Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Conservation Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Moultonborough Conservation Commission advances 2026 goals, discusses Mud Pond easement feasibility
Summary
The commission discussed a potential conservation easement for Lot 116/5 at Mud Pond but took no action pending an ownership transfer, and reviewed a draft set of 2026 goals including ordinance amendments, public outreach, member professional development, TRC participation and a school signage project tied to a wildlife grant.
The Moultonborough Conservation Commission on March 2 discussed evaluating a conservation easement on wetlands at Lot 116/5 near Mud Pond but agreed no formal action can occur until ownership transfers following a pending sale. Chair Brian Sanford said the property was identified as a priority in the town's most recent National Resources Inventory (NRI) but emphasized the evaluation is at an early feasibility stage.
Members also reviewed a draft set of ConCom goals for 2026 intended to guide the commission's priorities for the year. The draft calls for a package of ordinance updates (the commission identified four top ordinance amendments), expanded public education and outreach, member professional development and more formal participation in technical review committee (TRC) meetings.
Why it matters: a conservation easement on Mud Pond wetlands would protect mapped priority habitat identified in the NRI, and the ordinance and outreach initiatives are designed to strengthen the commission's role in land-use decisions affecting local water resources and wildlife.
The ordinance work is slated to proceed in coordination with the Planning Board. Members proposed presenting a draft of amendments at a combined ConCom/Planning Board work session on Sept. 30, 2026, with public comment in October and a Planning Board vote thereafter. Commission leaders — Brian Sanford, Sandra Kelly and Max Hoene — are leading the ordinance initiative.
ConCom member Anni Jakobsen is leading a public education and outreach effort that will cover winter road salt reduction, a composting pilot to reduce landfill waste, cyanobacteria and stormwater management practices. The commission set an expectation that each member attend at least one environmental conference in 2026 as part of member education; conference fees are reimbursable by the land use department or ConCom funds.
As part of its project work, Cristina Ashjian will lead a Taking Action Wildlife Grant work group, in collaboration with the local school, to draft content for roughly six educational signs to be installed in fall 2026.
The commission's NRI review work group (Brian Sanford and Bill Gassman) completed comprehensive edits to the draft NRI and will submit comments to the consultant FBE for finalization. The commission plans to present the finalized NRI with an executive summary and recommendations to the Board of Selectmen in September.
Next steps: ConCom will not act on the Mud Pond easement until the property's sale and ownership transfer are complete; the commission will finalize its 2026 goals at the April meeting and plans additional outreach and TRC participation assessments in June.
