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Bee Intelligencer AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
www.bee-news.com
Volume XI, No. 4
April 2015
Town, Region 15 budget hearings April 6 By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Monday, April 6, will be the last opportunity Middlebury taxpayers will have to comment on the proposed town budget, which is a 2.1-percent increase over the current budget, and the proposed Region 15 budget, which is a 2.48-percent increase over the current budget, before the budgets move to a Wednesday, May 6, referendum. The public hearing for the town budget is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Middlebury Fire House at 65 Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury. The Region 15 hearing is set for 7:30 p.m. in the All Purpose Room at Pomperaug High School. If voters approve the two budgets at the May 6 referendum, Middlebury’s mil rate will increase .83 mil to 30.17 from the current 29.34. Middlebury property taxes will increase a bit more than 2.8 percent. Taxes on properties with an assessed value of $250,000 will increase $207.50 to $7, 542.50 from $7,335. Taxes on properties with an assessed value of $500,000 will increase $415 to $15,085 from $14,670. Middlebury’s portion of the Region 15 budget is increasing more than a half million dollars, $664,463, over the current fiscal year. The amount Middlebury pays is determined by the percentage of students the town has in Region 15 schools. That percentage is determined as of Oct. 1 each year, and then used to calculate the obligation for the following fiscal year. On Oct. 1, 2014, Region 15 had 3,881 students enrolled compared to 4,012 the previous October. For the 2015-2016 year, Middlebury has 1,226 students, down 31 students from this year’s 1,257 students. Southbury has 2,655 students, down 100 students from this year’s 2,755 students. These numbers generate a budget obligation
of 31.59 percent for Middlebury (up from this year’s 31.33 percent) and 68.41 percent for Southbury (down from this year’s 68.67 percent). Numbers are rounded. Last year, the Board of Education (BoE) reduced the Region 15 budget proposed by Superintendent of Schools Regina Botsford by $154,000, but so far this year there is no indication reductions will be made. Two of the four budget workshops scheduled in March were canceled due to bad weather. BoE member Paul Babarik said the first of the two remaining meetings was dedicated to explaining the budget book, which is 4 to 5 inches thick. He said he left the second meeting with a lot of unanswered questions, and he had to ask Chairman Pat Perry to bring the meeting to order because Southbury parents at the meeting booed him while he was asking questions about the budget. “They spent two or three or four months preparing the budget,” he said, “and we got four hours to review it and ask questions.” Babarik said when he asked Perry to schedule more budget workshops between March 23 and April 6, she suggested meeting at 5:30 p.m. April 6. “The way I see it is there was really no serious consideration given to reduce the budget amount, and Regina felt she had all the support she needed from the Southbury PTO members and she could ignore the Board of Education,” Babarik said. Meanwhile, the Middlebury Board of Finance reduced the town budget by a total of $120,809 to $10.18 million from the original $10.30 million. Details of the changes to the budget will be in our mid-April issue, which will be distributed April 17, in time for readers to review budget data before the May 6 referendum.
EIDC votes to send guide out for review By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) at its March 24 meeting unanimously voted to send a draft of the Commercial Development Guide (guidebook) to town officials and commissions involved in the planning and approval of commercial projects. It also reviewed a new section on the Airport Development Zone to be incorporated into the town’s Tax Incentive Program. The fifth draft of the guidebook, now 20 pages in length, was approved after a page-by-page review of corrections and a newly added section containing maps and descriptions of Middlebury’s seven distinct commercial districts. Those districts were defined in the updated 2015 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) currently being reviewed in Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearings. EIDC members used the same definitions and ter-
minology in the guidebook to be consistent. Forty bound copies of the draft guidebook, including a cover letter of instructions, will be printed by Commissioner Mark Petrucci and distributed by guidebook writer Terrence McAuliffe for review by members of P&Z, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, and every town official involved in commercial development. In a discussion about the POCD, the subject of a final P&Z public hearing April 2, commissioners agreed the town needed architectural standards more specific than the ones in the plan, which McAuliffe said were soft and unenforceable, with the exception of a few “thou shall nots” in the regulations. Commissioners agreed the development of Middlebury Station on Route 64 in 2006 and the proposed new Shell gas station across the street were quality designs by
– See EIDC on page 8
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Upcoming Events
Library Lines.................... 2 Obituaries....................... 5 School Daze.................... 3 Diversified Tax Tidbits....... 5 This is a Hammer............. 7 Winning Ways................. 6
Arrow of Light awards given Saturday, March 14, six Cub Scouts from Den 7 and Pack 15 were awarded the highest rank in Cub Scouting, “The Arrow of Light,” at a blue-and-gold banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Southbury. The arrow of light is made up of an arrow that points the way to a rising sun. It symbolizes the constant and new challenges these boys will face in scouting and life itself. The seven rays in the emblem represent the seven virtues a young man learns on his path to earning the arrow of light: wisdom, courage, self control, justice, faith, hope and love. The six boys who were recognized and crossed over to Boy Scouts are Aidan Butler, Cooper Gilroy and Michael Cub Scouts Cooper Gilroy, Michael Shaker and Aidan Butler Shaker, all moving over to Troop 5 as Boy Scouts, and Spencer Bigman, Ian hold their Arrow of Light plaques at their crossing-over cerCoughlin and Ethan Harrington, all moving over to Troop 444 as Boy Scouts. emony March 14. (Melanie Butler photos)
