Conservation, Energy, & Environment Committee - Regular Meeting

And I know um thank you. Um I know that um John Coleman has to leave by 505 um and we want to hit the items on the top of the agenda um while he's present. Um and we also want to um be respectful of our guest Amelia um from Sustainable CT. So uh what I will do is I will call the meeting to order. Uh 432 is what I have and uh we have four present from the committee. Paul, myself, Robert Dickinson, Claudia Guardiac, and Zelene Sandler. And I am expecting to see um at least one other, maybe more. So um that's partial roll call. Okay, great. Um Nancy Bowden just joined and so we actually have five present. We do have a quorum which is great. Um approval of agenda. Uh any additions? Okay. Then we shall deem the agenda approved. Um I am going to ask for a motion to approve the April 10th, 2025 minutes. Hopefully everyone's had a chance to read them. That'll move. Yes. Yeah. So, Claudia move and Bob move. Okay. Bob seconded. Uh any any discussion? Okay. All in favor? Uh signified by I. Okay. Any opposed or nays or or abstensions?

Okay. Uh, could I have a motion to approve the May 15, 2025 minutes that wasn't there? If you think they're fine, you can still vote. So move. Yeah. So you move. I'll I'll second on the same basis. Okay. Um, just in terms of discussion, I think I sent one minor edit with an extraneous th in the sentence or something. Um, so I think have you and you've gotten that correction? Yeah. Okay. Um, all in favor say I. I. I. I. Okay. Any abstensions or nays? Okay. So, the minutes are approved. All right. Um to the to the meat of the of the meeting. Um I'd like to uh welcome Amelia Kernney. um she is a sustainable CT fellow and uh reached out um actually maybe I don't know a week and a half ago week ago and um she I John and Linda Lauraniano had a nice short but um productive I think uh Zoom meeting uh when was it? Last Friday maybe any last week. Anyway, so um we asked Amelia if she would um come introduce herself, talk a little bit about informally about sustainable CT. Uh we all got a presentation last year, so um don't feel the need to go through that same presentation again, but she's um available to take questions. And so I'm going to turn it over to her. Welcome and thank you for for reaching

out. Yeah. Hi everybody. It's so nice to meet you all. Um, like Paula said, my name is Amelia. Um, I'm a sustainable CT fellow through August, so I'll be here all summer. Um, and I'm super excited that Bloomfield is interested in certification, um, and interested in different sustainability projects. Um, you guys as a town have done, you know, a lot of awesome things. So, I think it's really cool that you'll be able to get credit for all of that. Um, so yeah, if there's like any questions, if anybody wants to send me an email, I'm happy to um speak to everybody. So, I can also just put my email in the chat. That's helpful. Um, but yeah, it's nice to meet you all. So, does anybody have any questions or comments for Amelia? Well, we're just we're looking forward to working with her and um she has sent us a packet of information which we are going through and uh has given us some charges to do and we're going to start following through on that. Great. Sounds great. I'm so excited. Yep. Yeah. Claudia, I I haven't read anything about your background. It's probably my fault. I'm sure it's sitting on my dining room table. Um, but could you just give a quick summary? Yeah. Are you looking like a summary on sustainable CT on on who you are and your interest in your interest in it? You know, how you connect with it? Yeah, absolutely. Um, so I'm a biology major. I recently graduated from Tungstas Community College. I'm transferring to Yale this fall. Um, so I'm I'm hoping to go into research and like policy work. um and to combine those two things together. Um but yeah, I've like always been really interested in like climate issues and sustainability. Um my like parents are very passionate about this stuff, so that's how I was like first

introduced to it. Um and I've kind of like always been working on stuff like this. I um I worked with Sunrise Connecticut for a long time, which is a climate organization. Um and then during my time at Tungstus, I helped start um like a sustainability club. So, I've done a lot of work with them as well. So, this this internship was like a perfect opportunity to do more work and make more connections. So, yeah, I'm really excited for it for the summer. Thank you. That's great. One of my granddaughters is a biology major, so I'll tell her all about you. Yeah, that's awesome. Okay. Anybody else from the committee with questions or comments? Um I'd like to echo um John's comments about um just the fact that we've gotten some very useful information already. Um kind of a follow on to kind of the grid that we got from the fellows that we had a little bit of interaction with last summer. Um so I think that will be very helpful as far as steering us in terms of where we really need to do um more work initially. Um I will just make the comment. I I'll mention a couple of things just very quickly. Um and I think this is what we'll need to get into when we start meeting about you know meeting and kind of looking at what kind of documentation we need to provide. Um we you know we're going through the PL Bloomfield's plan of conservation and development draft right now. Um, we'll be talking more about that later in the meeting and you may you may not be here for it unfortunately. But, um, that's fine because we still have another meeting to really, you know, get things done. Um, but, um, one thing I've noted which is um, a positive is there are things in that document in terms of um,

recommended actions um, that we've already done. So, so and I think there are things that will get us points. Um, you know, a a relatively easy one was getting designated as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. We did that and um now we need to maintain that designation and do all of the things that that um make that meaningful. Um we are doing a right-of-way a street in a street tree rightway inventory. Um we'll be doing I think close to 50 miles of that. Um the town has 104 miles. So um that's great that we got some grant funding to do that and we're matching that um the grant funding um to do those 50 miles. Um we also just um Dave Melesco the director of what? Leisure Services Parks and Recreation just took delivery of the draft forest stewardship plan which was another um action um done as part of Tree City USA and as part of the energy plan recommendation um our climate emergency energy plan uh recommends in terms of climate work carbon you know carbon sequestration um that being the the designation being kind of the framework um to do some things. Um and this forest stewardship plan, which is a 10-year plan, covers about 950 acres of Bloomfield's uh land. And I just, you know, saw a preliminary copy of it. But that is going to give us a lot of um direction in terms of how to you know

actually things we can do. Um so that's exciting. Um there's all kinds of stuff going on with affordable housing in Bloomfield too which is great. Um so kudos to the planning and zoning commission and to John's department um building and land use. Um so you know we have a we have an affordable housing um trust fund set up right the council did that so we have that um council did that and uh TPZ just passed um an inclusionary zoning ordinance. So, I mean, I think there are some really positive things um that will help us tick some of the boxes and uh you know, if other people on the committee want to be involved and we'll probably be tapping you to help provide documentation. Um but, you know, I think we've done a lot of really good work. It's just a matter of organizing it quickly because the the next deadline's August. Um, so you know, we should strive to to get it done. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. Amelia, any, you know, please any comments? Yeah, I just want to reiterate like there are a lot of things that will definitely count for points. It's really just we got to get the documentation uploaded. So, I I don't think that's something we have to worry about too much. I would say, you know, the big thing to just be thinking about is the equity toolkit action. Um that basically just requires like communication with the community um on a specific topic and seeing what the community is looking for and then having the town actually implement you know whatever it is that the community was asking for. But there are lots of things that you know could potentially already work to fill that action as well. Okay. So yeah.

