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PC 080206.Minutes

TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
Planning Commission
302 Main Street  Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-1741
Telephone (860) 395-3131  FAX (860) 395-3125
              
MINUTES
Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Pasbeshauke Pavilion at Saybrook Point Park
155 College Street Extension

I.        CALL TO ORDER

Chairman, Robert McIntyre, called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

II.        ROLL CALL

Attendant Members       Absent Members
Robert McIntyre, Chairman                                     William Voigt, Alternate Member
Judith Gallicchio, Vice Chairman        James Conroy, Alternate Member
Janis Esty, Alternate Member                            
Julius Castagno, Regular Member 
Richard Tietjen, Regular Member
Salvatore Aresco, Regular Member

                
Attendant Staff                                                        
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Katie Beecher, Recording Clerk                               

III.       REGULAR BUSINESS

        An announcement was made that item B. under New Business would be                               postponed until the next meeting.
        
A.      Minutes

        The Minutes of July 7 and July 19, 2004 were presented.

        The following corrections were made to the minutes of July 19, 2006:
        Page 1 – Chairman McIntyre not Vice Chairman Gallicchio called the meeting to                           order.
        Page 3 – Addition:  Note that letter of approval was sent to the Historic District                              Commission.
        Page 4, Motion Block – made by R. McIntyre, not W. Voigt and voted in favor R.                          McIntyre instead of J. Gallicchio and J. Esty instead of R. Tietjen.




MOTION to approve as presented the minutes of July 7, 2006.  MADE by J.Gallicchio. SECONDED by R. Tietjen. VOTED IN FAVOR:  J. Gallicchio, R. McIntyre, J. Castagno, R. Tietjen, J. Esty, S. Aresco OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none;  APPROVED: 6-0-0.

        Chairman R. McIntyre seated Janis Esty, Alternate Member for Julius Castagno, Regular           Member to vote on the next motion.


MOTION to approve as amended the minutes of July 19.  MADE by R. McIntyre. SECONDED by S. Aresco.  VOTED IN FAVOR:  R. McIntyre, J. Esty, S. Aresco OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: J. Gallicchio, R. Tietjen;  APPROVED: 3-0-2.
     
Chairman Mc Intyre re-seated Julius Castagno, Regular Member for Janis Esty, Alternate                  Member.         

B.      Correspondence  

        Presented to the Commission:  Decisions/Motions for the Zoning Board of                                         Appeals, Minutes from the July 17 Zoning meeting, a memorandum from                                     Christine Nelson regarding a plan for traffic calming on Main Street used in                                     Unionville, CT and Wakefield, Rhode Island and a notice about the 20th Annual                   Rockfall Symposium – Focus on the Future on October 20, 2006.                

C.      Committee, Representative &  Staff Reports

                      Representative reports:

                No CRERPA meeting.

                IWWC:  Recently approved the Big Y application.  The recommendation will be                             sent to the Zoning Commission next.

                Town Planner Christine Nelson reported that the Re-sub division approval for                            Center Road West has expired and will need to be re-visited.  

                She also discussed the progress of the South Green Historic District.  The                                      proposal was sent to the State and returned with comments.  

                The Board of Selectmen is working on the  first project, the Main Street Gateway                                Node.  This is the area from the new CVS  to Kentucky Fried Chicken.                                    Informational signs will be placed in select spots so people can take a self guided                              natural history tour.

                The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is still at FEMA.

                A version of the Dock Regulations has been settled on and the first loop of trails                              at Great Cedars has been completed.  Park and Rec approved the area for                                         equestrian trails.

                The minutes and agendas of all of the Boards and Commissions for the last two                           years have been posted on the town website.  People can sign up to receive                                      updates from any Board or Commission.
                
C.      Appointment of Representatives

None.


IV.    PUBLIC HEARINGS

None

                                             
V.      OLD BUSINESS

        None

        

VII.    NEW BUSINESS

          “Machado Lane” Petition for hange of Road Name to “Marsh View”
        Petitioner:  Donna M. Hurteau       Agent:  Christina P. Burnham, Esq.  
        Residence  A & AA-2 Districts, Coastal Management Area

        Christina Burnham, Esq. presented for Donna Hurteau the rationale for requesting the                    name change of Machado Lane to Marsh View.  Atty. Burnham stated that Machado Lane was          a “right of way” not a road according to the standards for what constitutes a road.  The area is                on the Hurteau’s property and they have been responsible for all of the financial and physical          maintenance.  She said that the Hurteau’s insurance company questioned whether or not                    Machado Lane was a road but did not present any documentation from the insurance                        company.   Atty. Burnham also stated that the Hurteaus felt that with a name like Marsh View            the public wouldn’t be as likely to randomly drive down the “Lane” thinking it was public.

        A letter was presented from Michael Gardner, OS Office of Emergency Management  stating                 that he had no objection to the name change.

        Letters were also presented from neighbors Lamberto Lucarelli and Robert and Anita      Yust                    opposed to the name change.

