Minutes
North Stonington Affordable Housing Committee
January 24, 2013
In Attendance: Mary Ann Ricker, Tim Pelland, Kristen Comstock, Michelle Brophy and Jim Scaramozza
Absent: Tony Rose
Guests: Juliet Leeming and Christine Devine
Location: Wheeler High School Media Center
The meeting was called to order by Co-Chairman Tim Pelland at 6:10 PM. Minutes from the December 27, 2012 meeting were reviewed and ratified.
Christine Devine of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (said organization being a member of Housing Connections of Connecticut) joined the meeting as a guest and to assist us as we proceed with the various tasks before us. Periodically during the various topics discussed, Christine offered some suggestions and also was informed of the various housing projects and stages of same in our town.
First, as to committee membership, it is still hoped that Tina Debouche will join the committee as a new member (subject to review and approval of the Board of Selectmen (BOS)). Tina expects attend our next meeting for some “Q &A. She currently has a scheduling conflict that she intends to fix. After meeting with us, it is anticipated that we will submit her name for BOS consideration and hopeful approval. Mary Ann Ricker indicated that she will obtain from Tony Rose a formal letter of resignation as a committee member that will be thereafter submitted to BOS for notification purposes.
Next, the committee formally adopted the Housing Plan and moved that it be distributed to the various Town agencies and be formally presented to Planning and Zoning (P&Z) on February 14th. Juliet Leeming offered to coordinate such distribution and work out the logistics of this presentation with Heidi Samokar of Planimetrics, and Jason Vincent formerly of Planimetrics, who shall act as co-moderators. As for the implementation plan, the committee moved that it be considered for formal adoption at its next meeting of February 28th.
Background was then given by certain members and guests concerning the recent P&Z approval of the Watson Estates Subdivision to be developed by an entity generally known as Greenfalls Associates, near Lake Isles. Similarly, discussions took place as to Meadowcourt and where that anticipated project was from an approval standpoint. Committee members also considered what more they may do in order to assist in the continued progression of this project.
The committee then reviewed where things stood with respect to Wintechog Hill and any potential development and construction of affordable housing on that parcel. Juliet Leeming reported to the committee that, at the direction of P&Z, she was pursuing a pre-development grant with the assistance of David Fink, in order to use such money for engineering soil/perc testing. While there appears to be a great deal of more investigatory work and due diligence to be conducted, this grant, if secured, would be an important first step in determining the feasibility of affordable housing development at this site. Upon assembling additional information, she expected to discuss this further with P&Z and BOS as well.
Juliet also advised the committee of a “Community Visioning Session” event she intends to conduct likely in April which shall entail multiple themes; presentations and informational booths concerning planning, economic development, housing, etc. Juliet was still working on event details but will be moving forward quickly so that it does take place (on a Saturday) in the spring.
Some discussion was given to the partnering of small towns to examine 8-30g and its impact on such smaller towns. At a recent workshop, certain attendees ask if the committee might consider exploring a means by which said statute may be made more compatible with smaller towns and the issues that they often confront. Both Michelle Brophy and Jim Scaramozza formally noticed the committee that any action taken by the committee in regard to this would require them to resign from the committee given the work they do in the affordable housing community and the myriad entities they represent. It was then decided by the committee that no action or further discussion was to take place about this. However, if private citizens wish to work together in an effort to evaluate what might be done, the committee
of course could not prevent this. Nonetheless, the record is to reflect that the committee takes no position and offers no public comment concerning any modification, relaxation or amendment to 8-30 g that would serve to benefit certain municipalities over other ones.
Mary Ann Ricker then discussed members of the committee attending the next Board of Finance (BOF) meeting on February 13th. At such meeting, the committee will seek to have affordable housing added as a line item added to the Town budget, even if for only $1. It was suggested that we consider seeking more than just the $1 placeholder, and look at potential action items from the implementation plan and attendant costs to same. It was acknowledged that to quantify the costs to any such action items may prove difficult but consideration was agreed to be given to this. At the BOF meeting, it will also be discussed that money from the sale of the current tax foreclosed property and any future such sales be deposited into the aforesaid line item.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 28, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at Wheeler High School Media Center.
With no further action items in which to discuss, a motion for the meeting’s adjournment was made and seconded and thereafter approved. Accordingly, the meeting was adjourned by our co-chair Mary Ann Ricker at 7:35 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
James Scaramozza
Recording Secretary
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