beagenda

MINUTES

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WATERTOWN ZON= ING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC HEARING

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WEDNESDA= Y, JULY 25, 2007 - 7:30 P.M.

JOHN TRUMBULL PRIMARY SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER

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APPLICATION #851 - ERICH WEIHRAUCH=

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PRESENT:        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Bruno Disisto, Secretary

            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;          John Griffith, Vice Ch= airman

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; Phil Roger

  &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Enrico Sarandrea, Chai= rman

ABSENT:        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;         Roger Mitchell

ALTERNATES PRESENT:<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:2'>        &= nbsp;     Gary Swingle

  &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;       Cynthia Tun

ALTERNATES ABSENT:            &= nbsp;   None

OTHERS PRESENT:      = ;            &n= bsp;     Moosa Rafey, Assistant Zoning Enforcement Officer

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1.         = Call Meeting To Order

            Mr. Sarandrea, Chairman, Called the Public Hearing to Order at 7:30 p.m.

2.     &nb= sp;   Roll Call

            Mr. DiSisto, Secretary, executed the Roll Call.

            Mr. Sarandrea, Chairman, asked Ms. Tun to sit in for Mr. Mitchell, in his absen= ce.

            Mr. Sarandrea, Chairman, read aloud the Ground Rules as follows for the record:=

"ZONING BOARD OF = APPEALS

GROUND RULES

1.&n= bsp;            = ; The applica= nt or his representative will make his formal presentation to the Board stating h= is specific hardship and precisely why this merits a variance from the Zoning Regulations of the Town of Wat= ertown.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #851 - ERICH WEIHRAUCH

JULY 25,= 2007

Page 2

2.&n= bsp;            = ;     All comment= s, discussions, and observations shall be made through the Chair after proper recognition by the Chairman. = This is necessary to ensure that only one person at a time speaks on any issue, = thus making it easier for everyone to understand, and for clearer legal transcription.

3.&n= bsp;            = ;     All persons addressing the Commission shall begin by first clearly stating their name a= nd address for the record. If necessary, the person may be asked to spell his or her name for the record.=

4.&n= bsp;            = ;     Following t= he presentation of the application, the Zoning Board of Appeals will ask speci= fic questions of the applicant.

5.&n= bsp;            = ;     After the B= oard has asked its questions of the applicant, I shall then allow members of the public who wishes to speak either in favor of this application or against i= t to address the Board.

6.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall then allow the applicant to respond to the comments of the members of the general public.

7.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall the= n allow any members of the general public who wish to present any additional information or clarifying discussion to do so.

8.&n= bsp;            = ;     I shall then provide an opportunity for the applicant to respond to these additional rem= arks if he or his representative so wishes.

9.&n= bsp;            = ;     The Zoning = Board of Appeals has thirty-five (35) days from the date the Public Hearing comme= nces to complete the Public Hearing. The Board may ask the applicant for a thirty-five (35) day extension of the Pub= lic Hearing period if the Commission requires any additional information or wis= hes to schedule a site walk to observe the situation for themselves.=

10.&= nbsp;           &nbs= p; The Zoning = Board of Appeals has sixty-five (65) days from the date when the Public Hearing is closed to render its decision. The Board may or may not make its decision tonight at its Regular Meeting follo= wing the Public Hearing.

11.     &n= bsp; You may stay for the Regular Meeting if you wish or you may leave at the end of= the Public Hearing and contact the Zoning Office the following morning to deter= mine the status of your Application."

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #851 - ERICH WEIHRAUCH

JULY 25,= 2007

Page 3

            Mr. Disisto, Secretary, read aloud the Legal Notice for the record as follows:<= o:p>

"Legal Notice

            The Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Watertown will hold a Public Hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at the = John Trumbull Primary School Media Center, 779 Buckingham Street, Watertown, CT to hear and act upon the following applications:

            Application #851 of Erich Weihrauch requesting for a 20 foot height variance to permit = the installation of a wind turbine to be 55 feet high located on a residential property at 360 Straits Turnpike, Watertown, CT in an R-30 Residential Zoni= ng District.

            Section 23.5.2 of the Watertown Zoning Regulations permits maximum height of 35 feet for a structure in an R-30 Residential Zoning District.

            At this Hearing interested persons and written communications will be heard. A copy of the application is on fi= le in the Planning and Zoning Office, 51 Depot Street, Suite 502, Watertown, CT.

