MINUTES OF THE
BETHANY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OF
The regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission
was called to order at 7:04 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the Bethany
Town Hall, 40 Peck Road, Bethany, Connecticut.
The following Commission Members
were present:
Kimberly McClure Brinton, Chair
Michael Calhoun, Vice-Chair
Donna Shea, Member/Secretary
Bob Harrison, Member
Alex Hutchinson, Member
Brad
Buchta, Alternate Member
Carol
Lambiase, Alternate Member
Eric McDonald, Alternate Member
Also present were:
Hiram Peck,
Planning Consultant
Isabel
Kearns, Zoning Enforcement Officer
Kevin
McSherry, Town Attorney
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Shea to approve, as amended, the minutes of the November 1, 2017, Regular Meeting:
- Page 5, Third Paragraph – Remove Item #2). Repeat of Item #1.
- Page 9, Item #12. – Remove.Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
- It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Harrison to approve, as submitted, the minutes of the November 11, 2017, Special Meeting/Site Visit.Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
BILLS
- It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Hutchinson to approve the payment of $1,200.00 (monthly pro rata basis), for services rendered for November 2017, by Hiram W. Peck III, AICP, Planning Consultant.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
- It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Shea to approve the payment of a bill for $125.00, dated for December 6, 2017; from John McLeod for recording services for the public hearing (68 Hopp Brook Road).Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
- Letter from Nancy McCarthy, Town Clerk, dated November 13, 2017, Re: 2018 Regular Meeting schedule with attached draft 2018 Schedule prepared by PZC Clerk.
It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Harrison to approve
the draft 2018 Regular Meeting Schedule prepared by the PZC Clerk to be
submitted to the Town Clerk.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
- Letter from Isabel Kearns, ZEO, to Darren Wisniewski owner of 29 Poplar Swamp Road, dated November 17, 2017, Re: Notice of Violation at 29 Poplar Swamp Road, discarded debris and other “junk”.
PUBLIC
HEARING
- 68 Hopp Brook Road, Application #2017-017 submitted by Adam Lieder for a Home Occupation Permit for a tree service and to park three vehicles on the subject property –
At 7:18 p.m., Chair Brinton called the public hearing to
order. Roll call was taken. Chair Brinton read the legal notice for the
public hearing and reviewed the complete contents of the application file.
During the course of the public
hearing, Chair Brinton noted that the Commission has received the following
item relative to the subject application.
Exhibit identification was assigned as noted:
- Exhibit 1A – Submitted by Wolodymyr Iwaniv of 29 Hopp Brook Road, three handwritten papers of speech at hearing.
Present to speak on behalf of this application was Adam
Lieder, owner of Out on the Limb Tree Service, of 75 Silvermine Road, Seymour,
Connecticut.
During discussion, Mr. Lieder noted:
- Has been in business for 18 years.
- Would like to park 3 trucks at his future residence at 68 Hopp Brook Road.
- Is in the process of cleaning up the property located at 68 Hopp Brook Road.
- Amended Statement of Use dated October 20, 2017, to include some Saturday’s weather permitting for Hours of Operation.
- Will not sell wood on the property.
- Equipment trailing behind the truck is a trailer and chipper.
Letters submitted from Nancy Jansen of 60 Hopp Brook Road
dated October 20, 2017 and October 25, 2017, and letter from Lodynsky Family
dated October 26, 2017, were read at public hearing by Member Calhoun.
Chair Brinton asked if anyone from
the public would like to speak in favor of the application or against the
application. The following public
members spoke:
- Wolodymyr Iwaniv of 29 Hopp Brook Road.
- Nancy Jansen of 60 Hopp Brook Road.
Commission members conducted a site visit on November 11,
2017.
Some Commission members commented on the following:
- Large amount of equipment on the property.
- Property grandfathered in as commercial.
- Road is narrow but also a public road.
- ZEO to research when fence was proposed.
- Would like building inspector to look at property.
Hiram Peck, Planning Consultant, suggested the Commission
continue the hearing to the next regular meeting to gather the information
needed.
At 8:30 p.m., it was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Shea
to recess the public hearing and continue to the next regular meeting on
Wednesday, January 3, 2017, in the Commission Meeting Room of the Bethany Town
Hall.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous
approval.
511 Amity Road – First Congregational Church (First Church Burial
Ground) – It was moved by Shea and seconded by Harrison to add to the
agenda a Connecticut General Statute Section 8-24 Review submitted by First
Selectman Derrylyn Gorski for the proposal by the First Congregational Church
to convey to the Town of Bethany their 1.3 acre cemetery.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous approval.
667
Amity Road – It was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Hutchinson to add
to the agenda the review of the landscaping plan for 667 Amity Road, Matt
Micros.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous
approval.
NEW BUSINESS
- Connecticut General Statute Section 8-24 Review submitted by First Selectman Derrylyn Gorski for the proposal by the First Congregational Church to convey to the Town of Bethany their 1.3 acre cemetery –
Present to discuss this proposal was Kevin McSherry, Town
Attorney. Attorney McSherry noted the
following:
- Town of Bethany approached by Church of Christ to take over responsibility of this cemetery due to lack of people to run the cemetery.
- Cemetery is in good shape.
- Town’s responsibility to maintain the cemetery and sell the graves.
It was moved by Calhoun and
seconded by Shea that the Bethany Planning and Zoning Commission hereby finds
that the proposal by the First Congregational Church to convey to the Town of
Bethany their 1.3 acre cemetery is not in conflict with the Town Plan of
Conservation and Development adopted November 18, 1998 and last revised August
31, 2010.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous
approval.
- 667 Amity Road, Soccer Fields, Matt Micros, Landscaping Plan –
Present for this discussion was Matt Micros, owner, and Bill
of Blue Sky Landscaping, Shelton, Connecticut.
Bill of Blue Sky Landscaping submitted an untitled
landscaping plan and discussed with Commission Members.
Hiram Peck, Planning Consultant, suggested the Commission
look at further and not make a quick decision.
Also the Commission would like a list of quantities and sizes of
plantings.
Tabled.
OLD BUSINESS
- 68 HOPP BROOK ROAD, Application #2017-017 submitted by Adam Lieder for a Home Occupation for tree service and to park 3 vehicles on property – Hearing continued to January 3, 2018.
- Continue discussion regarding Accessory Apartments and other Zoning Regulations including Attainable Housing Regulation -Hiram Peck, Planning Consultant, reviewed draft amendment for Attainable Housing Overlay Zone. Tabled.
ZONING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER’S REPORT –
Isabel Kearns, ZEO, distributed copies of two reports she prepared as
follows:
- Building Permits.
- Site Inspections from November 3, 2017 to November 21, 2017.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to
come before the Commission, it was moved by Calhoun and seconded by Hutchinson
to adjourn the regular meeting at 9:54 p.m.
Voting for: Brinton, Calhoun, Shea, Harrison, Hutchinson.
Unanimous
approval.
Respectfully submitted,
Antonia R. Marek, Clerk
for the Planning and Zoning Commission
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6,
2017 Page
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