Minutes
Conservation Commission/Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency - Minutes - Feb 3, 2026
Feb 3, 2026
A public record published by the Town of Simsbury (simsbury-ct.gov). mySimsbury indexes it and makes it readable; it is not the official copy. View the original file.
Page 1 of 4 Conservation Commission / Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency1 Regular Meeting2 February 3, 2026 – 7:00 P.M.3 Simsbury Public Library – Tariffville Room4 725 Hopmeadow Street, Simsburv, CT 060705 6 MINUTES7 This meeting was recorded by Simsbury Community Media (SCM). Video recordings can be found here:8 Conservation Commission Meeting - February 3, 2026 - YouTube9 10 I. CALL TO ORDER – Vice Chair Levy called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.11 12 Present: Vice Chair, Jason Levy; Commission Members: Jason Berman, Donald13 Eaton, Charles Haldeman, and Michael Luzietti; Planning Director, George McGregor;14 and Assistant Town Planner, Brittany MacGilpin.15 16 Absent: Chair, Margery Winters; Secretary, Joseph Campolieta; and Alternate17 Commission Members: Sue Brittell and Alison Wilcox.18 19 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES20 21 January 20, 2026, Regular Meeting22 23 MOTION: Commissioner Haldeman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner24 Eaton, to approve the Minutes of the January 20, 2026, Regular Meeting as written.25 The motion carried unanimously (5-0-0).26 27 III. IWWA BUSINESS – DISCUSSION ON ITEM AND POTENTIAL ACTION28 29 Application CC #25-25 of McLean Affiliates, Inc., applicant and owner, for a wetland30 permit to construct 40 new residential units at the existing McLean Retirement31 Community with associated improvements that includes a wetland crossing and32 disturbance in the upland review area at 75 Great Pond Road (Assessor’s Map E08,33 Block 147, Lot 001) Simsbury, CT 06070, Zone R-40. (Public Hearing Closed on34 1/20/2026)35 36 37 38 Page 2 of 4 Determination of Intervenor Petitioners’ Evidence39 40 The Commission discussed the expert third-party peer review’s findings and agreed41 that the threshold of the intervenors was not met.42 43 Approval of Application CC #25-2544 45 The Commission discussed the usefulness of the third-party peer review and the46 Applicant’s revisions upon hearing the recommendations at the first meeting. They47 agreed to add evaluation and reporting of water quality during the construction phase,48 implementation of the updated IPM Plan, and plantings management with updates of49 necessary changes as conditions for approval.50 51 MOTION: Commissioner Luzietti made a motion, seconded by Commissioner52 Haldeman for the Simsbury Inland Wetlands Agency to approve Application CC #25-53 25 of McLean Affiliates, Inc., applicant and owner, for a wetland permit to construct54 40 new residential units at the existing McLean Retirement Community with associated55 improvements that includes a wetland crossing and disturbance in the upland review56 area at 75 Great Pond Road (Assessor’s Map E08, Block 147, Lot 001) Simsbury, CT57 06070, Zone R-40, based on the following findings:58 a. After consideration of the Intervenor CEPA Petition the allegations of59 unreasonable pollution, impairment, or destruction of the wetlands based on60 evidence in the record have not been proven. The interveners did not meet the61 substantial evidence test. The Simsbury Conservation Commission / Inland62 Wetlands and Watercourses Agency find the Applicant's proposal to be63 reasonable, based on the testimony of their engineering, wetlands, habitat, and64 landscaping experts and supported by the independent third-party review prepared65 by the engineering and wetlands experts at Barton & Loguidice.66 67 b. After consideration of feasible and prudent alternatives offered by the Applicant68 in their application and raised during the public hearing, the Simsbury69 Conservation Commission / Inland Wetlands Watercourses Agency finds no70 feasible and prudent alternatives exist which would cause less environmental71 impact to the wetlands. The proposal avoids all direct wetland soil impacts by72 utilizing a bridge to span the wetland soils.73 74 c. The Simsbury Conservation Commission / Inland Wetlands and Watercourses75 Agency has considered the criteria for decisions found in section 10.2 of the Town76 Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations and finds the project substantially77 meets all the applicable State Statutes and the standards contained in the Simsbury78 Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations for approval and will not79 adversely impact inland wetlands and watercourses.80 81 Page 3 of 4 d. The expert testimony provided during the public hearing process concludes that82 the proposed construction activity will not adversely impact the wetlands and/or83 water courses. Testimony from the Applicant's experts in the third-party review of84 Barton & Loguidice, and Town's Deputy Engineer concluded that the proposed85 storm water management plan meet the DEEP Guidelines for both quality and86 quantity.87 88 e. There is no expert evidence on the record that there will be an irreversible or89 irretrievable loss of wetland or water course resources.90 91 f. Short-term impacts from the proposed development will be controlled by92 construction phasing plan, installation and maintenance of erosion and sediment93 controls, and construction runoff controls.94 95 The Approval subject to the following conditions and modifications:96 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the application97 documents submitted as part of CC #25-25 and the site plan titled, “The Meadow98 Homes at McLean,” prepared by SLR International dated October 7, 2025, revised99 January 2, 2026, and select pages revised January 16, 2026.100 101 2. Prior to the submission of a site plan application to the Zoning Commission, the102 site plan set shall be revised and submitted to the Town's designated wetlands agent103 for review and approval in order to address the two minor revisions identified and104 recommended by the independent third-party review firm Barton & Loguidice, in105 their letter dated January 20th, 2026 (comment 2A and 4).106 107 3. The project shall adhere to the Recommended Protection Strategies for Turtles as108 outlined on the site plan page TP dated October 7, 2025, revised on January 16,109 2026, and related notes and measures by Dennis Quinn.110 111 4. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall submit an Erosion112 and Sediment Control Bond, in a form acceptable to the Town, in the amount of113 $273,358.114 115 5. The Applicant shall submit to the town S&E control inspection reports on a bi-116 weekly basis as well as after major rain events.117 118 6. At all times during site work and until soil areas are stabilized, the Applicant shall119 install and maintain erosion and sediment control measures depicted on the above120 referenced site plan set and/or other measures deemed necessary by the121 Commission's agents to prevent erosion and sedimentation impact to the wetlands122 and watercourses.123 Page 4 of 4 124 7. All erosion control and soil stabilization measures shall comply with the approved125 plans and the guidelines as established in the Connecticut Guidelines for Soil126 Erosion and Sediment Control 2024 CTDEP Bulletin 34.127 128 8. Upon direction of the Commission's agent, erosion and sediment control measures129 shall be removed by the Applicant following stabilization of the site.130 131 9. The Inland Wetlands Agent shall be notified at least 48 hours prior to132 commencement of activities.133 134 10. Water quality of Hop Brook shall be monitored during the construction phase of135 the project and post-construction, and results will be submitted to the IWWA.136 The motion carried unanimously (5-0-0).137 The Commission discussed conservation items they will be recommending for138 consideration to the Zoning Commission.139 140 IV. ADJOURNMENT141 142 MOTION: Commissioner Berman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner143 Haldeman to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously (5-0-0).144 145 Vice Chair Levy adjourned the meeting at 7:48 P.M.146 147 Respectfully submitted,148 149 Amanda Blaze150 Commission Clerk151