Town of Old Lyme Open Space Committee Meeting
Old Lyme Town Hall
Minutes: December 12, 2008
Chairman Diana Atwood Johnson opened the meeting at 8:30 with OSC members Ted Crosby, Ted Kiritsis, George James and OLCT liaison Christina Clayton in attendance. Also present as a guest was Chris Bourne of the Four Mile River Farm and landscape company who is considering becoming a member of OSC.
The minutes of the 11/14/08 meeting, incorporating corrections of Diana and George, were approved by vote. There was a short discussion clarifying the AWA situation:$75,000 is due by the end of the year, of which $5,000 has been paid. A question was raised whether a penalty for late payment could be assessed. Diana thinks not since it was not part of the agreement.
Subdivisions
Diana reported on her meeting with Town Attorney Cassella to review her list of approved subdivisions that are not in compliance with the terms of the subdivision approval. She characterized the meeting as productive. Attorney Cassella will follow up on the outstanding action items.
Diana noted as remarkable the fact that there are no subdivision applications pending at the present time. All of the recent applications have been withdrawn.
Properties
Diana shared with OSC her informal survey of undeveloped properties listed for sale. The properties include the Foster Four Ponds (listed at $2.4 million), Broad Brook (listed at $675k), Pederson (listed at $2.0 million), and Hatchett’s Hill (listed at $449k). It was noted that listed prices in Old Lyme have not yet been lowered to reflect depressed real estate values throughout the state and country. According to Ted K., property assessments in Old Lyme will not change. They are based on 70% of appraised value. Ted pointed out that if appraised values were simply reduced by 10-15%, there would be no need to do reappraisals.
Diana plans a full discussion of priority properties at the January 9 meeting.
Town Conservation Easement
Diana reviewed with OSC a new standard form of conservation easement to be used by the Town that she has developed with help from Attorney Cassella and others. Copies had been circulated to the members in advance of the meeting.
Open Space Acquisition and Land Commission
Diana reported on her progress in having the status of OSC elevated to that of a commission. It would be named the Open Space Acquisition and Land Commission and would have 7-10 members appointed for three-year terms.
OLCT Report
Christina reported that OLCT is agreeable to co-hosting the Champlain North and South event with OSC. Michael Kiernan, acting as consultant for OLCT, has completed monitoring all of the conservation easements that OLCT holds. Violations were found on two of the properties, and these will be addressed.
Old Business
a) State Funding. George reported that there is $20K in the State Plan of Conservation and Development. Applications must be made in April.
b) Champlains event. The Champlain North and South event will be held on April 11.
c) I-95. It was suggested that Ted K. meet with CRERPA regarding the widening I-95 in Old Lyme and that its impact should be included in the regional POCD..
d) Restriction on wetlands designation as open space. Diana circulated for OSC’s consideration alternative draft provisions for restricting the amount of wetlands that could be designated by a developer as open space for purposes of meeting subdivision open space requirements. One provision reflected the concept that the percentage of wetlands designated as open space could not exceed the percentage of wetlands on the overall property. The other reflected the concept that wetlands could not exceed a fixed percentage of the open space. OSC will be recommending that the Zoning Commission adopt such a provision.
e) CRERPA met with members of various town commissions at a Zoning Commission meeting looking for input on its Regional Plan. George reported that he had been to CRERPA to talk about the town Plan of Conservation and Development and the town greenway. He asked OSC whether it (OSC) wanted to provide input correcting/updating the town Greenway that the state has for Old Lyme. The state is using OPM. Diana told the Planning Commission at its meeting the night before that OSC would be glad to update its Open Space Plan for the town as part of the POCD work process. She had learned from OPM’s website that if a town has not completed its POCD by July I, 2010 the town would be ineligible for discretionary state funding. Diana would like George to work on the Greenway part that would become part of the overall Open
Space Plan revision. George and Ted C. will provide OSC with an update at the January meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30. Respectfully submitted, Christine Clayton, acting sect.
| 
