MEMBERS PRESENT: Bart Pacekonis, Viney Wilson, Billy Carroll, Mario Marrero, Betty Kuehnel
ALTERNATES PRESENT: Stephen Wagner, Stephanie Dexter, Will Butter
STAFF PRESENT: Michele Lipe, Town Planner; Lauren Zarambo, Recording Secretary
SPECIAL MEETING / PUBLIC HEARING/ COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CALL TO ORDER: Acting Chairman Bart Pacekonis gave welcome remarks stating the Planning and Zoning Commission has been working on the update of the Town Plan of Conservation and Development over the last eighteen months. In March the Commission presented the draft plan at Public Hearing and asked for public comment. This updated plan, the Proposed Plan of Conservation and Development, reflects input from that March public hearing and is the subject of this public hearing. The Implementation Plan has also been prepared which addresses the strategies to be used. The Commission welcomes comments on both documents.
Public Hearing on the Final Draft of the Plan of Conservation and Development
The Acting Chairman formally called the Public Hearing to order at 7:33 P.M. and asked the Town Planner to confirm that in conformance with Connecticut General Statutes, the Plan was referred to the regional planning agency and Town Council and was made available to the public. Town Planner Michele Lipe replied the Town Council and CRCOG both received the Plan which had also been posted on the Town’s website and filed with the Town Clerk and notice of this meeting published in the Journal Inquirer on Friday, July 5 and Thursday, July 11, 2013. The Planner has dates of all filings in accordance with the legislation required for the record (Exhibit A).
Heidi Samokar, consultant with Planimetrics began her presentation with a power point presentation describing the process taken to create the final draft of the Plan of Conservation and Development which intends to address growth and change in South Windsor over the next ten years. Over the last eighteen months input was sought to create the plan starting with a kick-off workshop and an on-line survey. Ms Samokar met with a number of local officials and sent questionnaires to other boards and commissions. A household survey was taken with good participation giving strong direction for the policies contained in the plan. Throughout the process it was established that the residents feel South Windsor has a high quality of life with services and facilities contributing to that fact. There is strong support for preserving
farmlands, continued open space preservation balanced with business development and creating a true town center.
The 1st draft of the plan was unveiled March of 2013. There is a document on Town website which explains which comments were made and how they were incorporated to make edits on the plan. After testimony is received at this meeting the public hearing will be closed and the Commission will meet next week at their regular meeting to determine any final edits, adopt the Plan and set the effective date.
The Plan lays out goals and strategies for the town over the next ten years. There is a separate Implementation Element, a year to year work plan to be updated and used regularly. Ms Samokar went over the locational guide maps found at the end of the plan. She stressed the importance of working with all of the maps together for a full picture of the future development and land protection and conservation. She spoke about strong support from the community to protect natural resources and open space, South Windsor center branding and Route 5 as a key economic corridor needing aesthetic improvements and the need to work with property owners to help upgrade the appearance of some of the properties in that area. The work which has already been done by the South Windsor Walk & Wheel Ways Committee has been incorporated
into the draft to make it easier to get around the community by foot or bicycle. Utilities and the need for a comprehensive community facilities plan which looks at the needs of all town facilities, town departments and the resident’s desire for services are also addressed.
Acting Chairman Pacekonis then appointed Commissioner Dexter to be seated for Chairman Kennedy and Commissioner Butter for Commissioner Foley.
Secretary Commissioner Wilson read letters from Capitol Region Council of Governments (Exhibit B), the Superintendent of South Windsor Public Schools (Exhibit C) and an email correspondence from Louise Evans (Exhibit D).
The Town Planner referenced her memo to the Commissioners (Exhibit E) in follow up to the Superintendent’s letter concerning the school property closest to Orchard Hill and Timothy Edwards which was classified as open space on six different maps. The parcel has been identified and will be changed on those maps from a dedicated open space classification to be available as a potential school site. One other map correction concerned the Philip R. Smith School which was miscoded on the final draft of the sewer plan and is available to be sewered when needed. The WPCA has been notified of this correction.
Acting Chairman Pacekonis then opened the Pubic Hearing for public comments on the final draft plan.
Mr. David Joy, resident of Bramblebrae and Chairman of the Board of Education, thanked the Commission for reading the Superintendent’s letter into the record. Mr. Joy stated he had met several times with Dr. Carter to discuss the POCD and had made the Board of Education aware of the document earlier in the year. He lamented that the BOE and PZC meet on the same night and time and cannot share meetings which would be beneficial. He suggested amending schedules one way or another so that the PZC, BOE and Town Council can meet together. Mr. Joy thanked the Town Planner for her comments about adjusting the maps for both Orchard Hill Open Space to be available for building if needed and the ability to connect Phillip R. Smith to sewers should the need arise.
