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The Granby
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Volume XLIII, No. 9 • June 2013
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Budget passes on second vote Of the 2,019 people who voted at the second referendum May 6, 1,211 were in favor and 808 were against the budget as presented at the April 29 public hearing. As a result of the April 22 failed referendum, this budget was reduced $338,000 to $41,622,968, representing a 1.82 percent increase over FY13. See Revised Budget on p. 4.
Neighbors oppose development on Salmon Brook Street by Elaine Jones
It runs in the family Three generations of the Jones family ran in the Granby Road Race May 4. Grandpa Fred and son Scott have run in previous races but it was the first for young Mark and Kevin. photo by Pam Jones
Peck Orchard Knoll withdraws special permit application by Elaine Jones The Planning and Zoning Commission was entering its second hour of debating the merits of Peck Orchard Knoll LLC’s Special Permit application to excavate approximately 100,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel from five acres of an 11.5-acre property between Granville Road and Peck Orchard Road, when the applicant’s attorney, Glen E. Knierim, stood and said that the they were withdrawing the application. After a moment of silence, Chairman Paula Johnson closed the meeting. The commission had difficulty agreeing on the issue. In a straw poll about halfway through the evening, Commissioner Lukingbeal favored denying the application, Commissioner Lambert was undecided, and Commissioners Johnson, Chapple, Kraiza, Sansone, and Spevacek favored approving the application with numerous conditions. Lukingbeal felt the project would have a detrimental affect on adjacent properties by adversely affecting property values, and would be a substantial nuisance to the surrounding neighborhood, both of which he felt were prohibited by Section 8.2 of the Zoning Regulations, a prerequisite to a Section 9 Special Permit. The commission reviewed various restrictions on the application that Chapple had drafted ahead of time, as well as others proposed by commissioners at the
hearing. The conditions being discussed before the application was withdrawn included a large bond; a one-year time limit; deed restrictions prohibiting more than two houses on the property or the installation of cell towers and setting the total amount of excavation ever permissible on the site; a conservation easement along the perimeter of the property; provisions limiting excavation to that actually necessary to build two houses; a requirement that new plantings be irrigated; an impermeable bituminous pad for refueling; a declaration that the permit would not be renewed; a stipulation that the Town Engineer would be able to monitor the site, with his salary expenses in doing so paid by the applicant; a prohibition on “jake brakes” on trucks; limitations on backup alarms, and restrictions on operating hours. At the time the application was withdrawn, the commission was debating limiting operations to Tuesdays and Wednesdays only and perhaps prohibiting excavation between the months of July and September. The withdrawal of the application gives the applicant the choice to reapply with a revised Special Permit application, or apply for two building permits that would not fall under P&Z oversight and therefore have no conditions or restrictions on the amount of material that could be excavated to prepare the steep lots for the buildings.
Read more about this topic at www.granbydrummer.com/local-news.html
Inside:
School budget cuts Page 7
At the May 14 Planning and Zoning meeting, Engineer Ed Lally, representing Thomas Fredo and T and M builders, presented an informal discussion for building 67 homes on 14.25 acres of land at 235 Salmon Brook Street in the Center Zone behind the historic homes on the west side of the street. These would be attached or single-unit buildings with an average of 5.6 units per developable acre. The access would be by a 26-foot-wide boulevard-style driveway. It would have underground public water and sewers. Lally said it would support local businesses by its proximity to the business center, offer reasonable home prices and vitalize the center area.
Abutting property owners were invited to speak to the plan, and they were unanimous in their opposition. They cited the high unit density, the traffic accessing Salmon Brook Street and the difficulty of merging into north and southbound traffic. Many mentioned the visibility of the complex from Salmon Brook Street and the preservation of that area as an iconic Connecticut town center. Several commission members agreed, stating the high density, the traffic pattern and the location of the front of the property in the Historic Overlay Zone were also concerns for them. “All indications are that they are not moving forward to purchase and develop the site,” said Fran Armentano, community development director.
Residents along Salmon Brook Street voiced their opposition to a proposed housing development behind the homes on the west side of the street. photo by Peter Dinella
Memorial Day Parade This year’s Memorial Day activities include the unveiling of the War on Terror monument on the Granby town green by Allen Christensen, Commander, and Howard Baird, Sergeant at Arms of the American Legion. The wreath will be placed by Mrs. William Hogan and Jeffery Merli, honorary marshals. William J. Simanski, Rep. 62nd District, will be the guest speaker at the services at Granby Cemetery. The parade will begin at sharply at 10 a.m.; those participating should assemble in the Bank Street parking lot no later than 9:30 a.m. — James O. Hall, Adjutant, American Legion
Springtime in Paris Page 11
SBHS & “Downton Abbey” years Page 35