Planning Board Meeting, August 14, 2012

TOWN OF SEDGWICK

PLANNING BOARD MEETING

August 14, 2012

 

Planning Board members present:  John Allen Chairman, Secretary Sylvia Wardwell, Peter Neill, Steve Astbury, Michael Rossney, Peter Atherton, Alternate.

 

Also present:  Selectmen Neil Davis, Colby Pert, Victor Smith, CEO Duane Ford, Charlie Wiggins, Fred Marston, John Randolph, Danny Weed, Gordon Gianninoto, Steve Tobey, Nelson Grindal,  Packet reporter Faith deAmbrose, Assistant to the Selectmen Barbara Grindle.

 

The meeting was opened at 7 pm by Chairman John Allen.

 

1)         First Selectman Neil Davis passed out state regulations that indicate that a moratorium must go to a town meeting to be voted on by the townspeople.  The selectmen may extend an existing moratorium, but they may not declare one.  The Planning Board voted in July to ask the selectmen to declare a moratorium, and this month they asked to have a special town meeting to have the moratorium voted on by the town.  If the 6-month moratorium is passed, no applications for wireless towers may be accepted, giving the board, the selectmen, and possibly the town attorney time to finalize a draft for an ordinance.    With or without the moratorium, the ordinance should be ready for voting on at the regular town meeting in March.  If the moratorium is passed, the draft ordinance will be posted on the website for input from the public.

 

2)         Gianninoto reported that the cell tower on his property is ready for the town services to be installed and he is hoping for some cell companies to attach their transmitters.  The town and county emergency services are waiting for funds to purchase the equipment to attach to the tower.

 

3)         The selectmen updated the planning board on the 4 Winds/Patten case.  The assessing agent compared the value of the buildings when he did it for the Appeals Board review and what it is now.  His verbal report was that there was no change except for the new foundations.  There are two ways that we can resolve this problem:  first – a declaratory judgment in which a judge reviews the case and makes a final decision; and second – an administrative consent in which the selectmen may enter into an agreement with the other parties.  This ‘deal’ will be made with advice from the chairmen of the boards, the attorney and the selectmen, including any possible fines or penalties.     

 

4)         A meeting between the selectmen and the town attorney is on hold until the attorney comes back from vacation.  It will be held before the end of this month.

 

5)         Chairman Allen then brought up some letters distributed by the selectmen regarding the 4 Winds/Patten case.  He was very upset by the ‘gag’ order, declaring them both unnecessary and embarrassing and the second letter, which was printed in the newspapers was airing our dirty laundry in public.  It was embarrassing to the people in the town.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:55 pm.

 

                        Barbara Grindle, Assistant to the Selectmen