Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, December 1, 2008
Place: |
|
Memorial Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
|
Kenneth Levin (Cochairman, Regular), Jim Bechtel (Cochairman, Regular), Tom Keogh (Regular), Barbara Traskos (Regular),Nina Peck (Regular), Joanne DiCamillo (Alternate), Elizabeth Chamberlain (Alternate) |
Absent |
|
John Forbis (Alternate) had to leave @ 9:15 |
Guest |
|
Tim Griswold, First Selectman |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Old Lyme Historic District – Public Open Forum |
|
9:15 |
I-95 Expansion Summary – Cynthia Holden |
|
10:15 |
HDC– Plaque program update – Ken Levin, Martha Hansen |
|
10:30 |
FY2009-2010 Budget Request – Jim Bechtel |
|
10:45 |
Church Corner Update – Ken Levin, Joanne DiCamillo |
|
11:00 |
Sign Policy Discussion – John Forbis |
|
11:15 |
Business News (CT Trust, National Trust) – Betty Chamberlain |
|
11:30 |
Secretary’s Report – Martha Hansen |
|
11:45 |
Any other new or old business to come before the Commission |
|
12:00 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. by Cochairman Jim Bechtel. A motion was made by Ken Levin
and seconded by Tom Keogh to approve the minutes of the November 3, 2008 meeting with no changes. All present voted in favor except for Barbara Traskos who abstained as she had not attended the November meeting.
1. Old Lyme Historic District – Public Open Forum
No public participation.
2. I-95 Expansion – Cynthia Holden, Assistant Director of Environmental Planning for ConnDOT
2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111
(860) 594-2922
The I-95 State Project # 170-2725 from Old Lyme to New London (interchanges 70 to 84) has not yet been designed. It will take at least two years to complete the Environmental Review Process. All proposed transportation projects are evaluated by the Office of Environmental Planning. Any potential air, noise, wetlands, historical, archaeological and socio-economic concerns are flagged for investigation. The Environmental Review Process results in documentation which includes an Environmental Impact Statement and Evaluation. The document looks at any potential environmental damage and recommends the plan that is the least environmentally damaging and most feasible and prudent.
There will be three years of continuous water quality monitoring along the project route. A coordination plan will be created and in January, 2009 a consultant will be hired to prepare the study which will take about two years. The plan selected will be the one that minimizes damage to the ecological and historical environments as much as possible. The consultant will meet with the HDC and have public hearings and informational meetings. The Federal and State Governments both have to approve the plans. No funding has yet been approved beyond the Environmental Review Process. The DOT will be spending the next two years evaluating priorities for transportation projects with those having the greatest impact on public safety at the top of the list. It could be six to ten years before the I-95 expansion
project (Exits 70 – 84) is fully funded and construction begins.
Nina Peck suggested applying for Lyme Street to be designated a Scenic Roadway.
Action: Research the Scenic Roadway application process (Martha Hansen).
Keep the HDC updated on the I-95 expansion project (Jim Bechtel).
3. HDC – Plaque Program update - Ken Levin, Martha Hansen
Suzanne Thompson of the Lyme Times is writing an article on Old Lyme’s Historic Plaque Program.
The Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center has installed their plaque. There will be a photo montage of the plaques as part of the HDC’s report in the Annual Town Report.
Action: Keep the HDC updated (Jim Bechtel, Ken Levin, Martha Hansen).
4. FY2009-2010 Budget Request – Jim Bechtel
The HDC budget request this year has increased by $1,350 to $5,850 due to the cost of publishing legal notices for public hearings. All CofA applications require a public hearing. Legal notices must be published once in The Day (fourteen to five days prior to the hearing). In addition to publishing legal notices, certified letters must be sent to all adjacent neighbors. The budget breakdown is: $200 for office supplies, $50 for postage, $3,000 for the recording secretary’s salary and $2,600 for legal advertising.
If Capital Expenditure funds are approved, the Historic District Handbook will be updated and reprinted by September, 2009 to include recent additions including Sculpture Policy, Sign Policy and a simplified CofA procedure.
Action: Waiting to hear back from the Board of Finance (Jim Bechtel).
5. Church Corner Update – Ken Levin
There will be a Public Information Meeting on the Church Corner Project on December 15 at 7:30 P.M. in the Meeting Hall at Town Hall. A vote will then be taken at a Special Town Meeting in January to approve the project and the funding required in addition to the STEAP grant of $425,000.
Tom Keogh suggested that it would help to have a rendering of how the Church Corner and South Green would look after the road renovation.
Action: Keep the HDC updated (Joanne DiCamillo, Ken Levin).
6. HDC – Sign Policy Discussion – John Forbis
John Forbis provided the most recent Sign Policy draft but had to leave the meeting early. The HDC members should review the information prior to the January meeting.
Action: Review Sign Policy draft (all members).
7. Business News (CT Trust, National Trust) – Betty Chamberlain
No news to report.
8. Secretary’s Report – Martha Hansen
No news to report.
9. HDC – Any other new or old business to come before the Commission
Joanne DiCamillo suggested that members go to the towngreens.com Web site and look at the comments about Old Lyme’s South Green.
10. Adjournment
Betty Chamberlain moved to adjourn the meeting at 11:45 A.M. The motion was seconded by Barbara Traskos and passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
| 
