Open Space Commission - Minutes 12/18/02

1. Andy will produce an informative booklet about open space in Charlestown. Due date is February 1, 2003 Aliena agreed to help with editing.
   
2. Bob Roggio will continue to research the feasibility of developing a partnership to buy, ease and resell property. He will report at the January meeting.
   
3. Aliena will pursue teaching about open space in the schools. Sue promised to give her names of folk to contact at the Nature Center and the school district.
   
4. Bob Jones will continue to work on the trails and form a committee to organize a presentation program for Horseshoe Trail owners in the Spring. He will consult with Marge Crawford on this
   
5. Rosemary, Sue, Marcia, Alix will plan the presentation and bus tours for February and April, respectively.
   
6. Kevin will continue to pursue the Earned Income Tax issue in the township and funding commitments from the BOS on Open Space.
   
7. Marcia will organize a fundraiser/ party for large landowners in cooperation with the Pickering Creek Conservation Trust. This will probably occur in early May 2003 and will raise funds (all donations fully deductible) for open space initiatives in Charlestown.
   

1. To provide an organization that can serve the needs of Charlestown Township in the preservation, conservation and stewardship of open space;
   
2. To assist the Supervisors in decisions regarding open space planning and acquisition;
   
3. To actively educate the residents and property owners of Charlestown to the benefits of open space preservation;
   
4. To identify and provide assistance to landowners in the Township who wish to pursue conservation objectives in their long and short term plans;
   
5. To establish an inventory of properties which are available for open space preservation through the purchase of development rights, donation, outright purchase or other means;
   
6. To serve as liaison to conservation and historic preservation organizations and promote the services they offer, such as the French and Pickering Trust, Natural Lands Trust, Brandywine Conservancy and others;
   
7. To work with the Parks and Recreation Department to better manage and improve existing open space areas and trails.
   

1. Set regular monthly meeting schedule for next six months
   
2. Schedule speakers for next six months
   
• Subjects: Grants, easements, law, conservation advisors
  
• Recommendations - Jake Michaels, CC Planning Commission, Johnson from Conservation Advisors.
  
Establish list of eased and deed restricted land in township including owners' names.

3. Write a mission statement for the Commission, integrating Supervisors' charge to the Commission and our definition of open space in Charlestown.
   
4. Homework: Background reading - manual distributed by township, pamphlets.
   
• Bibliography will be created by Sue WITH YOUR HELP.
  
5. Establish topics for subcommittees (suggestions below)
   
• Research laws, easements, etc. that can help landowners protect their land from development and not lose money.
  
• Research methods for funding open space preservation
  
• Research Conservancies and their options for monitoring easements
  
• Research Conservation Advisors
  
• Identify appropriate property for preservation (see #7)
  
• Community outreach & education
  
6. Develop criteria list for selecting property appropriate for preserving as open space
   
• Refer to our definition of open space
  

1. Establish subcommittees, tasks and deadlines (See #6 above)
   
2. Identify & prioritize prime properties for preservation according to established criteria.
   
3. Develop community outreach & education plan that will include continuous updates to community and gradual outreach to targeted property owners. Suggestions included:
   
• Consider a marketing plan and use of a marketing group
  
• Develop educational system including brochures, advertising, outreach and kitchen table conversation to educate landowners
  
• Create advantage and benefit package on preservation
  
• Send info to all residents with 5+ acres.
  
4. Develop our policies for action (will we pay for advisors to landowners? Do we emphasize easements and deed restriction over outright purchase? Other??)
   
5. Develop our budget
   
6. Work with Charlestown Planning Commission to advance common goals.
   
• Examine Township Ordinance provisions to provide incentives for preservation
  
• Consider an Official Map and Ordinance to create an official policy for open space and trail preservation
  

• Share vision of comprehensive open space network of trails, streams, wetlands, historic sites and tackle management issues through Parks and Rec. or a "Charlestown Open Space Authroity" and have marked trails and some public access points with parking.
  
• Partner with an established conservation organization to enforce and administer conservation easements
  

1. Continuous community outreach and education
   
2. Triple protected open space in Charlestown
   
3. How much land can we protect? 300, 400, 1000 acres???
   
4. Let's be successful in maximizing the amount of space we protect using an intelligent and cost-effective plan.
   

• Feb 19 - Historic Homes
  
• Wild Animals (add Fauna) In April.