Conservation Commission

white water lilies on Smileys pond

Regular Meetings

Conservation Commission meetings are held at 5:30 PM on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

Agendas & Minutes

View the Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Zoom Links to Video Recordings of Meetings

Click here to access Zoom recordings of meetings. To find a specific Conservation Commission meeting, scroll through the chronological list of all Zoom-recorded meetings. Note the passcode which you will have to type in.

Members

  • Alexis Fakelmann, Secretary
  • Joyce Frater
  • Jeff Nathan
  • Shannon Poulin, Clerk
  • Patrick Riordan
  • David Seligman, Chairman
  • Emily Stockman, Agent
  • Bill Tynan, Associate
Prospect Lake Watershed under a bright blue sky in summer

Prospect Lake Watershed:  A Sensitive Ecosystem That Touches All Our Lives.
By Peter Goldberg, Board Member of the Friends of Prospect Lake

If you live in Egremont, Alford, Great Barrington, and Sheffield, your life has both a direct and indirect connection with the Prospect Lake Watershed.  What is a watershed?  Here’s a good, working definition: A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water, such as a larger river, a lake, or an ocean.

Download the article (PDF) to continue reading and access helpful resources.

Overview

The Conservation Commission protects Egremont's land, water, and biological resources. The Commission's authority derives from the Commonwealth's Conservation Commission Act (MGL, Chapter 40, § 8C) for open space and the Wetlands Protection Act (MGL, Chapter 131, § 40) to protect wetlands and waterways through permitting. The Commission can research local land areas for conservation and passive outdoor recreation under an Open Recreation and Resource Plan consistent with the Town's Master Plan.

The Conservation Commission reminds residents that any work they may wish to undertake on their property, which might be within proximity to rivers, streams, wetlands, or even intermittent water flows, vernal pools, or wet areas, should contact the Commission using the Project Review Form available to download on this page under Documents. Most, but not all, local contractors, tree services, excavators, etc., are familiar with the requirements under the Wetlands Protection Act (WPA) and will ensure all necessary approvals are obtained before commencing work. However, the property owner is ultimately responsible for all the due diligence. If you are uncertain whether or not your project is subject to the WPA, email the Commission, and we will assess no cost or burden to you.

Commission Endorses OSRP

The Conservation Commission has endorsed the August 2023 Final Draft of the Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) submitted by consultant Tracy J. Adamski of Tighe & Bond. You can download the PDF (204 pages) and view it here.

The OSRP will become the official Town policy once the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has approved the draft. The DCR reserves the right to require changes.

How the Open Space and Recreation Plan Developed with Community Participation

Egremont Vision 2035 two public workshops, the first on Saturday, January 14, and the final on Saturday, March 11, saw 100+ Egremonters turn out for each and be heard by the planners for the Comprehensive (CP) and Open Space and Recreation (OSRP) Plans. 

In the first Workshop, they listened to the planners' presentations, asked questions, reviewed data, and left written comments on their visions and goals for Egremont. Click here for a video slideshow that recaps an energy-charged, positive morning spent with neighbors. 

The final Workshop, whose topics arose from the first Workshop and community-wide survey, asked equally energized small groups to come up with goals and actions to accomplish the visions for the following and to prioritize:

  • Housing
  • Economic Development (including agriculture)
  • Recreation
  • Land Preservation, Protection, and Stewardship (including agricultural lands and climate change)
  • Historic Preservation and Future Development (including building and site design and climate change)

OSRP and CP Comments on Boards from January 14, 2023, Public Workshop (PDF)

Open Space and Recreation and Comprehensive Plans Public Workshop #2 Discussion Boards (PDF)

Open Space and Recreation and Comprehensive Plans Public Workshop #2 Handouts (PDF)

Comprehensive Plan & OSRP Surveys

The second and final community-wide questionnaire of Egremont homeowners, renters, business owners, students, and those who work in Egremont closed on May 1, 2023.

In conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan (CP) and Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) March 11 Public Workshop, this second and final questionnaire was to help those immediately involved - planning consultants, advisory committees, and the Planning Board and Conservation Commission members - to test your thoughts on the goals, priorities, and options for zoning changes expressed by workshop participants. 

The first community-wide survey closed on February 3, 2023. This questionnaire's purpose was to help those immediately involved - planning consultants, advisory committees, and the Planning Board and Conservation Commission members - to understand public opinions of Egremont's existing resources and identify opportunities and areas of need.

Access the tabulated responses from the first survey (PDF)

Access the tabulated responses from the second survey (PDF).

January Public Workshop Photo Recap

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March Public Workshop Photo Recap

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Egremont Vision 2035 Initiative

Egremont Vision 2035 Initiative is a collaborative planning process to produce a new Comprehensive Plan (aka Master Plan) and Open Space and Recreation Plan for the Town. The Comprehensive Plan, an undertaking of the Planning Board, will define the vision, goals, actions, and policies for the next ten to fifteen years. The last Master Plan was completed in 2003. 


The Open Space and Recreation Plan, an undertaking of the Conservation Commission, will focus on goals and steps to preserve and enhance Egremont’s natural resources and open spaces and meet the Town’s recreational needs for the next seven years. The last OSRP was completed in 2002. 


Throughout the process, which will end in the spring of 2023, public workshops will be posted with the expectation that these and other possible events will be online and in-person. Related documents will also be available for review on the website and here.


To help you keep up-to-date on the plans’ progress, participate in online questionnaires, view scheduled events and documents, and volunteer for a more active role in the process, go here: Egremont Vision 2035 Initiative Website. You can also subscribe to Notify Me on the homepage of this website to receive agendas, calendar postings (all meetings are open to the public), and news flash notices in your email inbox. All meetings are video recorded; you can find them on the Zoom Links page of this website.


Members of the Open Space and Recreational Plan Advisory Committee (appointed by Egremont Select Board):

  • David Seligman
  • Ron Banks
  • Ben Barrett
  • Matthew Bersani
  • Elia Del Molino
  • Barbara Kalish
  • Charles Miller
  • Bill Tynan

Documents Related to the Open Space and Recreational Plan

  1. Biomap Habitats and Natural Landscapes (PDF)
  2. Defintions of Terms Related to an Open Space and Recreation Plan (PDF)
  3. Egremont Vision 2035 Public Workshop 1 Presentationn Slide Deck (PDF)
  4. Egremont Vision 2035 Public Workshop 1 Talking Boards (PDF)
  5. Map of Open Space and Chapter 61 Lands as of January 2023 (PDF)
  6. Open Space and Recreation Plan and Comprehensive Plan Joint Advisory Committees Meeting Presentation 20230215 (PDF)
  7. Open Space and Recreational Plan Advisory Committee Meeting 20221003 Presentation (PDF)
  8. Open Space and Recreational Plan and Comprehensive Plan Joint Advisory Committee Meeting Presentation 20220808 (PDF)