Video index
1. Call Meeting to Order
6
2. Roll Call
Roll call (10 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)
DECA Club received Proclamation from Deputy Mayor Havens Lisa - thanked everyone - kids worked very hard - they have done a lot of fund raising and community service. coat drive, scare crow contestest.
3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of a majority of the Town Council.]
John Dzen Jr. 245 Barber Hill Road, here tonight as the landowenr for the driveway access dispute. here as Vice President Inc. I have been asked here tonight by Coujncilor Paterna - we are in a big mess. There is enough fault on everyone's issue. We need to find common ground and work our way through this. This is not a new issue. This is something we have been working on for some time. In 2007 my parents sold a piece of land to a builder. My notes are vague - In 2009 met with 3 members Town Staff and 2 members SWALPAC to try ot rent town owned open space. That was the real purpose of the meeting. we talked at great length. I had a subdivision map with me and asked for permission to build a driveway in the cult de sac Blue Spruce road - put the driveway before the road and it will be preexisting. For 2009 2012 built a drivewya - used the driveway 2009 to 2012 with the builders permission.l 2013 hired an attorney - that is when we started talking about our future. 8-2013 in pre construction meeting - page 4 Planning comments - the cul de sac must be established with no access to the north prior to the issuance of co on Blue Spruce - Town staff knew I had a driveway and knew I used that access. We did not know the notes were in there. Decem 2013 after the preconstruction meeting still had an agreement with the June 2014 had permit for seasonal farm stand. sold trees and blueberries Michtell property - staff reviewed comments - Sullivan Avenue traffic would not be able to have - June 2014 first co on Blue Spruce - got rid of the access. Scheduled meeting with Town staff - everyone of the meetings we encouraged staff to talk about this. Sept 2014 attended P & Z meeting. The Mayor has been quoted on facebook page "" not sure I agree with the Mayor having a facebook page. My engineer requested a driveway permit. on the same day engineer asked to be on formal meeting agenda for P & Z but was denied. Went to P a& Z meeting and spoke under public partiicpation. We did not get any response under that. Town's posiiton is that it is a private road. On Sept 25, did walking tour with Town staff. We asked for an answer. Nov 111, 2014 we announced we would not be opening. The purpose of that statement was to let our customers know we will not be open. We did not want the neighborhood to be disrupted. Have comment from TA - The Tow proposal is not acceptable to the f - Town encouraged me to build a road access so we hired a road builder - we need a two lane road - dirveway has to be lenth - we have extreme grade changes - the most expensive part is crossing the Podunk River and crossing the wetlands. We have looked at different ideas - the propsal would cost 130,000 to 150,000 range. We have had a lot of luck working with town staff on wetlands. WE can't physically spend that type of money on a driveway. My engeinner has said to extend Blue Spruce - which woudl cost 80,000 to 100,000 for a driveway I need 5 days out of the year. The second statement from TA - dispute between the developer and farm. We continue to have a relationship with the developer except for the issue that the town hall got in themiddle of. he les us use the driveway after august meeting. One other thing Mayor commented on was we should cut trees and bring them in - that is a small opportunity for us. That is not a good solution. we don't have the ability to do that. We are in the experience farm experience. 1,200 individuals have signed a petition. We have had incredible number of offers from businesses.
Mary - 16 Fox Glove Lane - did make statement on facebook. thanked everyone for their time. The thing thta happened when I read the post is how is this happening in the Town of South Windsor and to a family who has brought business to town. saddens me to have a family issue come forth in the media. Everyone did the right thing but communications have been broken down. why was a small buisness not taken into consideration when the first steps were made. I drove down the other day - where are the people that thought about a small business. We need to work together as a community.
Tim 56 Pearen Lane - this is the petition that was on line. also gave a hard copy - 72 hours there was about1200 signed - people come from all over to get trees. This is a place where family traditions begin. It is an outing for these families so other businesses will lose money too. They spend hours there. If SW prides itself on small buisnes we should be helping.
27 Blue Spruce Road - moved in two days ago., We bought a house on a cul de sac - we purchased this because quiet cul de sac and wanted safe area for them to go and play. I have been there two days - It brings concerns to me. Offering another solution - creating driveway may add benefit to the day - do like a hayride out to the Christmas tree - as a customer I would think that would be fun.
Leslie Lee Carmon, 208 Dogwood Lane - it does not matter how we got there and whose fault it is. WE have lived in SW for 18 years - we settled on Dzen Tree Farm because of the whole experience. You could spend a day. Kids seeing a reindeer from the North Pole. I know it is not TC problem to fix this problem but this has gotten out of hand. I am asking TC to please use your positions to work with the appropriate departments, the land owners, the builder - we need a solution. It is way too important - small busineess struggle. pelase get involved and find a solution.
