CFPA hosts "Science Sunday" series at HQ on Route 66

Science Sunday Series: A Hidden World - Part 2 - Magnificent and Mysterious Ants

Where: 

CFPA Headquarters (16 Meriden Road, Rockfall, CT)

When: 

Sunday, January 19, 2014 - 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Who: 

Adults

Event Info: 

Join us for this exciting Science Sunday Series: A Hidden World! Each month we'll meet on the 3rd Sunday to learn about the secret world of insects found in Connecticut forests and parks. Be a lifelong learner with us as ecologist and Wesleyan University PhD student, Rob Clark, leads an indoor presentation followed by an outdoor scientific exploration in Highlawn Forest. This series is free and open to the public. Participants are welcome to attend all or individual classes.

Dog Park Proposal news

At it's March 20th regular meeting, the Conservation Commission heard a presentation from Common Council member Todd Berch about a dog park that Berch proposes for Tynan Park on Higby Road. After much discussion, the Commission ultimately voted not to support the location of the proposed dog park at Tynan. The Commission sent a letter of opinion to the Planning and Zoning Commission which is shown below in it's entirety. The P&Z will be the next group to hear the proposal. The next Planning and Zoning meeting is scheduled for April 11th, but the Agenda is not yet posted online so it is not clear when this will be on the agenda.

More information about Tynan Park and all of the City's open space lands can be found in the Middletown Trail Guide.

March 28, 2012

Richard Pelletier Chair, Planning and Zoning Commission

245 deKoven Drive, Suite 202

Middletown, CT 06457

Dear Mr. Pelletier and Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission,

I am writing concerning Councilman Berch's proposal for a dog park at Tynan Memorial Park, one of the city's conservation areas. Councilman Berch presented his proposal to the Conservation Commission at our meeting on March 20, 2012. Everyone agreed that the proposal was well thought out and researched; however, after careful deliberation the Conservation Commission voted that this location is not appropriate for a dog park. The primary reason for our vote against supporting the proposal is that having a dog park at Tynan would limit and restrict public access and use, as a significant part of the land would become unavailable to members of the public who are not dog owners and do not wish to use it as a dog park. Further, the experience of going to the park for passive recreation, its original intended use, would be changed forever once it is developed for use by dogs and their owners, making the park unsuitable for activities it is currently used for such as hiking and bird-watching.

Conservation Commission members believe that it is inappropriate to use designated Open Space Property for this type of use, and that a favorable decision on this proposal would set a bad precedent. In the past, there have been several occasions when a special use was proposed for part of a conservation area, including a proposal to create a therapeutic equine riding center. These proposals were rejected because they would create a limitation on the use of the land that would change the ability of the general public to enjoy it as open space. The Commission voted on the dog park proposal in a manner that remains consistent with such past decisions.

The Conservation Commission supports development of a dog park in the city, and has explored possible locations in the past. We would be very interested in working with Councilman Berch and others to investigate options and help locate a suitable site for a dog park.

We appreciate very much having the opportunity to hear Councilman Berch's presentation at our

meeting, and to provide comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission. consideration of our concerns.

Sincerely,

Jane L. Brawerman, Chair Middletown Conservation Commission

cc: Mayor Daniel T. Drew Councilman Todd Berch Members of the Common Council William Warner, Director of Planning, Conservation and Development

Conservation Commission Meeting Notes 11/12/2009

The Conservation Commission meets on the second Thursday of every month. The November meeting was held on 11/12. There were two members of the public present to address the Commission.

David Bauer addressed the commission to say that it has been nearly a year since we celebrated the 90th birthday of Artie Schiemann, who so generously donated land to the city's Open Space program. Mr. Bauer would like to see a continued annual recognition of Mr. Schiemann, which the Conservation Commission is happy to participate in.

Mr. Bauer also presented a conceptual idea for use of the 252 acres of CVH property in the Maromas section. This land is currently under consideration for several uses, including a golf course, a home for ARTFARM, hiking trails and others (many previous articles in the EYE). Mr. Bauer presented his idea as an undeveloped concept with the overall objective of restoring agriculture to the lands, as they were once used. This would provide multiple benefits by stimulating the local economy with new jobs, encouraging local farming, providing new sources of healthy local food for Middletown residents, and promoting collaboration among many local groups. It was discussed that the Conservation Commission is not in a position to take any direct action on this idea, which would require a great deal of work to develop.

