Agenda
Open Space Committee - Agenda - May 6, 2026
May 6, 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.
933 HOPMEADOW STREET SIMSBURY, CONNECTICUT 06070 OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE May 6, 2026 5:00 P.M. Simsbury Town Hall Main Meeting Room Regular Meeting 1. Public Audience 2. Approval of March 4, 2026 Minutes 3. Work Plan for Simsbury Open Space 4. Invasives Update 5. Arboretum Update 6. Other business 7. Events 8. Adjourn Page 1 of 4 Open Space Committee1 Regular Meeting2 March 4, 2026 – 5:00 P.M.3 Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room4 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 060705 6 MINUTES7 8 I. CALL TO ORDER – Madam Chair Mackstutis called the meeting to order at 5:029 P.M.10 11 Present: Chair, Wendy Mackstutis; Chair of Conservation Commission, Margery12 Winters; Chair of Zoning Commission, Tony Braz; Chair of Planning Commission,13 Erin Leavitt-Smith; Committee Members, Susan Masino and Helen Peterson; Parks14 and Recreation Director, Tom Tyburski; and Simsbury Beautification Committee15 Member, Michele Jenks.16 17 II. HOUSEKEEPING18 19 Chair20 21 MOTION: Committee Member Peterson made a motion for Susan Masino to be22 elected Chair and Margery Winters to be elected Vice Chair. Committee Member23 Masino abstained. The motion carried unanimously. (5-0-1)24 25 MOTION: Committee Member Peterson made a motion, seconded by Leavitt-Smith,26 to amend the Agenda to include the Minutes of November 5, 2025, Regular Meeting.27 The motion carried unanimously. (6-0-0)28 29 III. ARBORETUM UPDATE30 31 Ms. Jenks recommended moving forward with the application with the most current32 map, even if there are two plants waiting for identification.33 34 First Selectman Mackstutis made action items consisting of the most recent version of35 the arboretum application goes to Town Staff for its completion; it returns to the36 Committee for review; it is sent to Parks and Rec Commission for review; it returns to37 Open Space Committee Regular Meeting Minutes March 4, 2026 Page 2 of 4 the Open Space Committee who votes and approves it; it is then submitted to the Board38 of Selectmen and upon approval is sent to Mortan Arboretum.39 40 IV. PRESENTATION TO BOARD OF SELECTMEN41 42 Chair Masino recommended giving a presentation to the Board of Selectmen on what43 the Open Space Committee does consisting of the policies, the arboretum, inventory,44 educational events, and work on invasive species.45 46 The Committee Members will email any additions to the draft to Parks and Rec47 Director Tyburski.48 49 First Selectman Mackstutis recommended that the presentation include ways that the50 Open Space Committee overlaps with the Conservation Commission and who does51 what functions.52 53 V. OPEN SPACE INVENTORY54 55 a. Status of the 2015 document56 57 First Selectman Mackstutis stated that HB8002 has a requirement of listing and58 recognizing certain categorizations of property and recommended the Committee59 taking on that responsibility. It also helps the growing housing plan that is used by60 the Planning Commission and Zoning Commission.61 62 b. Affirm what should be in here63 64 Chair Masino recommended starting the process by identifying errors in the65 existing document and writing an introduction section detailing how the policies66 are infused into it.67 68 c. Update based on definition69 70 Chair Masino stated that they should align the language of the ordinances with the71 Charter and for the Committee to decide if it would be an advisory board for only72 open space or also town owned land that is undeveloped.73 74 First Selectman Mackstutis stated that the Board of Selectmen are reviewing the75 Charter and there is a discussion around removing any committee that is not State76 mandated and make them be by Ordinance only and advised waiting to see if the77 Open Space Committee remains in the Charter before dedicating time to language78 alignment.79 80 Open Space Committee Regular Meeting Minutes March 4, 2026 Page 3 of 4 81 d. What are future needs/uses for this82 83 Chair Masino foresees the needs and uses becoming more concrete as they develop84 the presentation for the Board of Selectmen. It is important to talk about categories85 that are not currently listed, legislation, and invasive species.86 87 VI. MINUTES88 89 November 5, 2025, Regular Meeting90 91 Committee Member Peterson amended:92 • Line 69 to