Conservation, Energy, & Environment Committee - Regular Meeting

at 4:33 and uh we have besides myself we have Bob Dickinson um Dave Hager uh and Charlie never present and we don't have a quorum at this point so we'll see if someone else shows up and uh hold off on the minutes um in terms of agenda um any requests for additions to the agenda? Yes, Mr. Mirror. Council may y it's on. Okay. Um I before the meeting I passed on the idea that we uh I promised Sharon man that I would bring up uh somehow try to uh discourage DOT from cutting trees the way they are uh along sections of highway um especially near the exits where they butchered a bunch in North Bloomfield and the exits and also if it possible ever source who clearcut under high tension wires whenever they're doing anything to them. And this just it's brutal removal of it can't all be necessary removal of all trees right down to the ground clearcut. So if something we can do I promise we try. Great. So um why don't we put that under new business in the other category. Um, and I also want to add to that just a very brief um, it could be under updates, it could be um, under new business. just um informing the committee of what's going on with the lower Farmington River Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee. Um the National Park Service um is taking a beating um which

potentially will be impacting um and not in a good way um the Wildland and Scenic Rivers program. So um I have a little bit of an update on that, but um I can give people more information. Okay. So, all right. Um, so we do not have a quorum at this point. Um, so we will, um, come back to that if we get one. Uh, Mr. Coleman. Sorry to interrupt. Yes, ma'am. Yep. Madame Chair, members of the committee, one of the committees I admire the most in this town for all the work you do and the commitment you have and the success you have. Um, in terms of um our side, the um PCD is finally out for public review and consumption. Um the public we have a uh statutory requirement of having it out for 65 days prior to be having the formal public hearing. So we had I had hoped we we'd do it in in our meeting in TVZ meeting in June. We missed the 65 days by about 3 days. So the public hearing will be in July. Uh so you have plenty of time to make comments. It'll be up on the web web and there hard copies available in our office. The town center plan, if you've been following the news at all, has been adopted by the town center economic development committee and by the town council uh in accordance with state statutes and has been forwarded on to the commissioner of department of community and economic development at the state of Connecticut. Um under the they under the state statutes, they have to review and approve of the plan before we can move forward with implementation.

Um, we hope that we get a fairly quick turnaround. Um, but there is no time schedule required. But, um, I think it's a pretty darn good plan. Spells out a pretty good vision. Uh, as everyone has always indicated. Um over time, uh the specifics of the plan will develop and um when all is said and done, the market and the developer that the town partners with is really going to uh together with additional public input is really going to determine what uh what gets built. Um so that um people should not take what's in the plan as gospel. Uh it's just a um it's a point in time uh as a vision of what might happen and what might be in terms of parameters. Uh but the the design, the massing, the the components of use uh will all um come into place over time as a after the town does it an RFQ and an RFP uh and gets a developer to work with and partner with. And as everyone has indicated that for the project to be successful and actually go forward, there is going to have to be a public financial participation um that will involve um an investment uh in public infrastructure um by the town. And hopefully the town will be successful in obtaining uh certainly state grants and maybe even federal grants which is the normal process uh for these types of developments to move forward. Um the TPZ um this um week from tonight um has a number of public hearings. Um, one of

will be on uh inclusionary zoning uh which um I anticipate will be um adopted by the TPC uh at this meeting. Um and um that is that will have a requirement for a um minimum percentage of affordable housing to be included in any housing development of 10 units or more in the town. and and Bloomfield has always been very progressive in its in its willingness to accept and promote affordable housing and this is part of that process and it's in accord with um the affordable housing plan that was adopted by the town a year and a half ago and with the uh both the prior and the existing plan of conservation and development. So, that's a pretty consistent. Uh, there's also going to be a public hearing on um a proposed small 15,000 square foot um retail development on Cottage Grove Road um just east of um Northwestern Drive. Um it has four potentially four four bays in it. And then um at 690 Cottage Grove Road, there will be a a the one on the one at 529 is a site plan. So it's an actual development proposal. Uh then at 620 Cottage Grove Town Committee will be looking at a potential zone change and text change um for the um open field um the most easterly open field from the uh from the ice cream shop. Uh it is a um a return uh of the um potential development that included the Aldi's uh that the commission um a year and a half ago did not approve um the Texan text at that time but they did not do it with prejudice. So uh the applicant always has the right to come back and uh has chosen to do

so. Um, I think as you all know, the budget's been approved by the council. Um, and the u the petitioners for a referendum have succeeded in um obtaining more than enough signatures um to be submitted to be certified by the town clerk and the town clerk is now going through that process. Um but we anticipate that there will be sufficient signatures and that there will be a referendum. um within the next two weeks, probably two to three weeks. Um there's a time period for the town clerk to act. Then there's a time period for the council to act to set a referendum date. Then there's a time period for that referendum to occur. And it basically stretches out into um really June between June 3rd and June 10th I think are the potentials. and um and they they have to yet determine how many polling places they're going to be and where they're going to be. Uh because the schools are still in session. We have to have to um also work around that. Uh and finally um if you've noticed been by guys had a hole in the ground and that hole in the ground is Popeye's um and um the um age restricted housing up on Blue Hills Avenue of 164 units is is almost through its building permit review and so I would expect we'd see some some earth movement up there within the next month. Um and that's pretty much where we are. We've got a lot of things we're reviewing. We're we're fairly busy, but um which is what we welcome. Any questions for Mr. Coleman? What is the referendum for? The referendum is um is on the on the

