Sound View Commission
Meeting Minutes — Unapproved
22 September 2014
Shoreline Community Center 7.30 pm
Present: Frank Pappalardo (Chair), Michaelle Pearson (Secretary), Joann Reis Lishing, Sandra Ziemba (Alternate), Harry Plaut, Frank Maratta (Alternate, departed at 8.30pm) David Kelsey.
Absent: Russ Carlo
Also Present: First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal,
Kurt Zemba, WPCA Chairman.
7.32 pm Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Chairman Frank Pappalardo.
Approval of July Minutes: Joann Lishing moved to approve the August minutes. Harry Plaut seconded. Motion carried.
First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder and WPCA Chairman Kurt Zemba gave a presentation re: WPCA/ Sewer history and update.
Kurt Zemba: The town will own the main trunk line, and will be a customer of East Lyme, and a customer of New London for capacity. Dwellings only are included in the project. Vacant land is not included. Towns want to avoid sewer sprawl (development caused by sewers). DEEP recommends that a town only sewer the areas that need them.
Frank Lishing, 75 Swan Avenue asked for a definition of a dwelling. Would the Community Center be a dwelling? What about multi-family residences? Businesses? Mr. Zemba stated that all of the aforementioned would be considered dwellings. EDU’s (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) will be used. There is a formula for multifamily units.
Gail Fuller, 46 Swan Ave, asked what about a vacant lot, with no building? Mr. Zemba: There would be no assessment, and no fee. Vacant land is not included in this project. It is not for us to determine whether a lot is buildable or not. Later, we would have to see if there is capacity available for them.
Nick Jones, 30 West End Drive: A large percentage of homes in the beach areas are currently not year round. Once sewers go in, won’t that allow them to be year round? This will greatly advance potential for conversions, and generate a lot more sewerage than under their current seasonal use. Mr. Zemba: The EDU assumes year round, so capacity is built into the system.
Judy McQuade, 20 Portland Ave, asked what if there is a new, code compliant septic system already in place. Mr. Zemba: If the system is not B-100, it is not code compliant. If it is B-100, the Department of Health can decide whether the property will need to be connected. Michaelle Pearson asked if residents with code-compliant B-100 systems would still be assessed whether or not they would be using the sewer system? Mr. Zemba: Yes. Those residents may not have to tie in, but will still be assessed the sewer fee.
David Kelsey raised a number of points asking about the authority of a Town WPCA:
How is the Town WPCA appointed?
Mr. Zemba and First Selectwoman Reemsnyder answered that the WPCA is appointed by the Board of Selectmen in a series of standard, staggered appointments. Mr. Kelsey expressed concern that the Board might appoint people who are not shoreline residents, to determine what shoreline residents pay for. He further stated that
WPCAs are independent organizations. The cost of their administration must be borne by someone, and they tend to grow. Appointed, but separate, seems to invite a host of problems. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder said WPCAs are governed by State Statute. This WPCA has put together a budget that is audited by our Town Finance Director. Mr. Kelsey: The WPCA has the ability to set its own assessment. Mr. Zemba: The WPCA represents over 5000 residents. We have to do something at Rogers Lake, and we also have to look at Lyme Street.
Nick Perna, West End Drive: There has been some discussion that sewers in White Sands are more expensive than in Hawks Nest and Sound View. Is the sharing equally mandated? Mr. Zemba: It’s not an equal sharing. When properties are assessed, there must be a uniform system. The EDU. User fees will be set by EDU also, but eventually there may be other data included such as metering, etc. Frontage or size have nothing to do with it. White Sands will pay more on the user side, because their pipes must be installed deeper. Mr. Perna: That’s a user cost difference, not a capital cost difference. The towncontrolled component will be assessed equally.
Katherine Meyer 4 West End Drive: Where is the evidence of pollution, water quality sampling, or contamination available in writing for any of us to see?
Mr. Zemba: It’s in the State clean water study on the town website. Woodard and Curran did the study.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder: DEEP says there must be contamination due to density. The Assumption is that there are too many houses to filter out the sewage.
