stipulation that you follow, or the owners follow nofa standards in the future.

D

In maintaining that property, there's a lot of good suggestions in there too. The discussion.

D

About flowers and other things you know a lot of that is in there and it's very, very flexible, okay.

A

You probably heard, with the last application too we're requiring wetland boundary markers yeah. I.

L

Was when I heard that I was thinking where what we're going to do so we can. We can put one on this.

L

Tree, which is right on the boundary, I guess we can put one right on the side of the porch on a post.

L

And then the other thing would have to be, it would have to be some sort of post in the ground. Yeah.

L

In the yard, we're on a run a rock or something yeah it can. I can be like.

A

It can be love, it doesn't have to be that high off the ground. So, okay.

K

Sure yeah well we'll see what she puts on yeah.

I

I'm gonna do this for the purpose of discussions, because I'm not sure what.

I

You want to happen barbara, but um so I will recommend approval for the conditional use.

I

Permit for purposes of discussion um at 86, newcastle ave with the following stipulations.

I

uh That the applicant address the drainage issue off of the roofs and the various angles. So we.

I

Know that that storm water is being managed that they post wetland boundary marker signs.

I

That they follow nofa standards and organic land management care, and that this would be.

I

My suggestion for stipulation that they come to the planning board meeting with some sort.

I

Of planting plan that includes an area equal to or greater than what is currently landscaped and that.

I

They use native plantings when they are designing how they re-landscape this area after construction.

C

Attention draw the the owner's attention to the fact that the pavers need maintenance in it.

A

Okay, the previous pavement maintenance guide for homeowners. So that's five.

A

Second, a second barbara, sorry, okay, discussion.

A

What do you is that? Do you want the planting plan to come? Repeater too, before just going to the.

A

Planning, whoever and if peter has questions about it, then I'll be glad to come around yeah.

B

So basically, you want a planning plan, that's equal or greater than what's what's planted currently.

C

Currently, plant landscaped you care where those plants are going like you would. Somebody had.

A

Suggested being closer to the boundary, that would be nice to be uh like behind the patio, removing.

C

Some of the grass, but I mean if they can equal our raiders yeah, equal or greater. That would be great.

E

Then you peter would sort of approve it. Well, if that's the requirement, that'd.

B

Be native plantings, equal or greater than the existing size. I can do that, but if you.

B

Want to see the planning plan and approve it then you'd have to have it come back.

B

But I can, I can at least review it for the type of plantings and the size of the planting area.

E

Seems like it's good yeah, I was going to say it. It helps to have it ahead of time.

E

um For us I understand, but because before we didn't have any questions about any of this.

L

And just from what I can see out there, that is not like a super green. You know heavily managed.

L

Lawn at by any means so- and I guess it it right now it just it's just a a lawn merging into a wet.

L

Meadow that they let grow up, naturally, um you know read changing that whole thing is, would not be as.

L

Preferable, I think, as maybe a few plantings here and there, but really we're just re-landscaping.

L

An area that we're disturbing so that's why we that's why we approached it the way we did. Okay,.

L

That's helpful, thank you. I I was just going to say for discussion purposes. Can we add one more.

E

Stipulation that the area that they let grow up as wet meadow continues to happen right. I think.

L

They have to annually mow it to prevent it from growing in, but they don't landscape it per se. Okay,.

I

Cool to know, I think, that's the piece for us is seeing it in the winter and covered.

I

In snow we don't know what it looks like and yeah. I haven't seen it in summer as being a.

J

Neighbor, it is just growing, naturally, there's nothing much that's done to it. It's awesome, yeah.

A

Yeah, the um stormwater infiltration from the roof. Do you want us? What do you want to see.

C

From that well, I think, as I said, you know like a two foot: stone drip edge or else.

C

Have the guttering system that directs the water in some way so that it just.

C

Doesn't free for, like an actual plan that that again, like gets that'd, be great? Okay,.

