Agenda 3.9.2019

Horton Property Purchase:

• On February 26, 2019, the Town of Hebron Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the purchase of the Horton property and concluded that it was consistent with the Plan of Conservation and Development Goals and Policies.
• The Planning Commission report and recommendation included the following:
  • Purchase of this parcel is consistent with a number of Goals and Policies in the 2014 Town of Hebron Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), and specifically:
• The wetland corridors within the parcelare included within a Planned Greenway as shown on the Future Open Space map contained in the POCD;
• In the Municipal Infrastructure Chapter of the POCD, several sections of the POCD encourage the Town to seek out land and opportunities for potential future public building needs including a replacement for Co. #1 Fire Station, Police services, Town offices, and a Public Works facility;
• Purchase of the property is a large planning vision for Hebron Center; and, it demonstrates good, comprehensive, long-range planning to meet a variety of municipal needs including future municipal buildings and open space.
  • The Town Of Hebron Public Building Committee has unanimously recommended this parcel of land be purchased for municipal uses.
• The purchase is consistent with the report and recommendation of the Town of Hebron’s Open Space Land Acquisition Committee dated 1/16/19, and they specifically made the following findings:
  • The property abuts the Raymond Brook Preserve (town-owned open space), from which the Preserve’s trail system could be extended north into the Village Square District, a goal established in the Town’s 2014 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).
  • Planned extension of the Preserve’s existing trail system to the west and southeast could connect the Neighborhood Convenience District and Air Line Trail State Park, respectively, to the Village Square District, enhancing trail enjoyment and business opportunities
  • Wetlands, existing conservation easements (16.9 acres) and areas of potential conservation easements comprise approximately 40%, or 35 acres of the property.  The conservation easements provide a 50’ wetland protective buffer.

• Acquisition of the approximate 35 acres would provide protection to on-site wetlands and a tributary of Raymond Brook, a Class A watercourse.  This tributary is upstream of the town’s Groundwater Protection Zone (formerly named Aquifer Protection Zone) hence protecting this watercourse protects potential future Town drinking water supplies.

• Located within the Future Open Space Greenways Map (Raymond Brook Greenway) as depicted in the Town’s 2014 POCD

• Potential agricultural use of a portion of the property could be continued

• The Concept Plan includes an area for a “great lawn” (new Town Green), which could host community-wide activities and events

• Purchase of the property would permit a future coordinated and planned “Municipal Complex”, similar to what is envisioned on “Concept Master Plan, Town of Hebron, New Town Complex”, with sufficient land to accommodate present and future public building needs, all within walking distance of Main Street;
• Located in Village Square Zoning District (formerly named the Village Green Zoning District) where Municipal facilities, Community centers, and Civic buildings and uses are all currently permitted uses by the Zoning Regulations;
• Concept Plan for Phase II of Village Green District and the new Municipal Complex Concept Plan both show a mix of land uses:
• Concept Master Plan for Village Green District in the Phase II area showed up to 75,000 s.f. of either office or industrial space; 23,000 s.f. of retail or office space, and 48 apartments and a 1500 s.f. community building.  And, the Plan showed a new Town Hall in Phase I. 
• Municipal Complex plan shows potentially 75,000 s.f. in future municipal offices or community center, 50,000 in municipal non-office use (fire station / PW garage and storage), and 16-20 senior housing units.

LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF HEBRON
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 – 7:00 P.M.
DOUGLAS LIBRARY OF HEBRON – COMMUNITY ROOM

The electors and voters of the Town of Hebron are hereby given notice and warned that a Special Town Meeting will be convened on Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 7:00 p.m.  in the Community Room at the Douglas Library of Hebron, 22 Main Street, Hebron, Connecticut, to consider and act upon the following resolution:

Pursuant to Section 304 C of the Hebron Town Charter, to approve the purchase  and to authorize the Town Manager to enter into a purchase agreement with Gary J. Horton, James C. Horton and Gregory M. Horton for two parcels of land located in the Town of Hebron, County of Tolland and State of Connecticut located on Kinney Road and Church Street (Route 85), comprised of:

