Minutes of Citizens’ Advisory Committee meeting for Wilmington Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP)

February 21, 2006 , Wilmington Town Hall

1.  Attendees (14) (Bold= Wilmington resident)

Background

Please see previous minutes or contact Town Supervisor or project consultant for background. 

Previous Business

-          The committee closed membership at this meeting as previously agreed.

-          The consultant has established a web page (see:  http://www.adksc.org/Wilim%20LW/wilm2.html or go to ASCI web site http://www.adksc.org/ and click on “Wilmington Local Waterfront Program”) for the LWRP on its web site and the address will be circulated to the committee for comment before the page is publicized more broadly.

Items

-                      Follow up from the community meeting

·                     There was general agreement that the January 31 meeting went well and was well attended.  The write up of the meeting was accepted.   This will be published on the web site. 

·                     A suggestion to use the firehouse for a bigger meeting place at the next community meeting was put forward. 

-                      Next steps – a/several workshop(s)?  A subgroup of Tom , Dawn, Kara, and Judi will develop a plan for focused community workshop(s).

-                      The current survey will be continued for a while yet and included in town newsletter to ensure most residents can respond.  Only about 30 have done so to date. 

-                      Inventory:  we hope to get the inventory / boundary work about 90 percent completed by end of March so we can begin the next phase of strategy / policy work.  To do that we need input from townspeople to fill in gaps.  The following items were discussed:

·                     Holly A. will work with Garrett and Kara to collect additional information from residents and committee members

·                     Boundary:  It makes sense to most to use the watershed line, within the Town limits.  This will be circulated and discussed again.

·                     Additional data on fish populations may be forthcoming from ASRA creel survey which will be extended to include Lake Everest , and we should probably organize a stream channel analysis akin to Keene/Rivermede volunteer work; ASRA can train Wilmington volunteer core in this technique.  ASCI also has experience in participatory science approach. 

·                     All will document anecdotal information (stories, memories, photos) of activities previously engaged on in river/lake, and e-mail to Kara.  For example, a history of how the lake came to increase its marshy character would be helpful; “there were not so many cattails until the dam boards were left on 2 years ago…” These statements need to be documented and confirmed and counted as part of our history. 

·                     The consultant will review the community revitalization plan of 2001 again to ensure the ideas and data are captured in the current project inventory.  This was done for background but not data. 

·                     All will review inventory and maps Map work – fishing access, trails, boundary to include tributaries? 

·                     Small groups will focus on select issues then share with all as follows (Kara and Garrett will support/participate in all):

§         Land use / zoning:   Jim C., Judi, Michael V., Jeanne

§         Water use / Public Access / Recreation (fishing, beach, trails, Flume, parking, bathrooms, etc.):  Guy, Rachel

§         Infrastructure (road runoff, water / storm water management, roads, point sources):  Garrett, Mike Fayette (they will interview town employees as well)

§         Historic resources:  Guy will share with WHS

§         Anecdotes of local use / memories:  Dawn, Mary Ellin

-                      A small group to focus on Strategies/projects work starting in March/April was formed:  Judi, Dawn, Michael V., Kara, Garrett, Tom , probably Jeanne. 

Comments from Mike Fayette, DOT:

·                     Sedimentation could also come from land cover change – i.e. landowners cutting excessive vegetation, which is naturally necessary to slow runoff. 

·                     Some mapped data on road catchment basins may be available, invited Garrett to visit Etown office. 

·                     Experience from Alexandria Bay LWRP very positive. 

·                     Septic pollution should be part of review – codes enforced

Norms adopted by committee

(From the minutes of meeting on 12/03/05.):

For more information on the Wilmington LWRP, please contact:

Jeanne Ashworth , Town Supervisor (946 7179) or Kara Page , ASCI (946 7557)