Karen, 8 Vicent Circle - Where traditions are made. for 45 years people have gone to the farm to get the perfect tree. we have been picking our trees there for 16 years. WE are all making family members. Please lets work together with the tree farm to get it open again.
Ms. Merry Claus - my husband and I own a small business - We have been visting the Dzen farm for manyyears and it is a marvelous place. Not only do they cut trees but they have reindeer. They are a delight to all who come to visit. YOu can buy christmas wreath and they have - encourage
John Mitchell, hate to tell you how many hours I have spent in cutting those trees down. for 70 years I have seen such a presence of farming in this community. strawberries, carrots - famous crops in this community. 41 Windy Hill Drive - SW history is very steep in agriculture and it would be my hope that we take some steps tonight to move towards a permanent solution. Hope tonight we will work towards a permanent solution., lets take small steps and work towards a permanent solution.
Becky, 341 Griffin Road - in 1990 my brother Tony was in the Gulf War - when he came home in April wanted to celebrate Christmas - Dzen Farm gave us a tree in April - farmers are very important. this buisnes is importnat to all of us. This should not have happened to them and let see what we can do.
Kevin McCann, 170 Lisa Drive - have lived in SW for 31 years and have purchased trees from Dzen Tree Farm. We also visited Dzen Tree FArm across the road and the other tree farm. when I saw that ther ewas a special meeting tonigth I was puzzled to see why you would be having a meeting. I was also puzzled how why you would hav ea Town Council meeting on a matter that ais between two private parties. P & Z has its own set of reponsibilities, different from what theTC - TC can not order a cut through - I would hope that the TC is honest with the Dzen's and people of SW - don't think ther is anything TC can do other then work with the Manager and two parties. There is nothing that you can do to solve this. Please be honest and open - let them know what you can and can't do.
Ms , 35 Blue Spruce Road - I really respect all of the emotions - hope this town can find solution. would like this quiet neighborhood to stay as it is and find a solution for the Dzen Tree FArm
Susan, 24 Judge Lane - this makes me very upset that a small business is not able to do buisness. Even if something is done for a month or two until something is done permanently.
Tim Shepard, 45 Newberry Road - I think the thing tht is wrong in WAshington is no on talks any more. looking for a good answer is better then a resolution. We should try to find an answer. The other thing is I like to have people think about - you ar eon a cul de sac but there is a provision for extneidng a cul de sac. farm preserve or be developed. maybe someone has choice of being on a quiet cul de sac - looking at something 10 years down the road would rather see the farm working then eventually the cul de sace being extneded.
Tom, 34 Barber HIl Road - upset about Mayor making a comment that 3,000 cars go by - I knew that would happen because I moved in next to a tree farm. One thing I have been in this Town my whole life. I hate it when people move next to a farm and they say they don't want to deal with what happens at a farm. You have to do due dilgience when you buy a house.
Brian Holmes - been in town for my whole life. These farms are the farms that we ran around - we have gotten further away from small town. we need to take care of our small businesses. We have a great education
4. Communications
Galligna - purpose of this meeting was to go into executive session to discuss this issue. I think there are some idea - I have some ideas and I think w need to get into that. We need to get into the history - Michele Lipe be part of those discussion.
5. Executive Session
A. Discussion of Potential Claims and Litigation, (Dzen Tree Farm).
At 6:55 motion to go into executive session, Liz, Tom, unanimous
7:42 Tom, Jan, unanimous adjourned Executive Session
6. Special Business
A. Discussion Item: Dzen Tree Farm, (requested by Deputy Mayor Havens, Councilor Paterna and Councilor Pendleton).
Galligan - the reason for the executive session is to put our minds together to find a solution between the town and the farm and the subdivision. We talked about a couple of various actions. The council wants me to explore someoptions - would like to meet with the Dzen's and their attorney and the Town ATtorney - feel it is a solution. I would like everyone ot know I think it was a strong concensus form the council. we are hping tomorrow could set up date and find a solution. Thanked the Council for their time. Do think we have a solution. Havens - what about the preent year? Galligna - do not think we can do anything at this time but also heard Mr. Dzen say he could not do anything this year. John Dzen - thank you -
7. Adjournment
7:55 p.m. Tom, Liz, unanimous
Nov 24, 2014 Town Council Special Meeting
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1. Call Meeting to Order
6
2. Roll Call
Roll call (10 Present, 0 Absent, 0 Excused)
DECA Club received Proclamation from Deputy Mayor Havens Lisa - thanked everyone - kids worked very hard - they have done a lot of fund raising and community service. coat drive, scare crow contestest.
