REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY November 14, 2012 – 5:30 P.M.
New Town Hall
Conference Room
40 Main Street
North Stonington, CT 06359
DRAFT MINUTES
- CALL MEETING TO ORDER: Senior Planning and Zoning Official, Juliet Leeming called the Regular Meeting of the North POCD Steering Committee to order on Wednesday November 14, 2012 at 5:35 p.m. at the New Town Hall, Conference Room.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Elaine Boissevain (P&Z), Peter Bogoian and Marilyn Mackay (EDC), Mary Ann Ricker (NSAHC), Bill Ricker and Joe Spano (CC), Mark Donahue and Nicholas Mullane (BOS), Mark Grigg (IWWC), Madeline Jeffery (NS Land Alliance), and Joseph Perry (EPTN)
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Julie Lanier (PZC), Tim Pelland (NSAHC), Brian Geer (EPTN), Peter Nimirowski and Dan Spring (BOF), Bob Testa (BOE), Nita Kincaid and Ed Harasimowitz (Hewitt Farm),George Brown (IWWC), and Duncan Schweitzer and Mac Turner (Avalonia). Belinda Learned (Agriculture). There were no representatives from MPTN.
Commission voted unanimously to approve minutes of 9/19/12 as written.
- ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: None
- DISCUSSION:
Materials Presented:
Juliet Leeming presented each member present with a packet of information including:
- A copy of the 9/19/12 Draft Minutes
- Notes from 3 of the 4 roundtable discussion topics.
- A draft outline of the POCD with explanations of each chapter
The following topics were discussed during the meeting:
J. Leeming discussed the informal planning discussions. 7 of the 8 sessions have been held. Meetings have been fairly well attended with some new faces. Notes on all sessions will be sent out after the final session is held. Consensus that another article should be written about the POCD using the summaries of these informal planning discussions as the base.
Madeline Jeffrey provided an update on the upcoming “neighborhood” meetings. (Neighborhood Concept – a means for residents along a certain road to meet and discuss the POCD or future of NS within the context of their specific neighborhood). M. Jeffrey explained her selection process for participants. Some concern expressed from the group that the participants were handpicked and that the not all the residents of the neighborhood were asked to participate. Date for meeting is Dec. 5th 2012. The EPTN will participate in the meeting for the Lantern Hill “neighborhood” and will be in touch will Madeline with names of possible participants.
J. Leeming identified the additional groups that needed to be approached for informal meetings or focus groups. These groups include the seniors, the Civics class at the HS, BOS, Historical Society, and the PTA. J. Leeming hopes to finish with the information gathering discussion sessions/focus groups by the end of January. Once this is done, a clear community profile can be created with as many visuals as possible depicting current desires and possible future scenarios etc. this information will be used in a formal visioning session either with the public or with the members of the POCD Steering Committee and other Boards and Commissions.
The IWWC will possibly work with the CC to add their input on the PCRL.
Update given on the status of the ED Plan and Housing Plan and how they will be incorporated into the POCD. J. Leeming to begin on the mapping with M. Tate, as well as the basic content of the POCD (no data analysis – just history and demographics etc). J. Leeming needs dedicated time with M. Tate to get the mapping done.
Discussion on the Community Survey to be sent out late January or early February. As the survey can help shape the vision, the committee members expressed the desire to allow for more in depth answers – such as simply allowing people to answer “why” and “why not” to their yes or no answers. The group still felt the survey should be user friendly so that the response rate was good, but wanted it to be broader. Discussion continued with whether or not the survey should be used to formulate the town vision, or if it should be used to help us identify and prioritize goals and objectives after the vision is created.
Discussion about the Planning Fair: Some felt there was no need for a Planning Fair, that the work we are doing now to gather public input is sufficient. The POCD Committee and PZC will likely work with a consultant in addition to town planner to do the formal visioning session and to help us synthesize the data and input gathered.
J. Leeming to work with small groups of POCD Committee members moving forward to finish with the public input piece and developing the survey.
POCD Committee Tasks:
- A list of talking points and/or questions for the targeted public groups/stakeholders needs to be developed.
N. Mullane and J. Leeming to visit Senior Center to gather the Senior Citizens’ input about the future of NS.
- J. Leeming and the Rickers to meet with Mr. Mann from the AP Government Class. Hope to meet with the class in December.
- Continue to review the 2003 Planning Survey and contact Steve Miscevich to help review and update the Survey.
- Arrange to meet with PTA, Historical Society (1st meeting in January) and BOS (to discuss future infrastructure projects and municipal facilities and services)
- NEW BUSINESS: None
- OLD BUSINESS: None
- ADJOURN: Meeting was adjourned at 7:00pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Juliet Leeming
Juliet Leeming
Senior Planning and Zoning Official
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