Rtm Notes: Darien Library Lease Extension Approved

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RTM notes: Darien Library lease extension approved Darien Times, The (CT) - September 27, 2007 Author: Austin Amoroso; Times Reporter In case there is a delay in construction of the new library building, the Representative Town Meeting voted 58-1 on Monday to extend the lease of the current building an extra two months - without rent. The lease will be extended until March 1, 2009 or until the new library is ready and available for occupancy, whichever occurs sooner. Flora Smith, RTM District 1 chairman, asked if anyone knew what the monthly lease amount would be. Jack Davis, a District 5 member, said that at one of the Finance & Budget Committee meetings, they estimated that it would be around $12,000 to $15,000 per month. "And it still didn't deter us from approving it," he said. "For those of you with any reservations, I suggest you consider the alternative," Lloyd Plehaty of District 6 said. "If the new building is, in fact, delayed, would you really want all the contents of the library dumped out on the street?" Town Hall getting new landscaping The RTM unanimously accepted a gift of $25,000 from Anne Cary, of Old Farm Road, for new landscaping at Town Hall. The landscaping, which will be along the front of the building, includes $1,634 for landscape design and $23,605 for plants and labor. The designs were performed by Wendy Dye Landscape Design and the work will be done by Dom's Landscaping. The work will take place between Oct. 1 and 7. After approval, Seth Morton of District 3 and chairman of the F&B Committee, made a sense of the meeting motion to thank Cary and her family for the gift and all of their contributions to the town over the years. It was approved unanimously. Darien Land Trust gets tax abatement In order to waive a $45,000 Darien Land Trust property tax bill, the RTM voted unanimously to amend the town's Code of Ordinances to permit the abatement of property taxes owed by nonprofit land conservation organizations. "The purpose of this item is to take advantage of a state statute," Morton said. Over the summer, the state legislature enacted a bill that provides relief in the form of property tax abatements or exemptions for land trusts going forward. It goes into effect in October. The tax abatement will provide relief for taxes incurred for 2007 before October. P&Z becomes APA The RTM voted 55-0 with four abstentions to name the Planning & Zoning Commission as the town's Aquifer Protection Agency, as mandated by state statute. Jim Cameron of District 5 said that the item "basically gives P&Z the power to adopt regulations for the town to set up the disposal of toxic chemicals and materials to protect the purity of our drinking water."

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5/15/2008

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"This is rather academic," Plehaty, chairman of the Town Government Structure & Administration Committee, said. "Having an Aquifer Protection Agency is required by the state. It seems to me that we have no choice but to adopt this agency." Designation and membership of the agency will be the same as the commission, including number of members, terms, method of selection, removal of members and filling of vacancies. The agency will adopt regulations regarding, the manner in which boundaries of aquifer protection areas are established and amended or changed; procedures for the regulation of activity within the area; the form for an application to conduct regulated activities within the area; notice and publication requirements; criteria and procedures for the review of applications; and administration and enforcement. [email protected] Section: News Page: A011 Index Terms: story Record Number: 11C05AB4586047B8 Copyright, 2007, The Darien Times

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5/15/2008