I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman, Robert McIntyre, called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Robert McIntyre, Chairman
Salvatore Aresco, Regular Member
Robert Missel, Regular Member
Donald Ranaudo, Regular Member
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Kathy Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes of September 17, 2008 as read. MADE by S. Aresco. SECONDED by R. Missel. VOTED IN FAVOR: R. McIntyre, R. Missel, D. Ranaudo, S. Aresco. OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
B. Correspondence
In their packets, Commission members received a memo from Donn Dobson, Fire Marshal, dated 9/18/08 re: Dry Hydrant @ Neely-Rankin Resubdivision.
C. Nelson strongly suggested Commission members attend the training conference on Hot Topics In Land Use on Saturday, November 1, 2008 in Berlin, CT. She mentioned there is a line item in the Planning Commission’s budget for training and education for these types of programs.
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
Incentive Housing Zone Regulations are being worked on with regard to affordable housing in town. C. Nelson will have information for Commission members about an upcoming workshop on this.
IV. OLD BUSINESS
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. “Saybrook Woods” Subdivision – Violation of Conservation Easement
12 Obed Heights (Map 8 / Lot 138) Residence AA-1 District
Owner: Janice K. and Gary R. Lehrman
C. Nelson explained that when this subdivision was originally approved in 2001, the Planning Commission created a conservation easement as a condition of approval. This was done for both aesthetic reasons, to protect the canopy and undergrowth of trees, and to protect the habitat. C. Nelson shared with Commission members the Declaration of Perpetual Conservation Restriction Easement.
Mr. and Mrs. Lehrman explained that there was some confusion, on their part, regarding the conservation easement, and they stated they were very willing to do whatever they could to rectify the situation.
C. Nelson mentioned the importance of marking the boundaries of the conservation easement with the town’s open space marker disks to avoid future confusion.
C. Nelson gave Commission members a copy of a memo from Kelly Volansky, Town Environmental Planner, to the Planning Commission dated 9/29/08 suggesting what steps could be taken to remedy the situation.
C. Nelson sent the property owners a copy of “Alternatives for Invasive Ornamental Plant Species” by Timothy Abbey, Nursery IPM Specialist to help them choose native and non invasive plants for their property.
MOTION to accept the plan presented by Town Environmental Planner, Kelly Volansky, that plants recommended in the letter of 9/29/08 be planted to the satisfaction of the Town Environmental Planner, and that the conservation easement area be marked with the town’s open space marker disks for “Saybrook Woods” Subdivision – Violation of Conservation Easement ; 12 Obed Heights (Map 8 / Lot 138) Residence AA-1 District; Owner:Janice K. and Gary R. Lehrman. MADE by S. Aresco. SECONDED by D. Ranaudo. VOTED IN FAVOR: R. McIntyre, D. Ranaudo, R. Missel, S. Aresco. OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED:
4-0-0
B. “Saybrook Ridge” (Golinowski) Open Space Subdivision – 8 Lots (21.5 ac. total) Bokum Road (Map 61 / Lot 13 & 1)
Residence AAA District
Applicant: Carl F. Piontkowski, Owner
C. Piontkowski explained to the Commission, that because of the present state of the economy, he would like to request that the bond be returned to him adding that when the economy improves, he would like to continue with the plans for the subdivision. He asked the Commission if there was a way to possibly put the project “on hold”.
R. McIntyre explained that if C. Piontkowski were to stop working on the project, he could come back to the Planning Commission at a later time, but he would have to begin the process again, especially if regulation changes had occurred in that time period.
C. Nelson suggested that C. Piontkowski speak to Geoffrey Jacobson, the Town Engineer who was present at tonight’s meeting, because at this point in time, G. Jacobson is working with the Planning Commission on amendments to the road regulations and a procedure for conditional approval in which an owner can work on the subdivision without posting a bond, but the owner cannot sell any lots or pull any building permits. G. Jacobson explained that C. Piontkowski would need to post a sediment and erosion control bond, but it would be a fraction of the bond he currently has on the project.
G. Jacobson is going to contact C. Piontkowski to discuss the specific details of the conditional approval, and C. Piontkowski will then come back to make his request to the Planning Commission.
MOTION to continue “Saybrook Ridge” (Golinowski) Open Space Subdivision – 8 Lots (21.5 ac. total); Bokum Road (Map 61 / Lot 13 & 1)
Residence AAA District, Applicant: Carl F. Piontkowski, Owner, to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasbeshauke Pavilion at Saybrook Point Park, 155 College Street Extension. MADE by R. Missel. SECONDED by S. Aresco. VOTED IN FAVOR: R. McIntyre, D. Ranaudo, R. Missel, S. Aresco. OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
C. Amendments to “Non-residential” Sections of the Zoning Regulations
Sections 9, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37 and 41
Petitioner: Old Saybrook Zoning Commission
Commission members read over the amendments, which they received in their packets, and they had no questions or objections to the proposed amendments.
MOTION to approve Amendments to “Non-residential” Sections of the Zoning Regulations; Sections 9, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37 and 41; Petitioner: Old Saybrook Zoning Commission. MADE by R. Missel. SECONDED by S. Aresco. VOTED IN FAVOR: R. McIntyre, D. Ranaudo, R. Missel, S. Aresco. OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
VI. WORKSHOP
A. Draft Road Regulations & Amendments to Subdivision Regulations
Geoff Jacobson, Town Engineer, and Judy Gallicchio, representative for the Planning Commission for the Road Regulations Committee, were present at tonight’s meeting. They have been reviewing the Subdivision Regulations and Road Regulations with C. Nelson to change some of the wording, eliminate redundancies, and to make the regulations more “user friendly.”
G. Jacobson explained that Section 80 contained information about construction standards. There was discussion about road grade, slope and road guide rails.
D. Ranaudo asked G. Jacobson for specific examples of town roads of different grades, and G. Jacobson said that he would get some examples to the Commission soon.
G. Jacobson explained that Section 90 is about drainage design and there was discussion about storm water quality, sediment erosion control and types of catch basins. G. Jacobson also talked about the 2004 state manual of best practices in wastewater management.
R. McIntyre asked about types of trees that should or should not be planted next to sidewalks due to rooting problems. C. Nelson said she would check with the town tree warden for more information about this.
There was also discussion about curbing and types of curbs especially in relation to style, cost and the level of maintenance required with each type of curb. R. McIntyre asked G. Jacobson if he could provide Commission members with pictures of each type of curb, and he said he would.
G. Jacobson said at this point, he will be rewriting some of the regulations to incorporate the comments of Planning Commission members. He will then schedule a meeting with C. Nelson to go over these changes before they are presented to the Planning Commission for their review.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasbeshauke Pavilion, Saybrook Point Park, 155 College Street Extension. MADE by R. Missel. SECONDED by D. Ranaudo. VOTED IN FAVOR: R. McIntyre, J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, R. Missel. OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 4-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes
Recording Clerk
| 