Ms. Meyer: Part of the survey stated that seasonal flow, without any municipal water meter, is extremely hard to flows. Overall the town estimates a 50% decline in winter.
Mr. Zemba: That has nothing to do with pollution. They are talking about flow only.
Harry Plaut: In Old Colony Beach, we had three sampling wells to record pollution in our association. We discovered that the majority of pollution we were contributing to the Sound came from the Brook, and that pollution was due to animals, not homes polluting.
Rob Breen: I was an Officer of the former Sound View water company, and I have concerns regarding the Consolidated system, and new water supply system. Traditional sewer mains go deeper than water mains. Someday this must be reckoned with. Some points to consider:
- Retrofitting sewage lines into neighborhoods where there are code compliant 8 inch water mains. 2) cost of redoing the roads.
First Selectwoman Reemsnyder: we will be sitting down with Connecticut Water and coordinating with them.
Frank Pappalardo asked, when this comes for a vote, will the water and wastewater issues be coupled? First Selectwoman Reemsnyder said, No, but Connecticut Water has an obligation to address the needs of the community. This would be under a different set of grants than for the sewerage. We are trying to find as many grants as possible to help with the capital assessment of sewers.
Richard Meyer, Hawks Nest Beach asked about the expense of restoration of roads, specifically why shoreline residents will be asked to pay for town road resurfacing? First Selectwoman Reemsnyder stated that she thought that was a very fair question, and that the Town is not looking to have shoreline residents bear the costs. We will be fair, and look at the shared costs.
There will be two more informational meetings on this topic, and a projected vote for October 2014.
8.40pm: Sound View Improvements Project Update: Frank Pappalardo presented a proposed rendering of Hartford Avenue: 8 foot sidewalks, 13 foot drive lanes, and parallel parking on one side. Harry Plaut asked if there would be a problem with snowplows? Mr. Pappalardo said the engineers are discussing this with the town. There will be paving stones at the flagpole area, and on the upper part of Hartford too. A share the road bike path.
Dee Vowles, The Carousel, asked why there was no plan for parking on upper Hartford Avenue? Mr. Pappalardo stated that it hasn’t been formally discussed yet because there are several encroachments onto town property currently, and multiple curb cuts for residents’ driveways. That section is part of the Gateway Project, not the Bikeway/Park Project. We hope to cover it at our next informational meeting on 10/22. The Gateway project also includes part of Shore road, with room for some plantings and sidewalks.
The Park Project is moving along, though there are some question marks regarding the pump station and location of restrooms.
Gail Fuller asked about parking. Frank Pappalardo stated that the new plans are well in excess of recommended parking for the amount of beach. There are currently only a few viable businesses, part of the Gateway project is to increase the viability of businesses on Rte. 156. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder said we will absolutely seek a balance with parking.
Paula Melillo, Portland Avenue stated that as a resident and a taxpayer she appreciated the idea of sidewalk improvements. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder added, if we change the aesthetics and what we have to offer, more families will come to the area as pedestrians.
Frank Lishing asked about lighting in the parking lot. Frank Pappalardo stated that all lighting will be dark-sky approved, and that there will also be plenty of landscaping.
9.11pm: Hartford Avenue Vacant Properties Update: Frank Pappalardo and Bonnie Reemsnyder met with the owners of the vacant properties on Hartford Avenue: Mr. Noe, Mr. Randazzo and Mrs. DiNino-Fields. All three have expressed a wish to develop condos on their properties rather than a mix of commercial and residential.
Frank Pappalardo reminded everyone that the Bound for the Sound Road Race would eb taking place this Saturday. 7am registration.
Ms. Pearson reminded the Commission that the Swim Lines were to have remained in place until September 30th, weather permitting. However, this year they were removed much earlier, creating a potentially hazardous situation as boats and jet skis entered the swim area, despite the fact that the beach was very crowded during the unseasonably warm September weekends. Mr. Plaut was asked to abide more closely to the stated dates next season.
Harry Plaut motioned to adjourn, Joann Lishing seconded.
Next meeting, Monday, 10/27 at 7.30pm, Shoreline Community Center
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