Town of Old Lyme Open Space Committee Meeting
Christ the King Church
Minutes: March 14, 2008
Chairman Diana Atwood Johnson opened the meeting at 08:35 with OSC members Peter Cable, Christina Clayton, Ted Crosby, Robert DePianta, Judi Glover, Evan Griswold, Connie Kastelowitz, and Ted Kiritsis in attendance. Also present was Old Lyme resident John Alexander.
Upon motion by Evan and second by Ted Kiritsis the minutes of the February 8, 2008 meeting were approved.
Hilltop Development Corp Presentation
Attorney Mark Cronin, representing the developers of the Diebolt Hatchett’s Hill property, reviewed the recent reapplication for a zoning change to permit multifamily (duplex) housing on the property. The Zoning Commission has brought OSC into the process to review the provision for open space contained in the new plan of development. The Diebolt development plan calls for 8 duplex condominium units, accessed by a private road, on land having steep boundaries. The area designated as open space would be on steep-sloped land on the property perimeter. Attorney Cronin indicated that there would be no conveyance of the open space to the town; this in order to maintain compliance with the existing housing density restriction. Rather a conservation easement was planned for the open space, in which a percentage of the common open space area
would be owned by each condominium owner.
Correspondence
a) OSC letter to Zoning Commission
Diana reviewed a letter she has written to the Zoning Commission urging that OSC be formally included in the process of reviewing open space plans on all development proposals. This formalization will provide a logical and efficient procedure for review of planned establishment of open space in developments, and as an additional consequence would serve to make the process more straightforward and reasonable for developers.
b) Meeting on fire wells, fire ponds and storage tanks
Diana noted that a meeting had been set for 5 pm on March 20, 2008 at Christ the King Church involving Inland Wetlands, Planning, Zoning Commissions and the Old Lyme Fire Department to examine issues associated with the building of water storage tanks in Town for fire-fighting use in areas near wetlands but not served by Town fire wells. In discussion following, Evan reviewed the efficacy, from an environmental impact aspect, of using ponds vs tanks for a source of water for fire-fighting use, and noted that, from the perspective of protecting the environment, standards and a policy need to be established.
Subdivisions
a) Lord’s Woods development
There has been no movement toward realizing remediation for open space encroachment at Lord’s Woods. John Alexander noted that a letter from Thomas Metcalf to Inland Wetlands Commission had been sent on February 7, 2008 recommending immediate and long term remediation steps with regard to Lord’s Woods. Upon a motion by Connie, seconded by Ted Kiritsis, it was voted to authorize Diana to send a letter to Bassan Awwa, Tony Hendriks and attorney Mark Block noting lack of progress on remediation for past and potentially continuing damage to open space and urging action on remediation for open space encroachment.
Open Space Map
Diana noted that, in accordance with the Old Lyme Plan of Development calling for land set aside as permanent open space, the Old Lyme Open Space Plan emphasizes establishment of greenways comprising large continuous tracts of protected land. Evan noted an alternate criterion focused on stream and watercourse ways that would serve to protect wetlands, tidal marshlands, streams, ponds and lakes, vernal pools and aquifers. At Diana’s request Ted Crosby said he would provide new maps indicating existing Town open space, which will provide a helpful tool for assessing the cohesiveness of the Town’s open space.
Conservation Easement Inspections
Diana discussed the draft of a conservation easement policy and the draft of a letter to property owners of land with conservation easements. In discussion, Robert asked who is the enforcement officer for transgression of easement provisions. Diana suggested that there first needed to be agreement among agencies involved in the conservation easement process before the question of enforcement authority could be answered. Ted Kiritsis suggested that the OSC should examine how neighboring towns, East Lyme, Lyme and Old Saybrook, handle enforcement of conservation easements. Further discussion of the conservation easement policy and of the letter to be sent to easement property owners was deferred to next month.
Old Business
a) I-95 expansion
Ted Kiritsis showed the OSC the report and maps from ConDOT that he had gotten from Tim Griswold.
b) Open space trail books
Peter described his conversation with Laurie Giannoti at the CT DEP Greenways Assistance Center concerning potential funding for publication of an Old Lyme open space trail book. Such a project would be eligible for state funding under the Recreational Trails Program, provided there was an educational emphasis in the book material. Peter indicated that he had spoken with George James about this and that an educational trail book seemed like a good achievable goal. The next RFP for the program will be issued in June 2008. In subsequent discussion Christina suggested that OLCT trails also be included in such a book. It was also suggested that rules of trail use be included in the material and that the conventions and rules of use of the Connecticut Walk Book be applied to an Old Lyme trail book.
c) Eagle Scout project
Diana has spoken with Evan Amway, Eagle Scout candidate, about his planned Whippoorwill Road trail-clearing project. Evan indicated that the long delay in his project had resulted from the need to get further approvals. Evan still believes he will get final approval and that he will be able to undertake the project by late March or early April.
Stewardship
Diana suggested that each OSC member become a steward for a specific open space property in Town, and that under this stewardship, a copy of the map of record and of the deed for the property be obtained by the steward. Diana distributed a schedule of OSC surveys or walks of each open space property to be led by its steward. Assignments of open space stewards were made.
Upon an inquiry from Ted Kiritsis about the potential visit from Bob Doane at the OSC meeting regarding the Marsh development, Diana indicated that she had not been able to schedule Bob Doane’s visit.
At 10:50 on a motion by Ted Kiritsis second by Peter, it was voted to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Cable
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