Old Lyme Flood & Erosion Control Board
Meeting Minutes
January 16, 2017
Present: Chairman Todd Machnik, Ellie Czarnowski, Donald Willis (alternate)
Absent: Steve Martino, Steve Ross, Gary Smith, Dave Roberge (ex-officio)
Guests:
1. Call to Order
Chairman Todd Machnik called the meeting to order at 5:32 PM.
Don Willis was seated for Steve Ross.
2. Approval of Minutes
Regular Meeting 17 October 2016
Ellie Czarnowski moved to accept the minutes of regular meeting of 17 October 2016 as submitted and Don Willis seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
3. Correspondence
Ellie Czarnowski presented a handout from the Town listing members of the Flood and Erosion Control Board updated January 2017.
Todd Machnik reported that he had received paperwork from Finance at the Town requesting budget figures for the upcoming fiscal year. He stated that he kept the budget request the same as the present fiscal year.
Todd handed out to members booklets from the Town regarding guidelines for all Commissions, Boards and Committees.
4. Old Business
a. Swan Brook Outfall Repairs and Grant Update
There was nothing new to report on this.
b. Sheffield Brook Update
Todd presented photos that he had taken today at Sheffield Brook. The project is still underway. There was a discussion.
5. New Business
a. Election of Officers
Ellie Czarnowski moved to name Todd Machnik as Chairman and Gary Smith as Vice Chairman of the Flood and Erosion Control Board for 2017. Don Willis seconded the motion. Vote to accept this motion was unanimous. Mary Ellen Garbarino will send this information to Eileen Coffee at Town Hall.
b. The Planning Commission’s Proposed Plan of Conservation and Development
Todd reported that one of the Planning Commission’s charges is to update the Plan of Conservation and Development. Both he and Don Willis serve on this Commission as alternates, and Steve Ross serves as a regular member. The proposed plan would make it easier for homeowners who need to elevate their homes, due to FEMA regulations and their insurance companies, to deal with the maximum height restrictions placed by the Town. The Federal Government states a home has to be elevated i.e. by eight feet and the height of their home would now be over the Town’s maximum height, the homeowner has to go through zoning variances and it can be time consuming and costly. The new plan would make this easier for the homeowner to get approval from the Town. The other part of the changes
to the plan is that the Town will be supportive to property owners who are trying to protect their property above the high tide line. Property owners would still need to get the proper permits. There is a workshop on this to be held on January 31 at 5:00 PM at Town Hall.
Todd presented aerial views of the Old Lyme shoreline to the members. These views showed that where the coast has been reinforced over the years, the coastline has remained in place. Where the coastline has not been reinforced, the opposite is true.
6. Other New Business
NONE
7. Public Comment
NONE
8. Adjournment
Ellie Czarnowski moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:17 PM, and Don Willis seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Our next meeting will be on Monday, 17 April, 2017 at 5:30 PM, Town Hall, second floor meeting room.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Ellen Garbarino, Clerk
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