1. Call to order: Called to order by Vice Chairman Stewart Cole at 6:17 pm. Commission members in attendance were Bell, Baldwin, Herbst and Lyons. Chairman Simm arrived at 6:22 pm and took the chair. Members Swenarton and Dewire were absent. Town Planner Brynes and Dora Hill were present.
2. Review of Town Developments and Proposals.
2a. PZ0626RA Town of Stonington – Zoning Regulation (ZR) Amendment to Article VI to add Open Space Design Regulations, to delete ZR 6.6.1 Cluster Development and modification to ZR 1.2.2 Definitions to incorporate these changes. Subdivision Regulation (SR) Amendment to Sections 9 and 10 to remove clustering and replace with Open Space Design. Modification to SR 12 to include private drive provision for Open Space Design. Town Planner Brynes presented the Open Space Design (OSD) regulation amendment. Conservation Commission’s initial comments on the text include: 1) Pre-application meeting with CC, but no application meeting is required; 2) Recommended only for 6.6.21.12.1 and .2; 3) “Approvable” needed in 6.6.21.6; 4) typo “ff”; 5) Wetland proration of open space set aside is unclear. No PZC hearing date has been set. MOTION: CC members will review the text on their own time and finalize comments at a special meeting in May or the next regular meeting (Cole, Bell). Passed
unanimously.
2b. PZ0627ZC Town of Stonington – Zoning Map Amendment to Residential RA-20 for properties located at the northeast intersection of Greenhaven and Mary Hall Roads, from the intersection extending northwest along Greenhaven Road for 3,700’± to a point; then heading in a northerly direction 1,300’± to a point; then heading in an easterly direction 3,400’± to a point; then heading in a southeasterly direction 470’± to a point; then in a southerly direction for 500’± to a point; then heading in an easterly direction 700’± to a point; then heading in a southerly direction 600’± to a point; then heading in an easterly direction 320’± to a point; then heading in a southerly direction 1,100’± to a point; then
heading westerly along Mary Hall Road for 1,300’± to the point of beginning. Said area being approximately 150 acres and the subject of this application. Involving Map 11, Block 2, Lots 1-12, 12A, 13-15; Map 12, Block 11, Lot 1; Block 12, Lots 12-15; Block 13, Lots 1, 4-8; Block 14, Lots 17, 44, 45, 46R-46Z, 47, 47A-47Z; Block 14, Lots 48, 48A-48D; Block 16, Lots 2-5, 46, 46A-46Q; Map 16, Block 1, Lots 31-37; Map 27, Block 1, Lots 1A, 1-29, 38-55, 57 and Map 35, Block 2, Lots 6 and 9N. Cole desires a change in State law instead of changing a small portion of the Town. Chairman Simm wants to meet with Planning Director Jason Vincent and State Representative Diana Urban to explore this option. Brynes to discuss with Vincent. MOTION: Conservation Commission to set up a meeting with Jason Vincent and Diana Urban regarding the overreaching Public Act that promulgated this mess (Cole, Bell). Passed unanimously.
Lyons departed at 7:30pm.
2c. PZ0628RA Donald & Sally Vail – Zoning Regulation (ZR) Amendment to Section 6.6.14 to permit the reuse of existing buildings of historic value for certain specifically enumerated commercial activities. The proposed amendment includes modifications to other sections of the regulations to reflect these changes. MOTION: This regulation amendment takes the home office concept and turns it into a commercial use in a residential zone. We are diametrically opposed to this amendment (Baldwin, Herbst). Passed unanimously.
2d. PZ0629ZC Mark & Joyce Ballou – Application for Zone Change approval to designation of MC-80. Property located at Riverside Dr., Pawcatuck, CT. Assessor’s Map 9 Block 1 Lot 2. Zone RC-120. No comment.
2e. PZ0630RA Town of Stonington – Zoning Regulation (ZR) Amendment to Article II to remove Liquor Sale Place Regulations, to delete ZR 2.11.1 and 2.11.2 concerning the separation distance for liquor sales establishments. No comment.
2f. PZ0631RA Carwild Corporation – Zoning Regulation (ZR) Amendment to Section 4.6 to allow by Special Use Permit, for warehousing in buildings greater than 10,000 square feet located in the MC-80 zone. The proposed amendment includes modifications to other sections of the regulations to reflect these changes. MOTION: Conservation Commission has no objection to the Regulation Amendment as proposed, primarily in view of the fact that the Special Use Permit will be required (Bell, Cole). Passed unanimously.
2g. Any pending applications and new preliminary proposals: None.
Lyons returned at 8:45pm.
MOTION: Move to Item 3c (Cole, Bell). Passed unanimously.
3. Open Space Committee
3c. Discussion of Donald C. & Lesley F. Walsh Property (32.59-acre 34 Anguilla Brook Road, zone GB-130): Herbst and Simm met with the Walshes and John Hamilton, their representative. Proposed a 26-acre/6-acre split with the house on a rear lot. May have 450± feet frontage on old Pequot Trail. The Walsh property, parcel 47-1-2, may have been split off from 47-1-2A and 47-1-2B, agricultural parcels of William E. McGuire of North Stonington.
3d. Discussion of Montauk Ave. Subdivision open space set-aside accepted by Board of Selectmen: Reply to Conservation Commission’s letter is awaited.
3e. Trust for Public Land feasibility study: Discussion on the date of special Conservation Commission meeting for the presentation of the Open Space Bonding Feasibility Study to Boards of Selectmen and Finance by Alicia Betty and Nikki Georges-Clapp of TPL. Thurs May 25th was proposed as a meeting date, possibly at Mystic Middle School. Baldwin will create a flier once the meeting is set.
MOTION: Move to Item 5c (Cole, Bell). Passed unanimously.
5. New Business
5c. Planning for global warming and sea level rise: Simm discussed possible Town response with Brynes. Vincent has expressed an interest in the issue.
Brynes departed at 9:30pm.
5a. Mystic River Dam Committee: Cole met Michael Lamperelli, repair garage property owner on Hype Pond/Whitford Brook. He has removed no trespassing signs, allowing access to dam property from Rte 184. Sedimentation and dam condition must be discussed with DEP.
Cole departed at 9:37pm.
5b. Review of and application for change of use – LI-130 zone: To be discussed at the next meeting.
3a. Open space plan update – discussion on parcels for preservation: The Planning and Zoning Commission's Open Space Committee will be reviewing the Conservation Commission's Open Space Plan dated 8/19/2005 at its meeting on 5/1/2006.
3b. Discussion on parcels for preservation in Pawcatuck – Ben: Baldwin presented a map showing the 20 highest rated vacant parcels in town which might be suitable for preservation. It was noted that property owners should be contacted before their lands are mentioned as possible acquisitions.
4. Old Business
4a. Report on PZC Open Space Subcommittee: The next meeting will be held Monday 5/1 at 3pm in Town Hall when the Conservation Commission’s Open Space Plan will be discussed.
4b. Taugwonk Rd. Rezoning Application - LI-130 to GBR-130 Modified Plan: See 5b.
6. Review of March 27, 2006 meeting minutes. MOTION: To approve the minutes as written with two minor corrections and the addition of the Fee in Lieu of Open Space fund balance reported by Bell (Bell, Baldwin). Passed unanimously.
7. MOTION to adjourn (Bell). Meeting adjourned 10:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Ben Baldwin, Acting Secretary
Approved at a regular meeting of the Conservation Commission on 5/22/2006.
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