Meeting Minutes

White Clay Creek Watershed

Management Committee

April 6 2006, 1-3 p.m..

Judge Morris Estate

Polly Drummond Hill Road, Newark, DE

Attendees:

Chuck Barscz                           Jessie Benjamin                         Martha Corrozi                         

Arron Guenzi                            C. Barclay Hoopes, Jr.              Janet Kalb                               

Jerry Kauffman                         John Kennel                              Nick McFadden           

Jake Michael                             Dorothy P. Miller                      Aileen Parrish  

Linda Stapleford                        Andy Urquhart                          Martin Wells    

Leon H. Wilkinson                    

Andy Urquhart called the meeting to order, welcomed visitors, and asked attendees to introduce themselves.

MINUTES January 17, 2006

Ø      The minutes of the January 17, 2006 meeting were read and approved by members.

NEXT MEETING

It was decided to hold the next Management Committee meeting Thursday, June 8, 7-9 p.m., at the New Garden Township Building. 

BUDGET UPDATE

L. Stapleford informed the Management Committee that in spite of an additional $5000 reduction in FY 2006 funds from the National Park Service (NPS), the Management Committee can still operate under the project funding allocated in the previously revised $100,000 2006 budget.  The $5000 shortfall can be made up with cumulative leftover money from completed projects from previous years in both the White Clay Creek Watershed Management’s (WCCWMC) account with the NPS and in 05 funds in hand, and a minor reduction in the River Administrator’s discretionary fund line for 06. 

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

Education Subcommittee

L. Stapleford reported that the Watershed Welcome packets, a community educational outreach project, should be completed and produced by the end of May.  This is a Stroud Water Research Center project funded in part by a Dockstader grant with a contribution from the Management Committee. There will be a follow up workshop for real estate agents.  Packets will be distributed to real estate agents, homeowner associations, municipalities, and available at outreach events. 

C. Barscz updated the Management Committee on communications with Bob Kane, Sen. Pileggi’s office, regarding PennDOT approval for WCC Wild and Scenic roadway signs in Pennsylvania.  Senator Pileggi will see if they can assist with that process.  A list of potential sites was developed by the Exec. Subcommittee of the Management Committee. 

?It was recommended that L. Stapleford send that list out to the Management Committee listserve for comment and then forward it to C. Barscz.

It was also noted that any roads that were not state roads would require township approvals and cooperation for installation.  L. Stapleford noted that 2 of the Delaware roadway signs were missing and DelDOT is manufacturing replacements.

Recreational Trails

L. Stapleford reported that the final text draft for the Trail Guide is undergoing a final revision with Delaware Parks and Recreation staff.  The state of Maryland is also now questioning including Fair Hill map data they had supplied since they plan to revise their trails.  Meetings are scheduled to bring closure on that issue.  Once these items are resolved the elements will be passed along to the contractor; hopefully this will occur by June.

Fish & Wildlife  

J. Benjamin noted that the botanical surveys are continuing on parcels discussed at the last meeting. 

Open Space

No new land preservation projects were discussed. Work is continuing on securing funding for properties in Franklin Twp and London Britain Twp.  It was noted that at the last Exec. Subcommittee meeting, Kevin Anderson and Robert Lonsdorf, Brandywine Conservancy, presented early findings of the municipal ordinance survey. The memorandum summarizing those findings was circulated.  A copy can be obtained from Linda Stapleford.  This first in the series analyzed the extent to which the 12 municipalities in the Pennsylvania portion of the watershed are implementing the Watershed Management Plan guidelines pertaining to floodplain, wetland, and riparian forest buffer protection.

Historical and Cultural Resources

C. Barsz and M. Wells led discussion on the state’s decision that the London Tract was ineligible for Historic District nomination. Per last meeting, a conference call was held with Bob Wise to gauge the practicality of an appeal, a new submission as a cultural landscape, or pursuing historic register nominations for individual buildings. The success of an appeal is very unlikely and would likely create ill feelings. A cultural landscape nomination for the whole Preserve would be promising when the Preserve is 50 years old (2034) but is ineligible until then.  So it was decided to get an estimate for pursuing individual site nominations.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORT

Section 7 Review

C. Barscz reported 370 single family homes are proposed for the 200 a. property in London Grove bounded by State Road and Baltimore Pike and west of Avon Grove. It involves cleaning up historic pollution from the existing mushroom operation.  Open space will be preserved along the watercourses.  See Chuck if you wish to comment or have questions.

ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

L. Stapleford reported on the following items:

·         The first part of the two part lecture series offered in partnership with DNS was a huge success.  About 90 people attended.  The evening consisted of a very brief slide show highlighting the WCC as a Wild and Scenic River; John Jackson, Stroud Water Research Center, presenting “WCC a Threatened Treasure’ based on the Stream Watch data from recent years; and a Backyard Habitat presentation by John Harrod, Delaware Nature Society.  The second event will be April  25^th. There will be a tour and lecture by Steve Williams, DNREC, “Healing a Wounded Stream, Pike Creek Restoration”, and a presentation on homeowner rain gardens by the land manager of a private preserve. Funding assistance for the series was provided by the University of Delaware Water Resource Center.

·         The fall Homeowner Association Outreach, being done with a Delaware Coastal Program Grant, is in the early planning stages.  The planning task force has been selected and will be meeting soon. Three workshops will be held to assist Homeowner Associations on habitat restoration in the open spaces they manage.  The State requested the increase in workshop number from 2 to 3 and was willing to assist with clerical work to offset the increase in costs.

·         The White Clay Update 2005, summarizing the Watershed Management Committee’s activities in 2005, is now available in hard copy and on-line at www.whiteclay.org.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

·         Leon Wilkinson presented a brief summary of watershed history as he provided some highlights from the delightful Wilkinson family history book he has written.  His family has farmed 32,000 acres within the watershed. He is concerned about preserving the area’s history. 

? Leon also requested that a summary of the Exec. Subcomm. meetings be sent to Management Comm. members.  L. Stapleford was tasked with supplying that.

·         J. Kauffman led a brief discussion of the just released new Delaware White Clay Creek Fish Advisory which is more restrictive than the past.  It was decided to ask Roy Miller and Rick Greene, Delaware DNREC, to speak to us about the science behind the advisory.

·         L. Stapleford noted that the Kirkwood Highway YMCA expansion is of concern because the drainage way for the storm water is already highly eroded at its discharge into the White Clay Creek. 

? J. Benjamin suggested we find a way to be more proactive to get earlier notice of plans in the watershed from each municipality.  We could offer to do that as a first step to alert them of issues that might be problematic in terms of the Wild and Scenic designation.  It was suggested we could include this request in an event for municipalities.  A. Guenzi noted that members of their homeowners association regularly keep a watch on NCC development for their area of Pike Creek.  J. Michaels suggested L. Stapleford request a copy of the Planning Commissions review letters for watershed projects from Bill Fulton, Exec. Director of the Planning Commission.