Minutes
North Stonington Affordable Housing Committee
WORKSHOP
November 21, 2013
In Attendance: Tim Pelland, Mary Ann Ricker and Jim Scaramozza
Absent: Tina DuBosque, Kristen Comstock and Michelle Brophy
Guests: Juliet Leeming, Christine Devine, and Mark Donahue
Location: Wheeler High School Media Center
Given that the Committee did not have quorum, no official meeting was called to order, but instead a workshop was held and presided over by Co-Chairman Mary Ann Ricker at 6:10 PM. By motion, minutes from the September 26, 2013 meeting were reviewed and ratified.
Public comments were made by Mark Donahue (at the conclusion of the meeting) in that he discussed with the attending members aspects of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and specifically the Housing part of it. The request was made we provide as much specificity and proposed direction as may be possible to ensure that as much as the housing parts of the POCD are implemented to the best of everyone’s abilities. Some discussion also took place as to the Meadowcourt project and its status.
Juliet Leeming gave a brief report of the POCD and next steps, as well as some additional information in respect to the Pre-development grant and the Meadowcourt project. As for the POCD, apparently there is one more public hearing on December 5th, after which the Town’s Planning and Zoning Agency will vote on same. If approved, it would then be presented to the State’s Office of Policy and Management.
Then, Mary Ann Ricker discussed aspects of the deed restrictions for certain tax abatement and/or extending of loans for housing rehab purposes. Both her and co-Chair Tim Pelland were going to schedule a meeting with the First Selectmen to discuss these potential programs tied to deed restrictions that Committee would seek be counted toward mandatory and statutorily required affordable housing. A Town official would need to provide the oversight to any approved program(s) in terms of enforcement and such “counting”.
Lastly, further (informal, given a workshop only) discussion took place as to the traveling ad and some issues that were discussed at the last formal meeting were touched upon here. It was decided that at the next meeting such issues would be discussed in detail, however, it was suggested that if the Committee could procure a copy of the video that the Partnership for Strong Communities had previously done, it might serve to help the Committee shape the overall format and presentation better. Mary Ann Ricker indicated she would reach out to David Fink of the Partnership for these purposes.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 19, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at Wheeler High School Media Center.
This workshop was dismissed at approximately 7:05 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
James Scaramozza
Recording Secretary
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