C

I mean that was what I was hoping to get so, okay, so a basic plan that shows what they're going to.

A

Do with the roofs you want to see infiltration from the house before it reaches the wetland right.

B

And you get all that before the planning for me yeah, it's we have to do it all the.

L

Time right on the ocean and seacoast and there's a system already there.

L

And that's why I said it would just be expanded, but we'll show it yeah on the.

L

Addition yeah show it in your submittal to the planning board and then we can move ahead.

A

Any other discussion.

A

Ready for a boat.

A

Barbara, yes, allison! Yes, yes, ted! Yes, lynn, yes, stuart! Yes and the chair votes. Yes,.

A

Thank you. Thank you, so mark just check the uh that I don't know off the top of my head. The.

B

Deadline for the planning board meeting, if you can get the stuff in by then oh, we will it'll.

B

Be the april meeting? No, not the march meeting I know so is that it doesn't go through anything.

L

Else, it's just no after we meet with you, you have time and we just get you. Oh we submit it.

L

To you also that the concom and the uh no just to the planning department, okay and then we get.

B

It on the planning board of agenda for you, and so we just need one hard copying: a digital copy.

B

And upload it to the site, I'll upload it to the style. I can't wait to do that. You can mail in the.

B

Hard copy, if you want okay, let's turn it into one pdf, that's the easiest got it. Thank you. Thank you.

A

All right uh committee and project updates.

A

Start well so are we is this where we would talk about the do you want to start with.

A

Stewardship event sure so um barbara and I were on the call at 10 this morning with peter and.

A

We were discussing a little bit about jess's event on friday and then our follow-up event on saturday.

A

And um peter had some ideas. If you want to talk about how you kind of your thoughts on.

A

The saturday stewardship event yeah- I just I just need to- I still need to check with public works in.

B

Terms of disposal of invasives, but I was wondering, if there's a more of a plan in terms of what.

B

What was going to be accomplished so, if it's part of an invasive removal plan or.

B

It's just a one-time invasive removal event. Well, I'm hoping that this is going to be an.

C

Annual event we are looking to I, I would like to concentrate on the oriental bittersweet removal.

C

um I know that toward the entrance, if we do do the.

C

Little harbor road there's a lot of poison ivy. There.

C

um Knock wood. I have not ever had a case of it, so I feel pretty comfortable uh cutting that back.

C

As well, but- and that's me personally- I would go there before anybody. That's not an invasive, though.

C

It's it's something, that's very problematic for a lot of people. Yes,.

L

Yes, so that's that's why I would just cut that back, but otherwise it's really constant and.

C

There was the last time I was down there. There was such a so much of that oriental bittersweet.

C

And it really depends on how many people we get. I mean you know, there's a potential to have just.

C

The people from the conservation commission show up, but then again there could be quite a few more.

C

I mean I we've already got free from prairie moon nurseries, a hundred packets of seats to.

C

Give anybody that volunteers, their um they're, a purple clover, which is uh you can seated on.

C

Ground you know bare ground in the spring and it'll come right up. um So it's it's very easy.

C

To take care of you know if people bring their children, I think that would be a great thing.

C

For them to do with their kids and to watch the seeds and how they sprout and things, but anyway,.

C

um Yeah, so it would be nice to do little harbor, but then again we could also go to some place like.

C

um The high school cross-country course out there by sagamore that's a huge area and there's a lot.

C

Of invasives there, including the bittersweet, which is the thing that I find most problematic because.

C

It kills trees that it grows in, but there's an awful lot of knotweed and buckthorn and.

C

All kinds of other things out there as well, so is the idea now you're gonna do a sort of.

B

A field preview to see where the best site would be yes, because the one thing I think.

B

um You might want to consider- and it's maybe a little bit different type of event, but I think.

B

It could do both um is the grape fog, the trails out in the great bog that are in the upland area.

B

Are completely overgrown and really could use clearing, and it could be something that even a.

