Sound View Commission
Meeting Minutes — Unapproved
25 June, 2018
7.30 pm, Shoreline Community Center
Present: Frank Pappalardo (Chair), Michaelle Pearson (Secretary), Sandra Ziemba (alternate), Frank Maratta (Alternate), Harry Plaut, Jackie Miano (Alternate),
Absent: David Kelsey, Joann Reis Lishing
Also Present (ex officio): Doug Whelen (Chairman, Old Colony Beach); Scott Boulanger (Federation of Old Lyme Beaches)
7.36 pm Meeting called to order by Chairman Frank Pappalardo.
Alternate Sandra Ziemba was seated for David Kelsey. Alternate Frank Maratta was seated for Joann Lishing.
Approval of May, 2018 Minutes:
Sandra Ziemba motioned to approve. Harry Plaut seconded. All in favor. Motion carried.
7.35 pm: Sound View Improvements
Banner contest won by Edie Twining (Twining Design). She will reconfigure the design to fit on the 20 x 36” banner poles. She has also offered to cost out the banners with a vendor, and will let Frank Pappalardo and Bonnie Reemsnyder know when she has the estimate.
Trees: Frank Pappalardo and Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal are working with the town’s tree commission and Public Works to get the Hartford Avenue trees on the regular watering schedule.
7.49 pm WPCA Update:
Pump Station Lease Agreement: The Sound View Commission was not invited to the meeting between the Beach Associations and the Board of Selectmen, despite the fact that SVC helped to craft the initial lease concept. Frank Pappalardo wrote a letter to the Board of Selectmen stating the Commission’s objections to being left out of the discussion. The Sound View Commission has yet to see a copy of the lease agreement. Lease agreement must be approved at a town meeting.
Doug Whelen said he was present at the Lease agreement meeting, as Chairman of Old Colony Beach Association, and that it was stated at the meeting that SVC would receive a copy of the Lease as soon as the attorneys were done finalizing it. The goal was to have town meeting sometime in late July/ early August.
WPCA Update (Summary of EIE/ EDUs From WPCA Minutes 6/16)
State of CT DEEP EIE summary document was approved on June 5 by the state, and is going to be published on the Monitor website on June 19. Notices will be placed in The Day newspaper. Comment period is open for 45 days. Clarification related to EIE. Estimate of installing water in Sound View $4.2 million more than we planned. This estimate appears to be misleading because they took estimate on linear square footage, reasonable cost, added contingency.
Calculation of EDU’s. 4 options were discussed:
Option 1 current draft model, what engineering company decided. Everything is 1 EDU. Less than 400 sq. ft. is excluded. Multi-family homes would be .75 EDU each for 1.5 total. Commonly used. What other private beach associations have proposed to us.
Option 2: Derived by building square footage. Pro-rated based on bigger or smaller.
Option 3: Split evenly per building.
Option 4: Use assessment that is fixed but based on assessed value of property. Used Excel and planned costs, adjust amounts, adds up to 11.7% assessment charge.
Option 4 was chosen. EDU’s will be based on Property Assessments.
Full WPCA minutes are available here:
Pump station in Town Parking Lot lease:
Frank Pappalardo said he had not yet seen a copy of the lease agreement. No further information is available at this time. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder said it will be ready soon.
Doug Whelan said the meeting was just the signatories of the contract because the attorneys for the beaches and the town wished to clarify some of the language in the contract before releasing it to the public, and that First Selectwoman Reemsnyder said the Selectmen will not even consider making it public until the SVC has seen it. Hoping for a clean document within a week, and send to all interested parties for review.
Deb Gallo, Swan Avenue asked if it’s possible that we could end up with a pump station for the other beaches in the Sound View Parking Lot and no sewers in Sound View, if they are voted down at town referendum?
Frank Papplardo answered that the EIE addresses sewers in Sound View. Administrative order re sewering beach communities in Town of Old Lyme. 45 day review/ comment period, then WPCA can move forward toward a town meeting vote. Doug Whelan added that when the Beach associations signed the contract with New London for capacity allotment, Sound View was included in the capacity. The town currently has no plan on how to move forward if sewers are voted down, but pump station lease is approved. SVC agreed that would be a bad scenario for Sound View residents.
Frank Maratta said that the Zoning Commission has stated that sewers will not allow for any increased use of land.
