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EAST LYME PLANNING COMMISSION

Scrolling down or clicking the bookmarks will take you to the minutes for meetings held in July.

REGULAR MEETING   Tuesday, JULY 1st, 2008

EAST LYME PLANNING COMMISSION

MINUTES

PRESENT:                 Lisa Picarazzi, Chairman, Chris Sandford, Mike Bowers, George McPherson, Alternate

ALSO PRESENT:       Fred Finn, Applicant

                                 Attorney Ron Stevens, Representing the Applicant

                                 Bill Mulholland, Zoning Official

ABSENT:                   Paul Dagle, Francine Schwartz, Secretary, Tom Perron, Robert Kleinhans, Alternate, Sandy Mulholland, Alternate

Chairman Picarazzi called this Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission to order promptly at 7:00 PM.  She noted that she had seated George McPherson, Alternate at the table this evening.

Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge was observed.

I.    Public Delegations

Public Delegations is the time when members of the public are invited to speak to the Commission about certain matters. Issues or concerns related to approved subdivisions under construction (Item IV.) and in-house proposals or general topics of discussion (Item VII.) are open to comment. Items, referrals, or applications subject to a decision by the Commission, a public hearing, or in litigation may not be discussed. The members of the Commission will not directly answer questions or make comment during delegations.

Ms. Picarazzi called for Public Delegations.

There were none.

II.  Approval of Minutes –  Special Meeting Minutes of June 17, 2008

Ms. Picarazzi called for any discussion or corrections to the Planning Commission Special Meeting Minutes of June 17, 2008.

Mr. Bowers asked that on Page 1 where Paul Formica is speaking the back slash be removed from the fourth line under delegations after the word: ‘could’; and that a clarification be made where Cary Janus is speaking to reflect that the ‘Thursday’ that she is referring to is a Zoning meeting.

**MOTION (1)

Mr. Sandford moved to approve the Special Meeting Minutes of the Planning Commission on June 17, 2008 as amended.

Mr. McPherson seconded the motion.

Vote:  4 – 0 – 0.  Motion passed.

III.   Subdivision Applications

There were none.

IV.   Subdivisions (Approved and Under Construction)

(A list of approved subdivisions under construction will be posted on the Town web-site @  under “Planning Commission”. The Active Subdivision List will also be available upon request in the Land Use Office. This agenda item shall be reserved for items requiring administrative action by the Planning Commission for already approved subdivisions.)

1.    Walnut Hill Chase – Request of Attorney Theodore A. Harris for an extension of time to file Mylars regarding Walnut Hill Chase Subdivision.

Ms. Picarazzi called upon Attorney Ron Stevens for information on this.

Attorney Ron Stevens, place of business 351 Main Street said that he was covering this evening for Attorney Harris and explained that there were a few things that they were still working on with respect to this. Additionally they need to have the Board of Selectmen act and they have not yet done so due to their summer meeting schedule. He said that the Statute allows them two (2) 90-day extensions of time in which to file the Mylars and that they are asking for one of them.

**MOTION (2)

Mr. Bowers moved to grant a 90-day extension of time as allowed by Statute for the filing of Mylars for the Walnut Hill Chase Subdivision.

Mr. McPherson seconded the motion.

Vote:  4 – 0 – 0.  Motion passed.

V.   Zoning Referrals (CGS 8-3a)

There were none.

VI.   8-24 Referrals (Municipal Improvements)

There were none.

VII.  New Business

1.       Chairman’s Comments – Re: Scenic Road Plan

Ms. Picarazzi reported that she and Mr. Dagle, some Zoning members and some members of the public had a meeting the previous evening and looked at the Town of Lebanon’s ordinance on Scenic Roads for a good starting point on this. She said that they anticipate that this will move forward over the next several months and an ordinance will be created.

2.       Set Public Hearing Date – Proposed Text Amendment – Section 7-3-7 of Subdivision Regulations

Ms. Picarazzi asked Mr. Mulholland he would summarize this for them.

Mr. Mulholland said that this is allowed under their regulations much like it is for Zoning and that the time requirements are the same.

Ms. Picarazzi suggested that they set the Public Hearing date for this for their next Regular Meeting on August 5, 2008. She asked the members if any of them had a conflict or would be away on vacation – hearing none – it was agreed by the members that August 5, 2008 would be the hearing date for this proposed Text Amendment.

VIII.  Other Business

1.   Update of Subdivision Regulations – Stormwater Mgnt. – Preparing Final Draft for Peer Review

Mr. Mulholland reported that Bill Scheer, Town Engineer is working on this and that it is being reviewed and should be ready soon.

2.   Open Space Plan

Mr. Bowers asked Mr. Mulholland if he has spoken with anyone on this.

Mr. Mulholland said that he would check into this and noted that a Federal case was served on land use and that they have been busy copying and sending documents along for legal review as requested. He said that they are also in the process of cataloguing the information that they have to turn over to the new Planner.

3.   POCD Update

Ms. Picarazzi reported that they will be meeting with Mr. Miniutti from UCONN tomorrow morning to discuss how to move forward with this.

IX.   Reports

1.       Chairman

Ms. Picarazzi read a thank you card that she had received from Ms. Parulis to the Commissioners stating that she was finding her new position rewarding.

Mr. Bowers asked about the process regarding Scenic Roads and if they would first enact an ordinance and then put the roads under it that qualify and suggested that if that is the way that it will be done that it is carefully written in that manner.

Ms. Picarazzi said that it would be generic writing so that it would work.

2.       Zoning Representative

There was no report.

3.       Regional Planning Commission Representative – Christopher Sandford, Luane Lange, Alternate

Mr. Sandford reported that there have been no meetings.

4.       Rte. 11 Greenway

Mr. Bowers said that he saw a Representative Jutila letter urging Governor Rell to move on this as SE CT is feeling like a ‘second class citizen’ with this not moving forward. The hope is to move this forward.

5.       Ex-Officio – Jack Hogan

Mr. Hogan reported that he knew that there were five (5) candidates for Planner and they would be reviewing and interviewing them. He noted that Ms. Picarazzi is also on that committee.

6.       Staff/Communications

Ms. Picarazzi said that she had received a letter from Bob Kleinhans, Alternate noting that he was resigning from the Planning Commission. The letter was stamped as received by the Town Clerk on June 30, 2008 so they would have 30 days in which to fill the position. She asked the pleasure of the Commission.

After further discussion it was decided that a Special Meeting for the purpose of filling this position would be held on July 15, 2008 in place of the workshop.

Ms. Picarazzi indicated that she had some previous letters of interest.

Mr. Mulholland noted that they would like to be ‘transparent’ in filling the position.

The Recording Secretary was charged with having a notice of the opening placed on the Town website and the Channel 22 scroll screen.

Mr. Mulholland said that he would see to the legal notice for this meeting.

Mr. Mulholland additionally reported that he would speak with Town Counsel regarding zoning changes in the northern end of Town as they would like to avoid legal ramifications. Additionally, he said that he has received some mail that he will review and report back to them on anything that may be necessary for them to act on.

ADJOURNMENT

**MOTION (3)

Mr. McPherson moved to adjourn this Regular Meeting of the East Lyme Planning Commission at 7:30 PM.

Mr. Bowers seconded the motion.

VOTE:  4 – 0 – 0.   Motion passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen Zmitruk,

Recording Secretary