P&Z continues gas station, Plan of Conservation and Development hearings By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its March 5 meeting continued public hearings on plans to replace the Shell Station on Middlebury Road with an larger facility and on updates to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Approximately 20 residents attended a public hearing to review and comment on plans by Wesson Energy to demolish the Shell Station at 520 Middlebury Road and construct a larger station and convenience store on that site and the adjacent lots formerly occupied by Vinnie’s Pizza and Johnny’s Dairy Bar. Attorney Michael McVerry, representing Wesson Energy, owner of all the properties, said a 3,275-square-foot gas station and convenience store with an expanded canopy, five double-sided gasoline pumps, and 34 parking spaces would replace the existing four-pump, 1,630-square-foot Shell station. The new building and canopy would be constructed on the adjacent empty lots, and the old station, canopy and underground tanks would be removed upon completion of the new one. McVerry said the fire marshal and the Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) have approved the project, and applications are under way with the Conservation Commission, Water Pollution Control Authority, and Torrington Health District. Professional Engineer Dainius Virbickas of Artel Engineering Group said the store would re-utilize the existing water and sewer connections and would add an external grease trap to comply with Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection requirements. The drainage system will have a series of six catch basins and two trench drains, and roof and canopy runoff will be routed into a subsurface storm-water infiltration system. He
said the property would be heavily landscaped with an evergreen Geo retaining wall in the rear, a building design fitting the character of the town, and a gabled wooden canopy instead of the flat-roofed canopies typical of gas stations. A sidewalk, curb cuts and decorative lamp posts would be similar to those of Middlebury Station across the street. The identification sign would be on the southeast portion of the site. McVerry explained a drive-through window in the plans and a driveway around the building for cars to queue up off the main road. He said the pick-up window was not for food prepared or consumed on site, but instead for prepackaged items such as potato chips, pretzels, prepackaged sandwiches, dairy products, beverages, tobacco products and other nonfood items. He told commissioners he was aware zoning regulations prohibited restaurant takeout food and said the window was intended as a convenience for those not wanting to get out of their car to come into the store. Town Engineer John Calabrese said he would review the drainage retention system to be sure it was large enough and told McVerry Department of Transportation approvals needed to be given to the town prior to construction. Calabrese questioned the 16 seats inside the building and said they might affect parking calculations depending on what they were being used for. He also questioned how truck deliveries and dumpster pickups would be handled. Town Planner Brian Miller said the proposed station did not seem to match the vision for a pedestrian-friendly Middlebury Center as described in the POCD, despite the incorporation of sidewalks. He said the five gasoline pump islands were very automobile-oriented and more suited for Straits Turnpike or right off a highway exit. In comments from the public, Kris Jacobi and Cathy Smith spoke in opposition, with Jacobi questioning the need for 34 parking
spaces if there was a drive-through. She asked commissioners to consider how the in-and-out flow of vehicles would mix with traffic from the Dunkin’ Donuts and bank across the street, noting concerns for the safety of children walking along and crossing the street, and site lines obscured by plantings and shrubbery. She read a letter from her husband, Michael Jacobi, who said the unattractive commercial district of Middlebury was a drag on the reputation of the town, lowering real estate values and deterring employers from locating here. His letter said commissioners have a rare opportunity to decide the future of Middlebury. He encouraged a safer, more pedestrian-friendly downtown with power lines buried underground and more green spaces. Smith said the Wesson proposal was not downtown development but instead a destination gas station for traffic coming in from Exit 16 and circling through town for the 10 gas pumps and convenience store that she said was more like a truck stop. She called it a travesty and a disservice to everyone in the community. Other public comments were more favorable. John Cookson, former EIDC chairman, said he was pleased with the development moving forward but did not see the purpose of a drive-through and worried it would lead to fast-food restaurants. David Theroux said the design was a big improvement and encouraged approval. Ingrid Manning said there were pros and cons, but the new station needed to be large enough to be economically viable, and it was an improvement in architectural appearance and better planned traffic flow. George Frantzis said the new station improved the appearance of the center of town and could help attract more local businesses. Paul Anderson said the design and
– See P&Z on page 5
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
Inside this Issue Adoptable Pets................ 8 Book Review................... 2 Classifieds....................... 7 Community Calendar....... 2 In Brief............................ 4 Library Highlights............ 2
Cub Scouts who earned Arrow of Light awards and their den leader are, left to right, Aidan Butler, Michael Shaker, Cooper Gilroy, Den Leader Frank Gilroy, Ian Coughlin, Ethan Herrington and Spencer Bigman.
SATURday
March 28
What: When: Where: Cost:
Pancakes, sausage, bacon, baked goods, coffee, tea and juice 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Middlebury Fire House at 65 Tucker Hill Road Adults $7; Children under 6 $5; Family maxiumum $25
Emerald Ash Borer, ash tree presentation
Troop 5 Redeemable Bottle and Can Drive
What: Collection of recyclable bottles and cans to raise funds for Boy Scouts When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Village Square Shopping Plaza, 530 Middlebury Road, Middlebury
FRIday
April 3
SATURday
April 4
Page 8
Good Friday, Passover starts at sundown Middlebury Easter Egg Hunt (Rain date April 11)
What: Annual egg hunt for Middlebury children ages 3 to 10. When: 1 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center Field. Sponsored by Middlebury Police Social Club and Parks and Recreation.
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