Anything else? I think we're good on that. Okay. Great. Um, so, uh, why don't we switch over to the town planners report. Um, John, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I wish I had a drum roll for what I'm going to say at this point. We are starting the recruitment for an environmental planner. Oh, yay. Uh, it stayed in the budget and, um, I've been authorized to proceed. So, um, there's some good exciting news. Yeah. That, uh, I know this committee has lobbyed for for a long time. And it's my pleasure to say that we're going to do it. And I would hope that, um, you know, sometime mid to late July, we'll have someone on board um to fill that position. The biggest challenge is finding a place for them to sit. Yeah. Yeah. Um, that is great news. But very happy y to pass that on. Um as the chairperson indicated um the POCD is out for public review under the statutory 65day review period. Um they have scheduled a public hearing for July 17 and uh comments are welcome uh in writing address them to me up before then or verbally at that meeting. And uh I would anticipate that um that we would probably take the following time uh till the August meeting to make appropriate revisions to the document and hopefully that the uh commission can formally act and adopt the document at its August August meeting. Um, as you've been following the news, I'm sure the town center plan was completed

uh and adopted and uh by the council, the TPZ, the capital region council governments all approved it, sent on to the state of Connecticut as required by statutes and um we are waiting for approval back from DEC which we expect at any day now. And uh subsequent to that, last Thursday, the uh the council approved and the town um for filed a uh $22 million plus community investment fund grant application uh to DEC uh to begin um the actual activities of revitalizing the town center. Those funds can be used for a variety of things in terms of public improvements, uh relocation assistance, um property acquisition that that that's going to happen, but those are the kinds of um activities that can be permitted. Um, in terms of um, I see on your on the on your agenda under new business, which I may be gone by then, but Solar and Bloomfield and, um, I would just like to to inform the commission that we actually had a meeting yesterday, two days ago uh, with a potential um, developer of a solar array in town. Um and um interestingly enough, we do not have zoning regulations uh that uh apply to solar arrays at the moment. Uh they were discussed I think a number of years ago, but no, we're not followroughs on. uh we've asked that developer uh to um provide us with some drafts that we can look at, but uh I anticipate that we will be proceeding to the TBZ at sometime in the not too distant future to see what their appetite is um for um for solar rays and

what kinds of conditions if they are do have an appetite um what they would um and it's interesting they the location of those r of rays are are limited by a variety of things. One, where on the grid that they can hook up, and there's only certain parts of the grid that are sufficient enough for them to hook up. Uh available land uh the willingness of that property owner to uh to uh dispose of the land for that to to the developer, that purpose. And then obviously uh if it we have regulations in place, the uh the approval process of the town plan and zoning commission. So I think it'll it'll be a while till anything in specific happens but um wanted to let you know that that is an activity that we are beginning to undertake. Another thing um on trees uh two things um one I have decided I'm not so I'm not sure how far I will get but I have decided that I am going to apply um a a variation of the blight ordinance to Eversource and they're clear-cutting awesome and and require them to uh abide by our um requirements that um properties be properly maintained and mowed on a periodic basis and not just let to sort of regrow haphazardly and have stumps and everything lying around. Um so we will be proceeding with that. I'm expect a significant amount of push back. Um but that'll be interesting to see. but they are a property owner and we would do that with any other property owner and it so it seems to me that uh it's appropriate um to to treat them like any other property owner. Um we'll see what happens. And secondly, we are starting

to get we have the tree ordinance as you're all aware of um that requires if um either significant or particularly significant trees are going to be removed on a property uh they either have to be replaced on that property or replaced uh elsewhere in town as designated by the TPZ. Not at that exact c but at a caliber of significant trees that add up to that. So, if it's a 12-in tree that's removed, then you've got to have three 4 inch trees replaced either on site. Um, and we have a couple of sites that there that may come into play significantly. And um I think that um my init my present thinking at this point um is to um to work with Dave and DPW to do um rightaway plannings uh in appropriate locations and obviously with this committee around town. We had originally thought that we that the golf course might be looking for trees but they are not other than along the rightway. Uh so we may be able to have trees appropriately planted along the rightway. Um and as and as the chairperson indicated, the committee commission did recently adopt the inclusionary zoning that requires um 12% of uh any development in excess of 10 units either lots or units uh to have um to have the 12% of uh affordable housing included or as an alternative make the contri financial contribution to the housing trust fund. And um we're looking forward to u implementing that ordinance with developments going forward. Uh in terms of developments themselves, um I think you've all seen Popeyes is starting to come out of the ground. Um

the uh Arbella on Blue Hills Avenue, that's the age restricted housing, uh is pretty much completing its building permit review, which has been extensive, and I would think we'll see some some movement there in the next month or so on the ground. Um the uh residential development on Watkins Road off of Simsbury Road should um also be having some ground movement fairly soon. Uh we are in convers preliminary conversations with Mr. Butler about the fourth phase of his housing development uh running from Gab Road up to uh the medical building on the west side of Bloomfield Avenue. Um we are in um we have received um inquiries um now for the uh property at 132 North Griffin Road North which is the cornfield um across from the intersection of 189 and 187 uh which is interestingly has been zoned for 25 years as design development um and growing out of the old Culbr development and office park and and originally was going to have a supermarket in small retail. they were never able to attract that and so the land has basically been in agricultural since and um some conversations and interest 270 Woodland which is just north of the condominiums on the east side of uh Woodland Avenue for a residential development and that um among the day-to-day stuff with people coming in and out on a regular basis um is our summary madam chair. questions from the committee uh or guest for Mr. Coleman. Um we'll actually hang on, you go first, then Claudia. Yeah. And uh in the search for a planner, uh

are you going to try to find somebody that also has a grant writing experience? Ideally, it's not in the um in the position description that we that we go by, but we're certainly going to try and do that. we um with the um with the addition of um the town engineer, he is very adept at um doing a lot of the kinds of so between he and I um we can do some but um you know we'd certainly like to um you know get that blended in in the combination either with that position or even using part of our CEO individual who's who has has some of those capabilities. But yes, we we we need both a grant writer and in my opinion a grant administrator to keep track of everything. Yeah. Okay. Nancy. Yep. Not Nancy. Claudia and then Nancy. I saw NY's hand up. Claudia and then Nancy. Yep. Um you said about the solar array. I noticed Seberry has one. How does that fit into you? You said it was you were talking about the first solar array that we have. We are in conversations with a with a with a developer that wants to install a solar array. Okay. On on property in town for hooking up to the grid, not supporting a specific use. Okay. That's the difference, right? Okay. Is that okay? And that's not the six and a half acre one that Seabbury is involved in. I cannot respond to that question. Okay, Nancy. Uh John, you referenced the work that was done a number of years ago, and I'm going to guess it's 8 to 10 years ago,

