HomeMy WebLinkAbout09292015 Nantucket Agriculture Commission MinutesNantucket Agricultural Commission
Minutes from September 29th, 2015
In Attendance:
Patty Myers
John Kuszpa
Campbell Sutton
Tracy Pattenden
Richard Arnold
Not In Attendance:
Michelle Whelan
Agenda:
1.Vote on minutes from 8/11/15- Richard motions, Campbell seconds, all in favor
2.On-going Discussion
a.Review current status of BOH & Keeping of Animals Regulations- Officer Gale in
attendance- Campbell shares, email from Roberto outlining procedure for rooster
complaints, Gale- no violation if you do not get the permit, needs to include more
types of animals, should add penned up/housed properly, define existing permit
better, just need to add some wording,Officer Gale has typed something up and is
waiting for approval to share with us, fee of $25 for not getting permit, add line
that they have read and understand regulations on permit, if we revoke permits,
then where will animals go?, Also people need more time to get rid of animals,
Reaction from meeting about specifications on how to take care of animals, so
keep regulation simple, Officer Gale needs to have bylaws to enforce about
people's problem animals, not just roosters but cats, dogs, sheep, etc, BOH
utilizing current noise/nuisance regs and wants to incorporate roosters, there was
an old town bylaw on noisey animals in nuisance bylaw but it disappeared,
enforcement given to police by BOH, campbell suggested to revise permit, have a
2 year educational campaign, then enforce, permit benefits owners so if animal
gets loose, police know where to bring it back, bylaw for nuisance animals not just
dogs, what about summer animals, Richard says boat should ask for health
papers and maybe educate, Tracy is concerned about the order of magnitude and
worried about people using the regulations to hurt responsible owners, MOTION
of support for the animal control officer, Susanne Gale’s work on the permit after
preview- Richard motions,, John Seconds, all in favor.
b.Up-date on “right to farm” proposal-john send out sample from Pete Westover,
group will read and come back with suggestions at next meeting.
c. Review possible Ag Com website updates:
i.future link to livestock permit-
ii.www.massagcom.org
iii.farm loans-
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/be
ginning-farmers-and-ranchers-loans/
iv.Begining farmer info - federal -
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/newfarmers?navid=newfarmers
and Massachusets beggining farmer site: http://bfnmass.org/
v.Legal help-
http://www.clf.org/our-work/healthy-communities/farm-and-food-initia
tive/legal-services-food-hub/
vi.www.sustainable nantucket.org
vii.large animal vet-
viii.links to future Nuisance animal bylaw
ix.PETE WESTOVER state ag rep westover03@comcast.net
x.www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/ is the official site for dept. of ag resources at
state level.
d.
3. Open discussion-
4. Discussion of future Objectives:
a.live stock regs- (discussed in the beginning with Officer Gale)
b.Right to farm bill- John handed out Blandford,MA’s bylaw as an example-
commissioners will review and bring edits to next meeting.
c.challenging the greenhouse law-under zoning, richard can look into it, invite
Marcus to that meeting and a representative from the HDC
d.water restriction and size of lawns (drains aquifers, pollutes harbor (harms
shellfish farming), pollutes air-
e.get all the other boards together (invasives,shellfish)- campbell is on it at least for
boh- hard to work it out, too hard to bring together, we should abandon.
f.updating website- put links to brochures Pete gave us on town website- John- will
do- see above
g.MOTION to abandon (e) getting boards together and work on (d)water
restriction after others are complete- John motions Richard seconds, all in favor
5. Set agenda for next meeting-
a.Vote on minutes from 9/29/15
b.On-going discussion
i.Review status of BOH & keeping of animals regulations- preview Officer
Gales recommendations.
ii.Update the right to farm bylaw and finalize wording.
iii.Finalize Ag com website updates.
c.Open discussion
d.Discussion of future objectives
i.Livestock regs
ii.Right to farm bill
iii.Review recommended plan of work
iv.Set agenda for the next meeting
v.Set time, date and place for next meeting
vi.Adjourn
6. Set Date, Time, and Place for next meeting- doors lock at 4, tracy will research, can do
2nd thursday, 7pm, October 8th, at police station, look for another time after that, maybe
6 pm
7. Adjourn
Meeting Start: 4:02 pm
Adjourned: 5:06pm