MINUTES
OLD LYME PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 10, 2018
PRESENT WERE: Harold Thompson, Steven Ross, Todd Machnik, Edgar Butcher and Alternate Barbara Gaudio seated for Robert McCarthy.
The commission opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
LOT LINE MODIFICATION – 69/73 GRASSY HILL ROAD. APPLICANT: BRUCE NOYES
This application still needs to obtain a full B-100a approval as well as have proposed deeds submitted to counsel for review.
Harold Thompson made a motion to table this item until the June meeting. Steven Ross seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
READING AND APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 12, 2018 MEETING MINUTES
Steven Ross made a motion to waive the reading and approve the minutes as submitted. Barbara Gaudio seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS OR CORRESPONDENCE
GZA GEOENVIRONMENTAL, INC.
Thompson informed the commission members he has obtained a copy of the Old Saybrook Coastal Resilience and Adaption Study. It is now available at Town Hall for anyone to review.
He said one of the sections in this report that would be an area to focus on is Natural Disaster and a Mitigation Plan.
It was also noted that the Planning Commission will host a workshop which will include a presentation from GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. regarding the impact of Coastal Damage following a 100/500 year storm on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
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May 10, 2018
Thompson also stated that the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments has put out a memo in April that discusses a Hazard Mitigation Program for each town. He stated the Town of Old Lyme is scheduled to have our Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan update completed by August 2019. Therefore, part of the GZA goal will be addressing the Mitigation Program and coming up with up information that can be updated periodically and supports the Natural Hazard Mitigation plan for the town. Thompson said without a plan the town would not be eligible for certain funding on the state and federal level.
COST – Council of Small Towns
Thompson stated in the letter the commission received it stated they were going to receive their data from UCONN versus NOAA. He said the Council of Small Towns felt the data should be coming from NOAA. He said the NOAA data comes out every 10 years and the Natural Disaster Mitigation Plan has to be revised every 5 years. He also noted the problem with the UCONN data is there is a big disparity between what UCONN is predicting and NOAA is predicting. He said his hope is the town is able to retain GZA to do a study they will come up with numbers that are a bit more reasonable and something we can use for the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The commission reviewed a letter drafted by Harold Thompson to Bonnie Reemsnyder. Following a discussion, it was agreed that the draft letter would be
revised to state that the commission is investigating other analysis with respect to projected sea level rise and is willing to share information relating to natural disaster mitigation but does not seek or want approval from the DEEP.
HOPE Application
Thompson stated he drafted a letter that discusses that in September 2017 Graybill Properties, Hope Partnership, LLC came before the Planning Commission for a 4 lot subdivision. Thompson stated at that point the applicant met all requirements. Thompson suggested that the Planning Commission send a letter to the Zoning Commission stating that the approval of the subdivision was based on the applicant successfully meeting the requirements of the subdivision. However, the process for this type of application Section 8-30 g has different criteria than the typical subdivision approval. The commission also noted that the Public Hearing for that application with the Zoning Commission will begin on June 5, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. in the Meeting Hall. It was also noted that
the Zoning Commission has hired a traffic engineer to conduct a study.
Steven Ross asked what thresholds are being used for the attainable/affordable housing income? Specifically, what percentage of the units will be within that criteria. He noted that typically it is a percentage of the units not all of them. Ross asked if the affordable income
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May 10, 2018
threshold varies by town. Keith Rosenfeld agreed to follow up with the questions raised prior to the June meeting. Barbara Gaudio said they there is a formula used for the housing.
Todd Machnick stated he did not feel this project was noble. He stated there is no development going on in this area at all. He further stated however, there is money available through some state agency to make this whole thing fly. He feels it is a way for developers to market their wears by developing it as attainable housing but he does not feel these projects are serving any noble purpose. He feels it is away to borrow money and receive approvals. Todd Machnik expressed frustration with the project.
Barbara Gaudio asked the members what they felt was the biggest problem with doing this project. The commission expressed concern about traffic. They further stated they did not feel the traffic study submitted with the application was a true reflection of the increase in traffic following installation of the proposed project and especially the increase in traffic during summer months. The commission also discussed the sightlines coming off the exit ramp as being inadequate.
Todd Machnik also stated that he was of the opinion that Joe Wren did not adequately address his concerns with regard to traffic when the proposed project was initially presented to the planning commission. .
The commission discussed the terms “attainable” versus “affordable”. They agreed to get clarification on the wording.
The commission discussed the open space motion when the application was approved. The commission stated they agreed if the project did not move forward and became individual single family dwellings the applicant would need to come back to the commission regarding the open space.
Todd Machnik stated that the proposed letter should state that the commission approved the subdivision because it met the requirements but the commission did have concerns about a multiple of other items such as traffic but they were not within our jurisdiction. Ross stated he felt the commission should wait to see how the concerns are addressed at the first hearing.
The commission agreed to do some further research before finalizing their comments to the Zoning Commission.
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Groves
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