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Monday, November 30, 2009

Hearings tonight on liberalizing signage regulations

There is a special Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting tonight, Monday, November 30, 2009 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Robert Earley Auditorium / Town Hall – 45 South Main Street (the agenda can be found here).

There will be a public hearing at 7PM regarding two proposed amendments:

1) Zoning Amendment/PZC/Temporary Signs #909-09
2) Zoning Amendment/PZC/Downtown Signs #912-09

There is some summary information regarding the topics in a Record Journal article in this morning’s paper (Monday November 30th) – I have cross posted it at http://bit.ly/4OE3FN

I am going to try to get to the meeting tonight to hear all of the details but it sounds promising mainly because it sounds like the PZC is willing to listen to the concerns of the businesses and come to a consensus about how to both provide a means for allowing additional signage that will hopefully be tactful for a given business and at the same time more clearly define what is not permissible.

I don’t know if they are going to address giving any type of bite to the ordinance enforcement side (and let’s be frank – without teeth there are very few that will comply) but we’ll have to see how it all unfolds.

So bloggers – what are your thoughts ahead of the meeting?

Is this a positive step in the right direction? I think so but I am sure there are others out there with deferring opinions.

Let’s hear them.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

POLICE STATION FEASIBILITY STUDY NOVEMBER 2009

Report Prepared by Jacunski Humes Architects – DOWNLOAD PDF (8.71 MB file – please allow some time for the download).

Wallingford Police Department Request for Proposal (RFP without appendix) – DOWNLOAD PDF

Police Chief's Report to Mayor April 2007 – DOWNLOAD PDF




Saturday, November 28, 2009

Connecticut's Senate Republicans Present a Citizen's Guide to Energy Assistance and Tax Breaks

http://bit.ly/6oIC3o - A comprehensive web site detailing assistance programs and tax incentives available in Connecticut that may help residents lower their energy bills this winter.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Wallingford Police Station needs assessment discussed at Council Meeting

The second to last item on the council agenda this week was the report out on the Police Station needs assessment and the possibility of building the new station on the Wooding-Caplan property.

Dave Moran from the Record Journal posted an article Humes gives Wallingford council final station report, advising against expansion on MyRecordJournal.com with all the details.


Click on the image to enlarge

The short summary:

  • Jacunski Humes Architects of Berlin hired study the possibilities
  • Expand the 28,117-square-foot station at 135 N. Main St
  • Build a new structure on the Wooding-Caplan property.
  • The Police Department's needs through 2030
  • 47,000 square foot station
  • 150 parking spaces
  • The report estimates that a new station on the Wooding-Caplan parcel would cost the town $20.25 million, if construction were to begin next spring
  • The price tag jumps to $23.69 million, if it were to begin in 2014, taking into account inflation of material and construction costs.
  • Police Chief Douglas Dortenzio indicted that construction completion and occupancy would be three years from the start date

So bloggers – what are your thoughts?

The Chief indicated there is no practical way to manage a satellite station or a precinct in a town like Wallingford with a smaller population than a city like Hartford or New Haven. Do you agree with this?

The comment was also made that the current station is at its capacity and has "no growth room."

The Chief commented that the issue of an adequate facility for the Police Department versus the town's ability to pay for it is a question of priorities.

What should the town’s priorities be in this situation?

Should we defer construction for down the road when we might be in a better position to pay for it knowing that it will be more expensive or should we tighten that belt a little more and get started with the project while its a buyers market as far as construction, materials and labor goes?


Monday, November 23, 2009

Wallingford Town Council meets Tuesday

From the Record Journal’s Latest Headlines

WALLINGFORD - The Wallingford Town Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Robert Earley Auditorium of Town Hall, 45 S. Main St.

In addition to a public question and answer period, the agenda includes an item to accept more than $3 million in grant money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be applied to the School System's operating budget and a review of the final report regarding the Police Station Feasibility Study.

The town commissioned the architect firm of Jacunski Humes in June of 2008 for $67,000 to study the feasibility of either expanding the existing police station at 135 N. Main St. or building a new structure on the Wooding-Caplan property, a 3.5 acre parcel the town purchased in 1992 for $1.5 million.

In the final report, filed last week with the town, Brian W. Humes, a partner in the firm, advises against attempting to expand the existing station. Humes estimates a new 47,000-square foot station on the Wooding-Caplan parcel would cost the town anywhere from $20.25 million, if construction were to begin in the spring of 2010, to $23.69 million, if construction took place in 2014.

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT - REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers – 45 South Main Street

AGENDA - November 24, 2009 6:30 P.M

MP3 AUDIO – Wallingford Town Council Meeting – November 10, 2009 is now online

The regular meeting of the Wallingford Town Council from November 10, 2009 is now online and available in MP3 audio format.

You can now download the MP3 files and listen to the council meeting in your car on the way to work or while going for a walk or whenever you have the free time to listen in.

There is no need to be a slave to the schedule of the actual meetings every 2nd and 4th Tuesday or the broadcast schedule on Government Access TV (if you get it), nor do you need to sit in front of the computer and stare at the screen for 3+ hours Click the links and let the file download and SAVE AS to put it on any MP3 device.

If you decide to open it directly and begin streaming (or if your audio player does this by default) it may need to wait for one to two minutes for the download to reach a point where it will begin to play on its own.

It’s your town – get informed and get involved.

Wallingford Town Council from November 10, 2009

VIDEO – Wallingford Town Council Meeting - November 10, 2009

The regular meeting of the Wallingford Town Council November 10, 2009 meeting is now available.

Since the mayor has given the order to stop providing the council meetings online I have decided that, in light of fact that other towns coming online to do this and due to the fact that the election season is upon us, that I will provide the meetings as I am able to.

It’s your town – get informed and get involved.

Wallingford Town Council Meeting – November 10, 2009