and we were trying to be proactive about uh solar large solar arrays. um maybe even a whole different generation of technology the way things go. Do you have that work that was done? I I don't know. I haven't gone searching for it yet, but I I if it's, you know, hopefully it was saved in our files, but I have not done a search quite frankly. Y Paula, do you have it? Maybe because I'm not sure it's relevant, but work was done. Yes. And we spent quite a bit of time and I think I don't know if we actually did but we certainly talked about proactively identifying yes areas or regions where we would find it acceptable let's say right and and I I'm going to chime in at this point because I'm watching the clock too. Um yeah. So um to your point Nancy, several years ago, um the topic came up and that was what was the impetus to develop the renewable energy policy which we recently updated to include battery energy storage systems. Okay. the origin. What sparked all of that was um large solar arrays, particularly ones that involve sighting council approval. And the you know the the the motivation there was let's try to develop a policy so that the town can have something documented in terms of what you know what it seeks in terms of sighting. um with all kinds of you know with all kinds of um what considerations in terms of environmental impact in terms of

environmental justice impact um and part of the conversation was um we would have liked at the time but we you know it didn't happen I think we would have liked CC would have liked and recommended um it'd be nice to come up with some kind of inventory of appropriate parcels in taking those things into consideration and to your point you know potential to hook into the grid. Um so um what ultimately happened after that and I think this is what you're remembering John what happened after that was um your prede one of your predecessors um Mr. Ger um Mr. Gyner kind of initiated developing some kind of, you know, something for the TPZ to um consider, but um CC actually um turned up and kind of spoke against it because it was very, you know, basically anything that was, you know, five acres or more, have at it. um residential. Well, I mean there wasn't much distinction in terms of where something could go and you know we were um supportive of the notion of trying to develop something but we were a little um a gasast at the um at what was proposed at that point just to get something on the books when we were trying to get the policy in place. this is all happening at the same time. So, I'm sure we have documentation on it. Um I know several members of the committee, a couple members of the committee um may have actually may have just been Val Rosetti because of scheduling, but the committee actually

um state made a statement, you know, to the TPZ because there was a public hearing on it. And yeah, so that there is history and I'm sure I could dig something up if that would be helpful. it would be helpful, but I you know my I would share the committee's concerns. I just, you know, I don't I think these are a difficult sighting um activity that you you you don't just sort of open it up and and as um our guests here knows when you make a text amendment to the ordinance or you put in regulations, that's your biggest risk in terms of um it's not like doing a map and that's a particular location. um you have to really be careful what you're allowing and how you're going to how you're going to regulate where it's allowed. Um and that's, you know, it's not something we're going to do overnight and we explained that to the to the applicant and I think they understood. But I think, you know, I think um yeah, the technologies changed and they may not be as intrusive as people thought them to be, but there's still um you know, they changed the landscape significantly. And and what I find interesting is is that there's there's almost um it's almost an ironic relationship. Um you're removing trees to put in an energy source. And so you're, you know, where's the balance? Um that's what and um so we need to be really careful how you know if we decide we want to do it, how we how we structure it. Other questions for John. Okay.

Okay. I think we're set. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. As I've always said, this This is this is my favorite committee. You get things done and you have interesting conversations. What more can a staff person ask for? I don't envy you your job. I'll just say that if this is the highlight, I'm just joking. Thank you. Yeah. All right. Um so anyway um actually going into old business um first item on the agenda is sustainable CT reertification. Um you know we we've talked briefly about that already and that that's why um Emily is here today is because um she will be helping us out and we will be you know making um a good effort to get get that done. Um, so, uh, to the degree people can be available to help kind of pull documentation together, yeah, that would be helpful. Um, so I'm just going to put the word out that, um, that would be appreciated. And I think some of the things we're doing, um, you know, as in, um, the extreme heat webinar, we're doing things like that. We're doing a bunch of things in terms of outreach to the public which I think will be very helpful and potentially will give us some points. So um those folks from the committee who are working on that um can be um feeding us the documents um and we will attempt to give them some direction on exactly what it is we need. Okay. Um any questions or comments about that? I mean more to come obviously.

Okay. Excellent. And um I am going to just sort of comment to Amelia that you are welcome to stay as long as you would like. Um but also you're free to drop off because you know I'm sure you have a busy schedule too. So uh just wanted to relay that. Okay. Thank you. Thanks for having me too. Oh our pleasure. Um okay. Uh actually under old business um we've got this extreme heat webinar. Um and there have been some developments since our last meeting. So I will um actually we've got Nancy, Jessica, and Claudia who are all working on this here. So um can one of you kind of give us an update on where things are? Don't all jump up at once. You want to take it, Jessica? Jessica's been doing uh the bulk of the work because uh various reasons. We'll leave it that way. Because of life. She's young and she's got the energy and she's got the the tech knowledge and great at it. Yeah. And she did a great job on the last update as I recall. So, she did. Take it away, Jessica. Sure. Um, yeah. So, we're still working on finalizing the content of the presentation. Really, we have a really good draft of the slides created so far. Um, and I think right now we're working on outreaching to some people who are more experts in this um, EMT type people. Nancy, maybe you can speak a little bit to that who is on deck. Um, but hoping that they can lend some of their expertise to help us just be a little bit more legitimate, I guess, in in the information that we're sharing. Um, we did have to change the

date. We were hoping to do it in June, I think our original date was, but unfortunately, we've had to move it back to August. So, now August 6th is um the planned date of when the webinar will happen. So, um, maybe there'll be a heat wave that week and garner up some interest for us to get more people in attendance. Um, yeah, I think that's really where we're at right now. Think Nancy, if I forgot anything, feel free to chime in. Uh, well, I would I would just confirm that yes, we have uh people to work with. We have a liaison with the police department. Um and then uh he I think it was he who included or gave us contacts with the um Bloomfield volunteer ambulance staff and the em and an EMT. So yeah, as soon as we uh Jessica put out an updated version of slides, I sent some comments. I don't know whether Claudia did, but you know, I think I'd like to see that kind of incorporated and then send it to that group and a and with specific questions like uh you know, focusing their attention on the slides where we really need their input as well as just letting them get familiar overall with what we plan to present. And then I uh a little less sure who we should be contacting at the health department. Um because the person who we were going to work with a the first person left, the second person was hoping for some grant money that was going to facilitate the work and the grant money didn't come through. So, I think we still have a contact, but we haven't involved them yet. And we certainly want to because we want to be sure we don't put any health information out that's, you know, could be improved. Let's put it that way. And also, anything should be um supported by our

local experts uh on both both sides of that issue. Also, we want some Bloomfield specific information. you know, who to call within the town if if you have a problem, if you have a problem. So, um I think that's where we are. And yeah, we we're sorry that we had to move it back, but exactly what Jessica said, August is going to be a lot hotter than probably next week was going to be. Anything to add? They've been doing all the work. every every time I start working, it's already 10:00 at night and it's my bedtime and I'm so sorry I haven't really held up my side. Well, it's a great job. It's excellent. Um, in my opinion, actually, I think it's it's um, yeah, the the advantage in the advantage in the delay is kind of working in EMS and the volunteer ambulance, you know, and police contact. Um, because they they are the people kind of on the street kind of dealing with um, you know, people who are suffering from heat. Um, so I think that's great and uh I know that the chair of the um I think the chair of the volunteer ambulance committee group um actually was very pleased to be asked um to participate and uh you know because they do have the expertise and they have something they can offer. So, um it's good to build it's good to build these partnerships and work with other entities within town um and get kind of a better, you know, more participation and a better outcome, better product. Yep. So I guess I would just add that we look at this as kind of a phase one of potentially a multi-phase project if CEC cares to do it and has

