Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

train passing wetlands

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITOR
The official site for project information under
the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act

May 18, 2010
 
    1. Commuter Rail Station, Orange
  
   There are no Environmental Impact Evaluations for review and comment in this edition. 
  STEP I - Notices of Intent to Transfer Property. 
   1. Newfield Road, Torrington
   2. NEW! Seaside Regional Center, 36 Shore Rd., Waterford
          

   STEP II - Public comments regarding proposed transfers that were posted previously in the Environmental Monitor, and the Office of Policy and Management's (OPM's) responses to those comments.  None in this edition.

                   

   STEP III - Draft recommendations of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection regarding preservation of properties proposed for transfer.  None in this edition. 

     

   STEP IV - Final recommendations of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection regarding disposition of properties proposed for transfer, along with comments and responses from Step III.  None in this edition.

       

   STEP V - Final determinations by the Secretary of OPM regarding the ultimate disposition of properties proposed for transfer.  None in this edition.

The next edition of the Environmental Monitor will be published on June 8, 2010.
 
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The following scoping notice is posted for review or comment in this edition.
"Scoping" is for projects in the earliest stages of planning.  At the scoping stage, detailed information on a project's design, alternatives, and environmental impacts does not yet exist.  Sponsoring agencies are asking for comments from other agencies and from the public as to the scope of alternatives and environmental impacts that should be considered for further study.  Send your comments to the contact person listed for the project by the date indicated.
 

1. Notice of Scoping for Proposed Commuter Rail Station, Orange

Address of Possible Project Location:   The proposed site is 0.25 miles south of Interstate 95 bounded on the west by Marsh Hill Road, on the east by the Oyster River, on the southeast by the New Haven Line of the Metro North Railroad.   

Project Description:   The proposed commuter railroad station will consist of a building that will be approximately 3000 square feet with a ticket office, waiting room, rest rooms and a news stand/kiosk.  Proposed parking will consist of a four level structure with 470 spaces and three separate surface lots with spaces totaling 630 spaces for a grand total 1100 parking spaces.  Two new station platforms, one inbound and one outbound, each 1080 feet long, by 10 feet wide are proposed.  The outbound platform will connect with the parking area and station building via a pedestrian tunnel under the railroad embankment.   

Project Map:  Click here to view a map of the project area.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: June 2, 2010 

Any person can ask the sponsoring agency to hold a Public Scoping Meeting by sending such a request to the address below.  If a meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a Public Scoping Meeting.  Such requests must be made by May 18, 2010.  Written comments and/or requests for a Public Scoping Meeting should be sent to:

Name: Mr. Mark W. Alexander - Transportation Assistant Planning Director
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail: Mark.W.Alexander@ct.gov

If you have questions about the scoping for this project, including additional project information contact:

Name: Ms. Jessica Diluca - Transportation Planner 2
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-2135
Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail: Jessica.Diluca@ct.gov

The agency expects to release an Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, in February, 2011.

 
No Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) notices have been submitted for review and comment in this edition.

State Land Transfer Notices


Connecticut General Statutes Section 4b-47 provides for public notice of proposed transfers of state-owned lands out of state ownership. The notice process takes place in steps. Step I is the notice of intent to transfer, which includes an opportunity for any person to comment. If comments are received, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) will respond, and the comments and responses will be published as Step II.

The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may choose to evaluate the property more thoroughly and recommend preservation of the property or restrictions on the transfer. Step III is publication of the Commissioner's report and draft recommendations, and includes a 30-day public comment period.   Step IV is publication of the Commissioner’s responses to any public comments along with the Commissioner's final recommendations regarding the property.

Step V is publication of OPM’s final determination regarding disposition of the property. Fifteen days after this posting the transfer may proceed.

IMPORTANT:  Most proposed transfers are not required to go through all five steps.  The land may be sold or transferred 15 days after the close of the comment period of Step I if no comments are received.  If comments are received, and the DEP does not elect to conduct and publish a more thorough study of the property, the land may be sold or transferred 15 days after publication of the comments and responses under Step II.

Step I  

Notices of Intent to Transfer
This mandatory step opens a 30-day public comment period. Instructions for submitting comments are included in each notice. If no comments are received, a proposed transfer may proceed 15 days after the close of the comment period. If comments are received, they will be posted in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor, along with responses from OPM.

The following Step I Notices have been submitted for review and comment in this edition.

1. Notice of Proposed Land Transfer, Torrington

Complete Address of Property: Newfield Road, Torrington, CT


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information: MBL 233/004/022


Number of acres to be transferred: 0.3


Click to view map of property location


Description of Property

Below is some general information about the property.  It should not be considered a complete description of the property and should not be relied upon for making decisions.  If only a portion of a property is proposed for transfer, the description pertains only to the portion being transferred.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses:

The property to be transferred contains the following:
 Buildings in use
Buildings not in use
Wooded land and grass

 Nonagricultural fields

 Active agriculture
 Paved areas
 Ponds, streams or other water

Water Supply:   Public water supply   On-site well    Unknown
Waste Disposal:    Served by sewers    On-site septic system    Unknown


Click to view aerial view of property

The Locational Guide Map of the Connecticut Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut identifies the property as being in the following category(ies):
 Regional Center
Neighborhood Conservation Area
Growth Area
 Rural Community Center
 Rural Area
 Conservation Area
 Preservation Area
 Existing Preserved Open Space

The property is in the following municipal zone(s):

Not zoned
Residential (R60)
Industrial
 Commercial
 Institutional
 Other: 
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: unknown

Value of property, if known:
If checked, value is not known.