3. Public Participation [Per Town Council Rules, this segment of the meeting shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes unless extended by the Mayor, with the consent of a majority of the Town Council.]
John Dzen Jr. 245 Barber Hill Road, here tonight as the landowenr for the driveway access dispute. here as Vice President Inc. I have been asked here tonight by Coujncilor Paterna - we are in a big mess. There is enough fault on everyone's issue. We need to find common ground and work our way through this. This is not a new issue. This is something we have been working on for some time. In 2007 my parents sold a piece of land to a builder. My notes are vague - In 2009 met with 3 members Town Staff and 2 members SWALPAC to try ot rent town owned open space. That was the real purpose of the meeting. we talked at great length. I had a subdivision map with me and asked for permission to build a driveway in the cult de sac Blue Spruce road - put the driveway before the road and it will be preexisting. For 2009 2012 built a drivewya - used the driveway 2009 to 2012 with the builders permission.l 2013 hired an attorney - that is when we started talking about our future. 8-2013 in pre construction meeting - page 4 Planning comments - the cul de sac must be established with no access to the north prior to the issuance of co on Blue Spruce - Town staff knew I had a driveway and knew I used that access. We did not know the notes were in there. Decem 2013 after the preconstruction meeting still had an agreement with the June 2014 had permit for seasonal farm stand. sold trees and blueberries Michtell property - staff reviewed comments - Sullivan Avenue traffic would not be able to have - June 2014 first co on Blue Spruce - got rid of the access. Scheduled meeting with Town staff - everyone of the meetings we encouraged staff to talk about this. Sept 2014 attended P & Z meeting. The Mayor has been quoted on facebook page "" not sure I agree with the Mayor having a facebook page. My engineer requested a driveway permit. on the same day engineer asked to be on formal meeting agenda for P & Z but was denied. Went to P a& Z meeting and spoke under public partiicpation. We did not get any response under that. Town's posiiton is that it is a private road. On Sept 25, did walking tour with Town staff. We asked for an answer. Nov 111, 2014 we announced we would not be opening. The purpose of that statement was to let our customers know we will not be open. We did not want the neighborhood to be disrupted. Have comment from TA - The Tow proposal is not acceptable to the f - Town encouraged me to build a road access so we hired a road builder - we need a two lane road - dirveway has to be lenth - we have extreme grade changes - the most expensive part is crossing the Podunk River and crossing the wetlands. We have looked at different ideas - the propsal would cost 130,000 to 150,000 range. We have had a lot of luck working with town staff on wetlands. WE can't physically spend that type of money on a driveway. My engeinner has said to extend Blue Spruce - which woudl cost 80,000 to 100,000 for a driveway I need 5 days out of the year. The second statement from TA - dispute between the developer and farm. We continue to have a relationship with the developer except for the issue that the town hall got in themiddle of. he les us use the driveway after august meeting. One other thing Mayor commented on was we should cut trees and bring them in - that is a small opportunity for us. That is not a good solution. we don't have the ability to do that. We are in the experience farm experience. 1,200 individuals have signed a petition. We have had incredible number of offers from businesses.
Mary - 16 Fox Glove Lane - did make statement on facebook. thanked everyone for their time. The thing thta happened when I read the post is how is this happening in the Town of South Windsor and to a family who has brought business to town. saddens me to have a family issue come forth in the media. Everyone did the right thing but communications have been broken down. why was a small buisness not taken into consideration when the first steps were made. I drove down the other day - where are the people that thought about a small business. We need to work together as a community.
Tim 56 Pearen Lane - this is the petition that was on line. also gave a hard copy - 72 hours there was about1200 signed - people come from all over to get trees. This is a place where family traditions begin. It is an outing for these families so other businesses will lose money too. They spend hours there. If SW prides itself on small buisnes we should be helping.
27 Blue Spruce Road - moved in two days ago., We bought a house on a cul de sac - we purchased this because quiet cul de sac and wanted safe area for them to go and play. I have been there two days - It brings concerns to me. Offering another solution - creating driveway may add benefit to the day - do like a hayride out to the Christmas tree - as a customer I would think that would be fun.
