Notes from the 6 September 1999 Tom's Creek Basin Vision Group Meeting

Brown Farm Master Planning Process:

Alwyn Moss sent letter to Council members, Dean Crane, and Adele Schirmer expressing concern about the haste of the Brown Farm Park planning process (RFQ's sent out Aug. 7th; proposals from engineering/landscape architecture firms due Aug. 23rd; short list selected Sep. 3rd; per schedule in RFQ:
initial recommendation to be made Sep 14th; Town Council to approve contract Oct 12th; notice to proceed with work Oct. 13th; feasibility study, preliminary meetings, analysis, budget, and survey work completed by Nov. 16th; Park Design Charrette on Nov. 17-18th; Alternative Plans presented at Public Workshop Dec 9th; Final Master Plan submitted to Planning & Engineering Dept. for final review Jan. 19th; Master Plan presented to Recreation Advisory Board Feb. 2nd; Master Plan presentation/public hearing with Town Council Feb. 8th; Master Plan considered by Town Council Feb 22nd).  She also mentioned TCBVG's desire to assist and to ensure that sensitive habitats are protected for conservation, education, aesthetic & ethical purposes/reasons.

Environmental Inventory Reports - Summer 1999
Ken Cooper (biologist/naturalist) discussed species observed at Brown Farm (as of Sep. 1, 1999):
Birds - 40-45 breeding species; approx. 88 total species (the adjacent woodland, and wetlands, large trees, and wooded slopes on the site are particularly important habitat areas)
Butterflies - 39 species (wetlands and fields very important)
Mammals - approximately 20 species (include river otters, raccoon, fox
squirrel, gray squirrel, chipmunk, red fox as observed by Ken, Larry and a local farmer); Biologist Jack Cranford expected to study mammal populations with his Virginia Tech students)
Amphibians - Tom Mathies (in Colorado), Chris Dorgiex & Don Mackler
(Fisheries & Wildlife researcher) have done some work and/or plan to help inventory amphibians in the area.

Marc Barany (forestry student) discussed early work on a tree inventory for Brown Farm, with at least 39 species counted to date.  (Ken mentioned that many fruit/nut trees and shrubs occur at the park.)

Environmental Education Report - Larry
Discussed the desire of a number of teachers (elementary through high school) for a bio-diverse landscape near to the schools in Blacksburg; currently Larry must travel with his BHS Biology class 45 minutes (to Floyd Co.) to reach an area with sufficient habitat diversity.

Larry summarized a letter to TCBVG from Julie Grady about the value of the Brown Farm as a place for hands-on environmental education.  In the letter she encourages the establishment of a nature preserve at Brown Farm.

Alternative Wastewater Treatment Conference, Sep. 10, 1999 @ Donaldson Brown (8:30am-4:00pm)
David Scheim and Mary Houska discussed the opportunity to hear a number of experts in the field of decentralized wastewater treatment this Friday; they encouraged folks to learn more about the issues related to wastewater treatment in areas like the Tom's Creek Basin.

Anderson & Associates Wasterwater Treatment Presentations scheduled at their offices on Ardmore from "A&A University" website > 9/16/99 & 9/22/99 (noon-1pm)
Wastewater Treatment Basic Options - Gary Crouch (Sep. 16th);
Alternative Wastewater Treatment Options - Chris Fewster (Sep. 22nd)


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