MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, January 16, 2014 – 7:00 p.m.
Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street, Old Saybrook
I. CALL TO ORDER
Acting Chairman Judith Preston called the regular meeting to order at 7:00pm.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
William Pollock
Walter Smith
Janis Esty
J. Colin Heffernan
Charles Wehrly, seated for Brendan McKeown
Judith Preston
Members Absent
Brendan McKeown
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner, present until 7:30pm
Meryl Tsagronis, Recording Clerk
III. OLD BUSINESS
13-015 “Max’s Place” Modification of Permit 12-019
Corner of Boston Post Road, Spencer Plain Road & Center Road West (Map 25, 26 / Lots 2, 28, 29, 30 / 6-10, 6-11, 6-12, 32, 32-1)
Applicant: Max’s Place, LLC; Agent: Attorney David M. Royston
Attorney David Royston, representing the Applicant, explained that at the previous meeting it was agreed that rather than create an enlarged wetlands, the existing wetlands area would be enhanced and made more viable, as mitigation for the earlier violation. Since the previous meeting, the Commission provided Attorney Royston with requests and ideas and those items were forwarded to the landscape architect for incorporation into the enhancement plan. D. Royston stated he believed that if a permit were to be granted that those conditions would become part of the permitted plan.
Judith Preston expressed concern that after having viewed the site, it was not clear that the area she saw and photographed and believed to be the wetlands in question, is actually the area identified on the site plan as the wetlands that is proposed to be enhanced. The two photographs J. Preston took were submitted into the record. J. Preston asked if another area that she identified as having standing water, located in the northwest section, could be excavated as wetlands. D. Royston agreed, further stating that the enhanced area will be extended to the south per the original plan, and will be permitted.
The Commission members agreed to continue the matter until the next regularly scheduled meeting. The discussion continued regarding the Management Plan, identification and removal of invasive plant species, irrigation, and maintenance of the wetlands. D. Royston agreed to revise the Management Plan according to information that J. Preston will send to him, within two weeks, to include:
- identification of the enhanced wetlands area
- identification of invasive plant species
- identification of supplemental plants to be added to the wetlands
J. Preston offered to flag the wetlands area in question and to flag the invasive for removal.
D. Royston stated that the Applicant agrees to the extension of this matter until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission.
MOTION to continue the matter to the next regular meeting of February 20, 2014 of Application 13-015 “Max’s Place” Modification of Permit 12-019 Corner of Boston Post Road, Spencer Plain Road & Center Road West (Map 25, 26 / Lots 2, 28, 29, 30 / 6-10, 6-11, 6-12, 32, 32-1). Applicant: Max’s Place, LLC; Agent: Attorney David M. Royston; MADE by C. Heffernan; SECONDED by J. Esty; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
IV. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes – December 19, 2013 Regular Meeting
MOTION to APPROVE the Minutes of the regular meeting of December 19, 2013; MADE: by C. Wehrly; SECONDED: by W. Smith; VOTING IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
B. Election of Officers for 2014
MOTION to elect Judith Preston Chairman of the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission; MADE: by W. Smith; SECONDED: by C. Wehrly; VOTING IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
MOTION to elect Colin Heffernan Vice Chairman of the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission; MADE: by J. Esty; SECONDED: by C. Wehrly; VOTING IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
MOTION to elect Janis Esty Secretary of the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission; MADE: by J. Esty; SECONDED: by C. Wehrly; VOTING IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
C. Correspondence & Announcements
None.
- Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
W. Smith reported that Richard Esty of the Conservation Commission will be taking an inventory of vernal pools, first on Town property, followed at a later date on private property. He asked what information this Commission needs and can use from this investigation.
C. Heffernan reported for the Zoning Commission that a sub-committee has been appointed to analyze the beaver problem.
J. Esty reported for the Planning Commission that it had reviewed plans for the new police facility and that the Planning Commission had given a favorable referral to the Zoning Commission.
V. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 P.M. until the next Regularly Scheduled Meeting of the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission scheduled for, Thursday, February 20, 2014, Town Hall, 302 Main Street, 1st Floor Conference Room; MADE by C. Wehrly; SECONDED by C. Heffernan ; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Preston, W. Pollock, J. Esty, C. Wehrly, C. Heffernan, W. Smith; OPPOSED: None; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Meryl Tsagronis
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