8.07pm: Neighborhood ZBA Updates (for informational purposes only):
Case 18-03C – Christopher Calvanese, 6-1 Pond Road, received approvals. (From ZBA Meeting Minutes 6/19)
“A MOTION was made by T. Schellens, seconded by K. Kotzan, to~GRANT with condition the requested variances for Sections 8.8.6, 8.8.9, 8.8.11, 8.8.8, 8.8.10 and 9.3 to allow reconstruction of the dwelling to raise it above base flood elevation in the Flood Hazard Area, and to construct additions to the dwelling as per the plans prepared by Craig Laliberte Architects revised dated May 1, 2018 and site plans prepared by Snyder Civil Engineers and revised dated May 29, 2018, and that have been
stamped and signed by the ZBA Chair at this meeting. ~The condition is that after removal of the patio and deck per the approved plan that the area be returned to previous natural grade with materials that are consistent with the policies and goals of the Coastal Area Management Act. ~Also approved is the Coastal Site Plan Review Applications because it is consistent with all applicable coastal policies and includes all reasonable measures to mitigate adverse impacts. ~
K. Kotzan reiterated that this is a situation where it is about safety but also reduction in non-conformities: reduction in coverage, reduction in bedrooms, etc. ~N. Hutchinson summarized that in addition to becoming FEMA compliant the proposal has also been reduced significantly from the plan proposed in March to address the concerns raised by the Board; the moderation of conversion to an illegal use; a reduction in the side setback increased fire safety; and the proposal is aligned with the intent of zoning regulations. ~A concern raise was extra living space on the second floor and S. Mickle noted also a little bit on the first floor. ~~Voting in favor:~ K. Kotzan, T. Schellens, S. Dix, N. Hutchinson; Opposed: ~S. Mickle; Abstaining: None. ~The motion passed 4-1-0.
Attorney Royston was asked to provide guidance on providing the reasons for granting. ~He stated that he assumed the negative vote is concern with respect to the increase in floor area ratio, and he believed for those who voted in favor considered compliance with FEMA requirements as a critical factor in your decision and that the overall reduction in the other non-conformities, setback and coverage, outweighed the increase in floor area and setbacks. ~If those Board members who voted in favor concur, then it would be helpful to capture that in the reasons for granting. All four members voting in favor concurred with that summary.
Reasons for GRANTING:
• Brings dwelling into FEMA compliance, consistent with zoning regulations
• The proposal has been reduced significantly from that initially proposed
• A significant reduction in pre-existing non-conformities (Lot coverage, side set-back)
• The proposal moderates prior illegalities and eliminates an illegal use
• Increase in side setback increases fire safety
• Hardship in necessity of moving utilities into living space to meet FEMA requirements
The applicant was advised by the Chair that the plans that were stamped and signed are the plans that were approved, and if there is any substantial change to the plans the applicant will need to come back to the Board and may require an amendment to the variance application.”
Sons of Italy Hall: Has approvals. Plans to move forward in the next few years.
Bestway Gas Station/ Convenience Store: broke ground last week.
7.45 Blight Ordinance: Attorney’s revisions based on public comments to Blight Ordinance are due back by July 1st. There will be further public informational meetings. No further information is available.
Summer 2018 Planning:
SVBA Independence Day Parade 10 am 9.45 start. July 7th Rain or Shine.
Sound View Concert Series will start Thursday with the Old Lyme Town Band
8.13: Police options committee Update:
Fred Callahan and Angelo Faenza, both members of the Police Options Committee reported that no meeting had taken place since the last SVC meeting. They will let us know when a meeting is scheduled so we will know when to attend. It was reported that there have been instances where police were called and did not respond, responded with a significant delay, and/ or an ineffective response (no resolution to the issue). Of concern: Police are not enforcing the ordinances. For example, what would it take to say “No ballplaying on the beach” when three guys walk past an officer carrying footballs? Frank Maratta reported that people are now bringing giant music speakers onto the beach.
On Saturday, Angelo Faenza called the Police regarding a fistfight in the parking lot around 7.15pm. Police did not arrive until nearly 8pm. Meanwhile a young woman was punched in the eye and physically dragged toward a car. Other people involved in this altercation attempted to damage the porta-potties. Mr. Faenza stated that he did not see any police on duty on Saturday. He urged residents to document all incidents and report them to the Police Options Committee.
Sandy Ziemba asked about the trash cans. Paint has been ordered. Lids have been ordered.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Doug Whelen reported numerous jetskis in swim areas. Spoke to police and was told there was nothing they could do. Need more police ON the beach, not sitting up at Cumberland farms in their vehicles. Last Friday got call from resident at noon, 2 guys urinating on fence with kids in the yard. Videoed it, called police. After a lengthy delay, police arrived and said there was nothing they could do.
Michaelle Pearson asked about the Police Boat that was supposed to be used to patrol the beaches? Harry Plaut (who is the Harbormaster) stated that the police are understaffed to go out on the boat and it’s not the FD’s responsibility. In previous years, Police used to write tickets for jetskis tied to swimlines. What’s changed?
Scott Boulanger: Urged everyone to attend the police options commission meeting. Need to let the Board of Selectmen and police hear our concerns as a group, saying we need some order. We need a community police force. Used to have this, but past several years we have not. Police should be walking on the beach, on streets, etc. Frank Pappalardo concurred, saying for 10 weeks a year, we need a full-time police presence.
8.25pm Sandy motioned to adjourn. Jackie seconded. All in favor. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8.51pm.
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