B

Small group could tackle if it's only a small group, they probably could get it done. But if.

B

It's a bigger group, we could do invasives as well, so I would just ask you to consider that in when.

B

You're, looking at the sites to do okay, it might be a really good one, because you'll accomplish.

B

Two things: by doing it so- um and I hadn't thought of it this morning when we met but.

B

I think it's an area that I've been, we usually get volunteers, but I think, since covid and and.

B

We just haven't had there's hunters that go out there a lot, but not a lot of people go out there.

B

So it hasn't been kept open and usually I'll get like a volunteer group from an organization or a.

B

Company, that has volunteers that come out and it's usually a one day thing just to clear it.

B

It's pretty overgrown now. I think we could do it in one day, but at least tackle some of it. Well, I.

C

Had written to both you and peter rice, I included you on the email message that we, the three of us.

C

Were going to go out and walk different sites, so we were going to check out little harbor first.

C

But then it's good to have options, because if we feel like that's not a good place, then.

C

It could be the great bog sure, yeah and I've. I've got a call into him or an email unto him just to.

B

Check on the ability of someone to pick up and what they'd be picking up, and I guess we need.

B

To know how they're going to deliver, but I think we talked about if it was in the black plastic.

C

Bag, if we were going to have invasive, they were going to be bagged. So I'll get back to you on that.

E

I think the idea was a little bit working on jess's author last meeting to do the.

E

Friday thing and have a table and then offer this up as a next day activity, but.

E

um So you know whether or not there's other people on the conservation commission that.

E

Would be interested in being involved in either one of those? So I think we were.

E

Looking for both the friday four to seven still happening, and also the saturday event.

E

And what does that mean? It will look like a little bit more but yeah.

C

And so I mean like this is for everybody to add their comments. I mean anything that you.

C

Think is, I think this is awesome. I've already been sharing with people that this is one of.

M

The actions that'll be happening that day, um I would love to participate, but I've.

I

Already committed to doing a cleanup on pierce island that morning, so that's where I will be.

I

um But we will definitely include this as we start to market, not only the kickoff event on friday, but.

I

Things that people can participate on saturday, we will definitely share this as one of the options.

C

um So and I I've spoken to stephanie secord, who is going to put it in the.

C

Newsletter, the city newsletter as an activity that hopefully will also get some traction for.

C

For people to volunteer and we'll get it to you, brian too, for the facebook page yep yeah.

D

I think this whole thing is great and my son actually uh works at mount agamemicus.

D

And he's responsible for volunteers, clearing the trails, all that kind of stuff you know.

D

And he said that a lot of people come from portsmouth and they say you know we'd, like.

D

To help out, but the city doesn't do anything you know, so they two events on one day: yeah wow.

E

But I like that, I, like the slant of having it be kind of an opportunity to have people.

E

um Learn about invasives too, and like a citizen, scientist kind of thing, where.

E

You know if there's some clearing, we do. We don't have a plan yet on how to manage the invasives on.

E

The public undeveloped land, so it could be like a kind of a kickoff to what kind of gaps we have.

E

And what we need to plan, but they learn about the invasives they learn about. You know like peter. You.

E

Had said how to go home and look at their yards or something like that, we'd try to keep up yeah and.

C

That's really important, I mean I, I have neighbors that finally, my husband and I volunteered to cut.

C

Out this whole area, which was just invasives and it just kept blowing the seeds over into.

C

My yard, and so we cleaned out the whole thing and planted a ginkgo in its place. You know this week.

C

's bothering me so much you have to discussion. Discuss had me thinking.

H

Okay, I need to go home and look at a couple of things, because I don't know what they are.

I

Maybe one of the things on the friday night piece that conservation commission could do would be.

I

Having a list of native species for people, so if they're trying to shift their gardens and their.

I

Landscaping to that just giving people good ideas about, because I know you you know like.

I

I've learned through this commission and like so technically norway maples aren't native, but they.

