Town of Old Lyme Open Space Committee Meeting
Christ the King Church
Minutes: May 9, 2008
Chairman Diana Atwood Johnson opened the meeting at 08:35 with OSC members Amanda Blair, Peter Cable, Christina Clayton, Ted Crosby, Robert DePianta, Judi Glover, Evan Griswold, George James, and Connie Kastelowitz in attendance. Also present was Old Lyme resident John Alexander.
Upon motion by Evan and second by Amanda the minutes of the April 11, 2008 meeting were approved subject to a correction, noted by George, that Old Lyme Heights is a 123 - not 23 - acre development.
Land Acquisition Fund
Diana reviewed the set of events that had resulted in a two-thirds cut of the requested $75k open space capital fund in the 2009 Old Lyme budget. It was noted that there had been no posting of the Finance Committee agenda at their meeting where the cut was approved and no prior notification to OSC, either directly or through Conservation or Land Use Commissions, of the intended cut. At the Selectmans’ meeting on May 2, 2008, at the request of OSC, it was voted to include in the scheduled May 19, 2008 Town Meeting agenda a vote on restoration of the $50k that had been cut from the open space capital fund.
Subcommittee Status of Open Space Committee
Diana announced that she had asked Connie to examine the pros and cons of to whom the OSC reports. As historical background George explained that OSC was more correctly associated with the Conservation Commission activities than with the Planning Commission. Evan noted that when Inland Wetlands and Conservation Commissions split, it was deemed more appropriate for OSC to report to Conservation than to Inland Wetlands.
Ethics Code
Diana distributed to OSC copies of the Town of Old Lyme Ethics Code and receipts to be signed by OSC members and returned to Irene Carnell, Town Clerk.
Property Updates
a) Cummings property
OLCT has been approached by the potential purchaser of the Cummings property, who requested that the current right-of-way easement to the Lohman property be removed and noted that other access points to the Lohman property are available. The OLCT would like a conservation easement on the Cumming property adjacent to the Lohman property as quid pro quo for releasing the right-of-way easement. George noted that OSC previously had taken the position of protecting the right-of-way easement to the Lohman property, when it seemed most likely that the Cummings property would be developed into a 7-lot subdivision. Evan noted that the person with an option to buy the Cummings property seems sensitive to conservation concerns and there is thus a new situation more amenable to negotiation.
b) Christ the King Church property
Diana reported that she had been called by a representative of Christ the King Church regarding a 0.8-acre parcel across the street from the former chapel on Shore Road. The land had been a parking lot for the chapel and was for sale by the Church for $200k, and the caller was inquiring about Town interest in purchase of the property for use as a possible pocket park or as property for a public safety complex, as the parcel is adjacent to the Shore Road police station. In discussion it was recommended by George that the matter be referred to the Economic Development Commission.
c)Elyandco Hatchetts Hill Road property
At 09:40 on motion by George, second by Connie, it was voted to go into executive session. At 10:05, the Committee left executive session and, on motion by Connie seconded by George, it was voted that OSC will support OLCT toward the purchase of the Elyandco Hatchetts Hill Road property subject to further clarification of the conditions of acquisition.
Developments
a) Tooker development
It was noted that access to the Tooker development was now to be from Short Hills Road and no longer from the Post Road via Kus property, primarily because of the presence of the stump dump on the Kus property. At this point, there was an extended discussion of the environmental impact and potential environmental damage resulting from the stump dump on the Kus property. On May 19, 2008 there is to be a Zoning Commission meeting involving OSC to address changes to the PRCD regulations to permit multi-family housing as suggested by Marty Smith to accommodate his plans for the Tooker development. As the scheduled May 19 date of the meeting conflicts with the Town budget meeting, Diana will request a change to the Zoning Commission meeting date.
b) Lord’s Woods development
Diana described a meeting with the developer, Inland Wetlands Commission and OSC on April 9, 2008 at the Lord’s Woods development site to review the drainage basin problems and determine remediation actions. Involved in the meeting were Tom Metcalf, Allen Hull, Ann Brown, Mark Block and Diana. From the meeting it was agreed that the developer will repair the level spreader, trim stumps of cut trees on open space land, perform agreed upon planting on the affected wetland area and construct a gravel parking area for entry to the open space access easement. It was noted that Lord’s Woods has paid $5k to OSC on the agreed remediation amount of $75k. Also, Diana indicated that she would ask for a revised map of the development showing the easements.
New Business
a) Cedar Hollow
The status of designated open space at Cedar Hollow is unclear because the planned homeowners association was never incorporated. Title to the open space was never transferred to the Town and Bank of America has been paying taxes on the land for more than 25 years.
b) Percent of open space designation
George raised the question of the amount of land in developments that should be designated open space that is not specifically land set aside as wetland. George indicated that a policy should be established and Diana indicated that she would examine the Granby plan of development and conservation as a start to determining a policy.
At 10:50 on a motion by Connie second by George, it was voted to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Cable
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