proposed FY2526 budget for the town. Um the charter provides for a procedure if um a sufficient number of residents um are not satisfied with the budget um think it's either too low or too high and in this case I think it's it's too high they can file a petition there's a minimum number of um of um registered voters that's required I think it's about 1120 something like that Uh they have succeed they have reached that threshold. They've been filed with the town clerk within the time limit they had to be in by 5:00 this past Monday. Town clerk then has 10 days to 10 I think it's 10 calendar days not 10 business days to um certify that those signatures are all valid. Um, and if she so does, which we anticipate she will, um, then the council has, I think, five or seven days to set a, um, date for the referendum to be held and then, um, the referendum is is held. There's a fairly significant threshold for the for the budget. it it's um it's a um a sufficient number of people vote no and it's 15% I believe of the registered voters in it in in addition to it's interesting in a referend in in a referendum on the budget in this town not only are registered voters um eligible to vote but uh an individual who's over 18 resident of the United States and owns 's property worth more than $1,000 can vote whether or not they are

a resident of Bloomfield or res or a vote registered somewhere else. So, it allows some business um corporations and those types cannot vote. But if you you're a self-employed business person and you you know if you run a doctor's office or and it's not an LLC um you can vote. Um, so it'll, you know, I I anticipate that vote's going to happen. I'm not going to make any comments on how I think the vote might turn out. That is that will that conclude mail and ballots? I do not believe so. Um, and if the vote is no, what happens? If the vote is no, the council has again something like five to seven days. It's all in the charter, Dave. um to come up with a new budget and obviously that budget can be if you've watched in some other towns that sometimes there's multiple referendums till they get to a point um and there are you know there are costs associated with this and um both with the referendum itself um you got to you got to print the ballots. You got to set pay for the staffing of the polling stations and the setup and take down and all that. Um but um it's um part of the democratic process. Yeah. If now you said 15% of the registered voters have have to approve this for it to happen. Yeah. So so if only 10% of the registered voters show up at the polls. No. Then it can't happen. It's correct. Correct. Right. Regardless of how they vote. Actually, I'm going to move us off the budget referendum at this point because we're getting a little off topic, but we can No, no, it's it's a hot it's a hot topic

right now. So, um yeah. So, I'm not going to comment to prolong the the conversation, but um any other questions pertaining to um Mr. Coleman's report? Okay. Thank you very much. Um, I'm going to bypass introductions this time because I was going to try to um spend a little bit of time with Adam Cyperly, one of our new members. Um, Adam was here last time but joined late and then this time he's you know he's on a business trip so he can't he can't be here. He let us know. So, um hopefully next time. Um, under old business, um, every Oh, Nancy is back. I don't know if she wants to attempt to even give an update, um, because I know she's not in kind of the best circumstances to do that. Um, but we do have a um extreme heat webinar with Bloomfield Public Library on the 17th of June. Uh, Nancy, do you want to say anything about that? Um, I am happy to say something, but I don't know much of of what happened at the last meeting. And unfortunately, we're still on track for the 17th of June date. Still on track for the 17th of June date. Um, I I did see uh that they were planning to reach out to the local EMR people as well as the health department to have the content reviewed, but I have I I unfortunately I don't have any update on that either. But those are important things um to be sure that we're ready with the slides and who's going to speak for the at the webinar. So, um, yeah, I I actually was hoping I would learn something today. I guess not. U, but we'll we'll try to get on it

as soon as possible every when everybody's back. Right. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, my impression is that good progress was being made and unfortunately um Jessica was very much a last minute kind of cancellation because of a unexpected trip to the vet. So, um, okay. Thank you. Um in terms of the recycling um program, I don't really have an update on that. Um the next steps were to um basically kind of compile or to take the recommendation that had been put together and we talked about it at last month's meeting and then have a conversation with the um the manager you know about kind of trying to facilitate certain recycling in particular I think cork again um and um Metro beast and Simsbury um accepts cork If anyone's interested, uh, we do have shred day on Saturday from 9 to noon at Bloomfield High School. In terms of batteries, um, take two recycling accepts batteries. So, um, hopefully people will remember that. Um, we put it on the flyer, but that's a good opportunity to get rid of, uh, you know, your small household batteries. I'm not sure they take car batteries or anything like that but smaller batteries they will take along with the uh small electronics. Um okay so that's that. Um I want to talk about POC under new business. So, um, under old business agenda item C in terms of the, um, plan, that's where we want, this is our opportunity to review the draft

