By: Maria Moore
The Sessions Conference Room was filled with energy at the recent Economic Development Commission (EDC) meeting with members both new and old engaging in lively discussion of what their goals should be for the upcoming year. They also reviewed the status of the wastewater treatment plant and that of the architectural design review standards. Following is a report of the EDC’s discussions at their January 10 meeeting.
Architectural Design Review Standards
The first topic of discussion was the status of the architectural design review standards which EDC member Bill Bohan is pursuing with the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission for inclusion in their rewrite of the current zoning regulations. To recap, Bill had originally presented his idea of the town’s adopting a set of architectural design review standards at the public input session held by the Planning and Zoning Commission on May 26 of 2010. Residents as well as representatives of the New Hartford Business Council were at the meeting to give their input on the zoning regulations which the commission is now in the process of reviewing. At that meeting Bill’s ideas received a lukewarm response. He later presented the same idea to the Planning and Zoning Commission at one of their regular meetings and submitted samples of standards for the commission members to consider. P&Z’s legal consultant, Mark Branse supported Bill’s idea of adopting a set of architectural standards; Mark has worked with other communities, including his home town of Glastonbury, to develop just such standards which ensure that a town’s future commercial construction and changes to their existing commercial buildings maintain the town’s architectural character.
The new set of architectural standards in New Hartford would be used by the town’s Architectural Design Review Board to review applications for new commercial buildings and changes to commercial buildings in a specified area, say along Routes 44 and 202. Bill Bohan, who is a member of the Architectural Review Board said that the Board had only done one review. Neither he nor the other EDC members knew any more about the status of the Architectural Review Board but Bill did say that P&Z was nearing the end of their working on rewriting the town’s zoning regulations. NewHartfordPlus reported on the reappointment of the members of the Architectural review Board on December 13, 2010 see our report Architectural Review Board Reappointed…
“Now you don’t have standards. There’s no definition of what you want it to look like.” The EDC members were told. The members discussed getting other groups in town, such as the selectmen and the New Hartford Business Council to support the establishment of a set of architectural standards. The EDC members themselves supported David Childs’ writing a letter from the EDC in support of including architectural standards in the rewrite of the zoning regulations.
They also discussed developing an architectural book which would then be given to developers to use; the goal is “not to turn it (the town) into an East Main in Torrington” the EDC members agreed. They talked about going through the town and and picking out windows, etc. that they would want to include in the book. The idea, one member said, was to get it customized to New Hartford’s look. Bill Bohan said that maybe they could get someone from Connecticut Main Street to come and talk to them about the process. Bill has attended meetings held by Connecticut Main Street, a non-profit organization that helps communities “to identify and develop their unique assets in an integrated and comprehensive way”; for more information see Connecticut Main Street Center’s website.
“It’s a process and you have to start somewhere.” A member of the EDC said, adding: “It may be arbitrary at the beginning (but) it will grow into maturity over time… We have to prepare for the next round of growth.”
Economic Development And the Wastewater Treatment Plant
Next the EDC members focused on the recently completed wastewater treatment plant. The question was asked: “If they were building at Marandino’s (Plaza) would the WPCA be prepared with a plan?” David Childs, EDC Chairman, answered that as far as he knew, there was no plan, which side of the road the sewer would go on, etc. As for who would pay for the line, it was said that it would have to the business itself. Reference was made to the difficult working relationship between the WPCA and the BOC (Building Oversight Committee for the sewer plant) and that they should be working together. Former First Selectman Bill Baxter who is a member of the EDC, said: “It’s up to the selectmen to provide leadership. Until the players sit at a table to resolve (the issue), this is going to be floundering around for a long time… It comes right back to the Selectman’s office.” Bill continued: “Governance is about leadership. You have to deal with (the issue). It’s the elephant in the room!”
One of the members said that the WPCA has a plan but they don’t have any money. Town Clerk Donna LaPlante, also an EDC member at the meeting, said that they (the WPCA members) have always relied on paid officials and volunteers and only occasionally have they had someone with expertise (available). The question was asked whether the WPCA is hiring a professional and the response from one of the members was that they thought they were. The BOC, one of the members said, was working on a septage plan (to allow waste from residents’ septics to be taken to the wastewater treatment plant at a reduced rate). The EDC members returned briefly to the need for new lines and hook-ups and then moved onto other matters.
EDC Goals For 2011-12
David Childs informed his commission members that the EDC will have a budget of $15,000 in the coming year, a $5,000 increase over last year. He gave an update on the Fishing Derby which is going to have a lot more activity this year. He said they are going to have booths in Dave Hurley’s property with casting classes, etc. David said that he and fellow commission member Mark Russo are meeting with a marketing person to develop the event. The Fishing Derby will be the weekend before Memorial Day.
They talked about getting more activities going, and things like advertising in the Hartford Business Journal as ways to market the town. Bill Baxter brought up the 2005 Plan of Conservation & Development which he said provides a plan of where the town should be. “Think of being a catalyst of that kind of change.” Bill told his fellow EDC members. He said they could use the plan to analyze what they’ve done so far and what hasn’t been done. Bill was asked to give a synopsis of the plan to the other EDC members at one of their future meetings and Bill agreed to do so.
The members then discussed the need to develop an image, a personality for New Hartford. They talked about the special features of the town and how to market them; the theme of “A town for all seasons” was suggested. They also touched on the need for marketing materials, especially a hiking/trails map which is being developed by the EDC and a new marketing brochure of the town which the New Hartford Business Council is producing.
The above is our report of some of the discussions at the EDC meeting on Monday, January 10. To read the official minutes of the meeting, please see the Minutes section of the town’s municipal website where the minutes may be posted once they are available or visit the Town Clerk’s Office to access the minutes.
The Planning & Zoning Commission will be meeting on Wednesday, January 26 when they will continue their review of the draft zoning regulations with their attorney, Mark Branse.
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The agenda for the January 10 EDC meeting is the following. Please note that the agenda is the same that had been planned for the EDC’s December meeting that was then cancelled:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2010
NEW HARTFORD TOWN HALL – 530 MAIN STREET
1. INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS.
2. ATTENDANCE AND DESIGNATION OF ALTERNATES.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 8, 2010 REGULAR MEETING.
4. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
5. ARCHITECHTURAL DESIGN REVIEW – P&Z.
6. FISHING DERBY UPDATE.
7. SETTING OF GOALS FOR 2011-2012.
8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS PROPER TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.
