PZC MAIN STREET SUBCOMMITTEE MINUTES
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013, 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
Members present: Bart Pacekonis, Dave Goslin, Ben Wheeler, Jim Throwe, Karen Isherwood, Doug Nation, Ginny Macro, Daryl Ramsey, Janet Wade-Utay, David Raymond
Staff present: Michele R. Lipe, Town Planner
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: None
NEW BUSINESS:
- Introductions of Committee members
- Discussion of Committee procedures and timeline
Meetings are to be held once a month on the second Thursday, 6:30- 8:00 PM. Town Planner Lipe handed out ‘team guidelines’ and reviewed committee goals and expectations.
- Review of the Plan of Conservation and Development goals and strategies
Chairman Pacekonis stated that the hope of the Planning & Zoning Commission was that the Main Street Subcommittee could examine existing uses that are occurring on Main Street and determine what, if any, compatible uses may be appropriate in some of the aging structures to help ensure their integrity over time.
Planner Lipe handed out plans for all members and excerpts from the Town Plan of Conservation & Development that the PZC had reviewed as goals for the committee.
Chairman Pacekonis reviewed some of the work that had been done in the Town Plan on residential lot development potential for Main Street illustrating the number of units that could be built under different zoning scenarios. The Chairman’s point being there is very little clear consensus on what direction to take.
- Review of existing uses on Main Street
Discussion ensued about existing uses on Main Street. Planner Lipe handed out a GIS map that had color coded properties based on the assessor’s classification of each property. The purpose of the map was to illustrate the variety of uses that currently exist along Main Street.
- Distribution and discussion of current zoning regulations that are applicable to current Main Street zoning
Planner Lipe handed out excerpts from the existing zoning regulations and briefly went through the material presented. She commented on the number of variances that had been granted over the years (approximately 100) indicating they ranged from area variances, lot frontage variance, bulk requirement variances as well as use variances.
- Discussion of Committee goals and next steps
Discussion ensued. Potential uses were briefly talked about.
It was suggested the committee review what other communities may be doing such as Wethersfield and Marlborough which may have similar zoning regulations and East Hartford which may have incentives for upgrading historical structures in the form of tax abatement.
The suggestion was made that the existing office conversion overlay zone may have some applicability if re-written to address houses on Main Street specifically. The idea of use variances was discussed. Planner Lipe indicated that use variances are currently prohibited in residential zones.
Action Steps: The Town Planner will provide a map showing the houses that are on the Historic District Resource Inventory. She will also research other communities and zoning approaches that could be taken and provide additional zoning regulations that are applicable to Main Street.
Mr. Nation will research the status of the State buying development rights of identified properties.
Ms Macro will review interior lot regulations for their visual impact on the historic houses and the character of the area.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 12 at 6:30 – 8:00 PM. The agenda and any other materials will be distributed the week prior by email and mail. The agenda will be posted on the town website in the meetings calendar. Any materials to be distributed should be submitted to the Planning Department prior to mailing or prior to the day of the meeting.
The Committee will brain storm potential adaptive re-uses of historical buildings as well as identifying potential advantages and disadvantages of uses.
OTHER BUSINESS:
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michele R. Lipe, AICP
Town Planner
| 
