Conservation Commission Agenda (linked)

DRAFT DRAFT
BUDGET FUNCTION
The Waterford Conservation Commission serves as the Inland Wetlands Agency; reviewing
applications, issuing permits and enforcing activities affecting inland wetlands and
watercourses in accordance with the Waterford Inland Wetlands and Watercourses regulations
and CT General Statute’s 22a-36 through 22a-45. The Conservation Commission also carries
out the statutory responsibilities of a municipal Conservation Commission, maintaining a survey
of natural resources, reviewing land use proposals and making recommendations to other
Boards and Agencies on natural resource identification and protection, and Open Space
preservation.
The Conservation Commission held 17 regularly scheduled meetings in FY 2024/25 and
rendered decisions on 14 applications to conduct activities in and adjacent to inland wetlands
and watercourses. Inland Wetland permits issued authorized the temporary disturbance of
0.02 acres of wetland. Wetland mitigation efforts completed included on-site wetland
restoration of 0.012 acres of wetland. ;
MEMBERS
Richard Muckle, Chair
Tali Maidelis, Secretary
David Lersch
Geneva Renegar
Wade Thomas
Keith Kriet
Ivy Plis
ALTERNATES
Matthew Shea
David DeNoia
Avery Holzworth

FEES
FEES — Application Fees Generated from Inland Wetland Permit Applications
Fiscal Year Total Fees Collected
FY 2020/2021 $ 800
FY 2021/2022 $ 700
FY 2022/2023 $ 1,600
FY 2023/2024 $ 1,050
FY 2024/2025 $ 362
FY 2025/2026 — 4 months $ 360
The Waterford Conservation Commission requires an additional fee when public hearings are
required. The fee off-sets the cost for publishing the two legal notices of public hearing
required by State statute.

Tr? CON.
BUDGET SUMMARY
CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Proposed Fiscal Year 2027
SERVICES:
10114-52010-101-010-14-00-52 ADVERTISING
10114-52020-101-010-14-00-52 POSTAGE
10114-52030-101-010-14-00-52 PROFESSIONAL FEES
10114-52031-101-010-14-00-52 PLANNING SERVICES
10114-52050-101-010-14-00-52 DUES,CONFERENCES &
EDUCATION
10114-52060-101-010-14-00-52 PRINTING
TOTAL
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES:
10114-53020-101-010-14-00-53 OTHER SUPPLIES
TOTAL
TOTAL
Advertising Line 10114-52010
S 1,500 Requested
1,500
125
3,500
12,000
600
The advertising account covers the cost of all legal notice requirements required by State
statute. This includes publication of notices of public hearings, enforcement orders and notices
of decision on all Commission inland wetland agency actions. Advertisements for public
hearings and decisions of the Commission are required to be published in a newspaper having
general circulation in Waterford. To off-set publication costs, the Commission requires an
additional fee of $400.00 when a public hearing is required for the legal notices. The
requested budget amount is consistent with that approved for the FY 2025/26 budget.

its DEPARTMENT:
Postage Line 10114-52020
S 125 Requested
Postage expenditures include certified letter mailings required for notice of Commission
decisions on applications and for enforcement proceedings, correspondence to Town residents,
and referrals to municipal, State and Federal agencies. The requested budget amount is
consistent with that approved for the FY 2025/26 budget.
Professional Services Line 10114-52030
S 3,500 Requested
The professional services account is used to obtain professional technical reviews, retain expert
witnesses, chemical laboratory analyses and other professional technical assistance unavailable at
the municipal or State level that are required to conduct the duties of the inland wetlands agency
and the Conservation Commission. These services may include assisting the Commission with
technical expert reviews of application documents, investigating complaints of wetland, soil or
water quality impacts, documenting violations of the inland wetlands and watercourses regulations,
providing expert testimony in court proceedings, or assisting the Commission in preparing natural
resource surveys.
To carry out the responsibilities of the Inland Wetland and Watercourses Act, it is critical that the
Commission have the ability to retain expert witnesses for determination of impacts to wetlands
and watercourses in order to reach and maintain defensible decisions. Court case law has
established that the finding of adverse impacts and justification for conditions of approval requires
technical expertise and expert evidence in the application record. The Commission uses the
expertise of staff members, and regional and state technical offices when available, however
specific technical expertise may be required during the application process within a limited time
frame. Having sufficient funding available to procure services when expert review is needed is
essential in consideration of the strict time frames established by State Statute for rendering
decisions on inland wetland applications.
The fee schedule for Inland Wetland permit applications allows the Commission to charge the
applicant for third party expert reviews and technical evaluations deemed necessary to assist in the
review of complex permit applications. However, the Commission continues to require funds for
obtaining professional expertise on items other than those duties associated with complex permit
applications.
Expenditures under this item are difficult to predict and are related to the number and complexity
of permit applications, public hearings, enforcement proceedings and technical needs of the
Commission. The requested amount will fund an estimated 25 -35 hours of professional service at a
rate of $100 - $150/hr.
The requested budget amount is consistent with that approved for the FY 2025/26 budget.