I

Might not be such a bad option anymore, so just giving that information to people the things.

I

They really should avoid, or you know that I feel like would be hugely helpful. The other thing that.

C

We're trying to do is to make these events environmental in themselves, so that we don't.

C

Want to handle out a lot of paper, so that's the other thing that we're trying to balance it's like.

C

There are a lot of pieces of paper, we could hand people on why wetlands are important and.

C

What invasive species are and what native plantings could be, but all that paper you.

C

Know I'm just I'm just not sure how to handle it right. You know. So if anybody has any suggestions.

C

I mean we had talked about, maybe just having a a board, a poster of some sort that has different.

C

um Qr symbols on it, so that you can that's a link to the website so that you can go in and you want.

C

To find out more about you know, native species or whatever, if that appeals at all I mean we could do.

C

Something like that, I think that's a good idea. Maybe you haven't handed up for a list of all.

E

I noticed I noticed on my computer yesterday for the first time. Actually, I was looking at.

C

A site- and I I right clicked on something and it said to create you car uh qr code, for this site.

C

So I thought well, it's so easy and I can do it and to your point. I had this conversation with.

I

The library too so we've been talking about anything that we do hand out. We try to make.

I

It multi-functional so that you know, maybe it is details about your event on saturday, so they.

I

Know where to be and when to be, but then on the back side has a native planting list. So.

I

They might actually hang on to that as a reference or something so right, and the other thing is that.

C

Rather than supplying people with water at the event to just you know, recommend that everybody.

C

Bring their water bottles with them, and I mean I'll be glad to make some cookies or something.

C

I can make some gluten-free peanut butter cookies for munchies at the at the event, wherever we are.

A

um The other thing I had written down was to talk about was the ordinance review, which.

A

um Allison barber and I are meeting at the beginning of april to like really look at them.

A

And then, from that discussion we would come back in front of the conservation commission.

A

For a work session to talk about it with everybody before it goes further down the line.

C

And that's all I have so it would be really helpful for anybody that has a.

C

Contribution regarding like, if you look at our ordinance and you think of some way to approach.

C

Climate change address climate change in our.

C

Ordinance that would be helpful because we don't have enough information. I think for people.

C

It I get very upset when they want to cut down forest and put in a parking lot, and so can we.

C

Have alternatives that will be greener than just putting in a parking lot, even if it's a.

C

Porous pavement, you need something more than that. So is there some way that we can work.

C

In having solar carport over the parking lot, or can we have islands where they're heavily treed.

C

um You know just things like that that we can introduce in our ordinance to.

J

Is it possible to get a copy, or where can I find those ordinances first, like as they are.

J

To be able to look at them and make sure yeah, you should have gotten a the star zoning ordinance.

B

Article 10, you should have gotten that when you started okay, but if you don't, um I can send you.

B

No, no, it's online, you can get the um the whole zoning ordinance and then you can zero in on the.

C

Chapter that you want, which is 10. yeah article 10, is really yeah and read through and just like.

A

Pick out anything that you think needs to be stronger or where it's like. I don't know.

A

Maybe so you guys you're gonna meet in early april yeah, uh so we will probably be discussing it in.

I

May most likely, probably okay yeah. I just want to know time frame when you should be.

E

So the other update the other, updated governance, the government yeah. I.

E

Attended the government governance committee: I think it is um so it's.

E

um City, councilor, kate, cook, who's kind of seems to be the chair of that or or.

E

What she's heading it up and there is counselor tabor and there's one other counselor.

E

uh Older guy- I'm sorry oh lombardi lombardi. Thank you yeah yeah, so they have. um They had a meeting.

E

Based on really looking at portsmouth's undeveloped lands and had some things that.

E

Had come up in their discussions as a governance committee about what to do with those properties.

E

And realize that they probably aren't the ones to make recommendations on that, so they invited.

E

Everybody that might have something to do with that to the that that particular meeting and it.

E

Was conservation commission the planning they? I don't think that actually the planning board was.