the capacity uh which you know later phases would include potential um suggestions for revisions to either policy in town y or um facilities for extreme heat um emergencies. Yep. um as well as you know kind of maybe wishful or hopeful thinking that we can start a community conversation about this and other climate related issues. So we just you know this is a very important issue kind of under recognized as a threat to health um you know a prolonged heat wave and and only now being well understood by scientists who are in doctors etc are studying it. So uh it's very timely but we also hope it will lead to other things. Yeah. Um, one other Do you have a com another comment? Nope. Okay. Um, I'm just kind of related comment. Um, I see that Leah Chase has joined us um from the Windsor Conservation Commission. Hello, Leah. Thank you for for popping in. Um, and I got an email from Susan Miller. Um, and I don't know if this is part of the series that the Windsor Commission is sponsoring, but they're doing a whole series on kind of climate change and um kind of impacts and they have something coming up. Um, Kip Kolazinskis, I don't know if anyone um on the committee knows about uh Kip. Um, he's a soil scientist. Um, worked in agriculture. Um I've had I've had interactions with him kind of in the past uh related to uh the land trust, you know, and some of the farms that we've worked on. And he is doing a um he is doing for the

Windsor I think it's the Windsor Conservation Commission. I need to I need to send the email out. Susan asked me to do it. Um and Leah, if you're if you're there and can and can chime in on the date on that. Yeah. It's the Oh my god. Is it like the 18th? It's the 18th. Yeah. At the library, the main library in Windsor. Um, starting at Let me just make sure I've got everything right. Yeah, because I think K, you know, I've been on I've been on sort of like bus tours on food systems with with Kip. He's very good. Yeah, he he used to be invited by the L to speak on all kinds of topics. He's extraordinarily knowledgeable and does great presentations, very complete. I would trust anything he says, but that's me. It's the Windsor Climate Action that's doing that. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Um I I think you guys getting the the planner is fantastic. Congratulations. Thank you. So do we. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Actually, wait until that person is hired. Yeah. Yeah. Well, whatever. Um so, yeah. Yeah. But this is, you know, it's it's been um it's it's just editorializing a little bit. Um glad to see you on the call. Susan comes periodically. Um both the commission and Windsor climate a action um are doing really good work and doing a lot in Windsor and I know the

commission has kind of stepped up its activity which um yes, you know, I'm happy to see. So, uh kudos to you guys. Y thank you. As far as the um heat, uh I had checked around in Windsor what they have going on um and spoke to the social workers at the senior center and spoke to our doctor who's in charge of the health department. Um what they have is people who have a problem can call they can go to the library they can go to the senior center if they need transportation they can get it they can call 911 and that's as far as I got with those guys. I don't know how helpful it is but um at least it's something. I hope you guys have more and I'm looking forward to hearing what it is. Yeah. And it looks like Claudia. Yeah. Um I do have a question for you. Does Windsor um have any overnight facilities for emergencies? Like a heat extreme heat emergency? Extreme heat. No. When the power goes out, there's facilities all over the place. They're very organized on that. And I witnessed that um 2011 when the power was out. uh they did a great job there. So I would figure maybe I shouldn't assume that uh yeah when someone's power goes out there are places for them to go. Um, I think that the social workers reach out to people who they think might have a problem, but when it's

uh a heat situation, uh, they would have to know to call or a family member or a neighbor would have to call. I don't think that's enough, but that's as far as I got. Oh, that's good to know. Um because we in our discussions we we didn't do anything with with this, but um we we thought about how if it doesn't cool off at night, that's the worst kind of extreme heat and if you don't have air conditioning and you're elderly, um that could be very problematic. And so some kind of shelter thinking I think comes up at that point. I would think so. Um when I used to work for state social services and I've been retired 10 years. My opinion was that the social workers at the time in Bloomfield and in Windsor were excellent and they were very much aware of people of of seniors who might have some kind of problem or need going on. So I I tend to trust in them, but I don't know the people involved now. Um, so if you haven't checked with your guys, you might want to see if they know of anything um any mediation for that or any plans they have in place. Thanks. You're welcome. Thank you, Leah. You're welcome. Okay. All right. Um, I got to leave. Thank you, guys. Good luck. Thank you. Right. Stay stay tuned. Yeah. Yeah.

All right. Um so we'll move on um to uh the the POCD review by by CEC. Uh where we kind of left things last month was uh I would send out a link to the plan which I did I think on May 28th. Um, if you want a hard copy and you don't have one, the thing to do is to um, let I would call Linda Lauraniano in it ahead of time and ask her to print you one because they they originally said they would print some copies for us and have them on hand. And when I stopped in, the copies they had printed people had taken. So, um, they've kind of switched over to a print ondemand model, but they'll, you know, turn it around fairly quickly. So, if you It's It's easier to work from paper. Um, it really is. I've been trying to Yeah. read it online. Yeah. Um, where we left things was uh that Charlie Nevers and I were going to be collecting comments. Um, Charlie was expect Charlie's wife was expecting a new baby. Um, and I'm guessing that has happened. Um, and it was early June, so I'm guessing that has happened. But, um, David Hager, uh, who I think is on his way to, um, Michigan, Michigan right now, right? Uh, he has sent me his comments, which is great. And he just sort of organized it by page number. So what I will do if you want to do the same um and I want to have a little general discussion today but if you want to do the same then um I'll work with Charlie to compile kind of

everyone's comments and make sure we cover everything. Um so that is the process I'm suggesting. Um, just send me and Charlie if you like, but send me and I'll make sure Charlie gets a copy as well your comments. Um, but I I also wanted to spend a couple minutes just in case people have started looking at it and um get general thoughts and impressions. So, I'll I'll open that up for those of you who have looked. I I looked this afternoon at the LAN news uh maps that were um well actually Lois Hager suggested starting or focusing attention on page 102 or whatever it is and I had this is an ignorant question um how how do what was the process and how how did those the the new map for the next 10 years for land use. And there's all kinds of, you know, statements about how this will change if circumstances change. And so it's not a it's not set in stone, but h how did they come up with that map? Um I'm just going to look around the room and see if anybody has any insight. Um yeah and actually Kevin Goff is um a guest on the edge of the room. He's on the planning and zoning so he would know more. Yeah, he's on. Okay. Hi. Hi everyone. Um very good question Claudia. Um

just for this committee, let me give you a very brief but hopefully insightful thing on the pro plan of conservation development. And I I hope everyone at some point has looked at our 2012 plan of conservation development. At the time that was done, there was a lot of citizen input before the document was created. There was a steering committee that was composed of several people on the TPZ as well as um at the time someone on CEC. I think it was uh David man. Um he was on wetlands and Vicky Rescue. Vicky Rescue was representing the land trust. Um there was Jerry Long was representing the economic development commission. So there the way that particular plan of conservation development was brought together turned out to be a very robust process and I think we got a relatively good document out of it that looked ahead. Um there's the future land use map in that document. The one flaw with it, well there there's a couple technical flaws, but the biggest flaw with it is it relied almost exclusively on the zoning the zoning of the parcels. So let's fast forward to this time. Unfortunately, the firm that was initially hired to the to you know to the consulting firm that was going to drive the plan of conservation development um they turned out not to be very um very robust in terms of reaching out to the community and getting things done on time. So the plan the current the current plan you're looking at uh it was due in 2022.

