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Discussion on Table of Contents (T.o.C.)
1. Kenneth Sokolowski, "a response" -3/30/2003
1. Kenneth Sokolowski, "a response" -3/30/2003 In today's Hartford Courant (3.30.2003, Commentary), Linda Case, Wethersfield resident, lambastes the town fathers, especially the "planning" and zoning commission, for their utter lack of planning and design review which has resulted in the mess which is called Silas Deane Highway. Calling it a "veritable shrine to visual pollution," Case, also a member of the Wethersfield Village Improvement Association, calls Silas Deane Highway "the worst in suburban strip development." The most recent flagrant example of this, she writes, is the "dripping paint" of Siperstein's store, an affront to and evasion of the town's weak business regulations. The sacrifice of trees on the fronting Silas Deane Middle School property is cited as another recent visual "atrocity" and further evidence of the need for effective design review. Planning and zoning commission members however continue to argue that they don't need separate regulations or committees delineating more effective design review, pointing to the same Silas Deane Highway. Such a detached view and its obvious effect is the basis for Case's "lover's quarrel" with Wethersfield. Case points to Glastonbury's vision and implementation of effective design review. Everyone in Wethersfield is jealous of the attractive portions of Glastonbury's business zones. They have design review, Wethersfield doesn't, she argues. The PZC (also called the TP&Z) displays "no vision at all" she obviously infers. Though she does not call for mass resignations from that commission, the reader cannot help but feel that she would not be heart broken if there were. The positive effects of the Wethersfield Historic District commission are highlighted as an example of good and effective design review. The HDC however is a citizen empowered and perpetuated commission which is not driven by regulations originating from the town. Homeowners in the "olde" part of town could disband the commission if they felt it did not serve the greater good, preservation of a unique housing stock and support of their property values. In the "free-for-all" business environment of a "crummy" Silas Deane Highway, such a civil approach obviously did not and would not work. Directions and regulations from the Town Council would be needed to force the PZC to do a job which it has not been doing effectively before. A "master plan" for the Silas Deane has laid fallow for over 15 years through more than a few generations of Town Councils, each apparently lacking the vision and backbone to meaningfully promote Wethersfield from within. Linda Case has an issued a battle cry to the citizens of Wethersfield, DESIGN REVIEW, NOW! For that to happen, a hue and cry must come from a commanding share of Wethersfield residents in both parties. They must overcome their own, frequently neighborhood-limited myopia. Residents must cast aside their complacency and fatalism. More must become angered, as Case, with the history and current state of the Silas Deane so that changes will be made by Town Council which then will be forced upon the PZC. It's not too late for the current Council to give Wethersfield the legacy of effective design review. Every cyber-connected Wethersfield resident should download a copy of Case's Courant article. Every Courant subscriber in Wethersfield should cut it out. Others should go out and get their own copy. All Wethersfield residents should cry, as Linda Case has, enough is enough: fix the planning and zoning regulations; upgrade the PZC; and turn the Silas Deane into an attractive business asset and thoroughfare. We need to do this now for ourselves, for our children and for our children's children. Dr.Ken Sokolowski, Editor, www.wethersfield.net 2. Arthur Nacht: "two comments" -3/30/2003 I read with great appreciation Linda Case's article and Dr. Ken's response. I have two comments: 1. The record needs one important correction concerning the Silas Deane Middle School. The Silas Deane Middle School Building Committee from the outset sought to satisfy the legitimate competing needs of the middle school's design with regard to aesthetics versus parking. At first, the Committee favored automobile parking on the east side of the building facing the Silas Deane Highway. However, the Building Committee, a civic-minded group, eventually changed its position and enthusiastically endorsed no automobile parking in front of the building. They did this, by carefully examining and re-examining the site for alternative parking areas. In addition, the Committee has specified a significant number of attractive street trees will be planted facing the highway. In so doing the Committee has favored the appearance of the building over the maximization of parking spaces, thus setting a good example for future development on the highway. I am, and we should all be, most grateful to the Committee for this happy conclusion. Rocco Orsini and several others were also instrumental in this effort. 2. We are making real progress towards improved Design Review in Wethersfield. I am pleased to say that the consulting firm, Planimetrics, retained by Wethersfield's TP&Z to help revise the town¹s zoning regulations, has proposed in its latest draft of the regulations a new section (section 6.12) specifically dealing with improvements to Design Review.
