Recent as of 12-18-2006

 

 

 

A Letter to PC Chairman John Loomis

 

Mr. John Loomis

500 Firetown Rd

Simsbury, CT 06070

 

 

Monday, December 18, 2006

 

 

Dear Mr. Loomis:

 

I am writing in regard to the newest revisions to the draft POCD that were distributed at last week’s PC meeting on 12/12 and which I picked up at Town Hall this past Friday. I am specifically referring to the changes made to the Future By Design section of the plan that include the removal of the square footage restrictions for retail development in the transect sections (pg 60 & 61) the removal of the use areas restricting retail to 20,000 sq ft/floor (pg 102), as well as the removal of the language that suggests a 300 foot greenbelt along Hopmeadow Street for the Southern Gateway desirable performance objectives (pg. 101).

 

Having attended one of the public hearings for the draft POCD and having watched the other two on SCTV, it was obvious that the majority of the residents who spoke regarding the above issues were overwhelmingly in favor of the original language. It was also true that the people who spoke opposing them were either with the EDC, the Zoning Commission or the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce, representing a select minority. Additionally, the inclusion of the over 2200 signatures collected by SHARE in support of retail square footage caps, reinforces the premise that the majority of town residents want to keep the language specific in the POCD in order to ensure that the other town boards and elected officials, potential developers, landowners and residents all have a clear vision and definitive expectations of how we want to see our town developed over the next ten years.

 

I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that the Planning Commission, under your chairmanship and under Greg Piecuch’s, stewardship of the Future by Design chapter, has apparently given in to political pressure rather than stand firm in your convictions and do what is best for the majority, the residents of Simsbury, and for the future of the Town of Simsbury. I was absolutely astounded when I saw the revisions as I could not understand how the Planning Commission could so completely ignore the voices of the residents that you were elected to represent.  I strongly urge you to reconsider these changes to the Plan and reinstate the original language in the Future By Design sections. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kirsten Griebel

 

 

cc:  Sue Bednarcyk, Carol Cole, Mark Drake, Ernest Gardow, Charles Houlihan,  Ferg Jansen, Brad Mead, Greg Piecuch

 

 

URGENT – Planning Commission draft POCD revision news

 

Monday, December 18, 2006

 

SHARE NEWSFLASH:  URGENT - ALTHOUGH OVER 2200 SIMSBURY CITIZENS SIGNED A PETITION SEEKING SQUARE FOOTAGE LIMITATIONS ON SINGLE-USE RETAILERS, ABSENT A DIRECT CURB CUT TO ROUTE 44, THE SIMSBURY PLANNING COMMISSION’S PROPOSED PLAN OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (WHICH ORIGINALLY INCLUDED THESE LIMITATIONS) HAS REMOVED THESE SPECIFIC NUMERIC PROTECTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.  APPARENTLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECIDED THAT THE VOICES OF THE VERY FEW SHOULD OVERRIDE THE VOICES OF THE MAJORITY.

 

This past Tuesday, December 12th, at the Planning Commission's (PC) meeting, the PC board had discussions regarding the feedback they had received from the public hearings on the town Plan of Conservation and Development. They handed out copies of suggested revisions to the POCD many of which affect Route 10 parcels including parcels at the North End of town (Northern Gateway) and also the CL&P parcel (or as it is referred to in the Plan, the Southern Gateway). Despite hearing from a very large number of residents during the public hearings that the Plan should remain as written with retail size limits intact, the newest revisions remove those important details from the Plan.  During these meetings, the PC was also made aware of the over 2200 signatures obtained from town residents calling for a size limit on new retail development in Simsbury beyond Route 44.  Also removed from the Plan are a variety of other metrics including those governing greenbelts that set development back from roadways to prevent construction from being too close to roads and obstructing scenic vistas.  We have attached the pertinent pages for your information and review.

 

The Planning Commission will be meeting this Tuesday, December 19th at 7 pm at Simsbury Town Hall to continue their discussions about these revisions. While there is no opportunity for public comment at their next meeting, we would urge you to try to attend the meeting in order to listen to their discussions and to show, by your presence, your support for the original plan and the vision that it had defined for our town for the next ten years.  We continue to believe that having specific metrics in the Plan helps to better articulate boundaries between what is responsible development versus what is development for development’s sake.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support.

 

 

Your SHARE Steering Committee

 

Links to the POCD revision Documents: Part-1 and Part-2

 

 

 

Public Hearing Broadcast on SCTV throughout December

What The recent Public Hearings before the Planning Commission regarding the draft 2007 Plan of Conservation and Development will be broadcast throughout the month of December on SCTV (Cable Channel 21), Each Wednesday at 12 noon and 7PM. All three meetings will be broadcast back-to-back.

 

     - The Meeting held on Monday November 27th at Simsbury High School is 1 ½ hours long (90 minutes)

     - The Meeting held on Wednesday November 29th at Henry James Middle School is 1 hour (60 minutes)

     - The Meeting held on Thursday November 30th at Henry James Middle School is 1 ½ hours long (90 minutes) – note: This length is tentative, as this video is still in post production.