E

There but the recreation committee, the chair of that, was there, the greenery cemetery, greenery and.

E

Trees committee there was somebody representing all of those different groups and speaking about.

E

uh Ideas- and I basically told them all about our study- the pula study, the open space plan and what.

E

Kind of things we run into with meetings and then talked a little bit about the money that was set.

E

Aside for land conservation um opportunities in the future- and um they had some ideas about.

E

What they wanted to do, they were talking about boardwalks and opportunities to do bird watching.

E

And you know, I think the other one was frisbee golf. You know kind of passive sort of passive.

E

Recreation combined with some active recreation opportunities, so I definitely said I think this.

E

Really is under the preview of the conservation commission in peter. You had followed up a little.

E

Bit because suzanne was there and they got in touch with you but yeah. I know I had provided.

B

Him likes to the pool of study and the open space plan and or sent them there anyway. Yeah.

E

So hopefully, we'll be hearing more about this in the future. I think it was really nice that.

E

She was trying to be inclusive. She wants some of this to be more of a public process. I think.

E

So we'll see what comes out of that, but if anybody has any questions I think either peter. I can help.

E

With that, I mean interest in it. Well, my big concern is that I mean the conservation land.

C

Has stipulations on it and it's been set aside for specific purposes, and so I don't I, I hope.

C

People understand that the conservation land is different from creating a the hockey rink.

C

Recreation center, which was in the paper today, you know um I mean, and the thing is that the.

C

City has a finite amount of land available and we want affordable housing or do we want recreation.

C

You know a big recreation with a hockey rink or do we want affordable housing? I mean like it may.

C

Come down to that, but uh I think that's a lot of the conservation land should remain that way.

C

Yeah so hockey rink's coming what'd, you say ted. The hockey rink is coming.

A

I didn't I didn't. I said the hockey rink is coming yeah yeah. I didn't see it in the paper.

A

I was just I I've learned. I've worked tried to work, uh you know on synthetic fields and.

D

Try to get natural grass in instead and the athletic community is just such a powerful.

D

Lobby all those little sports teams. You know you march out a bunch of 10 year olds and I said we.

D

Want a hockey rink, you know it's, it's got a call, it's unbelievable! It's a waste of money.

D

They're they're not cost efficient, you know, but it's going to happen say anywhere. Did they have.

A

Locations or talking you know, community campus people think that's an endless resource. You know.

D

But it's it's going to be coming. They should pay over pierce island pool.

C

Put it there that won't matter there as much, but but I have very strong feelings about this, because.

E

We have done so much work and because it seems like everybody's trying to grab at some of this so.

E

um Just to let you know, I'm not taking it lightly um conservation land is, it says it in the name.

E

It should stay that way. Yeah I mean some of it is not actually set aside. As with an easement that.

E

Way but yeah, it's been there's recommendations and it's doesn't involve those things so.

J

I'm sorry I actually have to leave. I have to pick up my son, so I think we're I think we're done yeah anything else.

F

Can I make a couple comments? Is lynn yeah yeah? Sorry, it's a little tricky to jump in. That's so.

F

Weird now, I'm like seeing myself twice um just a couple, little things that I just to kind of.

F

Catch up the events that you were talking about the friday and the saturday, what are.

F

Those the dates of those friday april 21st and saturday april 22nd, earth day, earthquake.

F

Okay, perfect and friday comes from four to seven at the connie bean. Did you hear that.

C

Yep and we were talking nine till noon for the stewardship event.

F

And that's the statue of event is like an all invited kind of thing us, but plus anyone else.

F

We might want to invite yes, I love that idea. That's great um one! Other idea I had too for.

F

The that sort of relates to both conversations for the I guess, the friday event um it'd be fun.

F

To just like raise the visibility of all this fantastic conservation land that portsmouth has.

F

um Like one of the ideas I was thinking about, for that table is, if we had, you know like a big map.