The consultant's recommended section 6.12 is a great step forward for Wethersfield. I ask all residents who see with their own eyes that the current system needs improvement to support this recommendation when it is discussed by and eventually voted on this spring by the Planning and Zoning Commission. I am sure that Wethersfield,net will publish the relevant meeting dates when they are set. Yours truly, Arthur Nacht, 374 Main Street 3. MaryBeth Maluccio: "I agree and disagree" -3/31/2003 Thanks for bringing the article by Linda Case to my attention via email. I didn't see the article in the Courant but I have been concerned with the "visual pollution" on the Silas Deane Highway myself since I moved here in 1995. I agree and disagree with Ms. Case. I agree that the Highway has been neglected and that town leaders have not taken responsibility for the aesthetics of what is essentially "Main Street" in Wethersfield. But, I don't think that creating yet another committee will solve the problem. Instead, it should be a higher priority for the Town Council. Members of our Town Council should be held accountable. They should be soliciting the opinions of the people who elected them. They should request that the Town Manager inquire how other towns manage the aesthetics of their business and retail districts. All this information could then be discussed at a Council meeting. The ensuing discussion would make for an interesting Council meeting and would prove that this topic is a priority for the Council. We need a little initiative by our Council members, not another committee...at least not yet. They need to be talking about it, at meetings, in their neighborhoods, on public television, over dinner, at soccer games. Let's generate a little buzz about town on the subject, initiated by our elected leaders. I would prefer that the Town Council have a charge for the committee before it is created; have a directive, or at least some consensus on the problems and potential solutions for the committee members; and set some expectations based upon what the Town Councilors know from their personal solicitations from residents. They shouldn't be passive bystanders, they should be activists for important goals of the community. With respect to style and taste, I think it will be difficult to find agreement on what constitutes acceptable taste among people in town. I think the problem with the Silas Deane is the architecture, not the painting. The problem for landlords and tenants is how to dress up these boxy, unattractive buildings without paying to demolish them altogether and starting from scratch. Have you noticed that several of these boxy buildings have been painted recently in varying pastel colors, or with clever murals, like Siperstein's, and most recently "The Flower Box". These are very creative and even charming, in my opinion. The same is true for the abandoned building that is painted as a mural of a cottage or home. It beats the blight that existed before it was painted. What better way to beautify small, plain buildings than with a coat of paint and some creativity. I think it is bringing charm to an otherwise boring and ugly strip of buildings. As a matter of fact, I think if it catches on to other buildings, it has the potential of being more attractive than the more generic look of some of the newer buildings and renovations with their stucco rooftops and large plastic signs. We may find our own unique "niche" among suburbs if we are sensitive enough to consider many diverse opinions and ideas in the matter of style and taste. Finally, I've seen the master plan of 1987 and would love to see some of those changes made. I would love the look and idea pictured in that plan. But it means someone has to buy the property on the highway (in particular at the corners of Wells and Silas Deane, or at the corners of Church and Silas Deane) knock down the existing buildings and build 2-story brick buildings, with retail store fronts on the first floor, and office space or apartment space on the second floor. This would create a town center of sorts. That is what was pictured in that plan. I love the look and the idea. The Silas Deane Middle School is an example of traditional, brick, 3-story architecture which is aesthetically pleasing and distracts your eye from the less attractive structures in the area. The removal of the trees has enabled me to see it better and I hope they don't plant trees to hide it again. I would prefer bushes, flowers, an attractive sign, and maybe even benches. Expanding on this "traditional" look would be great for Wethersfield, in my opinion. Maybe our new Town Planner could show the master plan to some economic developers and try to sell them on the idea because somebody has to pay for it, and the town can't afford it. But we should be prepared that, if we begin to solicit people to improve their property on the Highway, we will need to improve the facade of Town Hall. Leadership on this project has to be able generate funds to make things happen…if we can't get the funds from businesses, then it has to come from the public, and that means taxes. (I participated on a committee that applied for a state grant to renovate the facade of the town hall, but we didn't get it.) I, for one, would be willing to pay for some improvements to be made, and would welcome some competent leadership in this area. Let's hope that our new town manager and town planner can work together with the Town Council and a diverse group of residents to infuse some new life into the concept of a town center for Wethersfield