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2008
Minutes of the Open Space Commission
CHARLESTOWN OPEN SPACE COMMISSION
INFORMAL MEETING
Minutes January 10, 2008
NEXT MEETING: March 6, 7:00 PM, Great
Valley Middle School. Note new,
earlier time.
Commission Members Attending Meeting:
Sue
Staas, Chair x, William Andersen x, Carolyn
Casswell x, Alexandra Coleman x, David Greer x, Bob Jones x, Andy Motel x, Rosemary Philips x, John Pickering x, Marcia Solda x.
Also
Attending: Aliena Gerhard, Director of Open Space for Charlestown
Twp.; Kevin Kuhn and Charlie Philips, Charlestown Supervisors.
Minutes from the meeting of November 1, 2007 were reviewed
and approved (I don't think minutes can be approved at an executive session-
please check with Linda).
New
Business:
1.
Director Gerhard announced
a number of successful easement grants, completed just before the end of 2007:
a. The following projects received Township funding as
well as partial landowner donations:
i. Kling – a spectacular and critical property off
Merlin Rd., long on our wish list.
62 acres, high ground, therefore high visibility and near other conserved
property (Soldas and Kronenberg.) This is the first Natural
Lands Trust project in our township.
ii. McDevitt-Hillsover Farm, off Conestoga Rd. (Rt. 401),
92+ acres, approval for trails for hiking and horse back riding, areas for
nature study and bird watching, and for a two-car parking area. The township will be receiving
funding from the State and County for this property.
iii. George and Susan Bullard-Spring Lane Farm- 38 acres on
Hollow Road, which will contain part of the Horse Shoe Trail.
b. Deserving special recognition are three families who
donated the full value of conservation easements on their properties:
i. Tom and Joanne Fillippo, who donated an easement on
their 51 acres on Mine Rd., reserving the possibility for up to two additional
houses and a riding arena.
Possibility of trails in the future;
ii. Bob and Maryellen Joos who donated an easement on
their 71 acres off of Church Road;
iii. Mike Koenig and Luciana Marulli who donated an
easement on their 3 acres on Buckwalter Road.
c. The conservation easements will be held by the
following land trusts:
i. French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust will
hold the McDevitt, Joos, and Koenig-Marulli easements;
ii. North American Land Trust will hold the Bullard and
Fillippo easements, and
iii. Natural
Lands Trust will hold the Kling easement (as noted above).
2.
To celebrate this
success, the OSC toasted Director Gerhard. Chair Staas also commented on the full attendance at the
meeting.
3.
Director Gerhard noted
that she is working hard on several other projects, including one near Alix
Coleman's property,
4.
Supervisor Phillips
noted that he recently attended a meeting of Supervisors in the townships of
Chester County, and received a number of compliments and questions on how
Charlestown is doing so well in the preservation of open space. Supervisor Kuhn noted that the hard
work of Director Gerhard was key.
5.
Chair Staas led a
discussion of just how much of Charlestown was now or would soon be
preserved. We believe it is close
to 1000 acres, out of 8000 in the township. Supervisor Kuhn agreed to help develop a complete list,
correcting some mistakes on a list handed out at the meeting.
6.
Because of the great
success we have had, the funds we have available for future easement purchases
are greatly diminished. In fact,
our momentum will stop without additional monies. There might be some additional support coming in from DCNR
and the County, and we will sell the Jenkins property (possible proceeds $700K
- $1MM), but the latter seems challenging in the current real estate
environment.
7.
The Supervisors present,
informed the OSC that they will had passed a measure to put a referendum for an
increase in the township's earned income tax on the ballot in the April 22
primary, and asked for the OSC's support..
a. The EIT will support issuance of additional bonds, the
proceeds of which would allow us to continue our work.
b. The OS program in Charlestown is finite. – if we
are successful in preserving about 200 to 400 additional acres, the EIT could
be left to fund the debt service on the bonds for 15-20 years, and could then
be extinguished.
8.
Strategies for a
successful Referendum were discussed.
The Supervisors plan to issue a Newsletter in February, and the issues
could be highlighted there. OSC
members agreed to assist Aliena and the Supervisors in following up that
mailing in a couple of ways:
a. Presentation of issues on the Charlestown Website
b. Meetings with the Editorial Board of the Phoenix,
Daily Local, possibly a story in the Chester County section of the Inquirer
closer to the Primary date.
c. Signs on lawns around the township
d. Block captains to help get out the vote. Block Captains training meeting
scheduled for March 13.
e. Meetings with Community Associations at Charlestown
Oaks, Hunt, Meadows, etc. as well as the Christian College.
9.
