MINUTES
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
1st Floor Conference Room
Town Hall, 302 Main Street
I. CALL TO ORDER
Acting Chairman, Janis Esty, called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Janis Esty, Acting Chairman
Catherine Flanagan, Regular Member
Robert Missel, Regular Member
David Shearer, Regular Member
Michael Urban, Alternate
Kathleen Sugland, Alternate seated for Donald Ranaudo
Kenneth Soudan, Alternate
Members Absent
Donald Ranaudo, Regular Member
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Joanne Rynecki, Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
Amend header and roll call to identify David Shearer as Regular Member.
MOTION to approve the minutes from December 16, 2011 as amended; MADE by C. Flanagan; SECONDED by D. Shearer; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer, K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Letter received from Ottery Group regarding a cell tower in the Ingham Hill Road.
MOTION to pay Branse, Willis & Knapp #29162 in the amount of $33.00; MADE by C. Flanagan; SECONDED by R. Missel; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer,K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
- Committee, Representative & Staff Reports
No increases were made to the 2012/2013 annual budget request.
MOTION to elect Janis Esty as Chairman of the Planning Commission; MADE by C. Flanagan; SECONDED by R. Missel; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer, K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to elect Robert Missel as Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission; MADE by C. Flanagan; SECONDED by J. Esty; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer,K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to elect Cathryn Flanagan as Secretary of the Planning Commission; MADE by J. Esty; SECONDED by R. Missel; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer,K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
E. Appointment of Representatives
- Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission
MOTION to appoint Janis Esty as Representative of the Planning Commission to the Inland Wetland & Watercourses Commission; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer, K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
- Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency
MOTION to appoint Cathryn Flanagan as Representative of the Planning Commission to the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer,K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
3. BOS’ Land Acquisition Committee
MOTION to elect David Shearer as Representative of the Planning Commission to the BOS’ Land Acquisition Committee; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, C. Flanagan, R. Missel, D. Shearer,K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
IV. OLD BUSINESS
A. Old Saybrook Plan of Conservation & Development
Ms. Nelson explained that the state of Connecticut requires each Town to review its Plan of Conservation & Development every 10 years and report to the State if the Plan is current or has been updated. Ms. Nelson reviewed how the Plan is organized. “Issues for the Next Decade” describes where are we? and where do we want to go? Goals look at the big picture and measurable. “Planning for the Next Decade” prescribes how do we get there? Policies are preferences as to direction when faced with a choice.
Chairman Esty asked Members to suggest a section in which they are most interested to begin a review; members agreed to work on Residential Development first.
Chairman Esty asked the Members to review the goals and policies from the Residential Development section for the next meeting. Ms. Nelson will prepare an outline for members to follow for the section. Dr. Shearer would like to engage the townspeople to obtain ideas of what the town wants/needs. “What is it that makes people want to move to Old Saybrook?” He suggested a survey as a method to engage the town residents and businesses.
B. Scenic Roads
Ms. Nelson briefly described how scenic roads became a topic for which the Planning Commission decided it would like to conduct some public relations and outreach. The Commission reviewed her notes from a previous meeting at which the Commission brainstormed a series of action items related to scenic road promotion.
The Commission decided to begin by submitting an article for an upcoming issue of Old Saybrook Events magazine about local scenic roads in Old Saybrook; Mr. Urban volunteered to draft something for the Commission to review.
The Commission discussed instituting mechanisms for notice to property owners to know that they own property fronting on a scenic road such as filing a notice on the land records indexed by address and asking the Assessor if that could translate into the notes of each property field card.
The Commission decided to ask the Board of Selectmen and Department of Public Works if the Town could place discrete signs at the beginnings of each local scenic road to raise awareness of residents there, as well as of the utility companies and the Town itself.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. State of Connecticut Conservation & Development Policies Plan
ACTION: Review & report to OPM per Cross-Acceptance Agreement.
Ms. Nelson gave an overview of the State Conservation & Development Policies Plan. Members will review the plan and make comments, if any, for the next meeting in preparation for an upcoming workshop with the State Office of Policy & Management (yet to be announced).
VII. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. until the next regular meeting scheduled for January 18, 2012 at the Town Hall 1st Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street Old Saybrook, CT; MADE by C. Flanagan ; SECONDED by D. Shearer; NO DISCUSSION. VOTED IN FAVOR: D. Shearer, C. Flanagan, J. Esty, R. Missel, K. Sugland; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanne Rynecki, Planning Clerk
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