that we can all enjoy on a daily basis and be proud of. MaryBeth Maluccio, co-host, Wethersfield LIVE, WCTV-14 4. David F. Sebolt: "whether to stay in town or move" -3/31/2003 Tremendous response, Dr.Ken! My wife Karin and I absolutely agree with Linda and you. We didn't think anyone else really cared enough. We have lived in town (Church Street) for over 10 years, originally growing up in Simsbury and West Hartford. We like the people in Wethersfield, but now we are in the process of deciding whether to stay in town or move. The Silas Deane work is just about the last straw for us. You would think they could have put up fences or something to hide the construction. I walk around the Wethersfield High School every morning with my dog. The amount of trash that sits on the grounds is appalling. There are times during the school year that the parking lot is literally strewn with bottles, wrappers, paper, and just plain junk. Don't we have people who are responsible for this type of maintenance? Aren't people ashamed who work at that high school to come to work in a building that has grounds in this condition? Furthermore, there was a period of over a year where fencing for the HS baseball field sat in a pile. The weeds were growing through the fencing. The shed that was being built next to the track was a mess -- boxes of equipment just rotting away on top of the foundation. There were numerous holes in the ground from drainage work next to the high school. It was like project management by attention deficit disorder. Finish a project before moving to the next. The inadequate level of maintenance of town and school facilities is almost criminal. Hopefully this new town manager will make a difference, and thus, help keep existing residents. Wethersfield needs to create an attractive alternative for homebuyers who are being drawn to towns with vision, like West Hartford, Avon and Simsbury. I am a supporter of the April 1 referendum but hesitantly. Throwing good money after bad money is not the way to improve. My children are 4 and will benefit from the reduced class size. However, the BOE should take care of what it has before asking for more. Treating existing property like a valued commodity will go a long way in beautifying the town. Such care will gather support for more projects from the citizens. Taking care of what we already have can also help to set the "look" expectations for public streets like the Silas Deane. At least we still have Mikey's Place! David F. Sebolt 5. Nick Nesci: "way off base" -4/02/2003 I read Linda Case's article in the Courant and I thought that it was WAY OFF BASE. I didn't recognize the picture either, because the camera that took it obviously used a telephoto lens. I defy anyone to go to that location (SDH and Wells) look south and see the same thing as that photo showed. Deception! I almost sat down and wrote an opposing article for the Courant. Here's where she's wrong. First of all, there is NO comparison to Main Street in Glastonbury and our Silas Deane Highway. Our highway is a major thoroughfare, Route 99, and it carries about 14 times as much traffic as their Main Street. Silas Deane is our business district, where commerce is conducted. It is has to be that way for efficiency. If we were to beautify it, as she suggests, who would pay for it? Further, putting in trees, shrubs, etc. would hinder our commerce. You want beauty? Don't look for it where there is commerce. Go to Old Wethersfield, and we'll out-distance Glastonbury every time. Yours truly, Nick Nesci, 51 Surrey Drive 6. Paul Courchaine: "requires some clarification" -4/04/2003 A recent commentary by Linda Case of Wethersfield on the state of the Silas Deane Highway requires some clarification on certain points. Planning & Zoning Commission: This commission is currently in the process of re-writing its charter. There is a very specific section on the creation of a design review board. A few citizens, headed by Arthur Nacht of Main Street, have regularly attended TP&Z meetings to urge the acceptance of this change. Perhaps Ms. Case and other like-minded citizens could join them, to show broader town support for this much needed revision. Silas Deane Middle School "Atrocity": The trees that were cut down were approved for removal by the town’s Shade Tree Commission before construction ever started. The Rose Garden area had some bushes which needed to be moved. The Men’s Garden Club, who maintains the garden, put the roses in storage, to be replaced shortly when landscaping is completed. The "paving over" of the grassy area in front of the school will not occur. The building commission for this project was approached by many citizens, including town mayor Kitch Czernicki, to reconsider the paving of this area and find alternative parking spots. To their credit, the building commission voted to not pave the area. The day after their vote they presented their revised landscape plan to the Silas Deane Revitalization Committee. This group gave them whole-hearted endorsement for the changes they were willing to make. What Silas Deane Revitalization Committee? For the last several months, a group has been working on exactly what Ms. Case would like to see – implementation of the 1987 design plan. The group has representation from the Village Improvement Association, the Beautification Trust, the Preservation Trust, the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development & Improvement Commission, the Shade Tree Commission, and the Men’s Garden Club. Also serving is the architect who headed the original 1987 