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Planning and Zoning minutes are available below from our most recent meeting. (Please allow processing time for any meeting that has taken place in the past few days.)

Note: Minutes held in hard copy by the Department of Planning and Zoning are the source for, and take precedence over, online information.


Planning and Zoning
MINUTES of RECENT MEETING:

PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30 2008 (6:00 PM)

Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD)

Work Session Meeting Minutes

Planning & Zoning Commission Present - Chairman Ellsworth McGuigan, Commissioners Phil Fischer, John Lust, Mike Laudano, Steve Duhamel, David Perkins, Chuck Andres and Joe Vaiuso.

Staff Present: Shirley Rasmussen, Town Planner; Richard Stoecker, Assistant Town Planner;

Consultants: Glen Chalder- Planimetrics, Jason Vincent - Planimetrics

Meeting started at 6:00 PM

Shirley Rasmussen distributed draft POCD copies (07/29/08) to all commissioners. Jason Vincent reviewed all the various changes which were noted in the 07/24/08 work session, correspondence and review with the Planning and Zoning staff on Monday, July 28, 2008. Many grammatical and sentence structure errors/omissions were noted and corrected through the evening review.

The key draft POCD changes that were highlighted with Commission are listed below:

  • New page ADDED which highlights the Vision Committee input into the planning process (Page 12).
  • New language ADDED under heading Enhance Wetlands & Watercourses Buffers "To protect these resources, Branford has strict regulations for activities that might affect them. Branford should continue to monitor these areas and review opportunities to enhance buffers, regulations, land use agency coordination, and enforcement" (Page 18)
  • New sidebar ADDED describing International Council Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI) sustainable development policy and use of tree planting programs to protect air quality. (Page 24). Discussed cross-reference to tree preservation (Page 21).
  • UPDATED Branford Land Trust (BLT) inventory (Page 26)
  • New sentence ADDED under Improve Open Space Acquisition "Tools" "Branford should evaluate the current fee in lieu of open space process to ensure this tool is being used properly". DELETE sentence "Some communities have increased the minimum set aside to 15% or higher) and Branford may wish to consider doing the same." (Page 32)
  • New sidebar ADDED Water Dependent Uses and paragraph ADDED under Enhance Coastal Access "Branford should continue to evaluate opportunities to protect coastal resources by expanding open space and, when appropriate , creating recreational areas to provide additional public access" (Page 35)
  • CHANGE historic districts under Protect Historic Resources to historic areas. (Page 38)
  • New paragraph ADDED under Improve Signage "Branford also has a large number of billboards, most of which were erected prior to the adoption of local zoning regulations. It is expected that the owners of the billboards will explore opportunities to "modernize" these billboards into digital Light Emitting Diode (LED) billboards. Branford should work with billboard companies to develop a solution that is sensitive to community character". (Page 42)
  • New Community Structure Plan Map ADDED Legend w/ nodes, potential nodes, and condo clusters. (Page 45)
  • New aerials and secondary strategy ADDED Protect and Enhance the Villages. (Page50)
  • New page ADDED Create New Nodes (Page 51)
  • New sentences ADDED to the paragraphs on North Main Street, East Main Street under Enhance Development Along Route 1. (Page 52)
  • New paragraph ADDED to heading Consider Requiring Inclusionary Housing "Policies that promote new housing opportunities in the villages and along transit corridors make sense and Branford should evaluate where this tool could appropriately be utilizd" (Page 56)
  • New heading ADDED Promote Sustainable Development — relating to node.
  • New Page REAPPEARS Monitor Changes in House Construction pertaining to Residential Build Out and Loom Factor. (Page 60)
  • New clarification and paragraph ADDED pertaining to Interstate Interchanges and traffic congestion (Page 62)
  • New Action ADDED to seek an Economic Development Plan with measureable strategies. (Page 66)
  • New paragraph ADDED under Landfill Property heading. (Page 73)
  • New sentence ADDED promoting better transit connections and amenities within Branford
  • New sentence ADDED under Monitor Fuel Costs to promote fuel and energy conservation through market changes. (Page 84)
  • New sidebar ADDED under Address Flooding that highlighted Community Rating System aimed at reducing resident insurance premiums. (Page 89)
  • New Future Land Use Plan ADDED with "node concept" illustrated. (Page 95)
  • New page ADDED that illustrates how the Plan Implementation Committee (PIC) might prioritize action items.

Next Steps

The consultants and commission discussed statutes pertaining to review, schedule for adoption and required referrals. A motion was made to accept the POCD draft of 07/29/08 with modifications as the POCD scheduled for final review and adoption on Thursday October 23rd, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Canoe Brook Senior Center. All members voted unanimously to accept the motion.

Work session concluded at 7:15 PM.

Minutes submitted by Richard H. Stoecker, Assistant Town Planner


MINUTES

PLANNING & ZONING COMMISION AND INLAND WETLANDS COMMISSION

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

JOINT SPECIAL MEETING/EXECUTIVE SESSION - 7:30 P.M.

SENIOR CENTER, 11 CHERRY HILL ROAD

Present:  Planning and Zoning Commission - Chairman Ellsworth McGuigan; Commissioners Chuck Andres, Steve Duhamel, Phil Fischer, Mike Laudano, John Lust, Dave Perkins, and Joe Vaiuso. Inland Wetlands Commission — Chairman Danny Shapiro, Commissioners Wesley Vietzke, Robert Valley, James Killelea, and Suzanne Botta.

Staff Present:  Town Engineer Janice Plaziak, Town Planner Shirley Rasmussen, Assistant Town Planner Richard Stoecker.

Others Present: First Selectman Unk DaRos, Town Attorney William Clendenen

Chairman E. McGuigan opened the Special Joint Commission Meeting at 7:30 PM and entertained a motion to go into Executive Session from P. Fischer, seconded by S. Duhamel. In the Executive Session a discussion ensued concerning the Founders Village court case. No motions were made and no votes were taken.

Danny Shapiro made a motion to close the Executive Session and resume the Special Meeting. The motion was seconded by J. Vaiuso and unanimously approved.

Adjournment:

D. Perkins moved to adjourn the Special Meeting at 8:35 p.m. S. Duhamel seconded the motion which carried unanimously.

Minutes submitted by Richard H. Stoecker, Assistant Town Planner




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