Concerning the Implementation Element, Mr. Joy noted the task to ‘identify short and long term intended uses of all town facilities’ under ‘Community Facilities, Strategy A, Outline Intended Long Term Use for Town-owned Buildings and Land’. The Lead Entity is proposed as the Town Council (TC) and Town Manager (TM) with support from the Public Building Commission (PBC) and Staff and encouraged the task to move forward with all urgency. He stated leadership bodies have not had the opportunity to come together previously to discuss existing town facilities and their long and short term uses and needs. The POCD highlights the need for a unified plan for community buildings. Mr. Joy pointed to the building adjacent to the Town Hall which had been purchased and remains dormant and questioned whether all
of the eight buildings used for educational purposes in South Windsor would be needed in the future. Mr. Joy stated the BOE is presently working with an outside consultant about the elementary facilities and pointed to the need for an all inclusive discussion about why South Windsor needs upgraded elementary facilities. He thanked the Commission for their efforts to create a document to benefit the Town and restated his hope that the Town Council, PZC and BOE can come together to leverage the work each body is doing to help improve the Town’s infrastructure for the 21st century.
Pat Botteron, Chairperson of Open Space Task Force, described the OSTF as a standing committee advisory to the Town Council made up of representatives from the Park and Recreation Commission, PZC, IWA/CC, SWALPAC, Chamber of Commerce, South Windsor Land Trust and residential representatives, with staff members including the Director of Public Works, Senior Environmental Planner and the Park and Rec Superintendent of Operations. Ms Botteron directed the Commission to the letter she had submitted through Chairman Pat Kennedy and explained four suggestions for the Implementation Element. OSTF is the lead entity listed on page 5, Strategy C, C.3 ‘If landowners wish to preserve land, determine funding approach, funding sources, and ownership options.’ She advised deleting the word ‘determine’ and
replacing it with the word ‘suggest’. The OSTF voted in their June meeting to remove Strategy A, A.1 on page 10, ‘Update Acquisition Objectives in Open Space Plan to include year-round activities (amend to read “Provide sites for year-round active and passive recreation”)’ noting the role and scope of the OSTF is to give preliminary recommendations to the Town Council on a potential site’s uses. Ms. Botteron then suggested taking the OSTF from the lead entity role on page 11, C.2 ‘Nominate additional Greenways for State recognition’ and list OSTF to work as partners with Park and Rec Staff. On page 14, F.1 ‘Be prepared to quickly respond to farmland preservation opportunities by determining best preservation approaches in advance for desirable parcels.’ Ms. Botteron suggested placing OSTF as partners with SWALPAC as SWALPAC does a great deal of the legwork.
The Acting Chairman asked if her spoken comment reflected the letter that was submitted to the Commission and Ms Botteron replied the letter to Pat Kennedy should be read into the record. Commissioner Wagner asked if Ms Botteron was proposing placing SWALPAC as the lead entity for F.1 and Ms Botteron replied ‘Yes, and OSTF as partner.’
Mr. Andrew Paterna, member of South Windsor Food Alliance and the Park and Recreation Commission, complemented the PZC on their hard work on the Plan and for addressing Town sustainability issues in the Plan. He then asked the Commission to consider the Town owned Priest farm on Sullivan Avenue being developed as a South Windsor agricultural center. It’s location within the new town center with the potential of a South Windsor farm museum, farmers market, community gardens with classroom space for students within the school system to learn about farming has great potential.
Mr. Roy Norman commended the PZC, staff and consultants for their effort and work to develop the Plan. He stated he has been a long time advocate for sidewalks for pedestrians and bicycling and recalled when the Town had opposed a sidewalk plan a number of years ago which was a real setback for South Windsor. Mr. Norman stated he has renewed hope with this plan and work of SWW&WW that there has been a change in attitude from maintaining a strictly rural nature in favor of rural preservation with complete streets. He pointed out the Open Space program accomplishing a great deal over the years with much more work to accomplish for the future. Mr. Norman suggested making a change on the chart on page 9, Figure 6 of the Plan, ‘Historic and Projected School Enrollment’ to change the chart to start from zero at
the bottom because it tends to exaggerate the trends making it appear the school population will drop dramatically while it is much more modest when seen with the chart in proper scale. He encouraged low income assisted living through the Housing Authority to be incorporated to complement the other low income housing that exists in town.
