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Public Hearing (6/17/02) Atheletic Fields & Rec Master Plan
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PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
JUNE 17, 2002
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
7:20 P.M.
PURPOSE: TO RECEIVE CITIZEN INPUT ON: (1) THE USE OF THE BARTON PROPERTY (BROOKFIELD STREET) FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING ATHLETIC FIELDS; AND (2) IMPROVEMENTS TO NEVERS ROAD PARK AS OUTLINED IN THE
The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:35 p.m. The Clerk of the Council read the Call of the Meeting (copy attached). The following Town Council members were present: Mayor Aman, Deputy Mayor Streeter and Councillors Barbour, Burnham, Delnicki, Fine, Havens, Lassman Fisher and Pelkey. Also present were Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan, Town Attorney Barry D. Guliano, and Town Engineer Jeffrey Doolittle.
Craig Zimmerman, Chairperson of the Park and Recreation Commission, made a brief presentation, providing the following information:
The population in Town has increased by 44 percent in the past twenty years, from just under 17,000 to nearly 25,000. The number of households increased by 50 percent. The Master Plan was started a few years ago and was approved by the Town Council on April 2, 2001. It was a working document and it is not too late to make adjustments.
Needs which were addressed in the plan include passive recreation and active recreation.
In the last 20 years, the number of children participating in the following activities have increased by the following percentages:
Football 250 percent
Lacrosse 550 percent
Baseball 127 percent
In the past 20 years, no football fields have been built; no lacrosse fields have been built; and one baseball field was actually lost. This is the reason that the Master Plan is in place. Because of the lack of fields, a limited number of games are being played; practices are not being held; and games are being played at times when they normally would not be played.
Mr. Zimmerman discussed changes that would occur with regard to some of the current athletic fields, as well as the parking. He spoke of two fields at Nevers Road, and he said that neither field would be lit, nor would they have sound systems, due to their location.
Continuing, Mr. Zimmerman said that they are planning to light the football field at the Barton property location. The football season runs from August through November, and once the clocks are set back, lighting would be needed. The teams practice Monday through Friday, and the lights would be off by 8:00 p.m. Most of the games are scheduled for Sundays at the following times: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. In the eight weeks of their game season, games will be scheduled for five of those Saturdays, and the lights would be off by 8:30 p.m.
The following individuals spoke:
Jane Maytubby, 16 Lake Street, expressed concern regarding the new softball field at Nevers Road Park and its relation to the removal of the existing ball field at Ayers Road. Quoting the estimated costs of relocating the softball field and construction of the 125-space parking lot in place of the softball field, she questioned whether this was the best use of money. She also questioned the need for the proposed 30-space parking lot and the skate board park, as well as the impact of operating costs.
Roy Normen, Homestead Drive, spoke in favor of the relocation of the athletic fields to the Barton property.
June Cameron, 29 Brookfield Street, addressed the topic of extensive traffic on Brookfield Street and asked if the traffic has been counted. She has placed calls to the Police Department several times regarding the traffic.
She questioned the original purpose of the property at the time it was donated to the Town, since she believed that it was to be used for passive recreation.
Joe, Candeias, 258 Nevers Road, asked the Council to reconsider the location of the proposed ball fields on Nevers Road. He said that the map (on display for the Public Hearing) does not show the location of the abutting properties or the locations of the houses. The houses, he said, are about 50 to 75 feet from the parking lot on one side and about 200 feet on the other side; and there is a senior citizen complex adjacent to it. He distributed alternate plans (drawn up by a neighbor) which show two other possible locations on the acreage, which would not be adjacent to people
The Public Hearing was recessed at 8:00 p.m. in order to call the Regular Meeting to order. The Regular Meeting was then recessed and the Public Hearing was reconvened.
George Charlton, 200 Nevers Road, indicated that he is the individual who drew up the plans distributed by Mr. Candeias. He expressed his opposition to the plan.
Lee Daddario, 106 Wentworth Drive, spoke regarding the traffic, parking and lights, expressing his feeling that it was a
Pat Bjorkland, 40 Brookfield Street, whose property is directly across the street from the football field, indicated that she already has difficulty getting her mail from across the street. She stated that at the time of the tour of the Barton property, individuals were told that passive recreation was proposed for the property.
Roy Normen, having been involved in the process, offered clarification with regard to the Barton property. He explained that it was left in a trust, and the Town had the opportunity to purchase the property. If the Town had not done so, the trustee would have sold it and it would have gone to development. He said that, as far as he knew, there was never any commitment that only passive recreation would take place.
Lauren Bjorkland, 40 Brookfield Street, expressed concern about the traffic. She questioned who would be patrolling the fields after 8:00 and whether the fields would be closed to the general public after that time.
Mayor Aman read into the record a petition asking the Council to delay approval of the Plan until other alternatives could be considered, namely to relocate the ball fields at Nevers Road Park easterly off of Abbe Road Extension.
Mayor Aman asked for an indication of those individuals with an interest in the Nevers Road Park area, and 10 people raised their hands. He asked for a show of those interested in the Barton Road property, and 7 people raised their hands. He then asked for a show of those interested in both properties, and 2 raised their hands.
Councillor Lassman Fisher pointed out the inadequacies of the map which had been mailed to the residents affected by the Plan. She said that, although she was in favor of the Master Plan, she is not in favor of this.
Mr. Galligan stated that the maps distributed were taken from the ten-year Master Plan, which was adopted by the Council. He said they are conceptual plans, not actual site plans and that conceptual plans, not site plans, are used for referendum purposes. He felt that much had been lost through the copying process, and he suggested that Vollmer provide the originals.
Councillor Lassman Fisher said that items need to be identified on the map.
Mr. Zimmerman explained that many changes had been made to the original plans and that everyone was viewing copies which came from the original Master Plan. He referenced the word stadium which had been used several times throughout the evening. He said the current plan does not include a stadium. There are portable bleachers similar to those at the Little League complex; there are no permanent restrooms; there is not a changing area; there is not a concession stand.
In response to questions, Councillor Lassman Fisher said that the fields being discussed had originally been planned for the Priest property off of Sullivan Avenue, which was purchased with the intention of active recreation. She said there was an objection because the site was being used to farm corn. The expert was asked to work the corn into the plan, and he did so. However, there was still an objection that the property should be kept as farmland, and that is why the plans were changed.
She added that the Town turned down money for which it was eligible on the Priest property so that the Town would not be encumbered in its use.
Betty Warren, a member of the South Windsor Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Commission (SWALPAC), said she would like to provide the following information as clarification: The idea to purchase both the Barton property and the Priest property originated with SWALPAC. The Priest property was bought with the cooperation of the Trust for Public Land. State and federal money was not available. It wasn
Pat Bjorkland, 40 Brookfield Street, said that when the Barton property was purchased, neighbors were invited on a tour and they were told about plans for thinning the trees, walking trails, and a variety of passive recreation.
Joe Candeias, 258 Nevers Road, asked that the location of the fields be reviewed and that they not be placed adjacent to people's homes.
The Mayor then called for a Straw Vote, the results of which were as follows:
Those in favor of building an additional football and lacrosse fields on the Barton property - 8
Those opposed to building an additional football field and lacrosse fields on the Barton property - 11
Those in favor of building additional baseball and softball fields at the Nevers Road Park - 5
Those opposed to building additional baseball and softball fields at the Nevers Road Park - 11
The Public Hearing was closed at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Merlyn P. Guild
Assistant to the Clerk of the Council
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