We discussed the
possibility of encouraging someone from a Community Association of one of the
newer developments (Oaks, Hunt, etc.) to join the OSC.
10.
To do list:
a. David Greer offered to consult with surrounding
townships who have recently passed EIT referendums for advice by January 30;
and send results to Aliena.
b. Sue will recruit block captains by March 13..
c. Charlie and Rosemary will work with Aliena to
update conserved properties list.
d. Alix will consult with Aliena and will take
appropriate photos (with landowners' permission) of conserved land.
e. Aliena, Andy and Kevin will write initial letter to
the Township Residents to be distributed in February.
f. Aliena, Andy and Kevin will develop supporting
materials for distribution by early March.
11.
Next meeting date set
for March 6. Tentative agenda to
include:
a. Formal request to the Board of Supervisors to
reappoint members Bill Andersen and Rosemary Philips, whose terms expire, to
the OSC.
b. Election of OSC officers
c. Discuss EIT campaign
d. Discuss training for block captains
e. Introduce Charlestown Day (May 29-30)
Respectfully
submitted,
John
Pickering
Secretary
2008
Minutes of the Open Space Commission
CHARLESTOWN OPEN SPACE COMMISSION
INFORMAL MEETING
Minutes March 6, 2008
NEXT MEETING: [_______], 7:00 PM, Great
Valley Middle School. Note new,
earlier time.
Commission Members Attending Meeting:
Sue
Staas, Chair x, William Andersen x, Carolyn
Casswell x, Alexandra Coleman x, David Greer x (by telephone), Bob Jones _, Andy Motel x, Rosemary Philips x, John Pickering x, Marcia Solda _.
Also
Attending: Aliena Gerhard, Director of Open Space for Charlestown
Twp. and Kevin Kuhn and Andy Motel, Charlestown Supervisors.
Minutes from the meeting of November 1, 2007 and January 10,
2008, were reviewed and approved .
New
Business:
1.
Bill Anderson and
Rosemary Philips were recommended by the OSC to be reappointed to be members of
the OSC.
2.
David Greer was elected
to be President of the OSC for the coming year, and John Pickering was elected
Secretary.
3.
Carolyn Casswell
described the CCOS initiative. The letter was reviewed and edited. Other recipients were suggested,
including recipients of conservation easements and all township officials. The letter would be pdfÕd and emailed
to township officials. CC also distributed a time line for CCOS events.
4.
It was agreed we would
seek corporate sponsorship, but publicity would be subtle. J Pickering is
seeing the President of New Century Bank on 3/12 and will test their
interest. We could acknowledge
them in the letters, or after the fact in a mailing.
5.
On April 3, 7 pm at
GVMS, block captain training. A Gerhard will check room availability of the
room. People would have April 4
– 21 to get the word out to their neighbors.
6.
Lawn signs. Start them April 1. Will be green. K Kuhn suggested that we
get a notice on the website so people can agree to have signs on their lawns. A
Gerhard will check with J McErlaneÕs office to see what vendor they use. Probably order 100 signs.
7.
After the signs, weÕd
send a green glossy postcard. If
there is money, a small follow-up postcard just before the election.
8.
Then a follow-up email
through the Republican and Democratic committee people, as well as other
constituents.
9.
Need people to staff the
polling place in addition to the Open Space table. Will have a projector and powerpoint outside. R Philips will ask Vanguard to lend us
a powerpoint.
10.
Send S Staas the times
OSC members are available to serve on Election Day, either CCOS table or OSC
table.
11.
The OSC discussed the
FAQ letter ÒHelp Save the Beauty of CharlestownÓ to help explain the use of the
tax. An important element to
understand is that the tax is going up, and the referendum question is over the
use of the tax proceeds.
12.
A Gerhard will try to
get a sample ballot and weÕll highlight YES and hand it to voters on their way
in to the polls.
13.
We discussed +/- of
adding a color photograph to the township newsletter. A picture of a turnpike interchange might be useful.
14.
Meeting of CCOS this
weekend, 3 pm Saturday at Dave GreerÕs to finalize signs and the letter.
15.
K Kuhn reported on
session with Charlestown Hunt.
Said it went reasonably well. A Gerhard is trying to get a meeting with
Charlestown Oaks. S Staas has a
friend at the Meadows.
16.
Get t-shirts printed for
people to wear on road crews for Earth Day (April 19).
17.
David Greer will get an
email address at CCOS@gmail.com or similar
(add to CCOS letterhead).
18.
Get an interview in the
Phoenix and the Daily Local, about a week or two before the election.
19.
On June 8, Historical
Society Art Show of Charlestown Art.
Do we want a Charlestown Day then?
Sense was to do it in the fall instead.
Respectfully
submitted,
John
Pickering
Secretary