741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Land Use/Planning/Public Works

Committee

Meeting Minutes

Chairman

Kevin J. Dombrowski

Regular Meeting

Monday, November 6, 2023

6:00 PM

Town Hall Annex - Hybrid Format

In -Person: Annex Meeting Room - Town Hall Annex Building

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CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Councilor Paul at 6:00 p.m. at the Town

Hall Annex Building.

Councilor Paul welcomed all to the Hybird Meeting. He stated for the Town Council Land

Use/Planning/Public Works Committee and members of the Public who were participating

via video conference that the remote meeting information was available on the Agenda that

was posted on the Town’s Website - Granicus-Legistar Meeting Portal.

II.

ROLL CALL

Gary Paul

Present:

S. Naomi Rodriguez

John Marshall

In addition, the following were present:

Kevin Dombrowski Town Council Chairman

Earl (Ty) Lamb Historic District Commission

Karen ParkinsonTri-Town Trail Association

Roxanne MaherAdministrative Assistant

III.

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

None.

IV.

PRESENTATIONS / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION to approve the following Land Use/Planning/Public Works Minutes:

Regular Meeting Minutes of October 2, 2023

Site Walk Minutes of October 20, 2023.

Moved by Councilor Paul, seconded by Councilor Rodriguez

VOTE: 3 - 0 Approved and so declared

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Gary Paul

RESULT:

MOVER:

S. Naomi Rodriguez

SECONDER:

VI.

OLD BUSINESS

Continued discussion regarding the progress of enforcing regulations to address blight issues.

No Update

NO ACTION

RESULT:

Status update regarding security and safety concerns regarding Park on East Drive

Councilor Rodriguez stated that she stopped by the Park yesterday, and it was

being well maintained. She noted that there has not been any issues, noting that

things have been quiet at the Park.

Councilor Paul addressed the Park on East Drive, and he provided some background

noting in hearing residents’ concerns about graffiti, lack of lighting and other illicit

behavior that was occurring at the Park that the Community Relations Committee

held an Informal Gathering at the Park on July 20, 2022 with the residents in the

area. He stated Parks & Recreation Director Scott Johnson, Jr. and many Town

Councilors attended the event. He stated during their conversation with the

residents that they discovered that there was a lot of miscommunication. He

stated the residents did not know who to contact, or what was in the works.

Councilor Paul thanked the concerted efforts of the Parks & Recreation

Department, Public Works Department, and the Police Department, noting that

the Park on East Drive was now beautiful. He stated it was well lite, the parking

lot was done, and residents were enjoying the Park. He noted the Land

Use/Planning/Public Works Committee and the Community Relations Committee

have completed their work at the Park on East Drive, stating that this has been a

success story.

Councilor Paul stated if there was a consensus of the Committee he would

suggest they remove this item from their Agenda. The LUPPW Committee agreed

that their work was complete and to remove the Park on East Drive from the

Agenda.

COMPLETED

RESULT:

Any other New Business proper to come before the Committee.

None.

VII. NEW BUSINESS

Spicer Homestead - Historical Research and Photos.

Councilor Rodriguez thanked Mrs. Parkinson for the guided Site Walk of the Spicer

Ruins on October 20, 2023. She stated seeing the site was beneficial, noting that she

could not envision the site by looking at the map; and that seeing the property was a

very helpful.

Councilor Paul also thanked Mrs. Parkinson for taking the time to take the LUPPW

Committee to the Spicer Ruins Site. He questioned the process for the Town to

obtain a Historic Designation from the State.

Chairman Dombrowski stated he visited the State Historic Preservation website,

noting that there was a lot of information available and that there was a process to

determine whether a property/parcel was eligible for Historic Designation; explaining

that there was

an Application Process that would also require the Town to present its case. He stated

the List of Criteria for Eligible Properties included the following:

· Reflect an integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. They

may also:

Be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to our history

and the lives of persons significant in our past; or

Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of

construction; or

Represent the work of a master, possess high artistic values, or represent a

significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual

distinction; or

Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or

history.

Chairman Dombrowski went on to explain that there was also a Selection Process

and he noted the State website listed the following Process:

1. Request Information

Call or email to the State Register Coordinator at the State Historic Preservation

Office (SHPO). The staff can provide preliminary information on how to prepare

a nomination. Staff may request photos or a brief description via email or even

schedule a site visit to determine preliminary eligibility.

2. Prepare the Nomination

Once SHPO has recommended that your property is eligible for State Register

Listing, staff will provide you with the nomination form and guidance for

completing it. A State Register nomination form is a scholarly document that

includes a current physical description of the property, focused historical

narrative with references, bibliography, digital photographs, and maps. You can

get help in completing the form from locally knowledgeable people or a

professionally qualified consultant if you choose. Please do not complete a State

3. Get a staff review from SHPO

Once SHPO receives your nomination, SHPO staff will notify you if we need

additional information. They may schedule a site visit if one hasn’t already been

done. In the case of a district, the staff visit helps delineate the approximate

boundaries of the area under consideration. SHPO staff evaluates the background

information on the proposed property or district within 90 days of receipt of the

completed historical and visual documentation.