On the same subject, the Commission discussed the need to follow-up with the Economic Development Commission concerning the use of former CVH lands. There has been no response to a letter sent requesting that public input provided during many public hearings held over a two-year period be incorporated into any plan of development for this property. The Commission will send a second letter to reiterate our request, and also express concern about entering into a 99 year lease, which all agreed seems excessively long for any active land use or applicant.

Cindy Jablonski Pashley addressed the commission to indicate her desire to preserve her property as City open space, either through an outright sale or by selling the development rights. The Commission is currently scheduling site walks for several properties that have been offered to the City and are under consideration for preservation as open space, and will include this property in the site walks. Properties are evaluated using a scoring system that provides a consistent way to rank the properties, and determine which properties to pursue for acquisition.

The Commission is working on an update of the current Middletown Trail Guide that will have more accurate maps and include new properties acquired since the last guide was published. The Commission is considering options for presenting the trail guide in various formats and media (online, print), and ways to make the online guide more interactive.

Concerning the Army Base, the Army is currently evaluating several properties as possible wetland mitigation sites. The Commission would like to know if there is any opportunity to provide input into this process and the selection of an appropriate wetlands mitigation site and will follow-up with City staff (none were in attendance).

There are plans in the works for upgrades to the Melilli Plaza parking lot behind Main Street Market and next to the City Hall. The Commission would like the parking lot design to be as low impact as possible and incorporate elements that allow for infiltration and treatment of storm water runoff. As an example, suggested changes that were made by the Conservation Commission for the design of recent improvements to the Palmer Field parking lot on Washington Street were taken into account and are helping to reduce the impact of the lot on the Coginchaug River. The Commission will seek a response to a letter sent to the City recommending changes to the Melilli parking lot design.

Six Proposals for City-owned Open Space

A wide variety of ideas for developing 256 acres of open space in Maromas have been submitted to the Planning Department in response to their Request for Proposals (RFP). Three of these proposals are for the continuation of uses which have been ongoing for many years, while the others propose new uses for the land.

1. Millane Nurseries proposes to continue farming on a small portion of Parcels 1 to 4. Millane has been raising Pines and Spruces on the land since the 1980s, first under an agreement with the state. They currently farm 34 acres under a 5 year lease from the City, with an option for the City to terminate the lease with 180 days notice. Millane proposes to extend this lease for another 5 years.
   
2. The Middlesex Aero Modelers proposes to continue their use of Parcel 3 as a landing strip for model airplanes. They have been using this Parcel also since the 1980s, also under an agreement first with the state and then with the city.
3. The Hills Farm, on Brooks Road, also proposes to continue farming on the parcels. They have been harvesting hay for over 35 years to feed to animals they keep on their own land.
4. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association has put in a "placeholder" proposal, pending final approval by their Trails Committee. The CFPA proposes to build a trail on all 5 parcels which would connect to the Mattabessett trail, which passes through several adjoining properties, and is part of the recently designated New England National Scenic Trail.
5. Artfarm, the non-profit theater group which every year produces Shakespeare in the Grove, proposes to use Parcel 5 to create a center for performing arts classes and small productions, as well as for agriculture. Artform proposes to build two barns, one to support community-based agriculture and the other to support the theater. Their big productions of outdoor theater would continue at Middlesex Community College, which is near to Parcel 5.
6. Arawana Golf Course, LLC, proposes to develop a 9-hole golf course on portions of Parcels 1, 2, and a small amount of 3. Arawana Golf Course is a company created by Anthony Pioppi, a noted golf journalist living in Middletown. The proposal includes an extensive description of the course, which has been designed by golf course architect Brian Silva. The proposal emphasizes environmental issues in presenting the design and maintenance of the course.

The Middletown Eye will examine several of the proposals in more detail in the coming week. For previous coverage of the city-owned land in question, see the last of a 4-part series on public land in Maromas.

The Economic Development Committee, at their June meeting, anticipated that they would consider these proposals at their August meeting.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Arawana Golf Course would use parcels 1, 2, 3, and a part of 4. It will actually use most of 1 and 2, and a portion of 3. 4 would remain untouched.
Full disclosure: I am on the Board of Advisors for Artfarm. I also played the part of a proofreader and delivery person on portions of the CFPA proposal.

Plan of Conservation and Development Input Session 2

Until mid-June, the Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission is hosting a series of public forums to share ideas about Middletown’s future land use and conservation, all at Russell Library.

