Open Space Commission - Minutes 12/1901

NEXT MEETING:     Wednesday, January 16, 2002, 7:30 PM, Great Valley Middle School

Commission Members Attending Meeting:

Andy Motel, Chair x, William Anderson x, Alexandra Coleman x, Frank Corcoran x, Priscilla Crowell _, Robert Davis x, Aliena Gerhard _, Mary Ellen Joos _, Bob Jones _, Thomas Korber x, Kevin Kuhn x, Saul Kun _, Rosemary Philips _, Bob Roggio x, Sue Staas x, Ed Theurkauf, Planning Consultant x

Speaker: Peter Smyrl, Natural Lands Trust.

I)              Peter Smyrl, Executive Director, Natural Lands Trust:

A)   Background:

1)    Natural Lands Trust was formed in the 1950’s to save Tinnicum Marsh. At that time, the organization was called “Philadelphia Conservationists.” As needs developed for an organization to monitor saved land and preserves, Philadelphia Conservationists became the Natural Lands Trust. Today the organization’s a staff of about 50 serve as preserve managers, quasi-legal experts, and project managers.

2)    Today, Natural Lands Trust accepts land as donations, and purchases lands for preservation. An important part of their mission is working with townships to set goals and to draft ordinances supporting land conservaton.

3)    Natural Lands Trust is funded by endowment, membership, foundation grants, and consulting fees from their work with townships.

B)   Points to ponder:

1)    It takes time and money to work with a landowner to conserve a property.

2)    Success breeds success – peer pressure.

3)    Willistown, which is a success story, focused on what was available

4)    Best conservation is often done locally – monitoring is done more easily.

5)    Natural Lands Trust specializes in bringing parties together to do a deal.

C)   Possible steps of land preservation - in decreasing favorability:

1)    Outright purchase for open space. The ideal is to own land outright through fee simple – Money from State’s Key 93 & Chester County Preservation Money can be matched against each other. The property must also be endowed for property management.

2)    Easements for open space leading to limited development. These cost about $8,000 to put into place. A $7,000 endowment covers monitoring the easement, and when combined with endowments for other properties, provides insurance for enforcing violations. It is also very important to educate landowners whohave purchased land with easements.

3)    Conservation subdivision,

4)    Deed restrictions, etc.

D)   Process of educating owners of property eligible for preservation takes time.

1)    Marketing function is first – explanation of costs/benefits. Help with legalities, surveys, appraisor.

2)    Need to keep contact with lawyers, old landowners, etc.

3)    The Natural Lands Trust specializes in building a level of trust over time. Very difficult at first to understand the resources the landowner may have.

E)    Land Trust vs. Andy Johnson

1)    Andy is a consultant to landowners and developers, while the Natural Land Trust starts with idea of total preservation, then realistically retreats from the ultimate best. Clients may have vague ideas of how much $$ they need, and families may have varying needs/desires depending on family.

F)    Possibilities:

1)    NLT will work with Twps – share costs with them.

2)    Questions of co-held easements.

3)    It is possible to develop partnerships with Conservation group, township and Open Space Commission.

4)    State has money to help purchase easements

5)    Easements may be sold to Townships or through grants to NLT.

6)    Natural Lands Trust will help townships to develop their own grant writing skills. (Grant writing is important!)

G)   Steps for Charlestown Township:

1)    Charlestown Open Space Commission should determine:

·      What land we want to own.

·      What land we want to preserve

·      Of the land that’s available, what’s most important?

2)    To aid in open space preservation, Charlestown Supervisors should explore Limited Development ordinances such as have been developed in New London and Wallace Twp.

After thanking Peter for a most enlightening presentation, Andy conducted the following business meeting:

Minutes of the October and November Open Space Commission Meetings were approved.

Thomas Korber was welcomed as the newest member of the Open Space Commission.

I)     Follow up to Large Landowners:

A)   Next LL meeting will be held at Playschool the end of February

B)   We will ask Peter Smyrl to speak

II)   Second Phone Call to Large Landowners:

A)   Large Landowners need follow up phone calls and a letter inviting them to next meeting.

III) Additional Decisions:

*     The Commission's decision to focus on small group of large landowners will be followed up by Andy, Kevin, Bill Andersen

*     Possibility of developing a local land trust will be explored by Rosemary Philips with Aliena Gerhard.

*     Bill Andersen and Sue Staas will research grant sources and grant application procedures.

*     The Open Space Commission's efforts to preserve open space must be publicized.and explained to all taxpayers so we can eventually pass a tax measure to earn funds dedicated to buying open space. Andy will ask for volunteers to draft a publicity/marketing plan for the meeting in February.

IV) Agenda for January Meeting: This will be a working meeting

*     Reorganization: Nominate and vote on Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer

(Current officers are: Andy Motel, Chair; Bob Jones, Vice Chair; Sue Staas, Sec'y & Bob Roggio, Treasurer.)

*     Reports from sub-committees:

-       Definition of Open Space - Bob Jones

-       Charlestown Land Trust - Rosemary Philips

-       Large Landowners Meeting with small group - Andy Motel, Kevin Kuhn

-       Research re Grants - Sue Staas & Bill Andersen

*     Form subcommittees and develop timetable for "next steps" in marketing and future large landowner meetings.