It was delayed to 23 partially because of COVID but also because we started changing town planners uh with great frequency. Um so uh it really did not get going until um last when John came on board and really started pushing it forward. So early this year um the draft was the first draft came to the TPZ and it was really abominable. Um that's probably a strong term but clear like for example there were references to events happening in Bloomfield uh that came from the internet and they came from Bloomfield Michigan, Bloomfield, New Jersey, Bloomfield, Indiana. uh uh they were not events that occurred in Bloomfield, Connecticut. So what ultimately happened was um that consulting firm ended up walking away because they did not want to do the additional work that was required. The um TPZ has been heavily involved with working with Gman and York. They got some additional funding to to revise this. I think it's getting in reasonable shape, but one thing that was discussed at a TPZ meeting was what are we going to do about the future land use map? Um, and the decision was that we did not want to depend totally on zoning. We also wanted to integrate some information from some of the other maps that had been in the previous plan in particular the farming regions the regions we have been trying for the last ex plans of conservation development to preserve. Uh there was also discussion about you know in terms of zoning we have only well effectively we have only industrial zones. We have industrial zone one and industrial zone 2 and we have a

professional office zone. We have created a commercial zone that has not been applied to anything. There's a whole history of that. But the idea was people wanted to get more insight into not just the zoning, but what areas should be preserved agricultural, what areas should be promoted as more commercial. For example, I think everyone was in agreement that the area over by Back East Brewery at the intersection of 187 and 305, we'd like that to become a more uh pedestrian friendly or, you know, pedestrian and and local personfriendly commercial area rather than sort of halfindustrial and so forth. So that map came out of uh first of all John's office, the building land use office. They took the old map. They tried to apply some of those comments at a meeting. We discussed it. Um Steve Mallette, uh one of the commissioners and myself and um a few other commissioners supplied a lot of comments on things we would like to see in that map with the intention that now we want community input. And you know, I I think one thing that's going to be very important is is our comments on that future land use map because you know, you have all this stuff in the document, but a lot of times people look at the future land use map and one of the things I tried to stress was areas that would be preserved for farming. Um, so you'll notice there are areas there that are highlighted. Um and um you know so I I that's hopefully a fairly short history but that's where it came from. It's trying to get beyond zoning. And the one thing I will confess ignorance to is I think in the what the document you would get now if it were printed out has the map correctly but I

hope it has a little bit different commentary. I haven't seen the revised commentary. U have Yeah. Because when we got ours printed out they hadn't put the map in yet. But I had I had the map and I sent I think you sent it out. Yeah, I sent TPZ I sent the map out and there is an additional besides the link to this document, there's an additional um future land use map. Okay. So, have they they have may they may not that's not that's not in here. It's a separate it's a separate link. Um but the commentary hasn't been updated. It's just it it indicates kind of areas where you might have an agricultural zone kind of clusters commercial. Commercial. Yeah. That um that is really interesting because I read the commentary. I have not read every page of it. Yeah. And you're ahead of me because I'm just going through three pages. um those two maps and the commentary and I found the commentary um want to be tackful but I I and you know I know nothing about doing this kind of work so please I just shouldn't even neither do the people we hired well I found the commentary vague and and I would like to see it I I would guess tightened up and I will be happy to contribute my own thoughts to that just just make sure before you start rewriting the commentary that's in the draft. I I mean I need to look at it myself and if there's still a link to the future land use map that piece of it may not have been done because the problem with the there was an issue with we got the draft from this one company when they walked away and York took over rewriting a lot of the information or rewrite you know making changes but they had no they they

not charged with so it's not their fault they were not charged with updating the maps and in fact they didn't even have access to the maps so it was it was John's office with the you know the building and land use office with the G with the GIS expert in house that has created that map and I I know when Paul and I got our copies the the print copies they had not updated those that they hadn't put the map into the actual piece that at some point the commentary will be different. I will try to find out before you write something but because I mean I don't want you making adjustments to something that is well I it's it that is not I mean if I have time I have time it's fine I I'm happy to give my time but um there is if on my side of town a local conflict over the farmland that is owned by uh Dancaster and is they're preparing to build on it And the neighbors have been um pointing out that that will be very sad because those farm fields which have been cultivated for up until this year and they're still being cultivated are just sort of the old the oldest version of Bloomfield there is and they're still there. And yet when I looked I saw well on the zone from the zoning perspective those are able to be built on um for multiple residential I I can't tell the difference between the darkest brown and the middle brown and the lightest brown but um but anyway it's the zoning's already happened. Can Yeah, you want me to stop? I Well, no. There's a comment I think that can help address that. Well,

yeah. I I I think that the that section is pro because that's as you know, there's a lawsuit um pin there's a lawsuit ongoing lawsuit because of the of the TPZ decision and I I was involved with that. So, I can't say anything more about it. No, but you can talk. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh actually, I'm I'm just going to make one comment and then I'm going to call on Nancy. Um the comment about um I what I think what what I find interesting is um the distinction between future land use and how something is zoned. Apparently our farm is zoned residential. Yeah. Oh, so is Hawk Hill and so is Hawk Hill Farm is zoned residential. Right. So just because something is zoned a certain way doesn't really um direct what the future land use might be or have to be. Yeah. The the the so just the thing with zoning. I mean this this is a major problem with Bloomfield. This is a problem and I don't know the history of when they established the zones. Most most areas of the country established zoning in like the 1920s and 30s. Um, but the problem with Bloomfield was when they created the zoning, they did not create an agricultural zone. I mean, there's a fundamental problem because there are agricultural properties that can't be zoned agricultural and they should have been zoned agricultural at the start. If you know under the economic system we live in um if you at this point if you at this point take a person take the pro if you reszone the property agricultural and it's perceived that that takes away its best and highest use. I put air quotes around that. um then you are doing essentially doing you're

you're taking property by in domain and um you know we'll have a discussion with that when we have an agricultural zone. Uh maybe so be it but anyway. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So so I'm gonna call on N. Yeah. I'm gonna call on Nancy and then if Okay. Bob doesn't. Okay. Nancy go ahead. You've had your hand up for a while. Okay, it's just a virtual hand. Um, I I have a lot of uh concern uh about the public hearing part. Um, and some of it relates to the complexity of the document itself. Um, and also some of the structure. So, I'm just going to throw it out there and I will try to put it into writing and like reconsider because I haven't read through the whole thing by any means, but um it's it's I don't know there's maybe this is the format that is supposed to be in a PCD, but sometimes you can overwhelm with data and I feel like some of the sections probably because we had a lot of data, we threw it in there. That was kind of my my impression as I'm reading and I'm probably being a little cynical, but you know there's a there's a use for appendices that I don't see here that maybe some of these data, some of these maps, some of these trends could be taken out and you know referred to you know keep the text in or the conclusions in or the observations in the PCD itself uh the body of it and then people can look at the appendix but it kind of breaks up your ability to follow what's being said and in that and then another problem I've had and again I'm not going to use myself as the as the absolute yard stick these days there under each section of like six sections or something it has

