PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MAY 13, 2008


Present: Regular members Anne Kosciusko, Lynn Cheney, Dave Colbert, Pat Hare, Chris Hopkins, Richard Lynn, Alternates Heidi Kearns and Emilie Pryor and commission staff Karen Griswold Nelson.

Absent: Alternate James LaPorta


Chairman Anne Kosciusko called the meeting to order at 7:37 P.M. All regular members were seated for the proceedings and all alternate members allowed to participate in all of the proceedings.


PUBLIC HEARINGS:

    1. App # 701 – Einar Lindholm applicant/Einar and Patience Lindholm - owners – 1 Lot Subdivision– 238 River Road.

Based on input from staff as to open issues remaining as to property lines and proposed improvements to Old Waller Road for emergency access and the recommendation for a continuation of the public hearing:

Motion Mr. Hare, second Mr. Hopkins to continue the public hearing for App # 701 – Einar Lindholm applicant/Einar and Patience Lindholm - owners – 1 Lot Subdivision– 238 River Road to the June 10, 2008 regular meeting: unanimously approved.


REGULAR MEETING:

  1. APPLICATIONS FOR ZONING PERMITS.


#737- Charles Hummel - Construction of a 180 square foot addition – porch/no additional bedrooms and no heat – modified to make porch into a kitchen- 10 Swifts Bridge Road. Approved 4/10/2008.


#738- John Stewart - Installation of a new outdoor wood furnace to comply with zoning requirements with set-backs for accessory structures.


#739 Joe Saluti owner/John Bolus contractor – Construction of an in-ground swimming pool – 13 Yelping Hill Road.


Ms. Griswold-Nelson advised the commission of the receipt of a Zoning application and Inland Wetlands application for site improvements on Furnace Brook Farms including grading to an existing drive and modifications to a fill slope and addressed her recommendation for the Land Use office to notify abutting neighbors of the proposed plans and for the Commission to review the zoning permit in detail at the June meeting.


  1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. March and April minutes – regular and special meetings.

Motion Mrs. Cheney, second Mr. Colbert to approve minutes of the April 8th meeting with corrections as prepared by Mr. Colbert (corrected minutes to be filed): unanimously approved.

Motion Mrs. Cheney, second Mr. Colbert, to approve minutes of the April 22nd special meeting as presented: approved Mrs.’s Kosciusko, Cheney, Kearns and Pryor and Mr.’s Colbert, Hare, and Hopkins. Mr. Lynn abstained due to non-attendance.

Approval of the March minutes was deferred.


  1. NEW APPLICATIONS:

    1. App #702/203 – Erik Elwell applicant/Seal Rock Development LLC owner – 3 Lot subdivision with special exception for a private road – 189 Great Hill Road.

Motion Mrs. Cheney, second Mr. Hare to set App #702/203 – Erik Elwell applicant/Seal Rock Development LLC owner – 3 Lot subdivision with special exception for a private road – 189 Great Hill Road for public hearing at the June 10th regularly scheduled meeting: unanimously approved.


B. App #204 – Mark Jones, applicant/property owner – Special Exception for a general home occupation (financial adviser) in an R-5 zone – 390 Town Street. Set for public hearing.

Motion Mr. Hopkins, second Mr. Hare, to set App #204 – Mark Jones, applicant/property owner – Special Exception for a general home occupation (financial adviser) in an R-5 zone – 390 Town Street Road for public hearing at the June 10th regularly scheduled meeting: unanimously approved.


Motion Mr. Colbert, second Mr. Lynn, to amend the agenda to add three new agenda items under “Other Business” – 1. Grant application for the Town Plan of Conservation and Development, 2. Announcement of a May 29th forum for discussion of abandoned and discontinued roads and 3. Discussion of the schedule of the Town Plan of C&D; unanimously approved.


  1. PENDING APPLICATIONS:

    1. App # 701 – Einar Lindholm applicant/Einar and Patience Lindholm - owners – 1 Lot Subdivision– 238 River Road.


  1. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED.


  1. OTHER BUSINESS

    1. Site Plan modification for the Cornwall Child Center.

Ms. Griswold Nelson addressed the proposed expansion of the Cornwall Child Center for additional space for a toddler age program. Minutes of the May 1st Board of Selectman’s meeting showing the BOS’s preliminary approval of the expansion were made part of the record. Questions were raised regarding the expansion falling within the square foot limit of the original permit (2,000 square foot building) as shown on the original zoning application #1381 granted in September 1993 and accompanying special exception permit #106 granted in May 15, 1993 to “establish an educational use at Gannett Park site of proposed new building” and the need for a public hearing for the expansion or a site plan modification. Ms. Griswold Nelson was to seek recommendations from town planner Thomas McGowan regarding the matter.


    1. Signage in Cornwall Village – town and private (Cheney/Ridgway)

Lynn Cheney recused herself from the commission to represent the agenda item.

Mrs. Cheney addressed ongoing discussions (2 years) between the Town of Cornwall/Board of Selectman (BOS) and the Cornwall Village Improvement Society (CVIS) to design, construct and install a sign at the Cornwall Village crossroad near the post office to satisfy both BOS safety concerns (“Please drive safely”) and CVIS wishes to “welcome” (“Welcome to Cornwall Village”), direct (arrows) and provide information (Town Hall, Library, Historical Society, Lutheran Church, Hubbard Field, Cathedral Pines and Mohawk Trails) to passerby’s to and around the village. Mrs. Cheney provided schematics of the 8 foot tall 4 sided sign being proposed and asked for input from the Commission as to both the sign design and the recommendation for such a sign to be included in the Plan of C&D.

Motion Mr. Hare, second Mrs. Pryor, to support the signage as proposed by the Cornwall Village Improvement Society; unanimously approved.


    1. Review and consideration of proposals submitted for the preparation of a “Land Use Map” to be used in the Town Plan of Conservation and Development under the direction of the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Mr. Lynn recused himself from the discussion and action on the agenda item.

The commission reviewed the proposals submitted by Northwest Conservation District and Housatonic Valley Association as well as the additional information supplied by the Land Use office in response to clarification on several issues as reflected in the April 22nd special meeting. After discussion:

Motion Mr. Hopkins, second Mr. Hare, to hire Northwest Conservation District for the Land Use Map to be used in the Town Plan of Conservation and Development as outlined in the Request for proposals dated March 17, 2008: unanimously approved.


    1. Grant application for the Town Plan of Conservation and Development.

Mr. Lynn addressed state granting being made available to towns for the preparation of Plans of Conservation and Development and the intent by the Town of Cornwall to apply for such grant monies.


    1. Announcement of a May 29th forum for discussion of abandoned and discontinued roads.

Mr. Lynn announced the May 29th regional planning collaborative workshop on “Discontinued and Abandoned Roads, Rights and Responsibilities – Who Plows, Who Paves and Who Passes” being sponsored by the Northwestern Ct. Council of Governments and the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials at Cornwall Town Hall.


    1. Discussion of the schedule of the Town Plan of C&D.

General discussion was held regarding the overall progress by the 4 Plan of C&D subcommittees, their ongoing projects and planned meetings, and the status of their final reports.


  1. ADJOURNMENT

Motion by action of the chairman to adjourn at 9:30PM: unanimously approved.


Respectfully submitted


Karen Griswold Nelson

3