Type of Sale or Transfer:

Sale or transfer of property in fee

Sale or transfer of partial interest in the property (such as an easement).  Description of interest:

Proposed recipient, if known: unknown

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: N/A

The agency is proposing to transfer the property with the following restrictions on future uses:
 If checked, the state is not currently proposing restrictions on future uses.

Reason the State of Connecticut is proposing to transfer this property: The State has deemed the property surplus, since the property is no longer needed for state use and no re-use proposals were received by other State agencies.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on May 20, 2010.


Comments may include (but are not limited to) information you might have about significant natural resources or recreation resources on the property, as well as your recommendations for means to preserve such resources.


Written comments* should be sent to:

Name:

Patrick O'Brien

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue MS#52 ASP
Hartford, CT 06106-1379

E-Mail:

 Patrick.Obrien@ct.gov


*E-Mail submissions are preferred. 

(Comments from state agencies must be on agency letterhead and signed by agency head.  Scanned copies are preferred.)

Please send a copy of any written comments to:

Name:

Shane P. Mallory, RPA

Agency:

Department of Public Works

Address:

165 Capitol Avenue, G-1

Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail:

 shane.mallory@ct.gov


What Happens Next?

To find out if this proposed transfer is the subject of further notices, check future editions of the Environmental Monitor.Sign up for e-alerts to receive a reminder e-mail on Environmental Monitor publication dates.
 

1. Notice of Proposed Land Transfer, Waterford

Complete Address of Property: 36 Shore Road


Commonly used name of property or other identifying information: Seaside Regional Center


Number of acres to be transferred: approximately 32


Click to view map of property location


Description of Property

Below is some general information about the property.  It should not be considered a complete description of the property and should not be relied upon for making decisions.  If only a portion of a property is proposed for transfer, the description pertains only to the portion being transferred.

Brief Description of Historical and Current Uses:  In the 1930’s, the State of Connecticut purchased the property and developed the property as a sanatorium for children with tuberculosis.  With the significant decline in tuberculosis among children, the facility was closed in 1958 and then opened as a State-owned and operated geriatric hospital.  The geriatric hospital was closed in 1961 and converted to a facility for mentally and physically handicapped children.  Around this time additional buildings were added to the site.  The Seaside facility officially closed in 1997 and has remained vacant.

The property to be transferred contains the following:
 Buildings in use
Buildings not in use
Wooded land

 Nonagricultural fields

 Active agriculture
 Paved areas
 Ponds, streams or other water

Water Supply:   Public water supply   On-site well    Unknown
Waste Disposal:    Served by sewers    On-site septic system    Unknown


Click to view aerial view of property

The Locational Guide Map of the Connecticut Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut identifies the property as being in the following category(ies):
 Regional Center
Neighborhood Conservation Area
Growth Area
 Rural Community Center
 Rural Area
 Conservation Area
 Preservation Area
 Existing Preserved Open Space

The property is in the following municipal zone(s):

Not zoned
Residential
Industrial
 Commercial
 Institutional
 Other:  Seaside Preservation Zoning District
 Not known


Special features of the property, if known: The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, contains four structures of historic significance, a seawall, and coastal area.

Value of property, if known: $8,000,000.
If checked, value is not known.

Type of Sale or Transfer:

Sale or transfer of property in fee

Sale or transfer of partial interest in the property (such as an easement).  Description of interest:

Proposed recipient, if known: Seaside in Waterford, LLC

Proposed use by property recipient, if known: As permitted under local zoning.

The agency is proposing to transfer the property with the following restrictions on future uses:  The purchaser has offered to place a conservation/preservation easement over certain portions of the property, primarily over the floodplain areas, which include the beach area waterward of the seawall, and other upland areas.  Purchaser has proposed providing public access in perpetuity to the conservation/preservation areas for passive recreation.  The easement would be in favor of the State and the public.

Reason the State of Connecticut is proposing to transfer this property: The State has deemed the property surplus pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4b-21.

Comments from the public are welcome and will be accepted until the close of business on June 17, 2010.


Comments may include (but are not limited to) information you might have about significant natural resources or recreation resources on the property, as well as your recommendations for means to preserve such resources.


Written comments* should be sent to:

Name:

Patrick O'Brien

Agency:

Office of Policy and Management

Address:

 450 Capitol Avenue MS#52 ASP
Hartford, CT 06106-1379

E-Mail:

 Patrick.Obrien@ct.gov


*E-Mail submissions are preferred. 

(Comments from state agencies must be on agency letterhead and signed by agency head.  Scanned copies are preferred.)

Please send a copy of any written comments to:

Name:

Kevin Kopetz

Agency:

Department of Public Works

Address:

165 Capitol Avenue, 443

Hartford, CT 06106

E-Mail:

Kevin.kopetz@ct.gov


What Happens Next?

To find out if this proposed transfer is the subject of further notices, check future editions of the Environmental Monitor.Sign up for e-alerts to receive a reminder e-mail on Environmental Monitor publication dates.
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