POC and see what is in there in terms of renewable energy promotion and uh, we have an opportunity to comment. So, we'll we'll get to that a little bit later. um environmental planner position. Any change in status on that at this point? No. Okay. Basically, till the budget's finally finalized, then we'll know. Okay. We'll leave it there. Thank you. Um sustainable CT reertification. Um I think I forwarded this to everybody today, but maybe not. Um, I got an email from Dorothy Pisak couple days ago, um, from sustainable uh, CT and she's reaching out because, uh, they have their new fellows for the season. They're going to be starting the first week of June and she's just sort of reminding us that fellows are available to assist us with sustainability projects or initiatives. Um they will provide direct support with certification, answer any questions uh in answer any questions about the program. Um and they are also available even if we don't pursue certification. So, I just wanted to say, you know, it's a good time to talk about it again. Um, Mr. Coleman, do you think there's any opportunity to do something with it or do we need to kind of No, I I think we when we last discussed this, we we committed to, you know, with the completion of the PCD and the town center plan to to provide some attention to this. So, I think you and I ought to talk and Okay. and see where see if we

can move this along. Great. Let's talk offline then to see if we can get that going. Um the other thing that I wanted to offer to the group, I can't participate in this. Um they're have uh sustainable CT is having their annual spring into summer at the Mark Twain House in Hartford. Um on Wednesday um June 4th 4 to 7 p.m. Uh our whole team will be there along with the new fellows. If you're available, we hope you can make it. Um and there's a registration link. So what I wanted to do was put out to the committee. Um and I see NY's hand is up, so I better um turn my attention to her in a moment. will go there first. But if anyone is interested in attending um I'm not able to um but it would be you know um helpful obviously if someone is available and interested to attend that. So let me start with Nancy whose hand is up. Uh yeah, I I'm not going to be able to attend that, but I did want to just keep in mind myself and others minds that there are aspects of the extreme heat work that we plan to do both the webinar and any follow-up actions after that that do have um a connection to uh sustainable CT. There's a section on on heat and public information and you know some kind of data collection and things like that. So, um, I just wanted to note that and keep that in mind. Thank you. I'd invite the interns to that webinar. Any interns interested? Uh, when you say interns, you're talking about fellows, the sustainable CT people. Yeah. Um, we can we can

certainly do that. Um, anyone interested in going on the 7th And I realize we don't have a full house here. And I realize we all have other other pressing things going on in life right now. I can um I can tenatively say that I would like to attend that if um my wife doesn't get induced on June 2nd. So as long as uh life works itself out, I I would love to attend. So you can me as a I'll keep you posted. Okay, sounds good. Thank you. Thank you, Charlie. All right. Um, okay. So, um, John and I will talk, Mr. Coleman and I will talk, and then we'll see about trying to get things going in terms of getting reertified. Um, I have the 2025 legislative session monitoring on the agenda more as a placeholder and as an opportunity for anyone who's been kind of watching what's going on down in Hartford. Um, if there's anything you want to bring up, I I did get one email um, regarding the TIFA attempts to kind of undo the good work that was done a year ago in terms of weakening weakening the law. Um I think the you know the environmental coalition has managed to kind of push that back which is very good because um the the um federal the federal the federal rules on kind of regulating PIFA is are being weakened. So, you know, we need to do what we can in Connecticut in terms of uh protecting our drinking water and everything else.

So, Nancy has Oh, Nancy, go ahead. Um I I was not able to follow a lot of the individual bills. My sense is uh unfortunately due to the general state of the state and country, a lot of things are not going to make it over the finish line. but in particular what looked at the beginning as a promising path for the Connecticut um environmental rights act uh amendment to our state constitution crumbled when the wording in one of the committees got weakened to the point where it's basically a loopholes uh amendment and um it's it's so it's not going to go forward and they'll try again next year. But it it went from shall to may or will try kinds of things as opposed to the state would be required to protect environmental health and safety of all residents. So that's a you know the again Kim Stoner from the uh Dr. Kim Stoner who works with Connecticut NOA no northeast Organic Farming Association Connecticut chapter has spearheaded this and for two years now worked really hard but uh this is not again not the year that it's going to go forward. Thank you for the update. Anyone else? Okay. Okay. New business. Um, so we're finally here. Um, plan of conservation and development opportunity to review and provide comments. Um, what I would like to propose is that

as a committee, we each take the responsibility of looking at the document. Um, it sounds like there are hard copies available. I will I will take one because I like working with paper versus online, but it's online as well. It will be shortly. I'm not sure it's posted quite yet. Okay. It has to be posted by by early June. Okay. Um and that would that begin the 65day review? 65's already started. Y the requirement to have it online, interesting enough, is 35 days before the end of the 65 days. Okay. So, so hard copies are available now. we can pick up hard copies. Um, I've I'll just say I've actually um reached out and asked Charlie if he would um assist with compiling comments um because I think it would be helpful to have one or two people on the committee kind of receive things and then put together some kind of document, summary document pulling the material together um to represent CEC's input. um reaction to that, any comments, thoughts, and we are happy to take um I'll just offer to um members of the public on you know who are here um very happy to take input from members of the public as well. So that's easier. Yeah. I I think the public hearing is probably going to be held on if the commission agrees. Um we would staff is going to suggest we um reschedule the July meeting from the last Thursday to the I think the 3rd Thursday. So it would be the 17th of July. That's that would be the sort of the deadline for submitting comments and and and whatnot. You obviously can do it earlier, but that's that's when it would be put into the record. It's a rather lengthy process. Okay. I I

