Planning Commission Minutes 05/28/2013 ADOPTED

PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
MAY 28, 2013
REGULAR MEETING

I. CALL TO ORDER

Tina E. Hallenbeck, Acting Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room of the Simsbury Town Offices.  The following members were present:  Ferg Jansen, Richard Cortes, Gary Lungarini, William Rice, and Robert Kulakowski.  Also in attendance was Hiram Peck, Director of Planning, Janis Prifti, Commission Clerk, and other interested parties.

II. SEATING OF ALTERNATES AS NECESSARY

Acting Chairman Hallenbeck seated Commissioners Kulakowski and Lungarini.

III. DISCUSSION & POSSIBLE ACTION

a. Referral:  Zoning Application #13-22 of Marc Lubetkin, Agent for George Markatos, Owner, for a Zone Change, Regulating Plan Amendment, from SC-3 to SC-1 on the property located at 10 Mall Way (Map G10, Block 227, Lot 001-A+RR). Zone SC-3.

The Applicant requested this be continued to the 6/11/13 meeting.

IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS

a. Discussion of ongoing Town consulting projects
* Village District Study in Weatogue

The Village District Study is under way with a first public session held at Eno Hall and all area business owners invited.  The Consultant is now putting together ideas from that 1st meeting for the Weatogue area and the next meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 19th.  It is anticipated graphics from the consultant will be received by the Town tomorrow and provided to SCTV so the consultant's workshop presentation will be available to viewers.  The Study area is from Rte. 185 north to Powder Forest Drive on both sides of Hopmeadow Street and includes residences and businesses; the regulation developed will show that mix and there will be recommendations for which buildings should/should not be saved. 

* Marketing Study - Town wide

A productive session took place at Masonic Hall with attendees, the Chamber, Main Street, and land use commissions asked for responses to a list of questions; there has been a good response.  Information is available and comments are welcomed at SimsburyStrategy.com for this 2-phase study; Phase I sets up an outline of how to move forward and encourage businesses to locate or expand in Town.  Phase II will undertake actions to accomplish that.

* The Hartford Land Use Study status

Eight RFQ responses from consultants across the country have been received.  The next meeting will be in the Town Hall Meeting Room on Wednesday, May 29th at 5 p.m.   Committee members include chairmen of the land use commissions or their designees and Mary Glassman and Sean Askham from the BOS.  Tomorrow they expect to select the top 3 consultants, interview them, and shortly select only one consultant and ask them for a proposal as a lot of work is involved.  The completion deadline is still September.  The Town is coordinating with the Hartford and working with their two selected real estate companies.  The economics for this situation are critical and need to make sense.

V. COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS

Correspondence received by the Chairman regarding a zoning application will be provided to Mr. Peck for the record and is a general procedure for Commissioners to follow.

For the Application #13-22 Zoning Referral to be taken up at the next meeting, it was suggested a photo of the location would be helpful and it is important for the Applicant to provide that.  Mr. Peck will make available for the Commissioners online an analysis of the difference between Zones 1 and 3 prior to the next meeting.

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of May 14, 2013

On Line 30, following the words "the project" add "; his comments:"

On Line 47, following the word "flow", the word "more" is inserted.

On line 252, following the words " Fairweather Consultants", the words "who is" are inserted.

Commissioner Kulakowski made a motion to approve the minutes as amended.  Commissioner Jansen seconded the motion, and it was passed with Commissioner Rice abstaining.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Jansen made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:21 p.m.  Commissioner Kulakowski seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.

_____________________________
Tina E. Hallenbeck, Acting Chairman