PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING MARCH 9, 2010
Present: Regular members Pat Hare, Lynn Cheney, David Colbert, Chris Hopkins, James LaPorta and Heidi Kearns, Alternate members Buddy Hurlburt and Josh Tyson commission staff Karen Griswold Nelson and commission planning consultant Tom McGowan
Absent: Alternate member Emilie Pryor.
Chairman Pat Hare called the meeting to order at 7:03P.M. in the Cornwall Library with a quorum established. All members participated in the evening’s proceedings.
Motion made by Mrs. Cheney, seconded by Mrs. Kearns, to amend the agenda to move Planning Agenda item A - Discussion with Jocelyn Ayer from the Northwest Collaborative regarding the consideration of the adoption of Incentive Housing Zone regulations prior to all other business; unanimously approved.
Discussion with Jocelyn Ayer from the Northwest Collaborative regarding the consideration of the adoption of Incentive Housing Zone regulations.
Jocelyn Ayer, collaborative planner and representative from the Northwest Collaborative addressed the Incentive Housing Zone draft zoning regulations prepared for consideration by the commission (on file in the Land Use office). Mrs. Ayer gave an overview of the empowering statutes enacted by the state legislature for the IHZ draft regulations as prepared and the process and procedures required to adopt such regulations including local and state review and approvals. Mrs. Ayer addressed the conceptual plans as prepared and being presented that evening for a Route 7 Kent Road site, a site investigated as part of an Incentive Housing Zone study committee established by the Town in 2009 and funded by grant monies awarded to a number of Northwestern Connecticut towns by the State of Connecticut.
First Selectman Gordon Ridgway addressed the commission and the members of the public in attendance, recommending that the commission consider the options presented by the draft regulations in light of the limited affordable/workforce housing programs available.
Note was made that the Incentive Housing Zone subcommittee, working with Mrs. Ayer from the Collaborative, included First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Will Calhoun representing the Cornwall Housing Corporation, Annie Kosciusko representing the Planning & Zoning Commission and Land Use staff member Karen Griswold Nelson
The floor was opened to the commission for questions and comments.
The floor was opened to the public for questions and comments.
At 8:50PM, the floor was closed for public input. Based on commission/staff discussion and concerns raised by the commission and the public during the public comment session, Mrs. Ayer was directed to provide draft copies of homeowners association documents and other supporting information with the agenda item to be placed on the April 13th agenda.
Motion made by Mrs. Kearns, seconded by Mr. Colbert, (at 9:15PM) to amend the agenda to act on Planning Agenda items C and B prior to all other business; unanimously approved.
Distribution of corrected draft of Plan of Conservation and Development and discussion of adoption dates.
Copies of corrected drafts of the Plan of C&D were distributed with agreement that corrections would be forwarded to the Land Use office on or before March 18th and the agenda item to be placed on the special March 23rd meeting set for the presentation of the Harrall Michalowski report.
Discussion of Harrall Michalowski report,
The commission discussed the report as presented with recommendations given for several minor language changes. Staff was directed to request an electronic copy for posting on the website and hard copies distributed to area business people and individuals as recommended by the commission prior to the scheduled March 23rd presentation by Mr. Dick Harrall.
1. APPLICATIONS FOR ZONING PERMITS.
#0815 – Vera and William Dinneen – Installation of an outdoor wood burning furnace in compliance with applicable DEP and building code regulations – 102 Popple Swamp Road. Permit approved March 4.
#0816- Eileen and Michael Redmond – Expansion of footprint for the extension of a bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and porch – 88 Ford Hill Road. Permit approved March 4.
#0817 – Charles and Carol Ebersol – “After the fact” approval of two existing accessory structures - 140 Great Hill Road. Permit approved March 4.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. February 9, 2010 meeting. Deferred.
NEW APPLICATIONS: None.
PENDING APPLICATIONS. None.
5. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED.
Correspondence from the Connecticut Federation of Planning& Zoning Agencies regarding a March 18, 2010 annual conference meeting with the topic of the evening “What CT Land Use Commissions Need to Know about Green Development was discussed. Griswold Nelson stated that she would be attending the meeting.
Planning Agenda D. Discussion of Poland statement on legal problems in Salisbury.
A copy of an article published in the Litchfield Journal regarding remarks made by Donald Poland, a planning consultant hired by the town of Salisbury to prepare a report on Salisbury’s land use administration was distributed for commission comment. The matter was to be revisited.
ADJOURNMENT.
Motion made by Mrs. Kearns, seconded by Mr. LaPorta to adjourn at 9:55PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Griswold Nelson