F

Of some of the conservation land in portsmouth um and just a little bit of more information.

F

About what's there, and there could even be like a little exercise too, where we gave people like.

F

A little sticky dot and if you've been to any of these sites, stick stick a little sticker. There.

F

With your initials on it or something like that, something a little bit interactive, but that also.

F

Just you know talked a little bit about the value of this, this land that we have, um because I feel.

F

Like there's, there's land that people don't even know is there and if they knew it was there and.

F

Maybe had a chance to visit it now and then that would just build. You know write more support for.

F

um For the conservation land itself, but that's an idea that I would for some curious if people like.

F

That idea, and um if we want to do that, I might need a little bit of help actually generating.

F

That map and printing it and mounting it and stuff, but I'd, be happy to sort of help.

F

Be there to facilitate an activity like that? I think that's a great idea and I and I think.

C

That jess was trying to emphasize that we wanted something to be interactive so that you know it.

C

Will draw people's attention yeah? I love it. I know other people have talked about using those. I guess.

I

They're called dot boards, but those big like survey, questions where you put a dot yes or no.

I

Or so that would kind of be in line with that, if there wind up being a few of them around the event.

E

And I think peter steve whitman did that at an event that I went to when he was doing.

B

The open space plan, yeah they've, done that a little bit yeah, so there's and we could.

B

Help we could help put something together either a big map or something like that.

F

Okay, yeah that'd be awesome, and I don't. I think this is probably not the place to ask. But if the.

I

Great bay discovery center wants to be there in some magnitude. They're, obviously welcome as well.

F

Yeah there probably isn't the capacity to send somebody there.

F

You girls are going to be at the stewardship event right.

F

Yeah yeah, no I'll totally bring my kids to both events. Actually, I think it'd be.

F

Fun I'll, maybe even put them to work at either one.

F

um Yeah and then the the other little comment I wanted to make. I'm sorry, I'm like jumping around.

F

But to the comment about the ordinance review just um in the paskato region, estuary's partnership.

F

Prep just released a small grant program with an application deadline of april 28th. So if there was.

F

Any interest in asking for a little bit of money, it's like up to 25k, um you know doing a buffer.

F

Ordinance update, maybe combined with some outreach around what buffer protection means in portsmouth.

F

I think could be a competitive idea for that opportunity, um but again it's something I.

F

Could maybe help with a little bit, but would only want to do if it really dovetailed with.

F

What the the buffer ordinance group wants to do, and and peter and kate thought were appropriate.

B

Yeah working on stuff wait, I might well, so we don't have any work on the buffer right now.

B

But we did get a grant for twenty thousand dollars from the mousse plate. We're we're just waiting for.

B

That to come finalize, but we got the notification that we have it and we'll be doing remapping. The.

B

Wetland boundaries right so updating our wetland map city-wide wetland map, um but I didn't uh have.

B

A plan to submit something for that uh prepa grant or prep grant, but we can look at that. I mean that.

B

Could be something I think it's challenging to if it has to be adopting the ordinance, because it.

B

Takes so long to get it through the city system and what the planning board and council want.

B

To see in terms of in terms of coming up with recommendations and where we want to adjust, it.

B

That might be where it's at and outreach certainly is something that we could always use help with.

B

So if it's hiring so I'm going to do outreach on the buffer, just as it is now I mean that in.

B

Itself is something that could be useful, so we can look at that thanks for bringing that up.

K

B

Okay- and you guys know the cip pass and the the.

B

The conservation money conservation fund money is in there, which will then go to.

B

The budget in the in the summer or in the spring, um and that would go, wouldn't you.

B

Know it's not authorizing the budget yet, but that's what puts it in the budget so.

B

um That's moving ahead and what else is in there I feel like. We really need to be moving forward.

C

With what properties we want to look at, because we don't want something to go on the market.

E

Anything else motion to adjourn.

A

um So I mentioned that we had earned. Let's do a vote for that right. You don't have to okay.