goals and then it has and you know there's like a handful of goals and then there's any number of strategies and actions that I can't necessarily tie tie back to the goals, you know, like which which goal does this meet? And you know, I'm sure that there's thinking to it, but I'm just wondering, do we just throw a bunch of stuff in there that we wanted to do or know we're going to do? And it doesn't actually you can't tie it back to a particular goal. So, that's partly I mean it's partly a structure so that in the report you could say, okay, here are the strategies and actions that go to this goal. or after each strategy or action, you could say goal three or something. So that because the logic gets lost to me. Uh and again, given my recent medical history, don't don't take my word for it, but it just seemed a little bit like I couldn't quite follow at all. And I've read a lot of, you know, reports. So it's partly structure. Um and then and I think, you know, I I think I am concerned about enough people being able to access, you know, in the sense of read and comprehend and and, you know, get what this document is saying that a public hearing can have a cross-section of people from town. All I'm going to just say it this way and includes the people in this room and listening, all the usual suspects will show up. Mhm. Y but other people won't. And then, you know, as things roll out, uh there may be concerns that people start to raise as they see things happening and like how come nobody told us, you know, and that's that's what happens all the time. So, that's just an outreach question about the the public hearing and the complexity of the document. And maybe there's a way to

break it down so that what's actually being presented to the public in addition to they could go see the whole POC, but here's the summary of what we're talking about. Here are the changes. Here are the things you might expect to see over the next 10 years if we carry out this plan. Thank you. I think that's really good commentary. I took notes. Yep. Kevin took notes. So, um, and yes, try to, um, put that, you know, summarize that, Nancy, so that we can pass that along. And, um, to the degree I get stuff pulled together, um, I'll have it all for the, you know, this will be on the agenda for July for CC. we'll have it, you know, I'll also have something fully summarized for the public hearing, but to the extent we have a lot of input and we can pass it back to um John Coleman's department, um we can do that s we can do that earlier, you know, so that they can look at it. Um actually, Bob, did you want to say anything? I mean, I've got a couple comments. Okay. Um one of my comments is for Bob. I want you to look at the transportation session, please. Would you please? There there's a transportation chapter in it. Mobility. Mobility. Like, you know. Yeah. Okay. Good. Excellent. Okay. Um because I think you're probably the person on this committee kind of um best equipped to comment on that. So, yeah. Okay. Um and you know, I I'm I'm reading the entire document. I'm kind of focusing on the I think it's the natural resources docu uh chapter which I think is chapter three. Um a couple of

observations I had was um I'd like to see more references to existing things we have that would be helpful um and incorporated like the climate emergency energy plan. It's mentioned um but it's not you know it's mentioned in in some of the actions um within are um you know show up in some of the act in in terms of some of the um items action items. Um I still feel like it's a little light on the conservation side of things you know um more it's more um plan of you know plan of conservation and development. it feels a little bit more geared toward development. Um, and you know, maybe I just need to rethink that because I'm looking at expressions in the room. But, um, I guess one question I will have for or one one comment I'm going to incorporate, I don't know if it makes sense to have links to the town website where plans are. um ousted for no and for for example um we have a climate emergency energy plan. It seems like there should be maybe in an appendix a list of resources like that would be something to link to. We have a town parks master plan. We have we will have a new forest stewardship plan. Um that's a 10-year plan. Um there's just a lot of things that there's kind of a casual indirect reference to and to kind of um I think um improve the plan a little bit. Um somehow getting that incorporated would be helpful. Um

I thought you know I was a little um f first of all everybody look at all the you know every place where CEC is referenced as an entity that's responsible or for either doing or partnering to get something done. Um the good news is with an environmental planner on board I think that will be much more feasible for us to you know work with somebody um in town to you know participate efficiently in get in getting this done. we're all volunteers. Um, but there are, you know, if others are just sort of getting into it, I think looking at that third chapter on the natural resources, you know, are there things that um could be bolstered a little bit that we're not paying too much attention to? And you know, the forest stewardship plan, actually just sort of referencing that could be very helpful because that points out, you know, I've I've just taken a quick look at the draft that has maps of properties, you know, municipal properties in town. It indicates uh areas where there's, you know, real invasive problems. It indicates areas that might be restored as grassland for pollinators, that kind of thing. Um, it would be nice to have a little bit more um focus on that. So, that's kind of my take. I'm on page 80, so I'm reading it all. So, yeah. And and I I'll just say if you're not interested in reading the whole thing, if you have a particular interest, I

mean I I ask everybody to take a look at it even if you feel like you don't have a lot of insight to some of the chapters. Those chapters that you know you're more passionate about like natural resources and things like that. Um that's where we need you know your experience and input. So, is there anything about bears in it? No. No. Yeah. I don't know if if I don't know that the plan would do that. I think sort of talking I think talking about um kind of how the environ you know what kind of environmental changes we're seeing in terms of wildlife plants um it does talk about um corridors right green wildlife corridors so I mean that's that's relevant to bears and any other kind of animals that come wandering through and and worry people could because if you don't have a corridor you're going to get them in But but the but the town's plan of conservation and development is not really I think in terms of um addressing bears in general, you know, I think that's more of a personally I think that's more of a de kind of thing. Go ahead you and then I'll just say that a bear tore down our garden fence which we'd had up for 25 years. It's 7t tall and it goes down into the ground 2 feet to a uh a trough of um of rocks that we put down there and no rabbit or deer or anybody gets into our vegetable garden and they a

bear just tore it down. So I'm saying our life is actually quite changed by living with bears and I'm taking it pretty seriously. Yeah. Well, you should I don't know where the discussion belongs but no belongs somewhere. Well, it it it it it may belong here um in terms of this committee. Mhm. Um it's certainly I think within the scope of this committee to be addressing it. Um I I I I don't know um in terms of include it in your comments. That's that's what I would encourage you to do. I think I will. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a big deal. Yeah. Yep. No, I mean that's why that's why it's very helpful to have lots of different lots of people comment, right? Yeah. So yeah, include it. Um, that's impressive and not in a happy way. Yeah, it's pretty fascinating, but it's not a good thing. We're afraid to go outside at night by ourselves, you know, when we can't see whether they're there or not. Yeah. So that's different. Bob, did you want to say something if you were leaning forward? No. Okay. Anyone else? Um, actually, I just had one other thought because I was thinking about birds. Um, and hoping that the fins on the new library will help in terms of making it, you know, I think that will help in terms of breaking up the glass. So, I was happy to see that. Um, but I noticed that by the way. Yeah. So that

