Minutes of the Charlton Environmental Conservation Commission Meeting– February 28, 2006

1.   The meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm with members Marv Schorr, Lane Jastrebski, Doug Ranaletto and Bob Killeen in attendance.

2.   Minutes of the January 31, 2006 meeting were approved without change.

3.       Marv reported that it was announced at the Town Board meeting that a hearing will be held at 7 pm on March 13, 2006 on the latest version of the proposed local law to control outdoor “solid fuel” furnaces.

4.   Old business – The Comprehensive Planning Steering Committee held a workshop with members of the Town Board, Planning Board and ZBA, on its draft goals and strategies to achieve the goals. The next step will be to make any revisions suggested by the workshop and then have the consultant draft the text of the Plan based on the goals and strategies. Marv explained that after that a public information meeting(s) will be held on the draft plan and it will then be submitted to the Town Board. After their review, if they are satisfied, a public hearing(s) will be held before making a decision on whether to accept or reject the plan.

5.   New Business - The Town is in the process of buying a van for use by the Charlton Seniors and the Town. It will be paid for by the Town and then the County Office for the Aging will reimburse the Town for 75% of the cost to a maximum of $16,000. A committee of the Charlton Seniors will hold a workshop with the Town Board on March 8 to go over the plans for the van.

6.   The latest version of the draft local ordinance controlling the use of outdoor wood burning furnaces was reviewed. As previously discussed in an October 2005 letter to the Town Board, the ECC’s primary concerns are the health issues related to smoke and the materials that are burned (the ECC recommended that only untreated wood be allowed). The ECC had recommended that the ordinance forbid location in the residential area (it does not), and also specify a stack height, setbacks and the material that can be burned. The draft ordinance still does not specify stack height, but rather states that the manufacturer’s requirements must be met (if the stack is too short down draft of the smoke occurs). Setbacks are less than recommended by the ECC making it more likely that units could be sited in the residential area. The ECC is also concerned that the draft allows coal and other non-wood material to be burned in the furnaces and does not forbid year round use (inversions are more common in the warmer months), although it can only be used for heating the primary residence. Burning coal emits significant pollutants, such as heavy metals, that wood does not emit. Corn cob fuel would be allowed, but there is no requirement that the fuel be dry. Without specification of stack height the ECC is still concerned that downdraft can occur, thereby producing a significant health threat to Town residents. However, based on the ECC discussion at its January 31, 2006 meeting the draft no longer grandfathers existing units. The ECC learned from a resident who uses an outdoor furnace that he uses anything that will burn as fuel, including wet corn cobs, tree stumps and treated wood. His furnace has a 4 foot stack supplied by the furnace manufacturer, there are nearby structures and he does have a smoke problem at times (“smoke sits near the ground when the air is heavy”). Marv will send another letter to the Town Board with the ECC concerns with the draft law.

7. The tree order for the tree give away on April 29 was discussed. The ECC will purchase 50 each of common lilac, blue spruce, sugar maple, white flowering dogwood and mountain ash.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

M.M. Schorr, Chairman

cc: ECC members

Town Board members