Leslie Lee Carmon, 208 Dogwood Lane - it does not matter how we got there and whose fault it is. WE have lived in SW for 18 years - we settled on Dzen Tree Farm because of the whole experience. You could spend a day. Kids seeing a reindeer from the North Pole. I know it is not TC problem to fix this problem but this has gotten out of hand. I am asking TC to please use your positions to work with the appropriate departments, the land owners, the builder - we need a solution. It is way too important - small busineess struggle. pelase get involved and find a solution.
Karen, 8 Vicent Circle - Where traditions are made. for 45 years people have gone to the farm to get the perfect tree. we have been picking our trees there for 16 years. WE are all making family members. Please lets work together with the tree farm to get it open again.
Ms. Merry Claus - my husband and I own a small business - We have been visting the Dzen farm for manyyears and it is a marvelous place. Not only do they cut trees but they have reindeer. They are a delight to all who come to visit. YOu can buy christmas wreath and they have - encourage
John Mitchell, hate to tell you how many hours I have spent in cutting those trees down. for 70 years I have seen such a presence of farming in this community. strawberries, carrots - famous crops in this community. 41 Windy Hill Drive - SW history is very steep in agriculture and it would be my hope that we take some steps tonight to move towards a permanent solution. Hope tonight we will work towards a permanent solution., lets take small steps and work towards a permanent solution.
Becky, 341 Griffin Road - in 1990 my brother Tony was in the Gulf War - when he came home in April wanted to celebrate Christmas - Dzen Farm gave us a tree in April - farmers are very important. this buisnes is importnat to all of us. This should not have happened to them and let see what we can do.
Kevin McCann, 170 Lisa Drive - have lived in SW for 31 years and have purchased trees from Dzen Tree Farm. We also visited Dzen Tree FArm across the road and the other tree farm. when I saw that ther ewas a special meeting tonigth I was puzzled to see why you would be having a meeting. I was also puzzled how why you would hav ea Town Council meeting on a matter that ais between two private parties. P & Z has its own set of reponsibilities, different from what theTC - TC can not order a cut through - I would hope that the TC is honest with the Dzen's and people of SW - don't think ther is anything TC can do other then work with the Manager and two parties. There is nothing that you can do to solve this. Please be honest and open - let them know what you can and can't do.
Ms , 35 Blue Spruce Road - I really respect all of the emotions - hope this town can find solution. would like this quiet neighborhood to stay as it is and find a solution for the Dzen Tree FArm
Susan, 24 Judge Lane - this makes me very upset that a small business is not able to do buisness. Even if something is done for a month or two until something is done permanently.
Tim Shepard, 45 Newberry Road - I think the thing tht is wrong in WAshington is no on talks any more. looking for a good answer is better then a resolution. We should try to find an answer. The other thing is I like to have people think about - you ar eon a cul de sac but there is a provision for extneidng a cul de sac. farm preserve or be developed. maybe someone has choice of being on a quiet cul de sac - looking at something 10 years down the road would rather see the farm working then eventually the cul de sace being extneded.
Tom, 34 Barber HIl Road - upset about Mayor making a comment that 3,000 cars go by - I knew that would happen because I moved in next to a tree farm. One thing I have been in this Town my whole life. I hate it when people move next to a farm and they say they don't want to deal with what happens at a farm. You have to do due dilgience when you buy a house.
Brian Holmes - been in town for my whole life. These farms are the farms that we ran around - we have gotten further away from small town. we need to take care of our small businesses. We have a great education
4. Communications
Galligna - purpose of this meeting was to go into executive session to discuss this issue. I think there are some idea - I have some ideas and I think w need to get into that. We need to get into the history - Michele Lipe be part of those discussion.
5. Executive Session
A. Discussion of Potential Claims and Litigation, (Dzen Tree Farm).
At 6:55 motion to go into executive session, Liz, Tom, unanimous
7:42 Tom, Jan, unanimous adjourned Executive Session
6. Special Business
A. Discussion Item: Dzen Tree Farm, (requested by Deputy Mayor Havens, Councilor Paterna and Councilor Pendleton).
Galligan - the reason for the executive session is to put our minds together to find a solution between the town and the farm and the subdivision. We talked about a couple of various actions. The council wants me to explore someoptions - would like to meet with the Dzen's and their attorney and the Town ATtorney - feel it is a solution. I would like everyone ot know I think it was a strong concensus form the council. we are hping tomorrow could set up date and find a solution. Thanked the Council for their time. Do think we have a solution. Havens - what about the preent year? Galligna - do not think we can do anything at this time but also heard Mr. Dzen say he could not do anything this year. John Dzen - thank you -
7. Adjournment
7:55 p.m. Tom, Liz, unanimous
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