read, “Ms. Cordner…”93 • Line 77 to read, “…a retired arborist who use to work with…”94 95 Planning Commission Chair Leavitt-Smith amended:96 • Line 88 and Line 92 to read “Committee Member Masino” instead of “She”.97 • Line 108 -Line 110 to read, “…the Work Group and Committee schedule98 to have the first meeting of the year where the Chair will be elected.”99 100 MOTION: Chair Masino made a motion, seconded by Planning Commission Chair101 Leavitt-Smith, to approve the Minutes of the November 5, 2025, Regular Meeting102 as amended. First Selectman Mackstutis and Zoning Commission Chair Braz103 abstained. The motion carried unanimously. (4-0-2)104 105 VII. OTHER BUSINESS106 107 Zoning Commission Chair Braz stated the Zoning Commission is in the process of108 updating the regulations. He has met with the Sustainability Committee to gather their109 recommended changes and would like to know what the Open Space Committee would110 like to revise.111 112 Chair Masino stated there is state legislation on right-of-way corridors that may have113 some helpful information.114 115 Zoning Commission Chair Braz stated there will be a Zoning Workshop that is open to116 the public at the Simsbury Public Library on March 30th, 6-9 P.M. The consultant will117 be there for them to meet. There will also be a meeting in late April when the Zoning118 Commission will be inviting the Planning Commission, Board of Selectmen, and119 possibly the State Representative.120 121 First Selectman Mackstutis will be sending out an email with further detail on being122 nominated for an Area of Significance for Ethnic Heritage Black Social History Civil123 Open Space Committee Regular Meeting Minutes March 4, 2026 Page 4 of 4 Rights Movement and Architecture is seeing Cullman Brothers Tobacco Farm as a124 place that supported and offered summer employment for black people. Last August125 the Board of Selectmen applied for the National Registry for the Meadowood property.126 127 Parks and Rec Director Tyburski stated that he met with Chip Ward and Amanda128 Thompson of the Simsbury Land Trust, and Jonah Lipar of the Simsbury Land Trust129 Youth Conservation Corps regarding the Onion Mountain Park. Canton’s Land Trust130 is taking on a mapping and trail improvement project that they wanted to partner with131 Simsbury on and share in the cost of mapping. He wanted to notify the Committee132 before authorizing. The kiosk will be updated, and there will be a QR code for those133 who want it on their phone once the map is complete. Mr. Ward will revise the134 mistakenly marked blue and orange trail mapping on the trees and possibly fix the trail135 sign. Ms. Thompson has an Eagle Scout who is proposing to build a bridge on the136 Canton and Simsbury wet parts of the trail. There may be a presentation on that at the137 next Work Group meeting. If it is deemed a wetland, it will require a permit. The138 parking lot on West Mountain Road has a gate that potentially could have a kiosk. They139 will also be doing invasive removal.140 141 Chair Masino stated they have their annual Seed Giveaway, Seed Swap, and Lego142 Building at The Grange on March 29th, 2-4 P.M.143 144 Conservation Commission Chair Winters stated there are a few events posted on the145 Roaring Brook Nature Center website.146 147 VIII. ADJOURNMENT148 149 MOTION: Chair Masino made a motion without objection to adjourn the meeting.150 151 Chair Masino adjourned the meeting at 6:26 P.M.152 153 Respectfully submitted,154 155 Amanda Blaze156 Commission Clerk157 Initial work plan for comprehensive document re: Simsbury Open Space Draft order and content: Summary (pending) Mission Charter and Code Rules of Procedure Acquisition policy Disposition Data Form Policies impacting town open space (list and order to be finalized): natives, invasives, mowing re: pollinators vs. grassland birds, lighting?, farm leases, natural area stewardship, leash policy, dumping and encroachment? Public education info? others?). Identified needs (list and order to be finalized): strategic plan re: invasives, ecological inventories, public education, targeted acquisitions, other? Inventory (updates in progress): Finalize codes to add, i.e.: invasives, wild and scenic river, notable trees, floodplain/flood risk, farm lease, other? Add caveat to consult latest data source 1. Add identifiers at parcel level per above 2. Address errors and omissions 3. As needed, improve readability 4. Other?