Mr. Rob O’Connor, resident and member of the Park and Recreation Commission and Co-Chairman of the SWW&WW, complemented the hard and long term work which has taken place to create the Plan calling it a resource which provides context for many disparate Town entities to work together and that prior versions of the Plan were missing the element of context. Citing the maps within the plan, he described how sidewalks can connect neighborhoods to schools to parks to the recreation facility and how the public can park in one spot and go from store to store safely. He applauded the idea of the Town Center plan and the idea of branding of the center. The Town Council and SWW&WW are looking at the town center’s main intersection which will be the focus of a State plan to be executed in one to two years. Mr. O’Connor stated before that happens the PZC needs to take a look now at the Town plan in context of what the State intends in order to have full sidewalks, walk-able crosswalks and
parking for people to be able to walk across to the town hall and library or take a bus. This needs to be the focus of the town now as once the State work is done it is in place for the next twenty years. He encouraged an emphasis on public relations to include all the entities within the Town Center area so all have early knowledge of the plan. He expressed appreciation for emphasis on complete streets throughout the town and the inclusion of SWW&WW in the plan. The plan can be a key for context and provides a way for everyone to be looking at the same key at the same time.
Ms Janice Snyder, member of Town Council, complemented the process of listening to all the groups in town and having forums for public input and sees the input in writing in the draft. The word ‘balance’ appeared to be critical throughout the process and the creation of a true strategic plan has been achieved. Ms. Snyder recounted working with Town Planner Michele Lipe on the Strategic Plan which was created 14 years ago, titled ‘One Plan One Future’, a strategic plan which went to the way side. She encouraged using this plan as a blueprint for budgeting in the future. Ms Snyder stressed the importance of a town center for South Windsor recognizing the need for funding or grants or bonds from the State to make it happen. Ms Snyder gave a message to her fellow councilors to take this Plan and work
together with PZC and other town groups and use it as a guide for budgeting to get things done. She sited the level of volunteerism in all Town groups as a tribute to South Windsor making it a better place.
Ms Patty Lazos-Hood, resident of Clark Street who is involved with SWW&WW and the South Windsor Food Alliance, had attended the previous public hearing for the draft and commended the work especially the Town Center concept of the plan as a high priority as well as the sidewalk plan. There is a real need to connect the sidewalks to make it all work. She suggested changing the map on page 73, ‘Transportation Plan – Driving’, to see Clark Street maintained as a residential street. Clark Street is labeled as a major collector road between Pleasant Valley and Deming and labeled a minor collector between Chapel and Pleasant Valley. Ms Lazos-Hood suggested maintaining it as a residential road rather than a road for through traffic because of the narrow nature of the road. On the subject of farmland
preservation she noted two parcels of land on Clark Street between Chapel and Pleasant Valley that are currently for sale. She asked if the town could maintain those properties for farmland preservation for community use for strawberry production, as it had once been used for, so the town could capitalize on not only being known for having a strawberry festival but producing strawberries as well.
Acting Chairman Pacekonis asked for Commissioner’s comments. Commissioner Carroll commended Planimetrics and Ms Samokar’s work. Commissioner Kuehnel echoed Commissioner Carroll’s comment and thanked Ms Samokar and Planner Lipe. The Acting Chair asked Ms Samokar if she had reviewed CRCOG’s letter. Ms Samokar stated the three items from their letter will be addressed in the final plan.
Mr. Tom Tam, resident who grew up in South Windsor since in 1986 and is now buying a home here, stated he grew up on Skyline Drive and has seen changes in town. He supports branding a town center but also stressed the importance of balancing the growing commercialization of the area so it does not overwhelm the residential. He stated the area where Oakland, Ellington and Sullivan meet has always been known as the Stop and Shop plaza or ‘down the road from Evergreen Walk’ and not many people know it as the Town Center. He stated he is excited about the sidewalk plan and bicycle routes describing what he and classmates would have to do growing up in South Windsor in order to get around on bicycle. He was not aware of the previous public hearing and only became aware of this meeting by ‘liking’ the
Town on Facebook and stated the need for a circular or paper or other media to be distributed to the public to generate interest and more participation. Mr. Tam stated he represents a smaller demographic of the plan noting the 2nd chapter where it reads most young adults are leaving the town but he, having just purchased a home, along with others, are staying and will be balancing that demographic.
Commissioner Wilson read the letter from Pat Botteron (Exhibit F) into the record.
Commissioner Wagner thanked all for coming out and participating.
Acting Chairman Pacekonis acknowledged Chairman Patrick Kennedy’s hard work stating he served on the PZC for twelve years and many of those years as Chairman and he sat as Chairman at every meeting held regarding this Plan of Conservation and Development and did an excellent job of steering the Commission.
Ms Pat Andersen asked about the sidewalk plan for the Town Center that was sent to the State for funding. The Planner replied a copy of the application of the sidewalk plan that the State approved is available for viewing in the Engineering Department.
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 p.m. was made by Commissioner Carroll.
Seconded by Commissioner Kuehnel.
The motion carried and the vote was unanimous.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauren L Zarambo
Recording Secretary
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