MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, INC.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
MINUTES
Present: Stephen Bacon, Martin Berliner, Tom Callahan, Bruce Clouette, Mike Gergler, Al Hawkins, Janet Jones, Philip Lodewick, Peter Nicholls, Dave Pepin, Steve Rogers, Phil Spak, Frank Vasington, David Woods
Staff: Cynthia van Zelm, Lee Cole-Chu
1. Call to Order
Philip Lodewick called the meeting to order at 4:05 pm.
2. Opportunity for Public to Comment
Howard Raphelson referred to the Storrs Center development noting that the proposed housing needs to reflect local incomes. A substantial amount of additional businesses need to be recruited from what is here now in Mansfield. Where will they come from? We will not be able to rely on the surrounding area. The primary additional revenue will need to come from housing.
He noted that the only type of housing that can be restrictive is senior housing. Mr. Raphelson is concerned that the addition of students living in the housing will deter seniors from living there. He is concerned about noise. Mr. Raphelson noted that seniors will be a large market for the housing and there needs to be care taken into how to maintain this attractiveness.
3. Approval of Minutes
Steve Rogers made a correction to the minutes to indicate that he was at the November meeting. David Woods made a motion to approve the November 1, 2005 minutes with this correction. Janet Jones seconded. The motion was approved unanimously.
4. Director’s Report
Cynthia van Zelm referred to the memo from John Simone from the CT Main Street Program that had been e-mailed to the Board. Mr. Simone along with Dave Helmin had met with Ms. van Zelm, Frank Vasington, Planning and Design Committee member and business owner Neil Warren, and Mansfield Planning Director Greg Padick to provide input into the steps the Partnership has taken to develop Storrs Center (this is part of a service provided under the Partnership’s affiliate membership in the CT Main Street Program). Mr. Simone was complimentary of the steps the Partnership has taken, noting the need to continue to work with the Town and UConn; assist the businesses during construction (CT Main Street can help with this); attend the workshops that CT Main Street has to offer; and document the work that has taken place. Frank Vasington said Mr. Simone said a good partnership has been established and it is important to keep communicating.
With respect to the rest of her report, Ms. van Zelm noted that three packages had been sold for the Tony Bennett concert and one had been sold thus far for the Boston Pops concert, in conjunction with the Jorgensen 50th Anniversary.
The holiday lights were up on Town Hall and several of the business blocks.
Ms. van Zelm is also continuing to work on talking points for Board members as they continue to discuss the project with the public.
5. Update on Storrs Center Project and Next Steps
Tom Callahan said the UConn Board of Trustees met on November 15 and approved the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for Storrs Center. Board members Philip Lodewick and Bruce Clouette along with Partnership Executive Director Cynthia van Zelm were in attendance. Mr. Callahan thanked Mr. Lodewick and Mr. Clouette for their words in support of the Storrs Center project.
All local approvals have been granted on the Municipal Development Plan.
Ms. van Zelm said the next step is to work with the Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission on the special design district and related zoning regulation changes.
She expects to have an updated schedule for the Board to review at its next meeting.
6. Revision to Partnership Budget
8. Report from Committees
Dean Woods reported that the Committee discussed selling pavers/bricks as part of the new development to support the Partnership and provide community support. A subcommittee of the Committee was being formed and will report back to the full Committee.
He also said that the Committee was looking into taping/videotaping more of the Partnership events and meetings to provide a record of the steps taken on the Storrs Center project. Dean Woods suggested a few people for Ms. van Zelm to get in touch with to help with this project.
The Partnership newsletter will come out in the spring.
The Visitor and Information Guide will also need to be updated. There are almost no copies left. The Committee is looking into costs to reprint it.
Dean Woods said the Festival had been successful and the numbers were up from last year. The “M’s” were wonderful. He said the Festival Committee did a great job.
Ms. van Zelm mentioned that the Committee was looking into signage that would indicate the “Future Home of Storrs Center Project.” Mr. Callahan said that the former Basket Case or Bruce’s Novelties storefronts could be used for this purpose.
