Sound View Commission
Meeting Minutes — Unapproved
24 November 2014
Shoreline Community Center 7.30 pm
Present: Frank Pappalardo (Chair), Michaelle Pearson (Secretary), Joann Reis Lishing, Frank Maratta (Alternate), David Kelsey
Absent: Russ Carlo (alternate), Sandra Ziemba (alternate) Harry Plaut
Also Present: Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal, Selctman Skip Sibley
7.35 pm Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Chairman Frank Pappalardo.
Alternate Frank Maratta seated for the absent Harry Plaut.
Approval of September and October Minutes: Joann Lishing moved to approve September. Joann Lishing moved to approve October with minor typo corrections. Michaele Pearson seconded. Motion carried.
Correspondence: Frank Maratta regarding parking
Letter sent to Judy McQuade, Chairman, ZBA, responding to her request for information re parking, specifically for Boulanger lot proposal, but also seeking a general background and history of parking and in Sound View. Frank Pappalardo sent a letter detailing the history of parking issues, the town lot and also the private permitted lots.
Discussion:
Frank Maratta took issue with the letter and with parking in general. He thought the tone of the letter was totally anti-business and further asked why the Commission wasn’t pushing the new owners of the former dancehall and El Morocco properties (Messrs. Noe and Randazzo) to develop their properties in a commercial way, which Maratta thinks would be best for the area.
Joann Lishing stated that Noe and Randazzo are the owners of private property.
The Commission can’t tell them how to develop their properties. It’s not public. It’s their choice to build residential.
Mr. Maratta stated they (Noe and Randazzo) just want to make a quick buck.
Frank Pappalardo said that the letter was a purely factual statement of the history of parking in the area. The Commission cannot mandate how Hartford Avenue should be developed, we just want to see the owners move forward in a way that would improve the area which is currently unoccupied and blighted. If the property owners feel that the highest and best use of their properties is residential, they are entitled to develop accordingly. In fact, the Commission suggested mixed use on those properties, but the owners of those properties all stated that they preferred residential development.
Selectwoman Nosal said that she had written to grocery stores, major chains, coffeehouses, etc. trying to get businesses to look at moving to Sound View. There were no takers.
Ms. Pearson asked the Commission to keep in mind that there will never be enough parking on high-traffic days when everyone in the state wants to be at the beach. No beach has that, which is why we hear of beaches closing by 9 or 10 am on Memorial Day and the 4th of July weekend. The rest of the season, there is plenty of parking. In fact, many of the private permitted lots have not been filled even on sunny summer days.
Frank Maratta asked how many parking spaces we started with. Frank Pappalardo reminded him that we started with street parking only and zero additional town-provided spaces, as there was no town parking lot. Frank Maratta stated that his lot could fit 20 cars.
Selectman Sibley said would be very hard for the Commission to take a stand endorsing one plan or another because of differing opinions, so all the Commission can do is promote the betterment of the area, as in its charge. Sibley said he thought the letter as given was fact-based and doesn't have opinion in it. Perhaps it should have been circulated to all the members by email.
David Kelsey said there’s a problem in that Hartford Avenue is incredibly seasonal. Old Lyme has a dearth of office space. The Commission suggested that the Hartford Avenue property owners might try mixed use with office space as commercial. They were not interested. It’s unfair to say that the commission is biased against business. But if its going to be residential, there’s no need for additional parking. No one wants to sit for a year with unleased space.
New Business:
Mr. Pappalardo read the 2015 meeting dates: 1/26 early (before the town meeting) 2/23, 3/23, 4/27, 5/26 (Tuesday), 6/22, 7/27, 8/24, 9/28, 10/26, 11/23, no meeting in December.
SV Improvements: Design Committee at 5pm Tuesday.
Next public info meeting was slated for December, but will likely be early spring. We need to hold it at 30% completion of the design phase.
Mr. Kelsey asked for a clarification of what 30% means.
Mr. Pappalardo explained that under our grant obligation, we have to go to a public info meeting when we are at approximately 30% of the design phase. If we (the town) decide we don’t want to go forward, there is a bailout clause. After that point, there is no bailout, and the Town is in it for the long haul, until completion. The last meeting was 10/22 and was very well attended, and well received.
Ms. Pearson said she thought it was commendable to have it in the Spring, when more of the seasonal residents could be present.
Mr. Maratta asked what would be the correct forum for “us”, the business people to get the Commission to compromise.
Mr. Pappalardo said anyone is welcome to come to any of the design committee meetings and provide input. We’ve already gone through the basic criteria, pros and cons and preliminary engineering, as to why it has to look a certain way. The next step is the nuts and bolts design re: elevation, final engineering, construction documents, etc.
Selectwoman Nosal said she has learned a lot through this process. This plan was set up to bring people to Sound View Beach, via a variety of transpiration options to extend the season and give it a different focal point.
Mr. Pappalardo said all we kept hearing from businesses is that they have to make all their money in 10 weeks.
Mr. Maratta stated that he has tried to being college parties and motorcycle rallies to the beach to extend his season, but there has been opposition.
Selectman Sibley said it’s only recently that a lot of the requirements for the grant have become fully available. The state hired a consultant to guide the town through the process. There is a list of items required, and there are numerous notifications that need to be made.
Mr. Maratta asked how he could get this information, and Mr. Pappal;ardo reminded him that all updates are in our minutes. The design committee is separate entity with regularly noticed meetings that are open to the public and meeting minutes are posted on the town website.
Selectwoman Nosal said she would be presenting the new information at tomorrow’s meeting, so it will be in the Design Committee’s minutes. We are required to give public notice twice, plus notifying officials, the neighborhood, etc.
Sound View Gateway Project Update: Mr Maratta motioned to postpone. Mr. Kelsey seconded.
BUDGET:
Mr. Pappalardo outlined our budget proposal, saying there were carryovers. Our budget doesn’t become available for use until July, so we have intentionally held back approximately $2200 from the 2014 season to use at the beginning of the 2015 season.
2015-16 Budget
Requesting Coastal Jurisdiction Line Survey for the shoreline $6100
Requesting $22K full survey of all town assets in the entire Sound View area. This will be a staggered amount requested by year.
Requesting $4000 for Community services: concerts, etc.
Porta-potties – will be moved from the Parks and Rec budget to the Sound View Commission budget
There is an $8500 carry over from last year for trash receptacles. Trash cans are essential. We need to look at the plan for purchase and placement. Mr. Kelsey and Ms. Pearson volunteered to look into this and come up with some options. $6100
SV Operations manual: add a section portapotties management
Other new business:
Short discussion of the following:
Officer Marty Lane received a certificate from MADD
Reverse 911 - Old Lyme Alerts
Solarize Old Lyme meeting on 12/4 at town hall
UMARS zoning board of appeals hearing has been continued to January 18.
Motion to adjourn: Joann Lishing, Frank Maratta seconded.
9.01pm adjourn
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