The SECOND of 4 public input sessions will be held this Thursday:

April 16, 6:30-8 pm
in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library.











The special focus of the April 16 session will be on land conservation (open space) and local farming. After a brief presentation of the draft plan for conservation and a sampling of ways land can be conserved, the floor will open up to the public for comments.

Discussion will take place about:

What do we want to protect in Middletown?
What role can land conservation play in the city’s economic development?
Do we want to increase local agriculture? How can we support this?

Following this discussion, there will be an “Open Mike” Session for any comments about any other aspects relating to the Plan of Conservation & Development.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

The next two Public Input Sessions will be held May 21, June 17, 2009 at 6:30 to 8 pm also at the Russell Library.

Notes from each session will be posted electronically at the following:
Middletownplanning.com and also on the Middletown Eye


Interested residents or questions? Contact P&Z Comm’r Catherine Johnson 343-1611.

The rest of the Common Council meeting

The first 2009 meeting of Common Council was a long one, with extensive discussions of a diverse set of issues. Two of these are covered elsewhere in The Eye (Schiemann celebration and Kolman composting). In other business, the Council approved the acquisition of two significant properties for open space, approved hiring two new computer support staff, established a committee to assess the fire safety costs in Middletown, authorized a grant application for studying housing units in the downtown area, and designated January 20th as Middletown Community Conversations Day.

Open Space Acquisition.

The Council approved a loan of $500k from the general fund to purchase the 131 acre Hubbard property on Chamberlain road. The loan will be paid back with a $500k grant from the state (Eye article). This property includes Mount Chestnut, the 3rd highest peak entirely within Middletown (one of my "Seven Peaks in Seven Days"). Ellen Lukens, who has served on the Conservation Commission for 8 years, said it is the property most worth of protection that she has seen. Katchen Coley spoke of the scenic view, the adjoining open space, the recreation possibilities, and the number of houses that could be built on this land if the property were not protected. Guy Russo, speaking as the Water and Sewer director, spoke to the protection against flooding that this undeveloped property gives to neighboring properties and roadways.

The Council also approved the expenditure of $250k from the open space bond monies to protect 25 acres of the Merriam Tree Farm near George and Middlefield Streets. Bob Merriam, whose Great-grandfather built a woolen mill on the property in 1870 to make horse blankets, and whose father raised chickens there and sold them downtown, stayed to the end of the meeting and was delighted to see the Council's approval. The sale price ($10,000 per acre) is considerably less than the property would be worth to a developer. The Middletown portion of the property is very close to large housing complexes (notably the Sagamore Towers on Route 66), and is on a bus line. These features make this property highly accessible to many residents who might not otherwise enjoy open space. Kate Miller spoke to the importance of this parcel of land for the health of the Coginchaug River. An adjacent 25 acres of the Merriam Tree Farm is in Middlefield, and both Merriam and the Selectmen of Middlefield expressed their commitment to preserving that land as open space as well.

Information Technology Expansion at City Hall
Bill Oliver, director of Information Services for the city, has requested several additional employees for technology support to other city agencies. In an executive session prior to the main meeting, Mr. Oliver briefed the Common Council on security and other issues that necessitated hiring a Network Coordinator and an Infrastructure Engineer. Council members expressed varied concerns about adding two new employees to the city payroll. Tom Serra suggested waiting a few months, Earle Roberts demanded a quantitative measure of how much improvement would result, and Ron Klattenberg suggested that the Information Technology departments of the City and the Board of Education should work together to reduce costs. Only David Bauer objected on principle to the hiring of two new employees, "We're adding some very very expensive personnel to the city's workforce. Until we exhaust every other possibility ...."
All of the positions were approved by the council.

Fire Services
The Council unanimously approved a resolution establishing a City-wide Fire Services Cost Committee. The cost of fire services has been very contentious (Eye Article), in part because different districts pay different tax rates for their protection (South District pays a mil rate of 3.4, Central 5.0, and Westfield 1.0). This resolution was amended to specify that the committee would be composed of 2 members of the council (representing the Central Fire District), 2 members of the South District, and 2 members of the Westfield District. It further specifies that "the work of this Committee is limited to strictly advisory and shall not consider the issue of consolidation of the three departments..."