I have a comment on that if I can. Go for it. Um my experience has been over the last 50 years, I guess. Um we do this every 10 years, correct? And we're three years late that we finish it up and then we put it on a shelf and nobody looks at it. And I I so discouraged by that. So one year I went through it and was was thinking that we should take each item and put it on the agenda of the action committee. Uh I mean if nobody puts it on anybody's agenda, nothing's going to happen. So um I I don't know why that I guess I fell through on that because I didn't pursue it. But there's so many good ideas in that plan and nothing happens with them. And and I think if we got something in the plan to have that kind of action and gave somebody the responsibility of making things at least get onto agenda uh agenda I guess uh it would encourage activity but I it's always been very discouraging to me. Thank you. I don't know how you put that in the in the plan, but maybe we can. Well, I think my sense is I mean I think you're correct and I think that um Bloomfield is of recent time has shown an inclination to take its plan seriously and begin to follow them like like the affordable housing plan, you know, that is that is being followed. I think the um the um the TIFF district plans, a lot of that is reflected in the new town center plan for the town center tiff. And I think you have a um you have a TPZ uh that um certainly the majority um are very committed to um to following through on the POC uh in terms of what it says. And I think there will be um you know we'll start to

look seriously um certainly on a staff and and commission basis at the zoning regulations and what um opportunities there are there to modify those regulations to implement the TPZ implement the PCD which is really the the way it's supposed to be. the zoning regulations need to reflect the POCD and are really where you begin to get the the um the strength to implement. So I I I believe and I if my memory serves me um that there were a number of items that should be on the council budget uh referenda and I don't think many of them made it if any. So could I ask to maybe the TPZ asked to some way to put those on the council agenda or ask them to be put on? We can I can certainly suggest that to the TPZ and I think that you know the other approach is certainly staff through the town manager to begin pushing stuff up. Yeah, David, you want to make a comment? So, is it reasonable to ask since you're familiar with it um having gone through as far as the process has gone, do you recognize major changes? Do you recognize that there's a mandate to establish the um committee that the um energy plan uh um requested? Um are there are there significant things as we go through it that you would have us focus on major changes, energy plan, other issues? There's a I mean it covers the whole gamut, but there is a there is an implementation section that talks to those kinds of issues and make suggestions in terms of

specifics and who's responsible for it going forward. But um but again it's a broad-based plan so there you know there generally needs to be followup on on many aspects. Anyone online have a comment or a question? Okay. Um I'm glad you brought the um the task force for the energy plan up because that is on our to-do list. Um and the intent was to have a conversation with this group and with town staff about who we might suggest to the town manager be on that task force. um the the the intended timing was like following the budget um which is a little bit in you know things are a little bit in flux but that is something um I think that's a really excellent question David and something maybe we can do to try to um see what we can do to make things happen because that that uh the formation of that task force was kind of the first step suggested in the energy plan and we're like three years into the energy plan and we've done a few things um but kind of the lowhanging fruit. So, yep. All right. So, um that's a that's a followup for the minutes um is to try to maybe get that and Nancy has her hand up. Thank you. Yep. Just a quick question. Where would we pick up the hard copy? Um, we're going to do it on a on an as demand request. Um, so if you want one, we'll print one. It'll be in the planning office. I don't have them lying around because they're not they've asked

us to really be prudent in terms of our printing. Um, and since it's not the final session, but if you if someone wants one, then tomorrow morning I'll we'll print them. I would like one. Okay. So, call first and request it. Yeah. No, we're not going to give you one. Okay. So, I would like one. And Nancy, um I can pick one up for you and leave it at your house. Or I'll be able to escape for a few hours next week and maybe come by, but I'll call ahead. Yeah. Okay. Well, Bob, y Nancy, Joe, anyone else? I think we have one. I'll take one as well. Okay. Yeah. Lois came in. That's pretty close. Yep. And and Charlie and Charlie. Yep. A year from now. How about next next week? Is that safe? Since today's Thursday. Yeah. We'll pro we'll probably prune, you know, I'll write it and we'll prune them tomorrow. Okay. But, you know, to be safe. Yeah. Monday. Monday. Because I'm out I have to go to a meeting tomorrow at 10:30. I know that Linda's out of the office at 1. So, yeah. I would say Tuesday just to give you guys a little grace period. We'll print six. Thank you. Y yeah. While we have the budget funds, right? Bad joke. Tell you what he's charging. Yeah. Right. There's a fee. Okay. Um great. And so anyway, um I think if if people don't object, um Charlie and I can sort of be compilers in terms of like taking input. Um I can send something out next week kind of to the whole CEC. Um I will also copy any regular members of the public who attend

if they'd like to provide some input as well. And um then if you just reply to us um then we can kind of try to have just a couple hands touching it unless somebody is dying to help compile comments. Okay. Okay. Good. Um shred day. Uh let's see. Uh yeah, it's Saturday, May 17th, 9 to noon right now. I know David has offered to help. Thank you very much. Um we have a member of the public, Elizabeth Syria, who comes pretty much every time and she has volunteered to help. Um my husband Kevin Goff and myself will be there. Um if anybody else is available um that you know that's great but I think with town staff uh and I just want to applaud town staff the all of the departments really step up and help out. It's pretty remarkable and um I'm going to jinx us but this thing has become a welloiled machine in terms of how it works. Uh Bloomfield High School is hosting us again and uh this is the second time. The traffic flow works really well there because we can have everything in one parking lot. Uh the electronics recycling as well as the shred. Um and we'll have one 40 bin truck, the big the big shred truck, which last time accommodated everybody until like 5 after 12. So no unhappy residents. And uh bring your batteries if you have batteries to uh recycle. So um and the the weather is at the moment I think going to cooperate. I think we're supposed to have showers but not until the afternoon. So um oh and

