CONNECTICUT RIVER GATEWAY COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

March 22, 2007

Present/Absent:    CHESTER                  Margaret Wilson, Vacancy

                               DEEP RIVER             Amy Petrone, Nancy Fischbach

                               EAST HADDAM         Logan Clarke, Robert Boulware

                               ESSEX                       Fred Vollono, Ed Marlowe

                               FENWICK                  Chuck Chadwick

                               HADDAM                   Scott Thompson, Susan Bement

                               LYME                         Kevin Mazer, J. Melvin Woody

                               OLD LYME                 Rudi Besier, Ted Crosby

                               OLD SAYBROOK      Madge Fish, David LeMay

                               CRERPA                    Steve Williams 

                               MIDSTATE RPA        Raul De Brigard, Stasia DeMichele

                               DEP                            David Blatt

                               STAFF                        Linda Krause, Dorothy Papp,

                               TIDEWATER              Judy Preston

Call to Order

            Chairman Fred Vollono called the regular meeting of the Gateway Commission to order at 7:32 pm in the CRERPA meeting room. 

Approval of Minutes

Ed Marlowe moved to approve the minutes of January 25, 2007. David Blatt seconded. All were in favor.

Staff Report

·        Linda reported that the Otfinosky property in Chester is on the market.  An prospective buyer called the office to assess the possibility of a smaller house than previously applied for, but wanted a swimming pool in the buffer area.

·        It has come to the attention of CRERPA through working with Chester on a Plan of Conservation and Development that Goodspeed Theater has had a pre-application meeting for a 650 seat theater in Chester.  Linda has urged the East Haddam Selectman to open discussions with Goodspeed to determine their real agenda.  Since the Gateway Commission and East Haddam have recently made accommodations for a theater expansion in East Haddam, it is difficult to ascertain Goodspeed’s intentions amidst the abundance of mixed messages.

·        The executive director of the CT River Watershed Council stopped by the office with our local river steward, Megan Hearn, and delivered annual reports and newsletters.

Treasurer’s Report

Peggy Wilson reported that Liz David from Merrill Lynch will meet with the Commission after a full quarter of investment under the new guidelines.

Ed Marlowe moved to accept the Treasurers Report and pay the following bills:  $3360.00 to Tidewater for December, January and February; $2985 to CRERPA for the same period; and $1380 to Attorney Paul Geraghty. Madge Fish seconded.  All were in favor.

Referrals

There were no referrals to report since Gateway’s last meeting.

Tidewater

            Judy Preston reported that she and Margot Burns have been “on the road” with the riparian buffer study information, including radio program interviews, news releases, presentations to planning and conservation commissions, and assembly of a ‘conservation listserve.’

            At the same time, Judy has been introducing the Groundtruthing project which is meant to analyze ways of connecting existing and potential open space areas throughout the Gateway region.  A stakeholders meeting is planned for April 30, 2007.  More information can be found online at www.ctrivergateway.org.

            Due to the cancellation of the February meeting, Judy asked the Commission for belated matching funds of $10,080 for a total grant application of almost $60,000, to design effective buffer standard regulations for the Gateway region over an 18 month period.  The project would include the writing of tree cutting standards which has been a Commission priority for some time.  Raul de Brigard wanted to be sure that tree cutting standards were within the purview of the Gateway Commission.  Linda read the pertinent section of the enabling statute which fairly clearly answered Raul’s question in the affirmative.  Melvin Woody moved to support Judy’s application for funding along with matching funds on behalf of the Gateway Commission.  Raul de Brigard seconded.  All were in favor.

Status of New Standards

            Although East Haddam stands poised to adopt the Gateway Standards, the public hearing date remains illusive.  Linda Krause wondered if it might be worthwhile to encourage Essex and Old Lyme to adopt some of the new standards if they remain unwilling to adopt them all.  Peggy Wilson thought that partial adoption posed some major concerns.  The Essex Conservation Commission has asked Wini Olson of the CRERPA office to come speak to them about the Gateway Commission.  Fred Vollono will go in support.  It might be a positive step toward encouraging Essex to look more favorably on the new standards.

Development Issues

            The Barnick appeal was found in favor of the Chester ZBA and against the Gateway Commission.  David Blatt reported that the DEP had acted as intervenors, but that none of the AG arguments were addressed in the court’s decision.  The AG will make a motion for reconsideration which will not likely have an effect on the decision but will at least let the judge know that she did not appear to take all the information into consideration. The presiding judge, from family court, was standing in for the original judge appointed, and was not familiar with land use law.  She noted that the Gateway Commission had been given the statutory 10 days to respond the ZBA application and in the absence of such information, decided in favor of the ZBA.  Linda will look into adjusting the Gateway Commission’s meeting schedule to better accommodate the towns’ ZBA meetings. Linda also noted that the applicant still needs an additional variance to develop the property and CRERPA’s recent work with Chester has provided an opportunity to provide some clarification on protecting land use process to the commissions there.  Ed Marlowe made a motion to write a letter to all the Gateway towns’ ZBAs respecting the court’s decision and explaining the Commission’s disagreement.  Melvin Woody seconded.  Amy Petrone suggested copying the Planning and Zoning Commissions as well as the Boards of Selectmen.  All were favor.

            The Old Saybrook Sams/Gabion Wall issue under DEP mediation is moving slowly.  One more conference call is scheduled and the briefing schedule is still to be set.  The DEP is ready to begin denial of the permit.  Madge Fish reported that Old Saybrook’s appeal is scheduled to be heard in court in April.

Other Business

            Linda reported that the Gateway Area has been recommended for official designation as a State Greenway.

Adjournment

There being no further business, Melvin Woody moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Dorothy Papp

The next meeting of the Gateway Commission is April 26, 2007.