TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission
302 Main Street Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
Telephone (860) 395-3131 FAX (860) 395-1216
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING – “THE PRESERVE”
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 7:30 P.M.
OLD SAYBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL
60 SHEFFIELD STREET
I. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:30 p.m., Chairman Paul Smith called to order the special meeting of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission (IWWC) for the purpose of deliberating Application #05-016.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
Paul Smith, Chairman None.
Charles Sohl, Vice Chairman, Zoning Rep.
William Pollock, Secretary
Kevin Zawoy, Regular Member (arrived at 7:50 p.m.)
Frank Reichart, Economic Development Rep.
Robert McIntyre, Planning Rep.
Judy Preston, Conservation Rep.
Town Staff and Consultants
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Damon Hearne, Wetlands Enforcement Officer
Whitney McKendree Moore, Recording Clerk
Michael Cronin, Esq., Consulting Legal Counsel
R. Richard Snarski, Consulting Soil and Wetlands Scientist
Kati Drzewianowski, Consulting Civil Engineer
Geoffrey Jacobsen, Consulting Civil Engineer
III. DELIBERATION
05-016 “The Preserve” – River Sound Development, LLC
Application to construct an open-space subdivision country club, golf course community (934 acres total) and open space (542.2 acres) within 100 feet of wetlands (114.5 acres total wetlands).
Residence Conservation C District, Aquifer Protection District
Applicant: River Sound Development, LLC Agent: Attorney David Royston
Chairman Smith explained that the plan is for deliberations to conclude at this meeting, with two drafts for IWWC review to be presented the next night (Thursday, March 16, 2006), one a draft for approval with conditions; the other a draft for denial. The conditions are now collected into one volume, presented tonight by the Town consultants. The Chairman asked it be adopted as the inclusive set of conditions for use with the draft approval.
MOTION to adopt the most recently revised version of the report entitled Environmental Review of Proposed Inland Wetland and Watercourse Activities, The Preserve, Dated October 17, 2005 and Last Revised March 15, 2006 as the inclusive set of conditions for any action taken by the IWWC regarding The Preserve (Application 05-016). MADE by P. Smith. SECONDED by
R. McIntyre. VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Pollock, P. Smith, J. Preston, F. Reichart,
R. McIntyre, C. Sohl; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Furthermore, the Chairman said, the meeting that had been originally scheduled for Friday, March 17, 2006 has been cancelled to allow Attorney Cronin to process any revisions that are suggested to him on Thursday night. Therefore, the meeting on Saturday, March 18, 2006 will be for the purpose of reviewing the final versions of both drafts and, at last, voting to reach a final decision.
The purpose this evening was for venting areas of concern. After allowing each member the opportunity to ask their remaining questions, Commissioners were invited to share their overall impressions and concerns. On the plus side, some members felt, a project by one developer might be preferable to other conceivable applications from myriad developers in the future. Others were concerned about the effects of blasting, grading and re-grading, the potential for sedimentation and soil erosion, the challenges posed by leaching and drainage, the impacts from roadways and bridges and traffic, the use of chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; and the extent of clearing and cart path crossing in the wetlands. Three members were concerned with the number of “unknowns” associated with the
project, and with not knowing on such a large scale. Others cautioned about assuming systems would fail with so many conditions and control measures in place. Overall, members are weighing the project for all its possible impacts on vernal pools, wildlife, wetlands, and watercourses both inside the regulated areas and beyond.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
At 10:55 p.m., the Chairman requested a motion for adjournment until the next special meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2006 in the library of the Old Saybrook Middle School, 60 Sheffield Street, Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 10:55 p.m. MADE by R. McIntyre. SECONDED by
W. Pollock. VOTED IN FAVOR: W. Pollock, P. Smith, J. Preston, F. Reichart, K. Zawoy,
R. McIntyre, C. Sohl; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 7-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Whitney McKendree Moore
Recording Clerk
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