Diana Stricker Photo
L-R: Phil Carloni, Harry Smith and Glenn Chalder
People will have another opportunity to make suggestions and ask questions about the update of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) before the draft is compiled. In addition, a recent request centers on adding coastal issues to the topics of conservation, development and infrastructure.
After listening to requests for another public meeting, the POCD Steering Committee agreed Wednesday to schedule an open comment session. Town Planner Harry Smith said the meeting could be held in either February or March.
Diana Stricker Photo
POCD Steering Committee
In addition to committee members, about 12 people attended the session which was held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the small meeting room in the basement of Town Hall. The committee is planning to hold future meetings at a larger venue, either Canoe Brook Senior Center or Fire Headquarters, whichever is available.
Committee member Bill Horne, a local environmentalist, said there should be more opportunities for people to make comments than at the first workshop in the cafeteria at Walsh Intermediate School, where it was very difficult to hear.
Phil Carloni, a realtor, who was nominated committee chairman, said people at the first workshop felt rushed when trying to comment, and frustrated by not having microphones. “The more information we all get, the better off we’ll all be,” he said. “I’m 100 percent behind open discussions.”
Coastal Issues
There will be three Steering Committee meetings in January and February for boards, commissions and local organizations to make brief presentations about conservation, development and infrastructure.
Dan Bullard, chair of the Stony Creek Association, asked if a fourth section could be added to the POCD to focus on coastal issues.
Peter Hentschel, a member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) from Stony Creek, expressed the same request for a separate section on coastal issues. “It’s discreet from conservation,” he said. “I see them as very different.”
What happens to this coastal community over the next decade will have an immense impact on whether waterfront property is devalued, whether property taxes go down or up and whether public school education, which relies on property taxes, can continue to function at its current budgetary levels. The impact will be felt town wide. Some homeowners are also grappling with federal laws that may require they raise their homes.
Glenn Chalder of Planimetrics, the consulting firm hired by the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission to oversee the POCD updating process, said adding another section is possible. “We are flexible and will adapt as issues arise,” Chalder said.
Hentschel also suggested ground rules for meetings, with time limits for comments and presentations. The committee agreed on that.
The topic of coastal issues was chosen as the number one concern of people at the recent POCD workshop. However, Chalder said a recount of the votes shows that open space concerns actually had more votes and coastal issues came in second.
Carloni said he expects coastal issues to be a major focus of the POCD update. “Coastal resources are what Branford is all about,” he said. “It affects all of us.”
An Aging Population
During Wednesday’s meeting, Chalder talked about the history and demographics of Branford. “This kind of information sets the background of the POCD,” he said.
Chalder said the town’s population is maturing and the older population is expected to increase significantly in the next few decades. “What does this mean for all of us?” he asked.
With Permission
Graph of Births and Deaths in Branford
Chalder said if current trends persist in Branford, “the population has peaked and is actually headed for a decrease.” He said death rates in town are exceeding birth rates.
He cited U.S. Census data showing Branford households have decreased in size from 1990 to 2010, with 60 to 70 percent of households now being comprised of one or two people, rather than families. Chalder said AARP data states that people prefer to age in place rather than moving. However he said financial issues, like changes in federal and state taxes, may affect the areas where people can afford to live.
Of course, new residential development in Branford would affect demographics. The proposed Atlantic Wharf complex on Meadow Street is slated to include upscale apartments, retail and restaurants. The developer has said the target population for the apartments is millennials who could take advantage of the location near the Shoreline East Train Station and the Town Center.
The planning information discussed at the meeting is available in booklets which are on the Planning and Zoning Department’s section of the town’s web site. Updates about meetings will also be posted on the web site.
A public comment meeting is scheduled in the spring when the proposal is in draft form. A public hearing will be held before the plan is finalized in November.
The POCD Steering Committee members are: Cathy Lezon, Peter Basserman, Phil Carloni, Bill Horne, Gavin Renz, John Lust, Joe Chadwick, Marci Palluzzi, Terry Elton, Barbara Ricozzi, Vinnie Hanchuruck and the town planner. Three of the members also serve on the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Chalder can be contacted directly at [email protected]
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