Town of Old Lyme Open Space Committee Meeting
Old Lyme Town Hall
Minutes: May 8, 2009
Chairman Diana Atwood Johnson opened the meeting at 08:30 with OSC members Amanda Blair, Peter Cable, Ted Crosby, Bob DePianta, Bill Dunbar, George James, and Ted Kiritsis in attendance.
On motion by George, second by Bill, the minutes of the April 10, 2009 meeting were approved by vote.
Subdivisions
a) Pedersen subdivision
Diana reported that she had received a call from a prospective buyer of the property on Burr Road, and that this person indicated an eagerness to reduce the number of development lots from the current 17 lots.
b) Eklund property
The Planning Commission will have a public hearing on May 13, 2009 on the proposed subdivision. Diana read her letter to the Planning Commission opposing the proposed designation of mostly water as open space and urging that 2.8 acres (15% of the 18.9 acre development area) of solid land be set-aside as open space. Diana noted that David Eklund had not heard from Matthew White regarding the OSC stated position on open space.
c) Marsh subdivision
Diana reported that the Planning Commission has chosen not to strictly apply the 15% open space requirement on developments for the planned Marsh subdivision. Ed and Linda Marsh had not agreed to a proposed designation of open space, which would have restored the 15% set-aside in any future development of the remaining 17.5 acres of undeveloped farmland. The Planning Commission instead had concurred with the Marsh preference to keep their development options open.
d) MacDonald property
Diana reported that she has written a letter to the Planning Commission opposing the open space designation on the proposed 13.9-acre subdivision on the Boston Post Road property because the identified open space is wetlands.
e) Lord’s Woods development
Diana noted Ed Cassella’s letter recommending a $5k penalty fee, to be paid at the end of the year, if the developer fails to meet the agreed upon remediation work schedule. This plan would replace the OSC proposed imposition of $100 per day penalty for failure to meet the remediation schedule, a plan reported as not acceptable to Dr. Awwa, according to his lawyer, Mark Block.
Greenway Proposal
George reported on his and Ted Crosby’s efforts to reintroduce through CRERPA a proposed Old Lyme Greenway, originally identified in 1998 under the Town’s Open Space Plan, and recognized in Old Lyme’s Plan of Conservation and Development. The 1998 Old Lyme Greenway designation was not incorporated in the State plan of conservation. The State is developing new conservation criteria and George and Ted have been working to reintroduce the Greenway designation as prescribed in the 1998 Open Space Plan, updated to reflect subsequent development and adjusted to meet constraints defined by the State. It is intended that this activity can be subsidized by means of in-kind contributions through CRERPA. Diana noted that the final CRERPA draft should be circulated to OSC for review. A motion to endorse Ted Crosby’s and George’s activities to develop Greenway information to support CRERPA in revising the State open space designation was made by Peter and seconded by Bob. The motion was passed
by unanimous vote.
At 09:30 on a motion by Bill, second by Ted Kiritsis, it was voted to go into executive session to discuss several properties. No actions were taken in executive session. At 10:00 on a motion by Ted Crosby, second by Bill, it was voted to end executive session.
At 10:02 on a motion by Bob, second by George, the meeting was adjourned by vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Cable
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