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February_minutes

Atlantic Highlands Environmental Commission

February 17, 2009

Meeting Minutes

 

 

Attending: Paul Boyd (chair), Brent Sonnek-Schmelz (recording secretary), Louis Fligor (Borough Council liaison), Regina Hawley-Keelen, James Krauss, Bill Kuzmin, Carolyn Campo, Michael Curry, Greg Pollack

 

Earth Day Weekend

Waterfront Day is Saturday April 25 and Lenape Woods Day is Sunday April 26. 

Waterfront Day

 Location tentatively set for grassy area near harbor, with Senior Center in case of rain. 

-  Regina has been speaking with local businesses. Sissy’s may be a food donor.

-  Agreed that we should reach out to more local businesses and organizations for participation

-  Regina is working with the school for participation

-  Lou Fligor will draft a note to be in the borough newsletter, with March 1^st deadline.

-  Organization meeting set for 2/18 at 7 pm in the senior center.

-  Brent will submit form for Special Events Committee approval and letter for Harbor Commission approval.

Lenape Woods Nature Preserve

-  Jim Krauss did a walk-through with Mayor Rast, Paul Boyd and Joel DeWitt.

-  Shed for storage of Environmental Commission equipment for Lenape Woods (and other purposes) was purchased for $500, as identified by Regina. May come out of Open Space Trust Fund, which was created to “acquire, preserve and improve” open space.

-  Trail maintenance training being offered by County Park System on March 14, and Jim will attend.

- Jim was reviewing the task list Paul had drafted to determine tasks for the work day on April 26.

- Discussion was held about purchase of  lot adjoining Lenape Woods western section and easement for joining eastern and western sections, using the borough’s open
Space Trust Fund.

-  Jim will prepare a proposal for Borough Council approval to connect the Bayshore Trail with the stairs at the trailhead at the former Hilton Station.

Commission budget

- Paul discussed preliminary expenditure plans, which would exceed the Environmetnal Commission budget if all plans went forward. However, payment from the Open Space fund could be justified for purchase of the shed (mentioned above) and of fencing required along the entry trail and property line at Lenape Woods west, instead of using the Commission’s limited budget.

- Regina volunteered to donate the cost of native species plantings, removing that item from the budget

Scenic overlook – parking access

-  Jim Krauss moved and Greg Pollack seconded a motion to recommend that Borough Council adopt the draft resolution on parking access along Ocean Boulevard to the scenic overlook at the former Hofbrauhaus restaurant. The Commission members voting approved this recommendation unanimously -- Paul, Brent, Regina, Jim, Carolyn, Michael and Greg.

-  Two Commission members, Bill Kuzmin and Lou Fligor, are also on the Planning Board. They refrained from voting to avoid any possible conflict regarding their Planning Board roles in approving the developer’s application for building two houses on the restaurant lot.

September Waterfront Day

- A chair and committee are needed to plan the events for that day, which usually includes kayaking. The Commission will take this up after the April Earth Day.

- Paul discussed the idea of linking that Day with other special events being considered for September to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the Lenape – Hudson encounter in September 1609. There is a hope that the replica of Hudson’s ship, the Half Moon, will come to town then (decision awaited). The Environmental Commission might organize activities that commemorate the Half Moon crew’s observations about the area and its resources (large fish, tall trees, furs, “oozy” bay sediment, etc.) and local subsistence by the Lenape. 

ANJEC

Brent will attend the workshop on Environmental Commission roles and tasks

held by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions on March 14.

Osprey nest

The Commission’s nest is available in storage. A possible location is next to Wagner Creek in the Center Avenue park. Might it be mounted as an Earth Day activity? Regina volunteered to work on this project.

Green mapping

- This mapping is a project of the Bayshore Regional Watershed Council that should include Atlantic Highlands. The mapping would highlight trails, creeks, wetlands, woodlands, scenic roads, and other natural/historical/economic resources such as marinas, public beaches, onshore fishing sites, bike rental shops, kayak launching sites, green markets, green businesses and/or services, health food stores, waterfront parks, watchable wildlife sites, etc.

- Paul will approach Eagle Scout candidates to do this project with Commission oversight and assistance.

“Clean Marina”

 This designation has been awarded to the Atlantic Highlands marina. If the former Environmental Commission member who promoted this can be returned to membership, there is more to do. For example, promoting landscaping with native species along the promenade when the macadam is opened to install a sewage pump-out pipe there, identifying low-score items in the Clean Marina evaluation that could be improved, seeing if more Clean Marina signage (and flags?) can be installed.

Horseshoe crabs

Their spring mating will be monitoring beginning April 24. Five volunteers are needed to do this in Atlantic Highlands.

 

 

Minutes drafted by Brent Sonnek-Schmelz and Paul Boyd