and actually I had a conversation with Mark Weisman, the chair of the building committee and the the I mean the positive thing is they are thinking about it. I mean, you know, the fact that we brought it up, we weren't real happy with the resolution at the time, but he said he had the same reaction in terms of that would help. The fins would help in terms of hopefully um really reducing bird strikes and, you know, helping keep that to a minimum. But what the new library makes me think about is um and if you haven't gotten to this yet um within the plan, it seems like some of the things that have been done that are um you know good in terms of energy efficiency, solar, all that kind of thing is not reflected in this plan. Um so I would ask you all to look at that. um you know in terms of solar actually do we I know we're working with the green bank I'm not sure where we are with in terms of solar on the new processor library but um I don't I don't know I should find out well actually um our you know John would know because he's been working with the green bank um I think in terms of a purchase power agreement to get the solar on and and 330 right and 330 park yeah so I think that is definitely in the works. Um, but when you're looking at the plan, kind of pay attention to that because there are some things that are going on that are good that aren't reflected and I think they should be in the plan and kind of if it's forwardlooking, we want that in the plan, right? Those kinds of things. Okay. All right.

Is is that is that enough on the POCD for now? Yeah. Did you want to say anything? No. Okay. Um Okay. Climate Emergency Energy Plan, the C. The C, right? Um after budget um I had I had a conversation with the town planner or town manager that after the budget we would be coming in for a conversation. Um so I'd like to have a brief just very brief discussion today. Um and maybe I'll carry this over next month especially if we're going to have um an environmental planner um position posted. But um just some thoughts from this group on who you think should be included on the um task force, the climate action task force that would be, you know, would be charged with trying to drive the recommendations that are in the climate emergency energy plan. Who's on it now? Nobody. It needs to be appointed by the town manager. That's kind of that was supposed to be a first step and you know here we are a couple years later se three years later. Yeah. Three years later but um you know good good time to strike and ask. Yes. And I'm going Kevin has his hand up. Yeah. Just just one quick comment because I think I think it's it's critical that that that group get appointed. Um, and then I think their first task really is determining what actions to take because remember what that plan does or what it did at the time and it would be great. You know, obviously one thing that would be wonderful to get in place is to get a new measurement of where we are because

the measurement that's in there is several years old, right? Um so has has thing I mean there have been some energy efficiency initiatives so there may be improvement for that but then we all know that there's a lot of energy being used in other ways that may have increased it but the whole point when that presentation was made and I think the consultants I think there did a very good job but what they where they ended up was here's how much you use here's where you here's where you need to get and Now, here's a smorgus board of um actions you can take some with very big, you know, you could take one or two big actions that might get you to where you want to be, but are they so big that you can accomplish them. On the other hand, here are a bunch, you know, here's some a group of smaller actions that might not add up to the right thing. So I I you know I think I think the biggest challenge for that once the group is established is figuring out what those actions are and then the town committing to doing that whatever whatever the you know whatever the choices are or the town I think it's the council that approves it finally or is it the the plan calls for the town manager to do this to appoint the task force and uh and actually I'm just going to mention um David Hager's suggestion because he mentioned this to me at the cleanup day. Um he was almost through the through the POC draft. Um apparently the POC draft has as a recommendation to approve a POC task force. And David's comment was well maybe it should be one big task force that does it all. Um I don't know. I don't know if, you know, I don't know

if that's such a good ide, you know, I'm just thinking out loud. I don't know if that's such a good idea because you want the focus with the energy plan to be kind of on measures that are focused on, you know, greenhouse gas emission, um, energy efficiency, things like that. And the PC has is broader. Um the the the recommendation in the energy plan as far as task force formation is that department directors or their design should be included. And of course, you know, that certainly somebody from DPW, you know, somebody from um I would argue somebody representing 330 Park. Um probably probably Dave Mlesco more because he's responsible for the parks and in terms of carbon sequestration and kind of forest stewardship plan and some of the things there that can be helpful for resiliency in terms of storm water mitigation. you know, because of things you're doing um in terms of improving some of the areas we have, undeveloped areas we have could be helpful. Um and we could get that from that plan. Um I would say somebody from this group, do we want somebody from the Chamber of Commerce? you know, um I think actually I guess what I think is given the the discussion we had on how the POCCD came about and trying to have a task force with kind of broad enough representation, I think you're going to get maybe some better input. I think we need somebody from the board of education, right? Yeah. The

administration. But when I say board of education, I mean broad school. Yeah. The schools facilities the facilities director, right? From the from the from the school administration. Um, is it is there any value in trying to get a student representative involved, you know, um, just as a um, an opportunity for a young person and they often have a lot of um, good ideas that you know, Nancy, I'm I'm talking and I'm not looking at the screen. Your hand is up. Maybe. Is it an artifact hand? No, I think No, sorry. I I uh failed to unmute. Um if I recall, the energy plan focuses on town facilities. Does it does town? Yeah. Town fleet and all that sort of thing. So, um I think that should be made clear uh to the members, you know, or to anybody that's talking when we start talking about climate action task force. it sounds a little broader than that. So maybe we even need to change the name. Um so there therefore that's why it focuses on the um baseline that was yes needs updating of how much energy do we use in each of our segments in town. Um, I would uh have an earlier step to whatever Kevin said was the first thing and that is onboarding because I think we don't do a good job in this town of bringing people onto committees and I think some do like I know I had would have had to go through training according to Lynn if I had joined fair housing um because it's legal issues etc etc but I think we need to that that plan did not get widely disseminated probably it's several years old. Um it it

potentially a little complex for people that don't normally uh deal. So So you you either want to choose only experts in which case it's easier uh but less well supported perhaps across town or you want to have a mix of people who you know know about the the um facilities and energy use and mechanicals etc. throughout the town and interested town residents. And in the latter case, then onboarding is going to be very important about what is it we're actually we're talking about. What can what what are our goals? How do we get the data? How do we get started? Um, and I mean, it depends. I I don't even know what the right answer is. Which way do we want to go? Um, I'd have to think about that because I wasn't prepared to really have a good opinion today. But um you know if this is going to be just about town facilities, does that mean we stick with town folks, you know, town employees rather? Uh it would change the name of the committee in that case. Yeah, it it Yeah, and it includes the schools which is good. Um yeah, but but you you raised an excellent point. I think that the onboarding process is important. Um, but you know the to be continued. I think we need to have this conversation because the town manager is looking to us to make a recommendation to kind of get the ball rolling and um, you know, it's unfortunate John needed to leave a little early today because I think we would I would like you know, we need his input obviously. I think on this one I would be happy to find out. I'm limited. I'm okay if we limit it to just town facilities because that's really what the energy plan was about. Well, we we we we should we we we will limit it to town facilities because that is what the plan is about and