planning committee, Bev Pierz. The composition of this group shows the wide-spread support this project has. The committee has been endorsed by the town council, who has also pledged financial support through its capital improvement budget. Our state representatives, particularly Senator Fonfara, are actively working to support this effort. The aim of the committee is to implement, in phases, all of the components of the original plan. The first phase will address the entrance to Wethersfield at the Jordan Lane/Wethersfield Ave junction. Planning to obtain additional financing is now underway. All of this information is available as public record. Paul E. Courchaine, Chairman, Silas Deane Revitalization Committee 7. Bill Hart: "quagmire of non-standard properties" 04/05/2003 For the most part, I think Linda Case is right-on with regards to the sad appearance of the Silas Deane Highway. However, Siperstein's paint scheme is hardly the most glaring example of what's wrong with SDH. There are far bigger atrocities and I would extend the criticism to the Berlin Turnpike as well. I might also extend the criticism beyond appearances to the types of businesses calling Wethersfield home. How did a town so steeped in colonial heritage become the suburban discount/dollar store and adult video center of the Greater Hartford area? How did we become home to a number of, shall we say, less than pleasant motels with equally unpleasant appearances offering hourly and extended stay rates? Why are we repeatedly avoided when it comes to new construction for retail locations? There must be good answers for these questions, but I don't know what they are. In today's Courant , there is a story about Newington's adjustment to their continuing building boom (Ed: 4/5/2003: B3, "Town Adjusting To Business Boom"). There are rumors of national retail stores opening outlets on the SDH in Rocky Hill. The extent of excitement here in Wethersfield consists of the impending opening of Starbuck's and yet another bank. I guess on the positive side we offer a high bank-per-capita ratio - that, and we have a Hooter's. Our neighbors continue to add to their grand-lists while we wallow in a quagmire of non-standard properties and unclear, if not un-enticing, zoning regulations. I suspect my children will grow up seeing the continued vacancy of the Weight Watchers building just as I did. Its sheer size and relatively low ceilings make it a white elephant. Add to this any number of vacant, unattractive store fronts that have been that way for years; the outlook is far from encouraging. Yes, the Silas Deane Highway and Berlin Turnpike are our commercial zones. But in a town with such history, appealing demographics, pleasant neighborhoods, and the ability to tell me what kind of siding I can put on my house (Ed: Wethersfield Historic District), there is no excuse for their sorry states of affair. These strips can not be neglected anymore. Bill Hart 8. Linda Case: "represents the larger truth" -4/08/2003 I am glad to see this talk, back and forth, about the Silas Deane. Among my goals in writing the piece was to provoke such a discussion. I knew the piece, as much as anything else, would help the cause. My first version was twice as long. I had plenty of stuff in it, so much so that it risked becoming tedious. Though I knew about the hard-working committee, I reluctantly left that out. There may be a few points that needed clarification, but the essay represents the larger truth as I see it. It is my opinion. Hence it’s in the commentary section. I read an article by Stephen J. Dubner, in this past Sunday’s Art section in The Courant (page G4, 4/06/2003), called "Memoir as Portal to Truth". There was one quote that struck me.
So, let’s keep up the fervent discussion and not get bogged down by minor details. Let’s really start to do something about the decades of ramshackle 'planning' that has given us the Silas Deane 'sleazeway'. 9. Andy Adil,"begin an Economic Redevelopment Agency" -4/08/2003 ...I also am a big supporter of this {{design review}}. I would like an even more radical idea to move forward: begin an Economic Redevelopment Agency to raise public and private dollars to buy properties on the SDH and build attractive retail spaces. It needs to be given the political power to roll over this ineffective P+Z committee and be insulated from petty partisan politics if it will work. I got good advice on the formulation of this agency from the Town Planner in Keller,TX, when I went to visit Mark Hafner last year. That town is beautifully planned! At some point I'd like to start floating this idea around through places like your web page to begin building a nonpartisan group in support of this idea. If we're ever to do something about the state of affairs on the Berlin Turnpike and the Silas Deane Highway, we have to rise about the pettiness that's existed for some time now... Andy Adil 10. John Fonfara, "remove the name "Highway" from the Silas Deane" -4/25/2003 As the state senator representing the area encompassing much of the Silas Deane Highway, I have a strong interest in the revitalization of this critical Wethersfield destination. I know that you share this interest. The challenge is in building a broad base of support to make the improvements that are necessary. The CRCOG grant was, and should continue to be, a strong step in building the momentum we need. There are other steps that should be receiving serious consideration. One is the creation of a Design Review Board. This idea is not new but the fact that it is still only an idea suggests to