Environmental Commission Minutes

February 7, 2007     

7:30pm

 

Attendance: Kevin Edwards, Steve Butera, Cathy Harvey, Jeana Macleod, Todd Terhune, Oliver Turner, Murray Robertson, Armen Melikian, Phil Notestine, Tom Carr, GUEST: Gary Webb - Total = 11         Absent:  Chris Stitt, Blair Wilson.

 

I. Introductions & Opening Remarks:

 

Kevin Edwards called the meeting to order at 7.35pm

Oliver Turner was acknowledged as secretary and thanked for taking on the responsibility

 

II. Updates and Discussion

 

Incoming Mail.

Kevin Edwards highlighted mail items that the EC had received during the last month:

 

1. Mountain Lakes Gulf Station – Route 46

 

In 2006: 2 violations – $50 fines each if they plead guilty, otherwise it may be up to $200 each. The state also proposed a license suspension of 5 days.

 

2. Roy Dignes (Fusee) Property – No Further Action (NFA) letter from NJDEP (12/20/06)

 

Murray Robertson; Discussed whether the EC should do anything in response to the NFA. What is the nature of the work done to date? Should the EC explore / clarify the issues first raised (15years ago?) surrounding this site?

 

Murray Robertson and Todd Terhune will follow up; approach (call) Linda Taylor (Case Manager). Possibly also look at the State records.

 

3. Weber Homes – Treatment Works Approval Permit (11/28/06)

 

Todd Terhune will look at the application.

 

4. ANJEC Planning Grants

 

Discussed the monies available (up to $20,000) and that the EC should consider applying. Gary Webb – Suggested an application for endangered species.

 

 

 

 

 

III GUEST: Gary Webb

 

Welcomed and introduced by Kevin Edwards.

 

Presented and discussed:

 

Water Supply Capacity Analysis – Mountain Lakes Water System: 9/11/2006

 

Discussed well nos.1 - 5; Rates and Capacity.

 

 

If firm capacity and allocation are not met, Mountain Lakes could face a fine ($ non-disclosed) from NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection). DEP needs to see 5 years of reduced use before this is no longer an issue. The EC needs to put together recommendations to lower the usage. Gary Webb outlined three:

 

1.      Residential houses should have a second, outside water meter, installed at the owner’s expense – no sewage charge on this meter. It was stressed that this does not in and of itself promote water conservation. A 15% - 20% surcharge on outside meters was proposed

 

2.      Alternate day watering for June, July, August.

 

3.      Raising the rates for high-end water users

 

Murray Robertson; – Proposed sending a letter to the high-end users to educate them on how much they are using compared to others in the borough. He also suggested making it a High School student project. He will contact the High School - Environmental Group.

 

Cathy Harvey; – suggested community wide water conservation project and asked what have other towns done?

 

Other issues discussed with Gary Webb

 

Mountain Lakes is at 74% and 63% of average water and sewage (usage) compared with surrounding towns.

 

In Mountain Lakes, residential and commercial users are charged the same rates.

 

In Mountain Lakes, $15,000 allocated for salt on the roads per year. When it gets very cold, a salt - grit combination is used. Many members of the EC complained of excessive salt on the roads. Gary Webb said he will investigate.

 

Kevin Edwards; Proposed the central point for all water recommendations to be Tom Carr. Recommendations need to be with Gary Webb by March 2007.

 

IV. Goal Updates

 

1. Drinking water and water use (Tom Carr)

 

Reiterated Gary Webb’s report.

Announced that the EC will meet with DPW (Department of Public Works) – monthly. The first of these meetings will be on Monday March 5th at 5.30pm at the DPW – All are invited. Send any questions beforehand to Tom Carr.

 

2. Riparian Buffer (Jeana Macleod)

 

Discussed Riparian Buffer Conservation Zone (RBCZ) model ordinance:

 

Asked what does council want?

Do we want buffers for residential / commercial / public / all?