that's really what we have control over. That being said, um that was why I um you know that's that's why I was happy to see Yep. Bob is telling me the time. Thank you. He's right. Um we'll wrap up on this and the rest is fairly quick. Um the the um Neighborhood Assistant Act applications um that I that I wrote a letter of support for on behalf of CC. I sent it out because I just found out about it recently, but I thought, you know, everything I got back from people said, "Yeah, go ahead and do it." Um we have Rahobitth um Foundation which is a nonprofit associated with Rahobitth Church. They're building an affordable housing um they want to build an affordable housing development and they really want to you know do everything right. It would appear from an energy perspective um which is great. And then Old St. Andrews is trying to do a lot of work in terms of um you know better windows, heat pumps, solar panels, all of that kind of stuff. So it's it's wonderful to see um groups within the community, you know, um doing that. So, um, I guess all I'm saying is we should take the opportunity when it presents itself as a committee to be supportive of those kinds of initiatives and maybe try to um, help promote. So, okay, I'm going to boogie here. Um, under old business, the tree clearcutting letter to Connecticut DOT, um, that I was tasked with that. I've started it, but I haven't, you know, I don't have it done. Um, once I have a

draft, I will kind of circulate it to the committee. It's not like it's super timesensitive at this point because they've cut the trees, but I do want to get it out and um so that's I just wanted to let the group know I'm working on it. I'm trying to figure out um exactly how I want to frame it, which is why it's taking me a little bit longer. um recycling program. I'm bringing that back um because um Kevin had done some work on and some research and presented a recommendation to us. I think it was in March and where we left it um where we left it was we'd think about it which which we haven't um so I am going to carry this over because again this is something where oh corks yeah cork corks and batteries cork corks and batteries I've been recycling my corks right and sort of and and and what we need to do is we really need to think about how it would be monitored, who would do the monitoring, um because that was a concern that the town manager had um and he was also worried about, you know, trash kind of people abusing it. So, I'm happy to go talk to him. Um but I want to have a little bit more definition around a couple of the questions on this. So, I'll we'll carry it over to next month and we'll we'll spend more time on it. Um CC August meeting. Um we typically cancel our regularly scheduled meeting. Um and I can do that next month. Um I'd like to wait in case we need it for something. But um potluck, we we we need

to have our annual potluck. Um, we generally do that at the very end of August. Um, David's back. Yeah. When David Hager is back and he can bring us fudge from Michigan. Um, so and it's like I didn't bring my calendar with me. Well, the 27th is a Friday. 28th Saturday. August 28th is a Thursday. Whoops. I'm there. Never mind. I'm looking at the wrong month. Yeah. Okay. 29th is Friday. Yeah. The 28th. Yeah. Um how the first is Labor Day. Yeah. So I So is is that is that is that So let me ask you this question. Would the somehow I have it in my head we have something on Thursday on our calendar but I'm not sure. Yeah. But um how is how is Wednesday, Thursday, Friday the week before Labor Day for people the week or probably be TPZ? That's what it is. It's TPZ. That's probably not that. Well, we should look at the calendar. We should We should look at the calendar. People should be thinking Yeah. So I you know what I'm what I'm thinking is either like Wednesday through Friday, the week the the week before Labor Day. Um, how does the week following Labor Day work at the end of the week? That would be another possibility. Yeah, like September, you know, whatever. September 5th, something like that. You will probably be gearing up for an election. True. But, okay, I'll throw some dates out. I'll throw some dates out. Um, check your calendars and I'll do that sooner rather than later. And

Friday, well, Friday's fine. Yeah, Friday's fine. If people are good with Friday, we could do it. You know, we can do it on Friday. That works for me. But, you know, I don't know what Labor Day weekend I have no plans. I'm like a teenager. I no longer plan ahead very far. Okay. Okay. Um and we are at 602. Um in terms of solar in Bloomfield residential battery storage, are you good with talking about that next month? Yeah. Okay. Um this is on the agenda because uh Brenda Watson had some questions about what was going on in in Bloomfield with respect to CC kind of helping residents, you know, understand what's available and what the what's involved. Um, think we should talk about it. Um, there was a webinar on res by powers smart and re web residential battery storage. Bob watched a part of it. The video I think is going to be available and I saw a s I saw a presentation by the same group a couple months ago. Uh so I think we should talk about it. Um I would like to um encourage committee members to go look at Simsber's sustainable um committee web page. They have really reactivated. They're doing a lot of good things I think on a variety of topics including solar. I think they're doing some things on pollinators. Um, so it's easy enough to find, you know, Google Simsbury sustainability. They had a sustainability fair, I think,

fairly recently. Yeah, they've really they've really kind of ramped up very quickly. They were almost defunct for a while um because we know somebody who was involved, but they they've really reactivated. So maybe there is opportunities to do some things together and um you know maybe there's an opportunity to borrow some of their good ideas resources um and they have quite a bit on kind of renewable and solar and that kind of thing at least in terms of available programs. So that's why I wanted it on the agenda. Okay. Um anything else that people Nope. Okay. um don't really have anything um that I haven't already mentioned about Tree City and kind of initiatives. Um shred day statistics I just wanted to share. It was interesting. We filled the truck this time. We filled the truck and we filled the truck by about 11:15. Um, yeah. And 15, 11:30. 11. Yeah. Between 11:15 and 11:30, there were several vehicles that had like the car packed with stuff and rather than get confrontational about it, we took it. But there there's a limit of three, you know, three bags or boxes. Um, so we need to politely enforce that or think about that. Um, the electronics collection was down. Um, so we filled the truck. Um, in terms of electronics, we've been actually la a year ago, um, in May, we collected 3,000 pounds of electronics and 209 pounds of battery batteries. We, this year, we got 2,700 lb of electronics and

151 pounds of batteries. And the fall, the uh last couple of falls, we've had over 4,000 pounds of electronics. So, it's interesting. The electronics collection seems to be down. Um the paper this time seems to be up. Um I don't know what that means, if anything, but um just sharing that information. So, okay, that's it. That's what I've got. Actually, there's public comments. Any public comments? I will make a public comment. Okay, Mr. Goff. Yes, Kevin Goff. I've already um I just want to say one thing that I would like this committee to think about especially in terms of revisiting solar and especially with the announcement that there is potentially a quote solar farm. Um, we do have one already, remember, behind the uh these board of education offices, the old uh uh the old uh Windbury school. Um, and that's like two acres. Um, I think it's potentially it's possible that a solar farm could be a good thing, but I think that it needs there needs to be long consideration about what it does. And I for one am not I am not very um optim or positive on feeding the grid. Um I think the uses the grid is being put to in terms of AI and um the use of energy is not necessarily a good one. I would be much more open to solar um solar solar fields as an energy source or as an energy

capturing energy from the sun. uh if it fell if it fed into a micro grid that fed only Bloomfield residents um that did not feed the grid and that had a um you know that that was not embedded in increasing the energy usage rather than reducing it. So that's one thing I would like people to think about. I mean people everyone should read up and understand Jevon's paradox. Thank you. Okay. Do I have a motion? Okay. So move. Okay. Actually, do you want a second? Second. Okay. So, we are adjourned at 608. Okay. Thank you everybody for attending and uh Yep. Take a look at the POCD particularly at the sections that you're real interested in. Okay. Find something a comment. Thank you.