• First Parcel:

The parcel partially shown on sheet 5 of plans entitled “RECORD SUBDIVISION MAP VILLAGE GREEN SUBDIVISION-PHASE I PREPARED FOR O’CONNELL DEVELOPMENT GROUP HEBRON, CONN., dated 5-5-16, Scale 1” = 100’ sheets 1-10, map no. 17-16-1S, revised to 9-7-16 and prepared by Megson, Heagle and Friend, Civil Engineers & Land Surveyors, LLC, 81 Rankin Road, Glastonbury Conn. 06033 phone (860)-659-0587 ” (“Plans”) which Plans are on file or to be filed in the office of the Hebron Town Clerk, as “PHASE II REMAINING LAND AREA = 3,860341 S.F.=88.62 AC.” and partially shown on sheet 3 of the Plans as bounded on the west by land now or formerly of ST. PETER’S PARISH EPISCOPAL ECC. SOC, on the north by land now or formerly of DONALD J. AND RITA. F SIMONS, on the east and north by land now or formerly owned by 94 MAIN STREET ASSOC. LLC and on the east by land now or formerly owned by 94 MAIN STREET ASSOC. LLC, and partially shown on sheet 4 of the Plans and labeled as the parcel “N/F HORTON BROS., LLC,” which portion of the parcel is bounded on the east by a 9.48 acre lot labeled as lot 3 the Village Green Subdivision-Phase I and on the south by Kinney Road.

• Second Parcel:

The parcel identified as “PARCEL“A” AREA TO BE RETAINED BY JAMES C. GARY J. AND GREGORY M. HORTON FOR FUTURE REALIGNMENT OF KINNEY ROAD AREA EQUAL 30,085 S. F. 0.69 AC. On a certain plan entitled “PARCELS “A” & “B” KINNEY ROAD & CHURCH STREET (CONN. ROUTE 85 PREPARED FOR HORTON BROS. LLC HEBRON, CONN.”),” dated 3-24-10, scale 1”= 40’, sheet 2 of 2 map no. 18-10-1 and prepared by Megson, Heagle, Civil Engineers & Land Surveyors, LLC, 81 Rankin Road, Glastonbury Conn. 06033 phone (860)-659-0587”.

in the amount of $600,000.00 with funds to come from the Open Space Land Acquisition account in the amount of $160,000 and from the Unassigned Fund Balance in the amount of $440,000, as recommended and approved by the Hebron Board of Selectmen and Hebron Board of Finance. 

Dated at Hebron, Connecticut, this 21^st day of February, 2019.

                                                                                Hebron Board of Selectmen Daniel Larson, Chairman
Gail B. Richmond, Vice Chairman
                                                                               Brian D. O’Connell
                                                                                Clara O’Brien
                                                                                John B. Collins 

The Town Municipal Offices will be closed Monday, February 18, 2019 in observance of President’s Day.

Severe Cold Weather Alert

Activation of Protocol January 30, 2019 to February 3, 2019

TO:  DEMHS Regional Coordinators, Local Chief Executive Officers, Fire Chiefs, Police    Chiefs, Emergency Management Directors, and Other Local Officials

FROM:  Commissioner James Rovella, DESPP

Deputy Commissioner Regina Y. Rush-Kittle, DESPP/DEMHS

State Emergency Management Director William J. Hackett

DATE:  January 29, 2019

At the direction of Governor Ned Lamont, the Division of Emergency Management (DEMHS) within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), the Department of Housing (DOH), the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and the Department of Social Services (DSS), United Way 2-1-1, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, and other partners are implementing the severe cold weather protocol to ensure adequate shelter space during the upcoming severe cold weather.

The protocol is being activated as a result of the forecasted bitter cold temperatures from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday. The current protocol activation will be in effect from noon Wednesday, January 30, until noon Sunday, February 3. 