Staff compiles revisions; several rounds of additional information or edits may be

requested. SHPO must receive your final submission for the Historic Preservation

Council (HPC) at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which your nomination

will be heard.

4. Review your notification

Once the State Historic Preservation Officer signs the State Register nomination -

and at least five business days before the HPC Meeting - we will send you a

certified letter,

return receipt requested. The letter will inform you that the nomination is on the

HPC’s agenda with the date, time and location of the meeting. Please note that we

will give priority to nominated properties under imminent threat of demolition or

adverse alteration.

If a district is approved for State Register study, the chief executive officer of the

municipality is notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the

approximate area approved for State Register study. A copy of the notification

letter is sent to you, the applicant. If a property is approved for State Register

study, we notify you by certified mail, return receipt requested; a copy of the

letter is sent to the municipality’s chief executive officer.

If a district or property is not approved for State Register study, the State Historic

Preservation Officer will notify you.

5. Attend the HPC meeting

The HPC generally meets the first Wednesday of every month at 9:30 a.m. at the

SHPO office, One Constitution Plaza, Second Floor in Hartford. We encourage

all interested parties to attend. They may submit information, including letters of

support or objection. (Please submit these letters prior to the meeting, but they

will also be accepted during the meeting.)

A majority of the HPC must vote to approve the district or property nomination to

the State Register.

6. Receive notification of the listing

If a property is approved, we’ll send you a certified letter, return receipt

requested. In the case of a single property, we notify the owner. In the case of a

district, we notify the municipality’s Chief Elected Official.

If a property is not approved for study, we’ll send you a letter, return receipt

requested.

7. If your nomination is approved, a plaque is ordered.

Chairman Dombrowski went on to state that the Spicer Ruins was located within

Clark Farm Property (1025 Colonel Ledyard Highway) which was currently under the

Administrative Control/Oversight of the Town Council. He stated that he recalled

that the Tri-Town Trail was granted an easement some time ago to allow the Trail to

run along the property; however, he stated where people were currently walking was

not where the easement was supposed to be. He went on to state that should they

proceed with the proposed historic designation, that they may want to assign the

Historic District Commission Administrative Control/Oversight of the Spice Ruins

portion of the Clark Farm property, explaining that an easement would not be

required, because it was already town-owned property. He went on to state that the

Planning & Zoning Commission would be required to conduct an 8-40 Review

before they could begin working with the State to obtain a Historic Designation and

be included on the State’s Historic Registry.

Mr. Earl (Ty) Lamb, 95 Lambtown Road, Ledyard, Historic District Commission

Member, stated that he has been working with Tri-Town Trail Association President

Mrs. Karen Parkinson, explaining that the Historic District Commission was looking

to have a 2-3 acre area designated as the Historical Site.

Ms. Karen Parkinson 55 Rose Hill Road, Ledyard, Tri-Town Trail Association

President, noted that they used some grant funding to hire Sarah Holmes, PhD

Archaeology Consultant to conduct the Archaeological Land Record Study to verify

that that the site was the Peter and Mary Spicer Homestead dating back to 1670; and

they have obtained a Archaeological Site Number.

Mr. Lamb stated that he would visit the State Historic Preservation Site and begin

working with the Historic District Commission and Mrs. Parkinson to gather all the

background information that would be required for the Application process.

Chairman Dombrowski stated as they work thru this process that they would need to

obtain Town Council approval to pursue/submit the Historic Designation Application

to the State. However, he stated more work was required before they could get to that

point.

The LUPPW Committee agreed that preserving and obtaining a Historic Designation

on the State Registry was a worthwhile initiative, but that more work would be

required to understand the process. The Committee agreed to keep the Spicer Ruins

Historic Designation on their Agenda.

CONTINUE

RESULT:

Review the outstanding action items contained in the memo dated November 4, 2023, as

forwarded by Land Use/Planning/Public Works Committee of the Twenty-sixth Town

Council.

MOTION to forward the following outstanding/unfinished business items to the

incoming Land Use/Planning/Public Works Committee:

(1) Process to designate the Spicer Ruins, within the Clark Farm property, as a

Registered Historical Site.

(2)

Progress of enforcing regulations to address blight issues.

Moved by Councilor Paul, seconded by Councilor Rodriguez

Discussion: Councilor Paul stated to provide for a seamless transition the Town Council

and its Subcommittee’s have traditionally forwarded outstanding business items to the

incoming Town Council.

VOTE: 3 - 0 Approved and so declared

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Gary Paul

RESULT:

MOVER:

S. Naomi Rodriguez

SECONDER:

Paul, Rodriguez and Marshall

AYE:

Any other New Business proper to come before the Committee.

None.

ADJOURNMENT

Councilor Rodriguez moved the meeting be adjourned, seconded by Councilor

Marshall

VOTE: 3 - 0 Approved and so declared, the meeting was adjourned at 6:17

p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary Paul

Committee Chairman