Steve Bacon asked if there was any thought to the Dodd Center serving as archivist for the project. Dean Woods said this had not been discussed but that he would talk to Dodd Center Director Tom Wilsted and report back to the Board.
Ms. van Zelm reported on the Membership Development Committee meeting in Chair Betsy Treiber’s absence. She said the membership renewal letters had gone out and letters would be sent to prior members as well as people on the Partnership’s interested parties list. Janet Jones suggested also soliciting membership from the people interested in housing in the project.
Dean Woods raised the issue of requiring a deposit at this point for housing. He said this had been done in a project associated at the University of Arizona where he used to work. Dave Pepin thought that more information on the housing would be needed before requiring a deposit especially in terms of the appearance of the housing.
Bruce Clouette asked if all members were being asked to renew their dues at the same time. Ms. van Zelm said that 80 percent of the members pay their dues in the fall. This year she did send letters to everyone at the same time. Mr. Lodewick suggested telling people that the Partnership has moved to a one time renewal period.
Mr. Bacon said the Planning and Design Committee had received the DRAFT sustainability guidelines from Macon Toledano.
Mr. Bacon said that much of the discussion was around the role of the Committee with respect to monitoring the implementation of the design (including sustainability) guidelines. There is a legal limit to how much regulation the Planning and Zoning Commission can have with respect to the guidelines.
He said there had been some discussion about a 3 to 4 person subcommittee of the Planning and Design Committee making a recommendation on whether the guidelines are being followed. Mr. Bacon noted that the Partnership Board of Directors has a relationship with the developer Storrs Center Alliance through the development agreement.
Mr. Clouette asked why the Planning and Zoning Commission cannot play a larger role. Mr. Bacon said the zoning regulations that can be enforced by the Commission are limited. The Commission has a limited function under CT law.
Mr. Bacon said that the public will have an opinion about how the Storrs Center project will look. The design guidelines to an extent control appearance. It is important that the guidelines are honored. He also emphasized that sustainability was important to many members of the community.
Mr. Lodewick asked if this subcommittee would be made up of people already on the Planning and Design Committee? Mr. Bacon said there could be an architect on the subcommittee that is not on the Committee.
Mr. Pepin noted his reticence in being qualified to monitor the design guidelines.
Steve Rogers said he is concerned about the process getting unwieldy. Specialists could have their own agendas. He said that Storrs Center Alliance was hired for their expertise so it is necessary to recognized this expertise. The community will flag issues if there are problems. He feels the Board needs to be an arbitrator and address issues on more of an ad hoc basis. Mr. Rogers did not recommend forming another subcommittee.
Mr. Callahan noted that the Planning and Design Committee has the most diverse membership in terms of point of view. He also recommended seeking experts if needed.
Mr. Bacon said that he made it clear to the Planning and Design Committee that they are advisory to the Board of Directors.
Ms. Jones thought the self certification process by the developer could be the report card. Woudn’t that be a way for the community to judge if the guidelines are being followed?
Mr. Bacon said there is some sensitivity around making sure the developer has the community’s interest at heart. Self-certification could be viewed as the developer monitoring itself.
Mr. Bacon said he would report to the Committee the idea that the Committee do its own due diligence with respect to the monitoring of the guidelines, and then report findings to the full Board.
Lee Cole-Chu said the process may not prove to be as difficult as it seems. The issue of an expedited review of site plans has already been discussed with the Planning and Zoning Commission. The plans will be reviewed by the Partnership and the Town Planning Director. The Partnership then holds a public hearing on the site plans which builds in public input. The Planning and Design Committee can also provide input to the Board as part of the site plan review process.
Mr. Cole-Chu does not think professional expertise is required as part of the design guideline review process.
Ms. van Zelm noted that she and Mr. Cole-Chu would be putting together a memo recommending a process for review of the design guidelines. It still needs to be determined what pieces of the guidelines can be regulated by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
9. Adjourn
Bruce Clouette made a motion to adjourn at 5:15 pm. Mr. Berliner seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
Meeting notes taken by Cynthia van Zelm.