Planning Services Line 10114-52031
S 12,000 Requested
The Conservation Commission conducts a water quality monitoring program of freshwater streams
and ponds in Waterford. Samples are collected at 30 locations in the early summer and late fall of a
calendar year to track water quality over the growing season and monitor changes in quality over
time. Sampling is conducted on Jordan Brook, Nevins Brook, Fenger Brook, Hunts Brook, Stony
Brook, Oil Mill Brook and its tributaries, Millstone (Beebe) Brook, Green Swamp Brook and a
tributary stream to Goshen Cove. Water quality parameters monitored include total coliform, e.
coli and enterococci bacteria, temperature, pH, nitrogen compounds and phosphorus.
The surface water quality monitoring program has been conducted for the past 25 years by the
Conservation Commission and has generated comprehensive data on the quality of the town’s
water resources. This data is used to evaluate potential impacts of land development on stream
health and to track changes in water chemistry over time. It also provides a scientific basis for the
Conservation Commission to establish required levels of stormwater treatment for development
proposals, and water quality mitigation goals for enforcement proceedings.
Jordan Brook, Oil Mill Brook and Stony Brook support native trout and high quality waters. Habitat
requirements for these fisheries include cool, oxygenated waters with suitable substrate conditions
to provide food and aquatic habitat. Alteration of adjacent lands, loss of vegetative cover, soil
erosion, flow alterations, septic system discharges and stormwater run-off can adversely impact the
biological conditions of these watercourses. The monitored temperature, nitrogen and phosphorus
levels in these streams continue to indicate high quality surface waters.
The 2022 State of Connecticut Integrated Water Quality Report, submitted by CT DEEP to the EPA,
identifies Alewife Cove, Jordan Cove, and areas of Niantic Bay and the Niantic River as impaired
estuaries that do not fully support designated uses of habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife.
Fenger Brook is listed as not supporting designated uses for aquatic life and recreation. The section
of Hunts Brook downstream of the Miller Pond dam is listed as not supporting fish and aquatic life
habitat. The lower reach of Stony Brook south of Route 1 is listed as impaired for recreational use
due to bacteria. The Commission continues to monitor water quality in the streams contributing to
these impaired waters
This long-term water quality monitoring is a critical part of the natural resource inventory work the
Commission conducts and allows tracking of trends in water quality from land use changes and
provides an indication of where water quality may be affected. Town staff conducts the sampling
to minimize costs. Expenses from this line item are linked to the number of water samples
collected. Due to extreme dry conditions in October & November 2024, stream sampling was not
conducted.
The requested budget amount is consistent with that approved in the previous fiscal year.

Dues, a een — Edueition Line 10114-52050
S 600 Requested
Expenditures from this line item include membership dues, commission and staff training,
attendance at seminars and workshops. The Connecticut Inland Wetlands and Watercourses
Act [CGS 22a-36 - 22a-45a] recommends members of inland wetland agency complete a
comprehensive training program developed by the CT DEEP. Commissioners also attend
environmental education conferences and legal seminars regarding inland wetlands to keep
informed of changes to State Statute or case law affecting application review practices, public
hearing records and decision-making for Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Regulations
application. The Commission satisfies the minimum required training recommended by CT
DEEP for inland wetlands agencies.
The Commission is requesting the same amount for this item as approved in the previous fiscal
year to maintain the level of training of its members and staff.
Printing Line 10114-52060
S 25 Requested
Expenditures under this line item include printing of oversized documents, maps and colored
copies, which cannot be printed or are unavailable at Town facilities. The amount requested
under this line item is the same as approved in the previous fiscal year.
Other Supplies Line 10114-53020
S 500 Requested
Funds in this account are used to purchase and maintain environmental testing/monitoring
equipment, safety equipment, survey flagging, and Conservation Easement and Non-
Encroachment Boundary Line markers for field markings. This equipment allows the
Conservation Commission with its professional staff to perform wetland identification, water
testing, natural resource inventory and conservation easement boundary marking that would
otherwise require contracting for outside professional services.
The amount requested under this line item is the same as approved in the previous fiscal year.

U
Conservation Commission Development Commission
5 Year History of Expenditures
FY2025 FY2024 FY2023 FY2022 FY2021
ORIGINAL | FY2025 | ORIGINAL | FY2024 | ORIGINAL | FY2023 | ORIGINAL | FY2022 | ORIGINAL | FY2021
BUDGET ACTUAL | BUDGET ACTUAL | BUDGET ACTUAL | BUDGET ACTUAL | BUDGET ACTUAL
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
SERVICES:
10114-52010-101-010-13-00-52
ADVERTISING 1,500 820 1,500 | 1,069 | 1,500 | 1,599 | 1,500 | 1,105 | 1,500 989
10114-52020-101-010-13-00-52
POSTAGE 125 102 125 112 125 112 125 84 125 106
10114-52030-101-010-13-00-52
PROFESSIONAL FEES 3,500 - 3,500 - 3,500 - 3,500 7 3,500 | 3,500
10114-52031-101-010-13-00-52
PLANNING SERVICES 12,000 | 3,482 | 12,000 | 7,804 | 12,000 | 6,278 | 12,000 | 6,357 | 12,000 | 12,000
10114-52050-101-010-13-00-52
DUES,CONFERENCES &
EDUCATION 600 625 600 295 600 315 600 275 600 295
10114-52060-101-010-13-00-52
PRINTING 25 - 25 : 25 : 25 : 25 :
Total SERVICES 17,750 | 5,029 | 17,750 | 9,280 | 17,750 | 8,304 | 17,750 | 7,821 | 17,750 | 16,890
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES:
10110-53020-101-010-10-00-53
OTHER SUPPLIES 500 0 500 0 500 253 500 0 500 366
Total MATERIALS & SUPPLIES 500 0 500 0 500 253 500 0 500 366
TOTAL 18,250 | 5,029 | 18,250 | 9,280 | 18,250 | 8,557 | 18,250 | 7,821 | 18,250 | 17,256
Approved by the Waterford Conservation Commission — November 13, 2025