Agenda
Open Space Committee - Agenda - Apr 8, 2026
Apr 8, 2026
A public record published by the Town of Simsbury (simsbury-ct.gov). mySimsbury indexes it and makes it readable; it is not the official copy. View the original file.
Town of Simsbury 933 HOPMEADOW STREET SIMSBURY, CONNECTICUT 06070 Telephone (860) 658-3200 Facsimile (860) 658-9467 www.simsbury-ct.gov An Equal Opportunity Employer 8:30 - 7:00 Mondays 8:30 - 4:30 Tuesday through Thursday 8:30 – 1:00 Friday OPEN SPACE STEWARDSHIP AND POLICIES WORK GROUP April 8, 2026 5:00 P.M. Main Meeting Room, Town Hall REGULAR MEETING AGENDA - Amended 1) Public Audience 2) Minutes from December 3, 2025 3) Open Space Inventory Update 4) Arboretum Update 5) Open Space Presentation to BOS 6) Events a. Earth Day b. Sustainability Fair c. Upcoming Films: i. 4/13 Salamanders at Simsbury Public Library ii. 4/23 Eastern White Pine at Simsbury Public Library iii. 4/25 Proforestation at CT Science Center 7) Other Business Page 1 of 3 Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group1 Regular Meeting2 December 3, 2025 – 5:00 P.M.3 Meeting was held on Zoom4 5 6 MINUTES7 8 I. CALL TO ORDER – Madam Chair Winters called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M.9 10 Present: Chair, Margery Winters; Committee Member, Susan Masino; Parks and11 Recreation Director, Tom Tyburski; and Founder of the Simsbury Land Trust Youth12 Conservation Corps, Jonah Lipar.13 14 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES15 16 JULY 2, 2025 MINUTES17 18 Tabled until the next meeting.19 20 OCTOBER 8, 2025 MINUTES21 22 Tabled until the next meeting.23 24 III. DISCUSSION ON ARBORETUM25 26 Madam Chair Winters reported she met Michele Jenks and Bruce Powell at Schultz27 Park and Mr. Powell will be helping them identify some trees. One of the requirements28 for it to become an arboretum is to hold a public event and she is exploring ideas for29 that.30 31 Committee Member Masino stated that Jonah Lipar could assist with updating the map32 of plant identification, and the Schultz Park Beautification Committee could view and33 offer revisions to the draft application.34 35 Madam Chair Winters stated that there may be some trees added to the site and some36 maple may be removed.37 38 Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group Regular Meeting Minutes December 3, 2025 Page 2 of 3 Committee Member Masino stated it is important for the web page map to be able to39 be updated as needed. She also brought up that the ecology trail from Tootin’ Hills40 School to the baseball field at Town Forest Park is being finalized.41 42 IV. DISCUSSION ON INVASIVE PLANTS43 44 Madam Chair Winters stated there is an invasive plant removal event on December 7th 45 from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at Rosedale Farm to cut Oriental Bittersweet. She also46 brought up the abundance of Burning Bush around town.47 48 Parks and Recreation Director Tyburski reported that Madam Chair Winter’s49 presentation on invasive at the Connecticut parks and Recreation Association meeting50 was met with positive feedback.51 52 V. OPEN SPACE INVENTORY UPDATE53 54 Committee Member Masino reported that she is having Trinity University convert the55 file into a Word document so it can be edited and updated as there are some pieces of56 open space that are not listed, even lots that have a sign that reads “Town Open Space”57 but are not coded on the map. This is particularly important as the Town is looking to58 see what parcels of land can be given to housing.59 60 Madam Chair Winters recommended identifying possible areas of acquisition.61 62 Committee Member Masino stated she spoke with Aimee Petras from the Farmington63 River Watershed Association about what properties she thought were important for64 flood protection and there were some properties along Owen’s Brook to be put on the65 Natural Area Stewardship Map. She also wanted to update information on some66 properties such as Wegner Meadow in the Ethel Walker Woods.67 68 VI. OPEN SPACE ORDINANCE UPDATE69 70 Committee Member Masino recommended forwarding revisions of the Ordianance to71 the Board of Selectmen as revisions were submitted to the Charter Revision72 Commission that they saw as more appropriately addressed in the Ordinances.73 74 She recommended stating the order of processes as they currently are not in order but75 are listed as “A, B, C, etc.”, and focusing on due diligence.76 77 It was decided that she will bring her draft to the next full Open Space Committee78 meeting in January to be voted on.79 80 81 Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group Regular Meeting Minutes December 3, 2025 Page 3 of 3 82 VII. OTHER83 Chair Woman Winters stated that before there is more action on Meadowood there84 needs to be more public input and recommended that a committee be formed.85 86 Committee Member Masino stressed the vitality of having knowledgeable people on87 that Committee to provide information on the different aspects of the land.88 89 Committee Member Masino announced the premier of ‘Beaver Family Life” on90 December 5th at The Grange. The movie follows a beaver family of five throughout the91 year. Social hour will be at 6 P.M. and the film will start at 7 P.M.92 93 She also recommended adjusting the “Rules of Procedure” to make it clear that the94 rules apply to all of the Open Space Committee meetings, not just the work group95 meetings or full meetings, and offer a template of what items on the Agendas are non-96 negotiables, such as public audience.97 98 Parks and Recreation Director Tyburski stated that he will provide the Town Manger’s99 office with an updated template of the Agenda that includes those consistent items.100 101 ADJOURNMENT102 103 Madam Chair Winters adjourned the meeting at 5:35 P.M.104 105 Respectfully Submitted,106 107 Amanda Blaze108 Commission Clerk109