Mohegan Park Improvement & Development Advisory Committee - Disbanded Feb 01, 2025

MINUTES OF MOHEGAN PARK IMPROVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING The regular meeting of the Mohegan Park Improvement & Development Advisory Committee was held on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Pavilion at Mohegan Park. Attendance was as follows: Committee Members: Alderman Mark Bettencourt, Chairman Tim Smith, Kerry Bilda, Brandon Hyde, Kevin Crowley, and Bill Barbuto. Administration: Barry Ellison, P.E., Director of Public Works 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Alderman Bettencourt indicated that a discussion was missing from the minutes regarding the City’s Comprehensive Plan going before the City Council and that part of the Plan is to rezone several City owned parcels adjacent to Mohegan Park as ROS. The minutes of the July 9, 2015 meeting were unanimously approved, as amended above (Motion: Bilda, Second: Crowley). 3. FINANCIAL REPORT The financial report for the July/August time period was unanimously approved. (Motion: Bettencourt, Second: Bilda) 4. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDANCE a. Letter to Mayor and City Council dated July 15, 2015: Chairman Smith stated that this item would be discussed in conjunction with other agenda items. b. Letter to Hugh Schnip, Chelsea Botanical Gardens dated July 15, 2015: Chairman Smith stated that this item would be discussed in conjunction with other agenda items. 5. OLD BUSINESS a. Former Dog Pound Building: Ellison reported that progress on the demolition of the former dog pound has been slow due to other pressing capital projects and the pending transition to a new Public Works Director. b. Trails Map App: Ellison presented the Committee with an email string from the creator of the Trails Map App showing that the City has been registered and has access to the app. The next step is to meet with the vendor to learn how to use the app to locate and name the Park trails. Member Crowley to assist with this task. c. Kiosks & Park Signage: The Committee briefly discussed adding information regarding the historical significance and natural features of the park. The subcommittee that worked on the map portion of the kiosks agreed to reconvene and report back to the Committee with recommendations for other information. d. Expansion of Park Boundary: Chairman Smith informed the Committee that he and Ellison had recently met with the Mayor, City Manager, and Corporation Counsel regarding this and other Committee business. During this meeting Smith and Ellison learned that several of the existing City owned parcels adjacent to the park were proposed to be rezoned Recreational Open Space (ROS) in the upcoming Comprehensive Plan. This designation offers additional protection of the parcels and makes it easier to incorporate them into the formal park boundary at some later date. The following motion was made by Alderman Bettencourt, seconded by Member Hyde: The Mohegan Park Improvement and Development Advisory Committee hereby makes a favorable recommendation to the City Council that, following the anticipated approval of the Comprehensive Plan in October/November 2015, in which eight (8) parcels of City owned land adjacent to the park are proposed to be rezoned to ROS, that these eight (8) parcels be incorporated into the formal boundaries of Mohegan Park. Motion carried unanimously. Alderman Bettencourt to sponsor a corresponding City Council resolution following the anticipated approval of the Comprehensive Plan. e. Chelsea Gardens: Chairman Smith informed the Committee that the Chelsea Gardens topic was also discussed in his recent meeting with City Leaders. City leaders at the meeting explained that the Mohegan Park Committee does not have any oversight authority over Chelsea Gardens, essentially because the lease is already executed and that the Committee’s duties are simply to advise the City Council. Chairman Smith expressed some discontent with this assessment because Chelsea Gardens essentially occupies a quarter of Mohegan Park. Chairman Smith also shared the letter he sent to Hugh Schnip of Chelsea Gardens asking for semi-annual meetings between the Committee and CG. Mr. Schnip replied back to Chairman Smith that Member Hyde is the liaison between the Committee and CG and that he (Schnip) would be happy to meet again with  the Committee. Member Hyde conveyed that CG wants to maintain a good neighbor relationship with the Committee and would check the feasibility of providing a formal CG update at the next regular MP Committee meeting in November. Hyde inquired if there was anything in particular the Committee wanted addressed – Alderman Bettencourt requested information pertaining to the long term traffic impacts and Member Crowley requested information on CG’s financial plan. 6. NEW BUSINESS: a. Walktober Event: Chairman Smith advised