Environmental Commission Minutes

October 3, 2007     

 

Attendance: Kevin Edwards (Chair), Oliver Turner, Cathy Harvey, Murray Robertson, Gary Webb (Borough Manager - Guest), Todd Terhune, Phil Notestine, Corey Nachshen, and Khizar Sheikh, Blair Wilson, Brian Marshall (EC Alumnus)

Total = 11

 

Absent:  Jeana Macleod, Tom Carr

Apologies: Tom Carr

 

Introductions: Corey (New EC member) and Khizar (Membership pending)

 

Meeting called to order: 7.37pm

Approval of September minutes: Murray seconded by Cathy

 

Goal Updates

 

1. Well Head Protection (WHP)


Kevin – Discussion of imap – we should all look to use it.

 

Todd – What is the current status of Well Head legal authority? How do we enforce ordinances form outside ML (e.g. Denville) in ML?

 

Gary Webb - No agreement in place.

 

Corey – Discussion of Denville ordinance

 

Murray – Perhaps Denville should be encouraged to adopt our ordinance

 

Gary – Discussion of the current state of the ML wells

 

Kevin and Murray – What would we do if our wells get contaminated? (#3 and #4)

 

Gary – Stripper to collect contaminants

 

Cathy – How do we protect ground water?

 

Gary – We don’t

 

Corey – Discussion of well and aquifer

 

Gary - Properties / businesses around wells and how they are managed.

 

Kevin – Compare ordinances

 

Corey – Will look through the various ordinances – e.g. Denville, Booton Twp. Passaic Valley. The ‘Master Plan’ (ML Planning board will be discussing this) is being re-written.

 

Kevin – Any Highlands Act info in Master Plan?

 

Gary – Should be. If we lost a well(s), we would look for ‘excess allocation’ in adjacent towns – Booton, Parsippany, and Jersey City. Pump Houses, strippers….

 

Gary / Corey – Description of what a stripper is & how it works…

 

Kevin / Cathy – What now? Action Items

 

  1. Corey – Will speak with Denville – before next meeting – liaise with Gary

 

  1. Todd – Will look in to what ML owns – Deeds etc – Liaise with Gary

 

  1. Gary – Look at tax maps

 

  1. Murray and Gary – Further discussion on what can we do in worst case scenario?

 

Water allocation vs. stripper

 

Gary / Corey / Blair / Phil – Discussion on current ML water position; no more hook-ups, building new wells.

 

Oliver – Remember Tom said he will check the archives for historical discussions

 

  1. Corey – Will email Tom

 

2. King of Kings Property - Development

 

Murray - We have permission to walk the property. Discussed Topographical map and plan that was outlined at September 2007 EC minutes; High density vs. low density plans.

NB: ‘Concept plans’ only.

 

Gary – Discussion of ‘Steep slope’ ordinance – can’t build on steep slopes (>15%). Allocation issue – they can’t get water hook-ups from ML. Sandy Batty would be a great resource. EC should look to advise council on how to address this site. Remember that the planning board has not been presented with this project.

 

Cathy – Why not wait until planning board has seen this?

 

Gary – EC can study present ordinances and see how they apply to this site. Look at wet lands, steep slope.

 

Cathy – What is the position of Council?

 

Gary - We don’t have a problem going after grants to ‘buy’ this site: e.g. Green acres…

 

Kevin – Shall we walk the site?

 

Todd – Why did the developers walk away?

 

Murray – We should be proactive….

 

Kevin/Blair – Is this a task for the EC? We should look to provide the environmental assessment.

 

Gary - It is zoned R1. It has an option of cluster housing. Developer has to develop according to ML ordinances.

 

Oliver/Gary - Vacant land adjustment discussion. Unusual that interested developers did not contact ML to get details.

 

Gary/Corey – Firm capacity and allocation discussion. Bring well #3 online.

 

Murray/Oliver/Cathy/Kevin/Corey – Murray - development is inevitable. Corey- Can we change the slopes?

 

  1. Cathy – Let’s check the Highland’s Act. Kevin- Lets do the research

 

  1. Khizar – Will look into the changes of the ordinances – Red bank decision and now…

 

  1. Cathy – Will look into ordinances – slopes etc

 

Todd/Corey – Any endangered species on this site (flora /fauna) will ‘kill’ the whole process

 

Kevin – Who will walk? When? – Oliver, Kevin, others…..when…Saturday 13th 2pm? Meet at Sherwood Drive.

 

Cathy/Blair/Todd – Discussion of ML parcels of land that are not built on at present…

 

Kevin – ERI discussion

 

Blair – This could be a good 2008 project for the EC

 

3. Special Report: Storm water management: Brian Marshall - “Troy Brook Regional Stormwater Management Plan”

 

Team with Rutgers University

 

Now submitted and approved. Will be adopted next year

 

Presented projects in ML that we should consider. Next round of funding is spring 2008.

 

“Disconnection projects”

 

Action Committee is proposing that ML implements:

 

 

Perhaps:

 

 

General discussion on other projects

Will EC support these? Does EC have other thoughts on what to do?

 

  1. Blair/Brian – Action committee will need a letter from council and EC to be part of grant proposal. Goals for 2008

 

  1. Brian – Will email the web link to the EC

 

Cathy/Kevin/Blair - Goals, actions, budget for 2008

 

Brian/Kevin/Blair- New sites for Borough Hall

 

Wetlands, buffer zones etc…

 

4. EC Budget(s)

 

Kevin – Discussion of monies available at different boroughs vs. ML

Blair – Annual municipal ML budget, approx $6 M.

Oliver/Blair/Murray – It has been this way for at least 9 years. ML has no ratable – >90% residential. No big taxable industry in the town.

 

2008 – What shall we propose?

Gary/Blair/EC - Education (of EC members) – “need to keep up to date with issues”

  1. Get proposal ready before end of year – Council presentation in Jan 2008.

 

5. Riparian Buffer (Kevin)

 

Request for renewal of questions. Kevin will send out the latest draft ordinance

 

Blair – table this for next meeting

 

General comments

 

Deer Cull 2002 to present…

 

Phil – Discussion of Deer issue in ML – count, cull and actions. Bow hunting. Aim; less than 10 per square mile = stable herd of 20. Deer do not usually move beyond 1-2 miles of where they are born. Aim to do an aerial infrared scan in February 2008: $4-6000

 

Blair – Pair with Denville.

 

Bear and Coyote issue. Monmouth County – children attacked by coyote. CARE.

 

Change date of EC meetings

 

Kevin - Change date for EC meetings as Todd is not available for next 6 months.

Proposal of second Wednesday of each month…

Unanimous YES vote

 

AOB

 

Meetings should end at around 9.00pm

 

Public Comments

 

None

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10.15pm

Next meeting November 14th at 7.30pm