REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
Starting at Great Cedars Conservation Area
159 Ingham Hill Road (Map 47 / L 35-2)
I. CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Janis Esty, Chairman
Cathryn Flanagan, Regular Member
Donald Ranaudo, Regular Member
David Shearer, Regular Member
Kathleen Sugland, Alternate Member, seated for R. Missel
Kenneth Soudan, Alternate Member
Michael Urban, Alternate Member
Members Absent
Robert Missel, Regular Member
Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
MOTION to approve the minutes of May 2, 2012 as presented; MADE by D. Shearer; SECONDED by D. Ranaudo; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, K. Sugland, C. Flanagan, D. Shearer; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to pay invoice # 75745 for $409.96 for Jacobson and Associates dated 5/11/2012; MADE by D. Ranaudo; SECONDED by C. Flanagan; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, K. Sugland, C. Flanagan, D. Shearer; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to pay invoice # 30093 for $379.50 for Branse, Willis & Knapp dated 5/1/2012; MADE by D. Ranaudo; SECONDED by D. Shearer; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, K. Sugland, C. Flanagan, D. Shearer; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
MOTION to pay invoice # 29843 for $940.50 for Branse, Willis & Knapp dated 4/1/2012; MADE by D. Ranaudo; SECONDED by D. Shearer; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, K. Sugland, C. Flanagan, D. Shearer; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Robert Lorenze of 170 Ingham Hill Road, who has lived on Ingham Hill Road since his childhood, was invited to accompany Commissioners on tonight’s walk on Ingham Hill Road so he could share information about notable trees and pertinent historical facts. Commissioners photographed places and objects of significance and used a GPS to mark the Great Cedars Parking Lot, a potential pull off spot on Ingham Hill Road and the Ice House.
R. Lorenze described how Lake Rockview was created. A large amount of gravel was dug to create I-95, and that dug out area started filling up with water as more gravel was dug out. This area, which is very deep, later became Lake Rockview.
Chalker Mill Pond is located across from Great Cedars East. In the 1600’s there was a working gristmill there where mill and grain were ground. There was a blacksmith shop at that location as well.
Much of Ingham Hill Road is bordered on both sides by stonewalls and remnants of stonewalls. Ingham Hill Road is a popular crossing for box turtles.
There used to be a town jail on what is now David Brown’s property. There are still windows on the bars of what was the small holding cell.
R. Lorenze gave a detailed history of the icehouse which was built in the 1860’s. Ice blocks were cut so produce could be kept cold while it was being shipped by railroad. At another point in time, the icehouse was used to store hay.
Commissioners asked R. Lorenze about “wolf trees.” R. Lorenze said he spoke to Joe Gleason who was a resident of Ingham Hill Road, and he explained that cattle would graze in the Great Cedars East area in a fenced pasture in the 1950’s. They would eat the grass and small saplings. The solitary big trees they did not eat were called wolf trees.
Commissioners agreed to meet for another walk along Ingham Hill Road starting at Great Cedars Conservation Area in order to learn more about the history of Ingham Hill Road. They will schedule the date for that walk at their next Planning Commission meeting, which will be on June 6, 2012, Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room at 7:30 P.M.
V. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 p.m. until the next regular meeting of the Planning Commission which is scheduled for June 6, 2012 at the Town Hall 1st Floor Conference Room, 302 Main Street Old Saybrook, CT; MADE by C. Flanagan; SECONDED by D. Shearer; VOTED IN FAVOR: J. Esty, D. Ranaudo, K. Sugland, D. Shearer, C. Flanagan; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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