Agenda

Open Space Committee - Agenda - Jun 3, 2026

Jun 3, 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 throughThursday
8:30– 1:00Friday
OPEN SPACE STEWARDSHIP AND POLICIES WORK GROUP
June 3, 2026
5:00 P.M.
Zoom
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
1) Public Audience
2) Minutes from April 8, 2026
3) Open Space Inventory Update
4) Arboretum Update
5) Invasives Update
6) Events
7) Other Business
Page 1 of 3
Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group1
Regular Meeting2
April 8, 2026 – 5:00 P.M.3
Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room4
933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 060705
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MINUTES7
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I. CALL TO ORDER – Madam Chair Masino called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M.9
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Present: Chair, Susan Masino; Planning Commission Chair, Erin Leavitt Smith and11
Zoning Commission Chair, Tony Braz; Work Group Member, Helen Peterson; and12
Director of Parks and Recreation. Tom Tyburski.13
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II. PUBLIC AUDIENCE15
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No public audience.17
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III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES19
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December 3, 2025, Regular Meeting21
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Madam Chair Masino amended Line 55 “Trinity University” to read “Trinity College”.23
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MOTION: Madam Chair Masino made a motion, without objection, for the approval25
of the Minutes of the December 3, 2025, Regular Meeting as written. Peterson and26
Zoning Commission Chair Braz abstained.27
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IV. OPEN SPACE INVENTORY UPDATE29
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Madam Chair Masino recommended adding Open Space Committee Policies, such as31
the Acquisition Policy and Stewardship Policy, and policies from other boards and32
commissions concerning open space.33
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Committee Member Peterson recommended the Deposition Policy and its Data35
Deposition Form, as well as the Data Deposition Form, as well as the Data Disposition36
Form, as well as wording from the Town Charter and the Town Code.37
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Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group
Regular Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2026
Page 2 of 3
Madam Chair Masino recommended adding codes on rare and specialized habitats39
copied from the State database, and including inventory on invasive species, notable40
trees, wild and scenic, flood zones, lagoons, and invertebrates.41
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Planning Commission Chair Leavitt-Smith recommended noting the date of revisions,43
as it is a living document, a list of existing things that need to be revised and a list of44
action items.45
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The Committee decided that this would be much more than inventory and a title change47
would be necessary.48
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V. ARBORETUM UPDATE50
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No update.52
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VI. OPEN SPACE PRESENTATION TO BOARD OF SELECTMEN54
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No action is currently required.56
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VII. EVENTS58
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a. Simsbury Land Trust’s Tree Dedication: April 24th at Simsbury Public Library60
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b. Simsbury Land Trust’s Big Old Belden Walk and Scavenger Hunt: April 24th
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Belden Forest63
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c. Earth Day: April 25th and 26th at Flamig Farm.65
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d. Sustainability Fair: May 2nd at Simsbury Public Library67
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e. Upcoming Films:69
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i. 4/13 Salamanders: Simsbury Public Library71
ii. 4/23 Eastern White Pine: Simsbury Public Library; reception72
with pine-themed snacks at 6pm73
iii. 4/25 Proforestation: CT Science Center; Madam Chair Masino74
will be giving a talk.75
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VIII. OTHER BUSINESS77
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None.79
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IX. ADOURNMENT81
Open Space Stewardship and Policies Work Group
Regular Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2026
Page 3 of 3
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MOTION: Madam Chair Masino made a motion, without objection, to adjourn the83
meeting.84
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Madam Chair Masino adjourned the meeting at 6:07 P.M.86
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Respectfully submitted,88
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Amanda Blaze90
Commission Clerk91
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Simsbury Open Space (framework for compiled document)
Executive Summary (pending, finalize at end)
Open Space Committee Mission (done)
Charter and Code (done for now, minor updates to be discussed at some point TBD)
INVENTORY (is this the best place in this order?)
Rules of Procedure (done)
Acquisition Policy (done)
Disposition Data Form (done)
Policies and ordinances:
Native Plant Policy (zoning? Margery)
Ecological Mowing Policies (in place?)
Farm Lease Policy (done)
Natural Area Stewardship Policy (done, minor edit to address reverse logic)
Wildlife Feeding Ordinance (done)
Dogs at Recreational Facilities, Athletic Fields, and Trails Ordinance (done)
Dark Skies Regulation (done)
Additional Topics in Simsbury Town Code:
Chapter 115: Offenses on Public Property
Article I: Parks, Playgrounds and Other Town Property
(add details?)
Identified Needs / Wish List:
Traprock Ridge enabling legislation (zoning)
Tree ordinance? (zoning)
Aquifer? (zoning)
Other? (check POCD)
Strategic Plan for Invasive Remediation
Ecological Inventory
Simsbury Stewards – Citizen Science
Farmland Overlay
Tax Foreclosure Process
Acquisition Opportunities and Priorities
Inventory work – edit in order:
Code Update - Add/consider:
H History
I Invasives (specify as possible)
WS wild and scenic river
NT notable tree(s)
FP floodplain/flood risk
TR traprock
OG old-growth
F farmland - or resolve with AL for agriculture lease / AP prime farmland?
W’s resolve re: wetlands and watercourses categories
S consider S for science (Hemlocks, Chestnuts, Natural Area Stewardship/Wildlands)
? headwaters, any other special things?
General Readability - Flag as necessary
Punch list to include:
Miscoded as Open Space
- 27 Madison Lane (B14-301-110)
Miscategorized, new, missing, i.e. says "Open Space" on the Town GIS map.
Miscoded as utility parcel Ruthies Lane (A09-420-Open-Sp)
Owen’s Brook Page 50 (sample entry below)
majority of Meadowood missing (24 acre piece may be “town-owned land” not
“town-owned open space”
Additional pieces pending collective input