bring a non-p perishable item for the food pantry if anyone is watching this. Um that's just very much appreciated. And in the past, we've had people forget and ask if um the Tom will accept cash or check donations. The answer is yes. We have staff there from social services who are, you know, um authorized to accept those things on behalf of the food pantry. So, I just want to make sure people are aware of that. A president can accept a plane. We ought to be able to accept food from There you go. Yeah. Okay. So, that's the layout. Um, enter on Crest View Drive and then we'll direct people out onto um through Huckleberry onto um Parkav and uh right turn only just because the sight lines are not great at that intersection to turn left. Okay. Very good. Okay. Um, we're in the other category at this point. And I know Council Meer brought up the trees. I brought up just kind of a status of wild and scenic. Um, and I know Bob had something he wanted to talk about as well. Go first, please. Okay. I uh Sharon Man made me promise that I would bring before this body the concern about the trees that have been butchered out. next to our little stretch of super highway in North Bloomfield at the exits mainly um before our leisure here um went to work on trying to restrict their activity. Uh they cut down a number of

beautiful trees next to the uh exits and made a very unattractive um slaughter of some very attractive trees. right in North Bloomfield. They were not good neighbors. And I mean, I'm sure this is all in accordance with their interstate highway policy, but it really didn't apply in this instance. And I know I've been told it's a safety thing. And it was totally unnecessary. And I think if we could ask them to reconsider doing that kind of thing on exits and other nonsense, no way conceivably was a safety move. So if we send a letter to them asking them to do to change that policy, that would be an excellent idea. They did this on Arbor Day, by the way. As we were planting trees, they were cutting them down. So, and also Eversource has a bad habit also in North Milfield where we the neighborhood back in the 50s gave them permission and and welcomed them to put that substation out there and uh that was a very it was actually a bonefield person who was the president of uh Harford Electric and friend of my father's and he came over to our house and met with some of the neighbors and and explained what they wanted to do and we support them and they and you know it's even though there's a a electrical monstrosity out there, it's still a very attractive place. The bike path goes right by it and so they did a good job. I mean they it was a very important thing for them to do it and

still is. But why do they have to cut bare cut under all their work on extension on the high tension wires? They have to do that. I I think seems ridiculous to I don't know what we can do but make an effort on this. I I can't um I can't help you at this point on the what the Department of Transportation has done along the highways which appalls all of us. But um next Tuesday afternoon I'm meeting with the um with the head forester for Eversource. Um they have a forester. Yes, they have a forester deforester who who actually is a very nice gentleman. Um we were meeting out at on Duncaster Road where the power lines cross. Awesome. um to discuss um um you know one why they were doing it but two what they can do to make it far more presentable than it is. Um, one thought I had, uh, which my staff has laughed at me, uh, was, um, we have a blight ordinance. And that blight ordinance says that you cannot, now, now that they've cut everything down in shrubbery and basically grass, um, and weeds that we have a one foot requirement that you can't have anything over one foot high. So, m Mr. wherever source um we are ready to apply this blight ordinance um towers I'm not so sure how successful we'd be but um but we're going to have a you know initially in a friendly conversation in terms of how they can make now that they've you know basically raped the area how they can make it at least halfway presentable going forward point out that they have standards of what trees they will allow to be planted under wires maybe I know when they

planted when we planted trees along the bike path was under some of their wires and if you could suggest to them that they plant some trees and make that look more attractive I'm going out there with Peter Costali the wetlands agent so and talking about planting trees as you know we have a ordinance that requires when when specimen trees are are removed uh that they need to be replaced either on the property where they're being removed from and elsewhere and we have a couple of um developments coming forward where a very significant number of specimen trees are being proposed to be removed. Uh so I would welcome uh any suggestion because there's no room on either site really to replace them. Um um and I've talked to the golf course and they basically don't want a lot of more trees on the course itself. Yeah. Uh but certainly along the frontage and there is a tree planting along the along the roads in town that I can work with the DPW on. But if there are locations that you all think um are desirable and in need of trees um we may have an opportunity um to um to have some planted. Maybe dot took some down would be good. Yeah. Just one uh comment on the Eversource on Duncaster. Um I do know that they are moving I think they're moving east right across the golf course. Um a land conservancy property is next in line in terms of Beacon Hill preserve is next in line kind of the hill on top of the golf course. And that's something that the land conservancy is concerned about as well as some of the neighbors um who donated some of that property to

the land conservancy. Um and you know it's it's extremely frustrating. Um in doing that clear cutting they they this tree is probably considered invasive. Um but it's a very unusual tree Paulina um empress trees. Um there was a nice cluster of them which um you know um my husband photographed and appeared in the Bloomfield messenger because it's a really unusual tree. It has beautiful blooms. It's related to the catalpa and um they're gone. They just mowed them all down. They weren't that big. Um they weren't interfering with anything. They were at the very edge and they are gone. Um, so yeah, let us know what you will do. And I mean, one thing we could do, um, if we wanted to take action, and we do have a quorum at this point, I think, so we can do that. Um, we could, um, the conservation, energy, and environment committee could write a letter to the DOT. Um, would somebody like to make that motion? You'll do it. Okay. Volunteer for the letter, but I'm not You won't volunteer for the letter, but you'll make the motion. Okay. Um, is anyone interested in seconding that motion? And Okay. I'm seeing I'm seeing Charlie nodding and Nancy either raising her hand, yes, or making a comment. Either way, I'll second or Okay. Anyway, you'll echo. You'll echo. Um, and I think what the ask would be would be to reconsider their policy or revisit their policy and also um in in terms of high

