PLANNING COMMISSION
P.O. BOX 308
Thursday, October 25, 2007
7:00 p.m. Town
Hall
Chairman Karl Walton called the regular meeting
to order at 7:00 p.m. Members Greg
Genlot, Brad Pellissier, Karl Walton and Alternate Member Joe Iadarola (seated
for Cliff Bordeaux) were present and constituted a quorum. Town Planner Patrice Carson was also
present.
a.
OTHER – There was no other
Old Business.
a.
REQUEST
FOR BOND REDUCTION, WORK IN JALBERT SUBDIVISION, LaCABANA ROAD, JALBERT
The
applicant for the Jalbert Subdivision has completed up to the first layer of
pavement needed for the subdivision.
Mr. Strauss has reviewed the work and confirmed that it has been
done. Ms. Carson has received a letter
from the Vargos’; the west-side abutters located on the corner of LaCabana and
Mountain Road. They gave an easement to
the town to allow for some drainage and they have some concerns about the
subdivision. These concerns have been
brought to Mr. Jalbert’s attention. In
their letter to the town, they request that the bond not be decreased due to
their concerns.
Ms.
Carson explained that the applicant does have 5 years in which to complete the
project and that a bond must remain in place for the entire project. The Commission must reduce the bond if work
has been completed but may not reduce the bond any lower than 30% of the
original. In this case, the applicant
is requesting more but staff is recommending to reduce no lower than the 30%
allowed by the regulation. Ms. Carson
sent a letter to the Vargo’s outlining the progress of the project and
requested that they document their concerns to differentiate as to whether
their concerns are connected to the subdivision or constitute private matters
with the developer.
A motion was made by Mr.
Pellissier, seconded by Mr. Genlot and unanimously voted to approve the reduction of Jalbert
Construction, LLC’s performance bond of $408,908.00 by $286,236.00 as permitted
by the subdivision regulations to the amount of $122,672.00, for the
Subdivision known as “Jalbert Heights Subdivision” on Mountain View Road. The Town Engineer has reviewed the
construction and agrees with the reduction requested. The reduction of the bond is subject to the presentation of a
performance bond to the Planning Office for the reduced amount in the form of
Surety, Irrevocable Letter of Credit, or Passbook acceptable to the Town
Attorney.
b.
REVIEW/ADOPT
2008 MEETING DATES
Ms.
Carson distributed a draft of the Regular Meeting dates for the Planning
Commission in 2008. She noted that she
would be unavailable for both the April 24th and June 12th meeting
dates due to prior commitments.
A motion was made by Mr.
Iadarola; seconded by Mr. Pellissier and unanimously voted to adopt the
Planning Commission 2008 meeting dates as proposed.
c.
DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE
ACTION; CLEAR-CUTTING ON TOWN PROPERTY, FOREST VIEW NORTH TRAIL (MILLER DRIVE).
As
the open space donation for the Miller subdivision, a parcel of land was
conveyed to the town of Somers as a trail, known as Forest View North
Trail. The trail is roughly 15 to 25
feet in width by 300 feet long. The
abutting neighbor west of the trail purchased some property parallel to this
trail and wished to clear for a pasture.
They hired a licensed logger to take some trees down but retained a
thirty-foot buffer between their property and the end of their property
line. The abutting neighbor east of the
trail contacted the same logger requesting that trees be taken down on their
property.
When
the logger had finished, both properties and the “Forest View North Trail” on
Town property was clear-cut and stumped.
Ms.
Carson visited the site and was able to speak with the logger, Mr. Joe
Quirk. She informed him at that time
that the land he cleared was Town-owned property and he did not have the
permission or authority to clear the land without a contract to do so. She also informed him that she would be
filing a complaint with the state and they would be seeking restitution in the
form of finances and replanting of trees.
Mr.
Walton mentioned that he thought it important to inform the Town Selectman and
discuss this matter with the Town Attorney to inquire about how the town can
proceed with recouping the loss of the trees on this property.
A motion was made by Mr.
Genlot; seconded by Mr. Pellissier and unanimously voted to send a
recommendation to the Board of Selectmen to have the town attorney review what
recourses are available to the town in response to the clear-cutting on town
property, Forest View North Trail (Miller Drive) without permission.
d.
OTHER – There was no other New Business.
IV. DISCUSSION: PLAN OF CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT
Ms. Carson noted that she is still working on
the ridgeline project.
V. STAFF/COMMISSIONER REPORTS – Already covered in the meeting.
VI. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION – There was none.
VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND BILLS
Ms. Carson mentioned that there is a course she
wishes to attend to help meet her CEU requirements which takes place on October
30th, 2007. The Conference
entitled “Development Techniques Mother Nature Would Love” is worth 4 credits
and has a price tag of $30.
A
motion was made by Mr. Pellissier; seconded by Mr. Genlot and unanimously voted
to send Ms. Carson to the ”Development Techniques Mother Nature Would Love”
Conference for $30 on October 30th 2007.
A
motion was made by Mr. Pellissier: seconded by Mr. Iadarola and unanimously
voted to pay the Journal Inquirer bill for $212.49 for the hearing on September
13, 2007 and the meeting which followed as well as Mr. Strauss’s bill for the
first quarter in the amount of $7,613.75
VIII. MINUTES APPROVAL: October 11, 2007
Correction:
“Mr. Iadarola
(seated for Cliff Bordeaux)” to be added to the CALL TO ORDER section.
A
motion was made by Mr. Iadarola; seconded by Mr. Pellissier and unanimously
voted to approve the meeting minutes for October 11, 2007 as amended.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
A
motion was made by Mr. Pellissier; seconded by Mr. Iadarola and unanimously
voted to adjourn the October 25, 2007 Planning Commission meeting at 7:45pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Boudreau Bradley
Pellissier
Recording Secretary Secretary
MINUTES
ARE NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.