Downtown Housing Study
The council unanimously authorized the mayor to submit a grant to hire somebody to study the creation of new housing units in the downtown area (Eye article). The initial work, which would be done through the Department of Planning, Conservation and Development, would be simply to inventory the number of housing units available. Concern was expressed on two fronts, first that parking issues be addressed in any study about bringing more residents to the downtown, and second that school issues be addressed to ensure that already over-crowded schools would not receive even more students.

Community Conversations
The council unanimously passed a resolution designating January 20th as Middletown Community Conversations Day. On that day, community groups will gather at many venues throughout the town to discuss the issues most important to Middletown. The gatherings will take place at noon and 6:00PM in the Russell Library, and at times throughout the day at other venues.

Artie Schiemann Day

(Happy 90th, Artie.)










It was Artie Schiemann's 90th birthday today. It was also declared Artie Shiemann day in Middletown, Monday January 5th 2009.

Shiemann, who was brought up on his family farm, since he was just over a year old, and only left to serve his country during World War II in North Africa and Italy, and still resides on, and works the field of his farm, was honored for deeding the development rights to the 32 acres to Middletown.

Middletown, which purchased the development rights at a fraction of market value ($250,000), sees the Schiemann farm as another way to preserve farmland and open space in town.

"I did it because I thought about my mother and father and how much they loved the farm," Schiemann said. "And I did it because it made me feel good."

Schiemann's father actually purchased the first 25 acres of land in October 1920, and then bought an additional 38 acres. During the Great Depression the farm kept the family in produce, milk, meat and eggs, helping them survive a rough decade. When Art purchased the farm from his family, he sold off all but 34 acres. But on those acres he kept a dairy herd of 25 cows and sold milk commercially from 1950-1981.

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano read the proclamation and awarded it to Sheimann.

"Middletown is able to do more than other cities in preserving open space," the mayor said. "Because of people like Artie, we're able to strike a balance between development and conservation."

Middletown's Cultural Council was also awarded a tribute on its thirty years of service, particularly that of longtime music teacher, and culture promoter Santo Fragilio who has served the city as a cultural ambassador and educator for 60 years.

Governor announces open space grants for Middletown

City Planner Bill Warner notified the Eye that Governor Rell has assigned $3 million dollars of a statewide $10 million open space grant fund to Middletown. Here is the governor's press release:

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced $10.2 million in grants to help purchase or preserve approximately 2,440 acres of open space in 29 cities and towns across Connecticut. Money for the grants comes from previously approved bond funds.

"Preserving open space is vital to protecting the natural charm and scenic beauty of our state and is a key building block in my 'Responsible Growth' program," Governor Rell said. "We are striking the right balance between economic growth and development while protecting our state's irreplaceable land and natural resources.

"One of Connecticut's greatest strengths - and its greatest attractions to employers and employees alike - is its multitude of places for people to explore and enjoy," the Governor said. "From the beach to the back country, from rustic farm country to rolling hills and forests, our small state has it all, and all within a few minutes' drive. While I am dedicated to keeping and growing every job possible in our state, we cannot do that at the expense of one of the state's greatest assets. These open space grants help us to protect that asset for our own use and for generations to come."

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy said, "The properties in each town are identified by those who know best - local people who wish to preserve land that is highly valued in their community. Preserving these properties will help preserve the character and beauty of Connecticut's communities."

The 33 projects funded under this year's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, include:

Sponsor: City of Middletown
Acres: 46.5
Title: Brock Farm Easement
Town: Middletown
Grant: $500,000
Contains 44% prime farmland soils and 33% farmland soils of statewide importance. Long Hill Brook flows through the property along the western boundary, providing a habitat for various aquatic species and is a water source for the watershed. Preservation of this farm will further preserve and protect a farmland which has been farmed for generations. The predominant crop is corn and produces one of the highest yields per acre in the state. Public access will be a walking trail alongside Route 17 & Long Hill Brook.

Sponsor: City of Middletown
Acres: 130.92
Title: Hubbard Property
Town: Middletown
Grant: $500,000
A predominantly forested parcel, this property includes Chestnut Mountain with panoramic views from the highest geological feature in the Sumner Brook Valley/South Farms section of the City. The pinnacle of the mountain is an old orchard which is fairly clear and level, providing additional wildlife habitat benefits in its meadow. Daniels Farm (another OSWA project) is across the street. An old farm road and small trails traverse the property and lead to the summit that will be cleared for hiking, biking, cross country skiing and nature viewing.