Meeting Minutes
September 6, 2006
Meeting called to order
Attending:
Review of Attendance & Agenda
Goals & Budget for 2007 planning
I. Homework for the Commission = Write down some goals for October Meeting
A) 1 Budget is due in November
B) 2 Leadership – who?
C) 3 Membership – additions?
Councilperson should not chair meetings (Blair needs to finalize this by Dec)
Membership =
Can he take on tasks off location?
Paul Shorb left
Need a chairman = Agenda, organize minutes, manage meeting.
No one attending has been a chair before.
III. Need a Secretary
IV. List of Issues
Riparian Buffer Zone – Jeana– Model ordinance (also sent to Borough Council) received. Some applies, some does not. Was this an education ordinance or something enforceable? Not circulated to the Woodlands committee. Copy was dropped to Phil, then to Woodlands committee—unknown? Jeana will type up comments for October meeting.
V. King of Kings
Nothing new? Acreage issues were changed to encourage cluster housing. 10 acres to 8 acres zoning. Borough Planning Board approved zoning to encourage cluster housing. 8+ acres steeply sloped. K Hovnanian won the bid over the Mountain Lakes Land Conservancy. At this point, they will need variance to build high density housing there.
No comments from the council on the letter from the Environmental Commission.
VI. Set back home protection mailings
Jeana – Hold up on addresses – done
Laurel has all the addresses
Should this issue be publicized now or in the spring? Blair will check with Gary.
VII. Invasives = Woodlands issue (if it applies to all
woods) ? vs. EC (on your property)
strictly educational purpose.
Woodlands
has a page on website w/ links.
Pertaining
Property owners – how do we educate them as to which plants should not be
planted eg Japanese barberry/
Jeana– Other info is available at a local landscaping
center.
What about
approaching the Garden Club?
Phil - Who would do
this?
League of Women Voters?
Garden Club Website
is easy and quick (Phil’s)
Murray Robertson’s idea.
Somewhere
this information should also be integrated into schools – Gina knows about
stream study – presentations were made (6th grade).
Phil =
suggest committee engage themselves in the school.
Rockaway Valley – Boonton Township Garden Club does
this. Woodlands, Lakes, EC & Shade
Tree can all get involved.
VIII. Deer
UBNJ – to oversee
All woodlots are not posted.
Bowhunters must be 450’ from
dwellings and public roads.
Prefer they are UBNJ approved.
Very few property owners have given permission or are the
lots large enough.
Don Lombardo is the contact.
2/3 of the town can be considered deer habitat. The [deer] population is high.
3 – 4 per square mile is the goal for woodlands
regeneration.
Budget is very tight.
Should the group ask for the money for a survey, aerial or otherwise.
Susan Purdle, Chief Biologist – NJ
State, has a better surveying group – could Morristown group help pay for it w/
a better informed company - perhaps next year.
If only 50 – 60 deer are spotted, the effort will not be
worthwhile. Survey is used to justify
the shoots based on the deer (population).
Propose that1 year from February (Feb 2008) … shooting in
F2008. (DMS) KE – suggest UBNJ collects
population data after hunting trips.
What were the costs $200/head x
70 deer or what?
Phil - $6000 or $300/day/hunter + $130/head
No accidents, no complaints
Jeana– Survey 2 years ago = doesn’t want the herd to
accelerate without a head count.
DMS will not come into town to cull (a few) <100 deer.
Phil will suggest to Don Lombardo.
Phil was at Boonton Township meeting, Emile DeVito, knowledgeable deer management individual.
Morris County Parks Commission is culling deer in the town.
Armen Suggest
we prepare line items for 2008, if not proposed and approved for ‘07
Steve – What can we do to sponsor/encourage undergrowth
success?
1. Phil - Invasive plants
2. educational
programs in schools
IX : Bird
Feeding
Jeana– Wrote about a news item to take down birdfeeders
April Home & School News
Phil /// only dependency
Bear
X. Fusee
Armen – Liaison to Planning Board. Site plan application
approved. No variances involved.
Ordinances were changed to accommodate their needs.
[Todd questions]
Work is contingent on environmental approvals.
Soil remediation – Removed dirt – vs. caps (former strategy)
No plan approvals have been seen.
How can site plan be approved w/o remedial contingencies?
Annual reporting? No
responses from the DEP – why not?
Wetland mitigation?
BLAIR WILL E-MAIL GARY TO INQUIRE. Forward to Todd. EC should be copied by law because wetlands
are involved.
Roy Dignes has a group set up to
manage affordable housing responsibilities. Property was sold to Weber Homes.
Look at August 4 email for 7 outstanding issues.
Jeana – Are we as commission members responsible? Chris – contrast the concepts of abiding by
the law vs. performing the law.
Copies to municipality vs. who is
responsible for circulation?
Todd – Wetlands rules list EC’s as recipients. For some site remediation, it may not be
necessary.
XI. Echo Hike
Trail Sign – Tom Carr issue, start up meetings with Mark 5:15pm at Mark’s
office, the DPW Director.
Mtg to review issues to EC: Storm
water, DPW cleanup, fuel tanks. EC works
on educational pieces.
XII. Gulf Station
– Murray issue. Resolved. Next to Paul’s Diner. Leak?
XIII. Mobil Oil, Parsippany – Discussion of tank pulls to upgrade
to modern equipment, There is no EC in Parsippany. If an issue is “downstream
from Mtn. Lakes, it may not be an issue for the Mtn Lakes EC.
XIV: The EC Website update – Will it continue to be Tom’s
responsibility?
XV – Other:
Susan Ferguson – Lakes Commission –
We should have the Lakes Commissions minutes.
Blair: Morris Habitat for Humanity will be opening a ‘building supply thrift store’ for the Resale of bldg materials and some furniture to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
Submitted by,
Kevin Edwards