me that the Silas Deane is, for many, something to talk about but not to do something about. That's not a political statement but an observation of where we are as a town. Since I made the revitalization of the Silas Deane a top priority as a state senator in Wethersfield, I have stated that I do not believe that any roadway in Wethersfield, other than I-91, should be identified as a "Highway." The term implies everything that Wethersfield is not. Wethersfield is not fast, it is not a place to use to get from here to there, and most of all, it is not an alternate route to be used when other systems have failed. The name "Highway" sends the wrong message about this important economic resource and what is essentially our "Main Street." Accordingly, following several conversations with interested Wethersfield residents, I am proposing a largely symbolic, but important, change to the name of this roadway. I am proposing to simply remove the name "Highway" from the Silas Deane. Most of us already refer to the Silas Deane as simply the Silas Deane. For those concerned about not have something that would identify it as a road, I would refer them to the Boulevard in Hartford and West Hartford. According to Jim Fazzallaro, OLR's transportation specialist, the change would have no effect on the official functioning of the road. It would still be considered a highway within the statutory definition. This definition is very broad and encompasses any roadway under the jurisdiction of the State. Although the change would have no legal impact, it would send an important message to all about what we feel the Silas Deane should be versus what many may now feel it is. It would also be another step in the effort by Wethersfield and its residents to affect the decisions shaping the future of the Silas Deane rather than always reacting to and living with the decisions made by others. Practically, the announcement of the change would allow for a positive press opportunity for the town and the businesses on the Silas Deane and, again, if or when the Town were to unveil new and possibly decorative street signs. I would very much appreciate your feedback on this proposal. I have asked Senator Billy Ciotto to make this change part of the major bill of the Transportation committee for this year. As you know, Senator Ciotto is chairman of the Transportation committee. While expressing preliminary interest, Senator Ciotto and Representatives Paul Doyle and Tony Guerrera have inquired as to the level of support among the residents of Wethersfield. The bill will likely be acted upon in the next two to three weeks. Please, tell me what you think. Email me either here at home at JF550@aol.com or at the Capitol at fonfara@senatedems.state.ct.us. I will share all of your responses with Senator Ciotto and Representatives Doyle and Guerrera. Thanks for all you do for Wethersfield. I look forward to hearing from you. John Fonfara 11. Paul Courchaine: "Silas Deane Boulevard" -04/28/2003 (In a response to Senator Fonfara, above. Mr. Courchaine writes:) One of the motions made in our first meetings was to rename the highway the "Silas Deane Boulevard", as that would convey an image of a tree lined road with center islands, just like the Boulevard in West Hartford. But renaming it just "Silas Deane" would work. I remain hopeful that the town will reconsider its lack of funding for our project, as the budget hearings progress. Paul Courchaine, Chair, ad hoc Silas Deane Revitalization Committee 12. Carmela Moore: "design review sooner rather than later"-04/28/2003 (In a response to Senator Fonfara, above. Ms. Moore writes:) The Chamber of Commerce is with you and all who are ready to continue the momentum which was started with the Silas Deane Revitalization Committee and the CRCOG Grant. The Chamber would also like to see the implementation of design review sooner rather than later and we are ready to help in any way we can. Whether we use "Silas Deane" or "Silas Deane Boulevard" is definitely a step toward losing the "Highway" branding. I still believe that the plans for the Silas Deane can still be put into motion starting with the smallest of implementations, such as adopt-a-tree, and I hope that the council will do the very best job they can in including our project in the budget process. Carmela Moore, President, Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce 13. Douglas Ovian: "favor substituting ‘Boulevard’ for ‘Highway’" -04/28/2003 (In a response to Senator Fonfara, above. Mr. Ovian writes:) We, in the Town of Wethersfield, are lucky to share with our state capital and neighbor, the City of Hartford, the district that you are charged with representing. Such cross-border districts create in the legislator, a natural tendency towards bridge-building on many levels that few, if any other, officials or citizens can match. Thank you…for your continuing interest in issues of concern to your constituents. I agree with you and the others who support the removal of "Highway" from the name of the roadway known as the Silas Deane... However, I would favor substituting "Boulevard" for "Highway," especially because such language makes clear what we think of our Silas Deane, and not leaving to chance what others think a reference to "Silas Deane" means. Certainly, "Boulevard" can be abbreviated "Blvd" to accommodate signage concerns… Sincerely, Douglas Ovian |
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Published: 2003.03.30 Revised: 2003.04.29 © K.E.Sokolowski 2003. All rights reserved. |
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