Governor Lamont encourages cities and towns to consider opening warming centers or other facilities to help those in need. In addition, we want to continue to ensure that if local shelters or other facilities used during cold weather emergencies reach their capacities, there is a system in place to find out where there is space so they can direct individuals and families accordingly. 

If you receive a call from someone looking for shelter and you are not aware of any shelter space, please direct the person to 2-1-1.  DEMHS will open an incident on WebEOC, “Weather 2019-01-30 Extreme Temp (Cold)”.  If your town opens a shelter or warming center, please indicate its status on WebEOC. Working with local shelters, 2-1-1 will act as clearinghouse to ensure that shelter space is found for those that need it.  Please spread the word of this critical service provided by 2-1-1.

On behalf of the Governor, thank you for your efforts to keep the residents of Connecticut safe and warm, especially during these cold weather events. 

New Year – Same Old Scams
Eversource and Better Business Bureau offer ways to avoid becoming a victim in 2019   

BERLIN, Conn. (January 28, 2019) – The New Year is in full swing and so are scams targeting utility customers across the country and right here in Connecticut. Already this year, customers in many towns around the state have been approached by scammers, either on the phone or at their door. To warn customers, Eversource and Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut are teaming up to ensure that people know the telltale signs of scams, so they can avoid becoming a victim.

“The scammers, often sounding legitimate and quite convincing, threaten to shut off electric service immediately unless instant payment is made,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “These scammers can be relentless but they’re only successful if they catch our customers off-guard and scare them into making a payment.  We remind customers, if something doesn’t sound right or feel right, trust your gut, and don’t pay.”

With the increase in scams across the country, BBB offers ScamTracker which is a national tracking system that provides up-to-date information on the latest scams. The tool allows consumers to submit scam reports and see what scams are happening right in their backyard. BBB uses ScamTracker to investigate when increased fraudulent activity is reported in a particular area.

“One similarity in many scams, including utility scams, is a sense of urgency. Scammers often convince consumers that payment must be made immediately and that is always a red flag,” says Better Business Bureau Spokesperson

for Connecticut Luke Frey. “The more we educate consumers on the basic red flags of a scam, the least likely they are to become victims.”

Tips to help avoid becoming a victim:

• Eversource representatives never demand instant payment over the phone, require the use of pre-paid debit cards or request customers meet at a payment center to make the payment.
• Never provide personal financial or account information to any unsolicited person on the phone, at the door or online, even if they seem legitimate.
• Beware, some sophisticated scammers can manipulate their caller ID to say the caller is with Eversource.
• Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive a written notice that includes information on how to maintain their service.
• Customers can verify they are speaking with an Eversource representative by asking for some basic information about their account like the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance.

Eversource urges anyone who has doubts about the legitimacy of a call, visit or an offer, to contact the company directly at 1-800-286-2000. Eversource.com provides more information on how to protect personal information and avoid being a victim of utility scams.

Check out this story to learn how one business avoided falling victim to a scammer.

Eversource (NYSE: ES) transmits and delivers electricity to 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns, provides natural gas to 232,000 customers in 73 communities, and supplies water to approximately 197,000 customers in 51 communities across Connecticut. Recognized as the top U.S. utility for its energy efficiency programs by the sustainability advocacy organization Ceres, Eversource harnesses the commitment of its more than 8,300 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. For more information, please visit our website (www.eversource.com) and follow us on Twitter (@EversourceCT) and Facebook (facebook.com/EversourceCT). For more information on our water services, visit www.aquarionwater.com.

When Hebron needs to open a warming center or shelter we need volunteers to man them. That’s what the CERT team is for. Unfortunately, CERT numbers have dropped in Hebron as members have retired or moved. New CERT volunteers are needed to continue performing important public safety functions. The training and equipment are free. Please consider volunteering with the CERT team.  There’s a training class starting next month.  Email OEM@hebronct.com to learn more.