Planning Commission 02/26/2013 ADOPTED
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
FEBRUARY 26, 2013
REGULAR MEETING
I. CALL TO ORDER
Michael R. Paine, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices. The following members were present: Ferg Jansen, Gary Lungarini, William Rice, Tina E. Hallenbeck, Robert Kulakowski and Mark Drake. Also in attendance were: Hiram Peck, Director of Planning; Janis Prifti, Commission Clerk; and other interested parties.
Chairman Paine thanked SCTV for taping the meetings for residents’ information.
II. SEATING OF ALTERNATES AS NECESSARY
Chairman Paine appointed Commissioner Lungarini to serve as an alternate for Kevin Prell.
Commissioner Jansen made a motion to amend the Agenda to begin with approving meeting minutes. Commissioner Drake seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of January 22, 2013
Commissioner Jansen made a motion to approve the January 22, 2013, Meeting Minutes as written.
Commissioner Lungarini seconded the motion, and it was passed with Commissioner Hallenbeck abstaining.
V. COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
Mr. Peck stated his understanding that Commissioner Cortes will attend the CCROG meeting this Thursday.
Mr. Peck said the Design Review Board recently adopted Design Guidelines which are available for Planning Commission review on the Town website. He also recently completed a draft of LID Stormwater Guidelines which impact site plans and bring the policy into consideration by applicants, e.g. LADA for Saint Catherine's parking expansion looked at them and made changes. He said the Conservation Commission has already adopted them as a policy and the Design Review Board is reviewing incorporating them as a part of the information applicants receive when they come in. He said a question is whether the Guidelines apply only to Town Center or also to the rest of the Town. He is working in small steps to incorporate LID Guidelines into regulations beginning as a policy. Mr. Peck said he is working on the budget presentation for Thursday night. He said now that Subdivision Regulations are done he is working on Zoning Regulations so it is all coherent and adopting this will be a big help. He is currently working on 33 projects and timing is the issue. He said the Design Review Board is concerned about signs and he is working on revising sign regulations as part of Zoning Regulations. He said a system of way finding signs is important whether traveling in a car, on a bike or by foot; there will be a system of signs specifically designed as part of the way finding system so people can move easily from place-to-place. He said there are a number of components for a way finding system and the marketing consultant may consider it in Phase II of the Town Study. He confirmed the Town Engineer and Town Attorney have reviewed the draft policy and are comfortable with it and requested the Commission's decision at the next meeting. He said the Planning and Land Use page has it in the left-hand column.
Mr. Peck said 2 awards have been received so far for Town Center. Chairman Paine noted the State needs to catch up.
III. PRESENTATION & POSSIBLE ACTION
A. CIP Presentation by Richard Sawitzke, Town Engineer
Mr. Sawitzke presented the Town Capital Improvement Program to the Commission in 3 packages with the first two summarizing all the projects - the 2nd package is for fiscal year 2014 projects and the 3rd is for the remainder of projects over 6 years. He said the 6-year programs are mandated by the State and Simsbury allocates project costs to the General Fund or Special Funds and current opportunities depending on appropriateness and eligibility of the projects.
Mr. Sawitzke said the Board of Education identifies bonding or state funding with the formula currently around 30% for capital expansion projects, e.g. roof replacement. He said the first large package primarily speaks to 2014 and is developed with input from various managers who are tasked to think out to 2019 and did a good job this year identifying needs. He said a number of projects from this year are carried over to next year. He said there is a not-to-exceed 7% guideline regarding interest and principle. He said the numbers approved for projects and bonds sold per year do not match because two guidelines must be followed: 7% and no arbitrage. He said if the money is bonded and sits there for 2 years the federal treasury can say it is not tax free and bondholders would want the Town to pay the tax bill. He gave a school project example where they have to be approved a year in advance with local approval required; the process for reimbursement begins and they pay as you go; only sale bonds pass on the difference between cost and reimbursement; for Simsbury High School bonding is in increments over nearly 4 years, so at 7% you are looking at interest payments, not project amounts.
Mr. Sawitzke said first year projects held over from last year include emergency generators and circuitry replacement; because of last year's storm they could not fund it in full and with FEMA money $168,000 will be transferred from reserves to complete this project. He said Storm Alfred showed that generators might have to run for 15 days before major service and having smaller standby generators to run municipal building components requires a generator large enough to run the emergency operations center and police dispatch and they are leaning toward a portable plug-in type; they would use a similar type for Eno and the Library to keep heat on. He said they are also looking at the Tarriffville School as a 2nd emergency center because during Storm Irene that area was isolated from 3 routes. To accommodate standby generators $168,000 would be paid out of General Fund reserves. He clarified the generators will likely be diesel, but they are looking at natural gas.