        Attorney Alex Tighe spoke on behalf of the residents and neighbors of Machado Lane.                     They are opposed to the name change because of historical and sentimental reasons as well as            the fact that they feel it would be extremely inconvenient and expensive to notify the Post                     Office, creditors, subscriptions, the Town, State and Federal governments and others about the  address change.
        
        Joe Machado, Jr. of Machado Lane spoke on behalf of his father, who is in failing health                        and does not have the financial or physical ability to notify the proper companies and                          individuals.

        Doug Daily, husband of Margaret Machado of Machado Lane spoke about his fear of                         loss in property values and the expense of the name change on deeds, etc.

        Susan Nilson of Machado Lane likes the current name.

        Margaret Machado of Machado Lane has lived on the property for 53 years and said there are                      still Machados on the street.

        Mary Machado Griswold of Machado Lane said her parents put everything they had into                     purchasing the property after coming to the US from Italy.  All of the houses were built by the                 Machados and the lot now owned by the Hurteaus was deeded to their granddaughter.  She                  was told that the lot was not buildable so she had no financial choice but to sell it.  After the                        lot was sold to Bessoni, they obtained a building permit        for the house now on the property.              Mrs. Griswold does not understand how this happened.  She also feels that everyone who has              a right to use the road should have a say in what it is named.

        John Nilson of Machado Lane stated that he and his wife had difficulty obtaining a                              mortgage because they lived off of a private road.  He is worried about the effect on their                     mortgage and property values and is currently doing improvements.

        Sal Aresco of the Planning Commission commented that he felt the name Marsh View                        would make more people want to drive down the road.  He didn’t understand what  liability               issues the Hurteaus had or why the entire name had to be changed.

        Jane Valmy of Machado Lane said that she is home 24 hours a day and she never sees                      any traffic on the road except delivery trucks and residents or their visitors.

        Julius Castagno of the Planning Commission said that if the name change is made everyone                        would have to go to the Town Hall and change their records in order to be able to vote.  He                     didn’t recognize how a name change would improve the health, safety or welfare of the                   residents.

        Judy Gallicchio of the Planning Commission said that the sign currently in place is not                         inconspicuous.  It is clearly not a town sign and clearly says private road.  There are other ways              of notifying insurance companies.  She thinks that inconveniencing all of the residents is                      inappropriate and address changes take a long time to be straightened out.

        Dick Tietjen of Planning feels that history, sentiment and town traditions are important                        and agrees with the rest of the comments.

        Janis Esty, Planning – said she has not heard a compelling reason for a name change.

        Bob McIntyre, Planning – said he hasn’t been in this position before.  There are no                             regulations to go by for road name changes.  In his personal opinion this is uncomfortable                      and he is a huge advocate for private property rights.  He feels that the Hurteaus bought the                   property knowing others had access to the road and these people should also have                                 standing.  The inconvenience would be too great.


MOTION  to deny the petition for change of road name “Machado Lane” to “Marsh View”  MADE by J. Gallicchio, SECONDED by J. Castagno VOTED IN FAVOR:  J. Esty, R. McIntyre, J. Gallicchio,  J. Castagno, R. Tietjen; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED:  none  APPROVED: 5-0-0.


VII.   EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION  to postpone Executive Session until the next meeting so the Commission is not in violation of the Freedom of Information Act  MADE by R. McIntyre, SECONDED by J. Gallicchio VOTED IN FAVOR:  J. Esty, R. McIntyre, J. Gallicchio,  J. Castagno, R. Tietjen; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED:  none  APPROVED: 5-0-0.


VIII.   WORKSHOP

        Subdivision of Land

        Attorney Eric Knapp discussed new subdivision ordinance with the Commission designed to         allow for more affordable housing.  The town must adopt the ordinance as a subdivision                  regulation if they choose to accept it.  It allows lots divided for the first time to be cut into                       three lots rather than the current two without subdivision approval if the third lot will be used               for affordable housing that will be developed by the municipality or a non-profit.

        Also discussed another new law requiring every town to set up a registry for each board and                     commission.  Citizens can sign up for new minutes or agendas and the membership must be                 renewed each year.  The town must notify each household of this available registry.  Judy                       Gallicchio suggested that we use Harbor News since it is delivered to each household free.                       Notification of households will be discussed at a further meeting.

        A memorandum from Geoffrey Jacobson, PE was presented by Christine Nelson regarding                     gravel driveways.  Different surfaces and the benefits of each were discussed.  There is no                     “perfect” surface.  Each driveway surface must be evaluated on an individual basis depending            upon slopes, drainage, location and other factors.

VIX.    ADJOURNMENT

MOTION to adjourn meeting at 9:28 until the next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasbeshauke Pavilion, Saybrook Point Park, 155 College Street Extension.  MADE by J. Gallicchio.  SECONDED by R. McIntyre  VOTED IN FAVOR:  J. Gallicchio, R. McIntyre, S. Aresco, R. Tietjen, J. Castagno OPPOSED: none;  ABSTAINED: none;  APPROVED: 5-0-0.

Respectfully Submitted,



Katie Beecher
Recording Clerk