            Dated at Watertown, CT this 12th day of July, 2007.

            Dated at Watertown, CT this 18th day of July, 2007.

            Bruno Disisto, Secretary

            Zoning Board of Appeals"

3.         Hearing of Cases=

        &= nbsp;   A.        Application #851 of Eric Weihrauch for 20 foot height variance to permit the installati= on of a 55 feet high wind turbine on a residential property at 360 Straits Turnpike, Watertown, CT.

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        &= nbsp;   The Public Hearing must be Closed by August 29, 2007, unless applicant grants a= n extension of time.

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<= span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>Erich Weihrauch, 360 S= traits Turnpike, Watertown= , CT <= st1:PostalCode w:st=3D"on">06795
<= span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>

Mr. Weihrauch: I'm here to ask for a variance due to my hardship which is I have high surrounding trees on neighbor's properties, and they're too high for me to go at the law require= d 35 feet maximum height and therefore I ask for a variance to be able to get mo= re of the wind and be able to put through electricity independently. Basically my variance request is geographic, due to the high trees surrounding my property. I have neighbors who are encouragi= ng me to do it, they have signed a statement saying they are all for it and basic= ally it's just (inaudible) and I hope you grant it. I also have the receipts from the letters that were sent to the neighbors.

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #851 - ERICH WEIHRAUCH

JULY 25,= 2007

Page 4

Mr. Disisto: Why do you want the windmill?<= /o:p>

Mr. Weihrauch: = Well in the future we looked at the energy problem and as citizens we have to do our part to help out. In my case I think it's a great id= ea to do electricity from Mother Nature, not to pollute, not the coal burning pla= nts and things that are needed and it helps keep our air clean and environmenta= lly friendly and many more people should be doing that solar wind, any which wa= y to get power.

Mr. Sarandrea: What company is instal= ling this for you?

Mr. Weihrauch: The same guy who will install Kurt's, out of Rhode Island.

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Mr. Sarandrea: Do you have any specif= ics on it?

Mr. Weihrauch: Yes, 3.5 (inaudible).<= o:p>

Mr. Sarandrea: Did you bring some typ= e of prints or schematics or something so we know what it's made of or what you'= re building?

Mr. Weihrauch:<= /b> No, I didn't bring any of that bec= ause I brought it to several meetings and I thought the Board was aware of what th= is looked like.

Mr. Sarandrea: We know that but there= 's all different companies and I don't know which particular one you're buying. He had a (inaudible) turbine you might be buying a . . . . I was just curious to know if you had some kind of schematics.

Mr. Weihrauch:<= /b> I don't have them but however it h= as been accepted.

Mr. Sarandrea: Is it the exact same o= ne?

Mr. Weihrauch:<= /b> Windmills (inaudible).<= /span>

Mr. Sarandrea: If it does get approved I'd appreciate it if you would submit the exact one you're buying to the zo= ning office.

Mr. Rafey:<= span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bo= ld'> Would you mention the model that i= s 3.5 Sky Streamer, that is the name of that brand, the model.<= /p>

Mr. Weihrauch:<= /b> Yes, that's the (inaudible).<= /o:p>

Mr. Sarandrea: I'm sure they could gi= ve you some kind of booklet or something that has, in case it gets approved, I= 'd like to have that on record.

Mr. Weihrauch:<= /b> Okay, I'll get that for you.<= /o:p>

WATERTOWN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

PUBLIC H= EARING

APPLICAT= ION #851 - ERICH WEIHRAUCH

JULY 25,= 2007

Page 5

Mr. Sarandrea: Does anyone else on th= e Board have any questions? Is there = anyone un the public who wants to speak for or against this application?

MOTION: &= nbsp;     (Mr. Roger, sec. Ms. Tun) to Close the Public Hearing for Application #851 of Er= ic Weihrauch for 20 foot height variance to permit the installation of a 55 fe= et high wind turbine on a residential property at 360 Straits Turnpike, Watert= own, CT.

Discussion:       None<= o:p>

MOTION PASSED UNANIMOU= SLY

Public Hearing Closed at about 7:38 p.m. (no time given).

Respect= fully submitted,

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Enrico Sarandrea, Chairman

Zoning = Board of Appeals

  &nbs= p;         _________________= _________________

  &nbs= p;         Lynn M. LaForme, Minutes Secretary