Regular Meeting
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 @ 7:30 p.m.
Second Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members in Attendance: Bob Fish, Jerry Brophy, Bruce Sherwin, Robert Siegelman
Members Absent: Kim Gallagher, Charlie Cobb, Pat Ingellis
Staff and Visitors in Attendance: Sandy Prisloe, Walter Smith, Sara Keaney (OSLT)
Approval of Minutes from April 12 Meeting: MOTION to approve the minutes from the April 12, 2011 meeting as presented, MOVED by: Jerry Brophy; SECONDED by: Bruce Sherwin; IN FAVOR: Unanimous; APPROVED: 4-0-0
Zoning Commission Request to Review Applications from Between the Bridges:
Jerry Brophy went through the maps for the commission, explaining the applications. Comments from the commission included: There is no public access to the river. The open space that is offered is a phragmites-infested swamp; wouldn’t the town be better off accepting a fee in lieu of open space? Sandy Prisloe will look at the properties adjoining the offered open space to see if it would make sense for the town to have ownership of this area. As far as transportation is concerned for residents, there probably should be a bikeway through the area, and there certainly should be a transit district bus stop. Shouldn’t the town have a standard system for doing a fiscal impact analysis for a development of this type? Jerry Brophy and Bob Fish will prepare a letter to the
Zoning Commission.
Conservation Commission Program / Plan of Development, Continued:
The commission continued its discussion of new programs it should undertake. Although the commission feels it accomplished a great deal in the past decade in the areas of acquiring open space, stewardship and development of passive recreation in these areas, and the construction of a fishway system on the Oyster River, there is now a need to connect more with the community in areas such as sustainability and energy conservation. Accordingly, the commission talked about ways to accomplish that and the subjects we should cover. Saybrook Events and the town’s web site were mentioned as good vehicles for communicating with the public, as are partnerships with the Old Saybrook Land Trust and the Chamber of Commerce. Subjects discussed were Green Landscaping (as the Land Trust is working), Buy
Local campaigns, Clean Energy and energy conservation programs, recycling and better disposal of hazardous waste such as fluorescent light bulbs, and others. Walter Smith offered to do some research on social marketing and come back with a report to the commission at our next meeting.
Adjournment:
The Commission adjourned at 9:05 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, 2nd floor conference room, 302 Main Street.
Respectively submitted:
Maura S. Farbotka
Recording Clerk
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