Mr. Sawitzke said Charrette infrastructure improvements would be covered in the center, e.g. sidewalk, landscaping, parking, and parking deck behind Eno to support businesses or the senior community center; this is a long-term project with money drawn gradually as business opportunities arise and will be carefully coordinated with businesses and the senior community. He anticipates annualized costs over 25-30 years with low maintenance in the beginning and more in the out years. Regarding the Senior Community Center, he said the Public Building Committee is carrying out a study analyzing locations and expected use for programs potentially offered. He said the primary focus is on renovating and expanding Eno and some alternate sites and a report will be done. One idea is to add a new facility to the Performing Arts Center and the Public Building Committee is in charge of looking at that possibility which could be advantageous to seniors who would be in the center with formal outdoor space. He said this is an interesting idea and the Board of Selectmen is looking at it, but it would be a complex project in terms of design and final size; it would need to be taken to 60% of design development to get a very accurate plan with construction in 2016 and does not include a parking deck. Regarding the cost of parking, he said about $1 Million is funded under Charrette improvements. The Commissioners indicated there is a lot of public interest in having the parking deck and the Center Charrette indicates its desirability.
Regarding the Department of Public Works item, he said it includes all vehicles, parks, police, and town hall. He said now that no sand is used on the roads, the chemicals damage trucks and must be removed with the runoff going into a contained facility and pumped off-site, with a secure connection to put it into a treatment system at a cost of $275,000 which would be paid out of bonds.
Regarding HVAC Control Improvements, he said they ran a very sophisticated control system for air conditioning but it is now out of date. He said they are looking to update lighting, AV equipment and propose improvements here with $107,000 paid out of a General Fund reserve transfer. He said Town tele/data infrastructure is needed to connect schools with fiber optics; buildings run on common software; remote facilities are connected with copper landlines except Eno which uses VOIP which they would like to extend to all buildings and provide common graphics on computers in order to transfer information to the public on the Web; some existing landlines are in bad shape. He said they would like to have the Town on a common platform of fiber optics or VOIP with a savings from eliminating landlines and OPX lines so that the annual costs should be even.
Regarding the Town Flat Roof Replacement, he said they have to work on them and want to set formal walkways for OSHA safety improvement; the roofs are about 25 years old in the Town Hall. He said this would be funded out of bonding.
Regarding Eno Roof Repairs, he said it is a slate roof that is built up over some rooms and is over 25 years old and needs some work, but it is very complex because the slate is on precast concrete slabs. He said the $117,000 project would be funded from funds associated with Eno and the balance from bonds.
Regarding the Farmington River Stream Bank Stabilization for $1.4 Million, he said it would be paid out of sewer use funds and is very important because of issues at the main sewer connection on the south end with Avon's 30 inch pipe, they do not want the pipe going into the river and don't want river water in the treatment plant; Avon will pay 30% of the cost as a partner in the treatment facility.
Regarding the Board of Education project to replace 1968 boilers at Squadron Line School and related improvements in the boiler room, he said this is similar to the installation at Henry James School and they will repeat the program.
Mr. Sawitzke said capital projects coming from the guidelines over $100,000 appear on this sheet; projects around $100,000 that are non-reoccurring are from the General Fund; and smaller $50,000 projects or less go into the annual budget and are done from transfers and reserves which are about $7 Million; this is mostly a judgment call to meet the 7% guideline and C&R; sewer use funds are self-sustaining from users.
Regarding what happens next, he said this provides a good overview of what projects are to be bonded. He asked for comments to be provided now because the Bond Counsel language is exact and this is the time to input ideas; in 3 months there will be no opportunity. He said big projects will be back for community input.
Chairman Paine stated the Planning Commission has to approve this CIP. Mr. Peck asked the Commissioners to review the CIP and will put it on the next meeting agenda for a motion. Chairman Paine asked the Commissioners to send any comments to Mr. Peck. Mr. Peck said there is a budget presentation Thursday night at 6 p.m. for land use commissions and invited the Commissioners attendance and support for the budget he puts in.
Mr. Peck informed Wesleyan event attendees that everything is set and should be an interesting day.
IV. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DECISION
A. Revised Guidelines for Community Design
B. Draft Policy for Stormwater Management and Drainage Design Guidelines
Regarding Dorset Crossing, Mr. Peck said there is no change and the site plan to develop the apartments should come in for the next meeting. He said it is a re-subdivision and landscaping is proceeding very slowly, there are DOT issues, and it is taking longer to engineer; however, Northeast Utilities substation is moving ahead. He said road construction is under way to the special needs housing, including the roundabout and access to the substation for NU.
Mr. Peck said Big Y is going to DOT for a traffic permit and he and Mr. Sawitzke will attend the meeting on Friday; the STC permit will allow them to break ground in spring.
Mr. Peck said a couple of things look good for the Town Center over the next year as well.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Jansen made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Commissioner Lungarini seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
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Michael R. Paine, Chairman