state highways and particularly where you know they have an a real abnomaly of a interstate standard highway, right, in a rural area connected to no other interstate highway anywhere. Oh yeah, it was awful. And um to councelor Merritt's point, I mean that one exit, they they clearcut, well I I this was in the paper, they clearcut mature pine trees, one of which was probably 3 feet in diameter. Yep. And at least, you know, some of those trees were more more than 30 feet from the fog line, which was what the del delineation was supposed to be in terms of them taking down trees. They did save a couple on the other side, it looks like. But the machine still perched there. Yes, Nancy. Well, a just a conspiracy theory, but that they had money left over and the end of the fiscal year approaches, so they just gave out a a healthy contract to the tree cutters. But the other thing I want to hearken back to, and I think it was kind of pre- pandemic, was when Yeah, it was because when uh Lamont was first elected, he set up the governor's it was GCC. So, it's governor's uh climate commission on the climate or I don't really remember the name, but GC3. Yeah. Yeah. So, GC3. Yeah. So they had tons of subcommittees discussing sorry uh all kinds of aspects of what needed to be done in the state or could be done or should be done for the environment and climate and behind the whole thing was uh and I think in his early executive order is a

was a directive to all the departments to review their policies, uh, look for ways to to, um, you know, prevent or reduce climate change, etc. So my point here is I wouldn't just write to the DOT, you know, I'd write to DEP um probably the governor and anybody else we can think of because they have a collective responsibility and had from his executive order three or something when he first came in to set in motion climate protective uh initiatives. and as you know which in each of their departments. So they've all kind of been a disappointment all along. But this this is not just DOT and I I I just think we need to make a bigger deal out of it. Okay. Well, I will I mean I'll raise my hand and and attempt to draft something. Um obviously this is a letter I'm going to want to circulate. um and get a lot of input on and um happy to have council members look at it. Um and we'll see. Is there any way to request communication with the town manager for instance before this happens? Um sometimes communication can soften the impact of things or change the impact of things. Um, and it sounds from the description everybody's giving is I just did it. We have a tree boss in our department of public works who is responsible. I mean, yeah, kind of supposed to look at trees and decide what to do with them. Yeah. And I mean,

I can I can comment on that. Um when I saw um on the town website just sort of the announcement of upcoming work, I reached out to council, copy the town manager, went to Dan Carter actually. Um I was going to lunch with a friend and they were starting to cut and I called Dan Carter on the spot and said, "What the heck are they doing?" Um, and Dan, to his credit, literally sent somebody out there to find out what they were doing because he had gotten this plan and was communicating with the project manager. And at that point, I did get ultimately some some um assurance that they would not clear cut the buffer between the highway and the rail trail and they would not take down that oak tree. That that was what I got. Um I pushed I pushed on the exit and didn't get any asurances on the exit they hadn't clearcut yet. Um but that was the response I got from Dan. So I think and and the town manager and his response was supportive of the viewpoint that we need to kind of push on this. Um, you know, I just don't know how much an influence anybody has with DOT. I think you made a big difference. Well, thank you. But could lots of gone tree lots of lots of lots of lots of trees are gone. So, but um so I just want to um I think David raises an excellent point. Um it's very frustrating because I think the town was very sympathetic and receptive and tried to do something here. So, but can't the town set rules that they have to obey

some degree? Not within their rightway, Joe. Right. Right. All within their rightway. And unfortunately, and that and in that instance up in there, it's a very wide rightway. Yeah. Right. Because it's an interstate, the interstate standards. So, um, this this I'm going to kind of segue because I think we have an action item actually. All in favor of writing a letter. I'm not sure we voted. Did we all vote? No. No, we didn't vote. Okay, it we made a motion. Uh the motion is to write a letter to do. Um I think we should probably copy the governor and copy uh DP on it. Um so all so all in favor indicate by saying I. I. Yep. Yep. And Nancy I. Yep. All right. So, the motion carries. So, we'll work on that. Happy to work with you. Great. Thank you. Just one other sort of um trivia on on trees. If nature's major tree cutter, if you want to go watch is doing a hell of a job on the uh 14th hole of the golf course. Beavers. Oh, beavers. Oh, yeah. Beaver's engineer taking down some rather significant trees which I'm and I think they're a great animal and they've built a great house. Last time they did it, someone trapped them. I hope they leave this set alone. Yeah, they you should be able to do things in terms of protecting the trees. I don't think the town I don't think the golf course misses the trees there because they they um suck up all the water. Okay. Well, okay. Yeah. nature's engineer and the golfers will be may not like it because now they don't have a tree to stop their ball from going into the water into the into the reservoir. Yeah. Okay. Um they bounce them off the trees sometimes to

take advantage. That's right. All right. Um just a very quick update. Um Bloomfield is one of the member member towns on the lower Farmington River Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee. Um, I am I am one of Bloomfield's actually I'm only the I'm the only Bloomfield representative at this point because we need an alternate. Um, so that's something we should um I need to sort of push out there in terms of, you know, getting a resident who is interested in serving uh on the lower Farmington River Wild and Scenic Committee. Um we just this um wild and scenic pertains to uh under announcements agenda item C letter of support recreation committee small grant. Um the leisure services got a small grant from the lower Farmington River Wild and Scenic Committee to do a little bit of additional work in Farmington River Park which is great. Um, we literally are in under the wire in terms of getting grant funds to do that because uh I sat in on a regional call yesterday uh hosted by the park service and um it's pretty grim. It's pretty grim. Um the num one number I heard was uh in terms of park service staff 38% cut across. Um and unfortunately I mean we'll see how things play out but um you know we'll soldier on. It's just um completely there's so much uncertainty right now in terms of what kind of funding um the Wild and Scenic Rivers will be getting through the National Park Service, Department of Interior. Um but we've gotten some good things done um and some nice projects done in