 

What: The Public Hearings before the Planning Commission regarding the draft 2007 Plan of Conservation and Development broadcast on SCTV

When: Each Wednesday in December at 12 noon and 7pm

Where: SCTV Cable Channel 21

 

 

 

SIMSBURY: Big Box Stores Are Menace To Rural Character

 

December 4 2006


What a sense of town spirit I witnessed recently when the Simsbury High School men's soccer team won the state championship! Hundreds of Simsbury residents loudly cheered for their team. Similarly, I would like to see more of my fellow citizens become just as vocal about their opposition to the impending River Oaks application to be submitted by Konover Development.


At issue is the potential development of big-box stores on Route 10 at the southern entrance to Simsbury. As a member of SHARE (Simsbury Homeowners Advocating Responsible Expansion), I don't want to see big-box development in our beautiful town beyond the immediate boundaries of Route 44. I don't want Route 10 to become a four-lane highway housing big-box stores and strip malls. We don't need Simsbury to become like the Berlin Turnpike, Buckland Hills or for that matter, like Route 44! I don't want all that traffic in our town!


I attended, along with hundreds of other Simsbury residents, the past two public forums held by the Simsbury zoning commission where the topic of limiting the size of retail development was discussed. I can't tell you how disappointed I was at the lack of respect that some of the commission members showed toward several citizens as they took turns speaking. The commissioners' disrespectful and condescending conduct to the people who elected them left me feeling embarrassed that this is how some of our town officials carry out "the people's business."


Mr. Dunny Barney, chairman of the zoning commission, seems to not believe that there are many residents who feel the same way I do, not to mention that SHARE has over 2,300 members so far.


I urge you all to become vocal and show the Simsbury spirit and pride that you have for our town. I urge you to please tell our town officials that you expect to be treated with respect and that your voices should be listened to and taken seriously with regard to your opposition to Big Box development in Simsbury.


Meghan Lucker, Simsbury

 

 

 

Draft 2007 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) – Now available

 

After years of work, the draft of the 2007 Plan of Conservation and Development has been completed by our Town Planning Commission. It is available on the Town of Simsbury website, or by <<Clicking here>>. Please feel free to read it and share your thoughts with us, as well as the town Planning Commissioners.

 

 

We’re continuing to collect petition signatures

 

We are continuing to collect signatures for our new petition prohibiting the Town Zoning Commission to amend the current zoning regulations to include language which would allow Konvover to build their big box development on either the CL&P land or the land near the skating center. If you have already signed the petition, we thank you for your support. Please make sure that all members of your family who are registered voters have also signed the petition.

 

Even if you have signed our first petition (prior to August 1, 2006), or signed up for our mailing list we still need your signature for this petition, as all signatures will be presented to our Elected Officials.

 

To sign the petition, please <<click here>>

Thank you for your support.

 

 

 

Follow up – Re: The Zoning Commission Public Hearing

 

Dear Simsbury Resident and SHARE Supporter:

 

Here is a long email… please stick with us and read it through.

 

We’d like to follow up on last Monday night’s public hearing regarding the Zoning Commission’s amendments to the Town Zoning Regulations.  <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

Zoning Proposal Stirs Heated Debate
By Diane Struzzi, Hartford Courant - October 17 2006

SIMSBURY -- Residents sent a strong message to the zoning commission Monday night: Do more research before moving forward on a proposal to change the zoning regulations.

The public hearing at Eno Memorial Hall drew more than 100 and became contentious at times, as residents tried to speak over the three-minute limit set by the zoning commission. They voiced their opposition to big-box retailers and said they feared losing the bucolic character of Simsbury.  <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

River Oaks: Big Change Or Big Box?
Rick Green, Hartford Courant - September 26 2006

If somebody mentions "new urbanism" or "smart growth" again, I'm going to spit up my double cap decaf latte.

What about developers who just do the right thing - who think about traffic and congestion and the values of a community at the same time they think about lining their pockets? <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

Proposed Zoning Revision Prompts Big-Box Fears
Diane Struzzi, Hartford Courant - September 20 2006

SIMSBURY -- A proposed change to the town's zoning regulations that supports mixed-use development has spurred concern among a homeowners' organization opposed to big-box retail developments. <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

Reality Of Big Boxes

Hartford Courant Editorial – July 30, 2006

 

In “A Kinder, Gentler Big Box?” [July 23, Place Section], columnist Tom Condon asks, “Can a big box be part of an appealing mixed-use development?” There are two answers: a theoretical “maybe”, but a realistic “no.” <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

Highway to the Danger Zone

The battle over River Oaks, a big-box development in Simsbury, will be fought before the Zoning Commission

Nathan Conz, The Hartford Advocate – July 27, 2006

Monday night, there was an elephant in the room at a special meeting of the Simsbury Zoning Commission.

That elephant was the pending creation of River Oaks, a mixed-use, big-box development planned by Konover Development Corporation on land off Hopmeadow Street near the Avon border.

A large, vocal citizens group, Simsbury Homeowners Advocating Responsible Expansion (SHARE), opposes the development and, on Monday, they joined Zoning Commission members, a handful of other town officials and one devilishly handsome reporter to fill a conference room. <<Click here to read more>>

 

 

The Myth Of Big Bucks And Big Box Developments
Tom Sevigny, Hartford Courant - July 23 2006

I recently had the pleasure of attending a SHARE (Simsbury Homeowners Advocating Responsible Expansion) sponsored forum on River Oaks, the proposed big box development - or should I say lifestyle center - on Route 10.  <<Click here to read more>>