February 2025 Meeting

Feb 18th, 2025 at 7p, Norwich Historical Society (277 Main Street) and over Zoom

Join meeting via Zoom (meeting ID: 966 3633 0827, passcode: 721389).

Agenda

  1. Additional Agenda Items
  2. Public Comments
  3. Riparian Zone Protections (updating of regulations)
  4. NCC Listserve Posts
  5. Emerald Ash Borer Subcommittee Report
  6. Trails Subcommittee Report
  7. Other Updates
  8. Association of VT CC’s
  9. Blood Brook Stream Quality Assessment
  10. Approval of January Minutes

Minutes

Members present: Craig Layne, Lindsay Putnam, Andrew Torkelson, Alex Gottlieb, Peg Merrens, Lynnwood Andrews

Others present: Steven True, Planning Director and Zoning Administrator

No members of the public present.

Steven True presented the Shoreline Protection Plan and Woodland Protection Area Standards

He would like to update the town’s zoning regulations and shorten them, if possible. He requested feedback from the commission on streamlining these two sec/ons. There was discussion of FEMA maps, which are required to be used. They are seriously flawed in that they are only backward-looking, and so do not take into account the impact of climate change on future flood risk.

Mr True used the 2024 Shoreline Protection Plan from Plymouth, VT as an example of a very concise set of regulations. It used district setbacks in addition to the area of surface water to determine the protected area. Forestry and agriculture are exempt from these bylaws and regulations. They are covered by the Dept of Agriculture regulations.

In order to have a full discussion at a future meeting, Mr. True will send the commission the Plymouth, VT regulations for shorelines as a reference for a very concise version, as well as setback information for Norwich.

Listserve postings. Lynnwood posted the first one on the topic of winter sowing of native wildflower seeds. She sent the second one featuring Red-osier dogwood as the plant of the month at tonight’s meeting. The commissioners practiced signing into the NCC gmail account so they can submit posts. Alex has created and disseminated a spreadsheet for people to sign up for posts. Andrew mentioned a posting about EAB funding. The EAB committee will send a post.

The EAB-infested tree on Elm St was successfully removed by Longto Tree Service.

Trails Committee – Ballard trail has hazardous ice build-up.

There are leftover old treads from the Gile Tower. The committee will reach out to the Historical Society about them.

VT Association of Conservation Commissions – Craig renewed membership. They have grants we might want to apply for.

Blood Brook water quality - This will be taken up at the next meeting.

January minutes – postponed un/l next meeting when Michael Loots will be present in order to make the needed corrections.

Meeting adjourned

Respectfully submitted by Lynnwood Andrews