Bloomfield, mostly in Farmington River Park. Um so stay tuned. I will um you know I will at this point be a little bit more proactive uh keeping people apprised because uh up to this point it's pretty much been kind of ticking along. Uh the river got designated in 2019 um right before there was a PAS bill at Bradley airport uh which was not a good thing but um the study committee for all of this and there's been a lot of work going on since 2006 or seven um and just very sad because uh there there's a gentleman by the name of Jamie Fosberg who's like the New England regional director and he was on the call last night. Um I've known him since then then. And he is one of the people kind of being forced to retire. I mean not forced but he's retiring in the hopes that that will leave a little bit more capacity for younger people coming up. So um so so 38 percent people this is federal funding to the state. I'm not sure if I but what what what they what we were being told is that you know and the problem is is National Park Service staff they really don't get much information but in terms of the new administration in terms of the park service in general they're talking about 38% cut in staff across the park national park national um the and what they're talking about doing is more resources to quote higher priority, you know, things like maybe parks, national parks, um and less resources available for things that are deemed lower priority.

And at this point, um what is unknown is how high a priority partnership wild and scenic rivers will be. Um, you know, a lot of the partnership partnership wild and scenic rivers are kind of an east coast phenomenon. Um, a lot of the wild and scenic rivers that are designated in the west are on federal land. So, that's kind of where the resources go. Um, partnership rivers are a relatively new thing dating from the early 90s. And so there's kind of a process that grew up around getting funding, getting our um federal delegations to support um congressional appropriations. And you know, actually, interestingly enough, during the first Trump administration, um we did fine. Uh because as it turns out, rivers are actually a bipartisan thing. Um there there are apparently some rivers that are in the process of getting designated. Um my what I heard last night is there are three in Florida with Republican support. So we'll see what happens. Um but you know it's just a little disappointing. Um Bloomfield enjoys having a river with that designation. We've gotten some benefit out of it. Um and apart from the small grants, there's been some nice work done um just in general where we've benefited. Uh what is it? Water chestnut in Barber Pond. There's kind of an infestation and um uh our wetlands agent Peter Castaldi is the person who noticed it. And because Barber Pond um the outlet is Milbrook and Milbrook feeds into the Farmington, we used funding to tackle it because we don't want water chestnut to get into, you know, further

down Milbrook and into Farmington River. So there has been some nice work done that we're kind of unaware of in uh Bloomfield. You know, it's not public and splashy, but um a positive. Yeah, a positive. So, um, anyway, as I find out more, I will keep people informed, but this seemed like an appropriate place to bring it up. Okay. Um, Bob, did you want to talk about solar? It's just I I came across a Can you talk in the mic? I came across a uh email from the um Deep River Essics area where where they had uh were setting up a program with a particular solar company uh to give uh discounts for people that took on a project within within certain dates. And uh I just think somehow they have uh in their own mind have overcome concerns for liability about suggesting a particular installer. And what if people are you know uh willing to uh consider such a project here I would get in touch with them to see how they resolve their their liability concerns. any comment? Yeah, we um we at president don't recommend any particular solar. We tell you know anyone who's interested that you know they're out there and they need to make their own choice. We do that in terms of recommending architects, developers and all that. We do not recommend anybody as a matter of course. I would just note going back to trees

that um we're finding an interesting dichotomy that a lot of folks who are wanting to install solar are also cutting down a lot of trees. Uhhuh. And so the net result um may not be what everyone anticipates in terms of the environment. Um, and so we um we're seriously considering um putting in a regulation. Right now, if you're going to cut trees down for a site plan, we we get to see it beforehand. A resident comes in and wants to just put in solar on their roof or on a on the ground and only taking down, you know, four or five trees. We don't know. We may ask that we now know that in advance so that we have some idea of what we don't know after the fact when the neighbor calls and says my neighbor just cut down 10 trees what's going on. Um and it's usually you know it's usually all coordinated by the solar installer. Right. And and that there was a recent incident where that happened on Duncaster. Correct. Yeah. I got a phone call about it too. Yeah. Um, so I'll say this, Bob, if you are interested in kind of talking to them and finding out kind of what the thought process was and what they did, um, please, you know, feel free to do so and kind of report back. Um, you know, before I continue, any anybody else have any kind of comments or thoughts on this? you know, I think we need to go on an energy diet, you know, just kind of in the grand scheme of things. Um, we're we're we're kind of increasing renewables, but our energy use is growing. And I just think about how much we're, you know, we're feeding the grid. And what are we fe feeding this these big centers that support AI? You know, I think there's a