Uses permitted / not permitted in the RBCZ

 

Jeana Macleod will write a draft ordinance and send an email to all – needs / requested guidance for writing it

 

Cathy Harvey – Suggested that the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee would be a good guide:  (WRWAC), P.O. Box 223, Morristown, NJ 07963-0223. Tel 973-267-1224.

 

3. Deer Report Phil Notestine, – Final decision on ‘Hot Shot’ Inc (CO) proposal for deer census?

 

14 deer harvested from Sept 2006 up until now, by the United Bowhunters of NJ (UBNJ), Compared with 9 last year during the same time period.

 

General feeling is that we are ‘doing well’ with deer control.

Long term aim should be to control with bow hunting.

 

Don’t NEED to do infrared count (‘Hot Shot’ Inc. proposal for deer census), BUT, Phil Notestine, Tom Carr and Murray Robertson think it a good idea to do one.

 

EC needs to decide whether it spends the money on a survey? $3700 is available.

 

4. Hess and Gulf Sites (Murray Robertson)

 

No report                    

 

5. Invasive Plants (Cathy Harvey)

 

Rockaway garden and regional garden clubs will collaborate with Mountain lakes initiative with the aim being to educate - via displays at schools and garden centers

 

Question was posed: Are landscapers fined if they plant invasive plants. Should the EC investigate this?

 

By April Cathy Harvey will have recommendations ready.

 

6. Tree Cutting Ordinance (Armen Melikian)

 

Discussed the Mountain Lakes ordinance to protect trees – Borough and private.

 

Private trees can’t be controlled by the borough. Borough only has action for ‘right-of-way trees’. However, >8” diameter on private need a permit to be cut.

 

Discussed ordinance education ‘postcard’ to be sent tree-cutters and residents and an article for Home and School bulletin - Annual entry. Will draft and send to all via email. Murray Robertson – concerned about enforcement of the ordinance – especially RESTORATION e.g.: Terracing and welling kills trees

           

Todd Terhune – should the EC be looking at all of the tree-related proposals?

Cathy Harvey - Suggested that we get information on www.mtnlakes.org

Kevin Edwards – Proposed that the EC puts together a bulletin and do some general fact finding.

 

7. Well Head Protection (Steve Butera – Kevin has Ellen Emr’s email on the model ordinance that was sent to me by Jeana)

 

Discussed protecting aquifer vs. well head. What do we need to consider? Clarification required.

 

8. Geese (Oliver Turner)

 

Are the geese and other birds responsible for the fecal coliforms in the lakes? Oliver Turner contacted Susan Ferguson (Lakes Committee) – She confirmed that no studies have been conducted to investigate a relationship between fecal coliforms in the lakes and the geese (bird) population. It is an assumption. Discussed buffer at Bert Murphy’s house – left of Island beach.

 

 

Oliver Turner presented data from the King County, Seattle, Washington Web Site:

 

“Spray geese feces with dilute hydrogen peroxide would kill bacteria and would photo-oxidize, posing little or no water quality threat”. Plus the page on ‘Bacteria and You’

 

Oliver proposed that EC should put information on www.mtnlakes.org

 

Murray Robertson: Suggested that as part of community service for traffic offenses one should scoop up Mountain Lakes bird feces

 

V. Update on the Draft Highlands Act report and assignment

 

Cathy Harvey has volunteered. Steve Shaw has also offered his help.

Cathy Harvey, Steve Shaw and Kevin Edwards will look into it.

 

Armen Melikian – Made it clear to the EC that we need to respond by early March 2007.

 

VI. Any Other Business

 

Murray Robertson – Concerned about ‘Delta Petrol Facility’ (address?) – Contaminated soil– leaching. What to do? Not in Mountain Lakes

 

Todd Terhune - Redevelopment of Market (Intervale) does the EC need to be involved? Will look into the project.

 

Update www.mtnlakes.org.

 

VII. Public Comments

 

None

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10.09pm

Next meeting is March 7th at 7.30pm