Meeting Minutes

FINAL

Newbury Conservation Commission (NCC)

May 9, 2023

Members Present: Katheryn Holmes, Chair; Bob Stewart, Vice Chair; Alden Beauchemin, John Magee, and David Rhodes, Members; Joanne Lord, Ex-officio.

Public: Chris Hernick, Horizon Engineering; Rick Ruggles, Vail Resorts; Steve Howard, Vail Resorts; Charlie Hirshberg.

Ms. Holmes called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

Minutes

The Commission reviewed the minutes of April 11, 2023. Corrections were made. Mr. Stewart made a motion to accept the minutes with proposed changes. Mr. Magee seconded the motion. All were in favor.

The Commission reviewed the minutes from the site visit of May3, 2023. Corrections were made. Mr. Stewart made a motion to accept the minutes with proposed changes. Mr. Rhodes seconded the motion. All were in favor.

OLD BUSINESS –

- Mt. Sunapee Expansion – Mr. Magee asked about the storm water management system and what year storm it is prepared for. Mr. Hernick said they have prepared for somewhere around the 50-year storm event for Beck Brook. Mr. Magee asked if it would cause an increase in flow rates, and Mr. Hernick said there is significant storage in the system, and it would not have a large impact even at the 100-year storm event level. Mr. Hernick said they are meeting the State requirements for storage and stormwater treatment. Mr. Stewart said this is a long-term project, so he wants to know why not go above a little bit above. He said it is important to the quality of Beck Brook and Lake Sunapee. Mr. Ruggles said he will check on this and get back to the Commission. Mr. Ruggles said they use a winter sand for the parking lot. He said the salt comes from the State and the access road. Mr. Ruggles said a street sweeper comes in at the end of the season to remove the sand. Mr. Stewart asked if the parking lot is still tipped toward the brook, Mr. Hernick said it is tipped away from Beck Brook. Mr. Stewart asked what the lifespan of the structures are. Mr. Hernick said there are pre-treatment systems to trap any sediment coming in there. It can be cleaned with a water jet. Mr. Stewart asked if there is a maintenance schedule and Mr. Hernick replied yes. Mr. Stewart asked about the cut and the mitigation with clay to hold it in. He would love to have them do test pits out there. Mr. Howard said these were good questions. Mr. Stewart questioned a 4,000 sq/ft. that is being impacted, but he said above this area is a wetland. He said it appears that the wetland is much larger than what is shown on the Planning Board application (larger than 10,000 sq. ft.) Mr. Hernick said they only counted a portion of this wetland. Mr. Stewart said it should all be counted because it is connected to the brook. He would like them to take a lookat this again. Mr. Rhodes asked if they looked into adding more cars to the existing lots. Mr. Ruggles said the existing lots are at full capacity. Ms. Holmes asked about the backed-up traffic. She is wondering if the parking situation was due to Covid and the fact that people needed more room at their cars because they couldn’t go in the lodge. Mr. Ruggles said there are a lot more single drivers and larger vehicles, and this is based on more than the last two years. Ms. Holmes asked who did the survey, and Mr. Ruggles replied “Lagdan.” Ms. Holmes asked about the mountain capacity. Mr. Rhodes said it is in the study. Mr. Rhodes asked for an update on the table of parking and roads in the study for before and after dense parking. Mr. Rhodes asked if there is a plow plan specifically in which direction and where the temporary storage and final destination of snow. Mr. Ruggles said there will be a plan in place. He said mountain ops has methods to plow and there will be a snow removal plan before the next season for the least impact on the environment. Mr. Rhodes asked when they produced the drawings in the concept stage, what other concepts were created but discarded. Mr. Hernick said the project was started by looking at the entire leased area for parking opportunity to expand. The only places they found were what they are proposing. Other areas were adjacent to wetlands or had steep topography. This was the least wetland impacting area to provide additional parking. Mr. Rhodes said looking at those other options might be beneficial for the NCC to see. Mr. Beauchemin agreed that looking at the alternatives would be very valuable. Ms. Lord asked if the reason for the parking lot for more people to go and is the mountain overselling tickets. Mr. Ruggles said parking lots will not increase the skiers it is to better serve the skiers they currently have, not to bring more skiers to the mountain. Mr. Magee asked how we can improve storm water management as a whole, not just the new system. Mr. Rhodes said DES, Vail Resorts and LSPA meet regularly to discussion erosion control. Ms. Holmes thanked everyone from coming in.

- Mr. Beauchemin created maps to see if there would be any other options for parking areas. The Commissioners looked at the map and the wetlands area. 

- Ms. Holmes asked everyone what they should have as questions. 

- Mr. Hershberg said his biggest concern is the spray site on a cleared area. This irrigation system was done in 1969. This was the first spray system in the State. He said when you reduce the buffer, the phosphorous will saturate the ground. They are short circuiting some wetlands in this project.

- Mr. Stewart will walk the area again tomorrow. 

- The Commissioners went over all of the questions they wanted to ask at the upcoming Planning Board meeting.

- Mr. Magee read the introduction that he created for the introduction of their letter to be read at the Planning Board meeting.

- Mr. Magee made a motion to authorize Ms. Holmes to write up the letter exactly as he has written the introduction and with the questions and concerns the Commissioners came up with during the meeting. Mr. Beauchemin seconded the motion. All were in favor.

The meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna Long, Recording Secretary