lot of that going on. Yeah. Counselor. Yeah. I I was and John knows about this. Uh there's a my house has trees around it and it's just would be totally impractical for me to put solar panels on on even on the roof my house. But so I've been feeling guilty and um but I look across the highway um in the winter time when the leaves are off the trees I do and especially now even now with the they haven't cut down the barrier and there's a 44 acres that's been for sale and there's somebody still trying to do something with it but they haven't yet succeeded. Uh it belongs to what's their name is up there. But anyway, uh Atlas Okay. Anyway, and so I I got a solar company in town to come out and look at it and um they said, "Oh, this will be great for solar, but we we probably won't get it because solar doesn't make enough money." It just occurred to me that instead of people cutting down trees around their house, uh we could use this empty field which would require any cutting down to speak of and you get a lot more out of it because you can put a whole solar thing there which would be much preferable to the neighborhood I'm sure than uh whatever else would be built there. And uh so I I was sorry to hear that it's just not enough money and solar. I wonder if we could do something about that. So, in the clear cut areas that everybody's been talking about, uh, are they then areas where solar could solar fields could not not enough space? No, they're just kind of the triangles on the exits. Yeah, the DOT land probably wouldn't be interested.

Yeah. Right away. Um, go ahead. And then I have Yeah, I've often thought we'll move on. Eversource has some pretty wide rightways and they they would definitely have room, but they're prohibited from doing it. Yeah. Um, if any of you get the Hartford current, there's there was an article in today's paper about um I think it's East Windsor and a company there wanting going to the sighting council because they want to put solar panels on another 150 acres um and 40 cut down 44 acres of trees and if they were successful in doing that, they'd have over a thousand acres in East Windsor in solar panels. Um and they're upset because you know um there was a great quote from a resident about um we're becoming a public utility not a town which is kind of what they they wanted they stopped the manure uh lagoon. Yeah lagoon as well farmers in that's in summers that's ins coming from Ellington but it's being done in summers. Yeah I know the attorney who is representing the resident on that so That's good. Yeah. Okay. Last comment and then we're moving on. South W South Windsor has a big project. I think it's up in East Windsor on top of an old dump that they they leased the area. So people didn't complain too much because you can't do much on top of an old dump. I think they own half a dump too in Windsor. So and there's one coming in Simsbury where the um you know where the where the um hostel um farm was. Yeah, they already have some field. But but Right. But they've torn down all the huts and that's

supposed to be a solar farm. Yep. All right, I'm going to move on. So, um just in terms of announcements, updates, uh I attach this was attached to the meeting package. Um Susan Miller from Windsor shared this with me. um Windsor Climate Action is doing a program um on climate change change and heat waves and she said please share the word. Um Bloomfield residents are invited and it's Wednesday May 28th. So um just wanted to pass that along. Uh Tree City designation Arbor Day event. Um that's that happened on April 27th. Uh it was a very successful event. Um the it was a very positive day apart from the fact that um uh the mans were supposed to be there and um they weren't which was noticed and it turned out it that was because uh David had passed the night before. So um obviously um very much of a a damper on a on a nice event. Um, so, um, related to that, I'm just going to mention very quickly, um, there was supposed to be a cleanup day the day before on April 26 and that ended up getting rained out um, or the weather was iffy, so it was postponed to July 7th. So, the cleanup day, June. June. I I've got June written down. Thank you. June 7th. Um it's June, it's going to be on June 7th, a Saturday. And um the event will be in

memory of David Man. And so I do want to encourage um anyone who's interested in helping out to please do so. Um I'm leaving a Trails Day hike that day. Unfortunately, I was signed up for the 26. Um but um if you're if this is something you're interested in doing and can help out for a couple of hours in the morning, um it's a nice event generally and lunch is served when you're done. So June 7th, June 7th, it's Bloomfield Cleanup Day. It's the big cleanup. You know, we've Sharon Sharon has organized this for BBC the past couple of years and um this would be year three and uh she usually gets a huge turnout, organizes it very well and um you know the DPW ident and others identify spots in town that could use a cleanup and uh crews are sent out. So, okay. Um, I think I already mentioned um the small grant for for Farmington River from Wild and Scenic and bird migration. Um, oh, I've only got this on here. We had it on last month. It is like peak migration right now. Um, there will be an a short blurb in the messenger tomorrow, Bloomfield Messenger. Uh, about lights out um, between the hours of 11 p.m. and and 6:00 a.m., please turn out all unnecessary lights. What? You just got to call Seabberry. You You call Seabberry. Call Seabberry. Um there's some there's some um I mean a large number of birds, you know, at at about you know, you know, up to 10,000 feet flying over Connecticut the next few nights. Um the first couple of weeks

of May are really kind of peak and I just kind of checked um the birdcast site where they they're tracking with radar and uh there are all kinds of things up there now flying over. So uh turn off your lights. Okay. Okay. Um any other comments or news or anything anyone wants to share? Any um comments from the public? Okay. What John? Yes. I just you mentioned I just would like for the record um particularly from this committee to recognize the contributions that Dave man made. Thank you. Yeah. To this committee to this community over the many many years he's been a resident here along with his wife Sharon. And um he was a long long dear close friend of mine. Um we're all still mourning. Uh, but I think particularly for this committee and what it meant to him and what he meant to it, um, I would like to see reflected in the minutes. Thank you. I appreciate that you're bringing that up. Thank you. Okay. Motion to adjurnn. David, do I have a second? I'll second. Thank you, Nancy. Okay. All in favor? I I Okay. Very good. It is 5:47. We are adjourned. Have a good evening. Good night.