Environmental Commission Minutes

October 1, 2008



Attendance: Ellen Emr (Council liaison and Chair), Oliver Turner, Doug Morrison, Todd Terhune, Murray Robertson, Mary Rossman, Khizar Sheikh, Tom Carr, Corey Nachshen, Judy Edwards (Woodlands liaison) Total: 11

 

Not present: Cathy Harvey

 

Start: 7.38pm

 

Approval of September 3 minutes  

 

Proposed by Ellen, seconded by Tom

 

Bird Sanctuary

 

An ‘impaired’ biological area. What needs to be done?

 

Proposal of ‘Environmental-summit’ -   Invasives’

 

When?

Nov 15 is the proposed date.

9.00am to Noon.

 

Where?

Mountain Lakes High School. Ellen will contact the school to start planning.

 

Who?

To include - Lake Commission, Shade Tree, WC, Garden club, EC etc, plus the general public. Doug agreed to be moderator. Inform the audience – what are the key questions – read beforehand

 

PLUS: A walk through town by the ‘experts’

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Goal Updates

 

1. Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI)

 

General discussion centered around: How much money do we need for an ERI?  Do we need it? The Master Plan now has to be revisited every 6 years. Revisit the needs and motivation of the ERI. Why are we doing this? Can we get or do we have council backing? Fauna needs to be done – as never has been – and redo the flora…

 

 

ANJEC – Can start applying Jan / Feb for grants - money from the Dodge foundation. Need to be part of the ‘Highlands’ core towns to be eligible for the money

Is Mountain Lakes going to be?

 

Action: Invite Sandy Batty to come back and explain the grant situation etc

 

2. Well Head Protection (WHP)

 

Mountain Lakes needs to develop it own Well Head Protection ordinance. Then Denville will hopefully follow.

 

3. Riparian Buffer Ordinance

 

Same as September:  The whole town is man-made therefore no buffer needed. Put together a proposal for the council to adopt the ordinance that Khizar etc made up.

 

Action: Proposed Khizar to follow this up

 

Public Comment

 

None

 

General comments

 

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9.07 pm

Next meeting November 1st at 7.30pm