the Committee that the Lion’s Club is hosting an “In the Shoes of the Seeing Impaired” walk in Mohegan Park on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. Chairman Smith encouraged the Committee members to attend if they could and that it would be a good way to experience firsthand the challenges that seeing impaired citizens experience both in the park and in their everyday lives. b. Biobitz Project Information: Chairman Smith stated that he has reached out to NFA to resurrect the Bioblitz project from several years ago. Member Crowley stated that he was again working at NFA and that he would also reach out to NFA staff. c. Committee Vacancy: Chairman Smith stated that four people have applied to fill the current Committee vacancy. A brief discussion was held on possibly expanding the number of Committee members and/or creating alternates, but ultimately it was agreed to fill the current vacancy first and then see if any other changes are warranted in the future. Chairman Smith to reach out to City Council President Pro Tempore Desaulniers to have vacancy filled prior to the next meeting. d. Committee’s Responsibilities: Chairman Smith expanded on previous discussions regarding the meeting that was held with City leaders. It was explained that as an advisory committee the Committee didn’t have authority to expend money without City Council consent. The Committee expressed concern about the implications of this in relation to how infrequently the Committee meets. In response, the following motion was made by Alderman Bettencourt and seconded by Member Barbuto: The Mohegan Park Improvement and Development Advisory Committee hereby requests that the City Council authorize to the Committee to expend up to $5,000 per year, from the Mohegan Park Development Fund, for Mohegan Park expenditures pertaining to repairs, physical recreational improvements, signage, and associated professional services. Motion carried unanimously. Alderman Bettencourt to follow up with the City Council. 7. CITIZEN COMMENT: Michael Richardson, 27 Pleasant Street: Spoke in opposition to Chelsea Gardens; said the clear cutting was harmful to unique fungi in the area; there is no security and that people are hanging out; and that erosion is a problem. Greg Grippo, 209 Boswell Avenue: Spoke in opposition to Chelsea Gardens; questioned who in the City is overseeing the project; expressed concern about the safety of pedestrian traffic entering the park from the east on Mohegan Park Road. Joanne Philbrick, 10 Elm Avenue: Stated that the old dog pound should have been taken down already – taking too long; not in favor of expanding the park because the City can’t maintain infrastructure it already has and that we don’t need more tax exempt properties; has a problem with Member Hyde being on the MP Committee and on Chelsea Gardens; asked the Committee to discuss the Mohegan Park Development Fund. Hazel Brown, 55 Butternut Drive: Spoke in opposition to Chelsea Gardens; stated that the abutters to CG should have been notified prior to cutting; questions how long CG should be allowed to operate in Mohegan Park if substantial funding isn’t secured; stated that CG has received funding from various City related sources. Roberta Klapper, 49 Butternut Drive: Spoke in opposition to Chelsea Gardens; questioned if meeting between MP Committee and CG will be public; stated that motor bikes are now running in the cleared area and that people are partying; agreed with comments made by Hazel Brown. 8. OTHER BUSINESS: Response by Committee Member to Citizen Comments:  Chairman Smith stated that the meeting between Chelsea Gardens and the Mohegan Park Committee would be public.  Ellison explained that the Mohegan Park Development Fund is designated exclusively for Mohegan Park related expenditures and that it was previously funded and replenished by a percentage of the conveyance tax. The fund no longer receives a percentage of the conveyance tax. Alderman Bettencourt pointed out that the City Council has recently appropriated capital dollars to Mohegan Park projects. Member Crowley inquired whether any Mohegan Park Development Funds were donated to Chelsea Gardens.  Member Hyde stated that Chelsea Gardens just received a favorable court decision regarding the temporary injunction and is now ready to embark on its capital funding campaign. Hyde stated that there is an enormous amount of money available for projects like CG through endowments, foundations,  etc. Hyde further stated that the courts found no erosion and sedimentation control violations. Hyde also stated that, in regard to security, there were already mischievous activities going on in this section of Mohegan Park and that opening up the land doesn’t necessarily invite more, but rather may take away hiding places for mischievous behavior. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m. (Motion: Crowley, Second: Barbuto).