New Milford Culinary School

Per Peg Molina, President of the Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut:
“The Community Culinary School job training and placement program is providing culinary and life skills training to unemployed and underemployed members in our community. Our student’s achievements and the response of the food service industry and the community have surpassed our expectations.

We are truly proud of how far our students have come. Upon graduation our students will be prepared for employment in food service positions and we are working with our partners in the industry on job placement for our graduates. The Community Culinary School program is helping our students to gain a better life for themselves and their families and is feeding the community while doing so. Your support will help allow us to continue improving the life situation of our fellow community members.”

Please call Peg at (203) 512-5791 to find out how you an help or visit their website by clicking here!

Mr. Szymanski noted that the easement will be in the favor of the town, giving the town the right to maintain the road and the grounds near the road. Planning and Zoning is currently re¬viewing the lot line map and other minor revisions. The presentation was a courtesy to keep the board updated. Mrs. O’Connor questioned the maintenance as all the library drains are currently clogged.

Mr. Szymanski felt all the changes being proposed, including the porous asphalt being used, will reduce the use of sand and what is being washed into the drainage system and brook—which will result in easier maintenance and better performance. Mr. Szymanski asked if the board would feel comfortable working with him through the draft language to be used in the updated proposal. The board stated they were comfortable with that and Mr. Szymanski will follow up with Mrs. O’Connor by email. 

- From the Sherman Sentinel

Our firm performed the following services for this project: Topographic Survey, Zoning Location Survey, Hydrology & Stormwater Management, Stormwater System Design, Sedimentation & Erosion Control Plans, Septic System Design, Utility Layout, Driveway Design, Sight Distance Analysis, Parking Lot Layout & Design, Traffic Circulation & Studies, Cuts & Fills Analysis, Wetland Soil & Watercourse Delineation, Soil Investigation & Testing, Local, State, & Federal Land Use Permitting. Contact us today at (860) 354-9346 to have us assist you with your next project.

It has been interesting to watch the process that has unfolded since Matt Klauer unveiled a proposal for a resort-style inn on the campus of the former Wykeham Rise girls school. The plans, lauded by some, decried by others, led to a big-picture look at where inns should reside and were ultimately denied because of scale, scope and intensity in a close vote.

The Zoning Commission’s rejection was 3 to 2, and in last November’s election, voters dispatched Valerie Friedman, who opposed the inn, and put in her place Ray Reich, who openly supports Mr. Klauer’s plan. Meanwhile, Mr. Klauer appealed in superior court the commission’s denial and subsequently offered a vision for affordable housing.

And yet, nearly two years after Mr. Klauer’s plan first surfaced, town officials—and, perhaps townspeople too—may be experiencing a sense of déjà vu. [See the story on Page Three.] Though the Wykeham inn plan is not on any commission’s agenda, the zoning panel is revisiting the issue of how inns should be defined in the zoning regulation and where they belong—as in only on state roads, as was clarified after Mr. Klauer filed his plan, or along town roads also.

The site of the former girls school is located on Wykeham Road, which is part of a shortcut for some motorists traveling between the Washington Green area and the section of Route 109 heading toward Morris. Still, it is a pretty, rural and fairly quiet road, lined by pleasant looking houses. Many of those are home to folks who don’t want to see their residential neighborhood turned into a gateway to a resort inn. They don’t want increased traffic, they don’t want noise and they don’t want a change in the area’s character.

On the other side of the issue are plenty of Washington residents who see only an upside to Mr. Klauer’s plan, and who also don’t understand why some of the Wykeham neighborhood residents protested so much. After all, Wykeham Rise was a busy enterprise in its heyday that came with a certain amount of traffic and noise, and also helped to set the tone for the area. What’s more, the site was subsequently home to another school, known at one point in its history as the Swiss Hospitality Institute.

Beyond all that, in 1989, in between the tenures of the two schools, the Rolling Stones used the Wykeham campus as a place to rehearse for the “Steel Wheels” tour. Given the history of the site, and the demographics and proclivities of Washington, Mr. Klauer’s supporters wondered exactly what was wrong with an upscale inn that would add to the town’s tax base and create local jobs.

All of the debate may arise once again, assuming there is any substance to the stance of local pundits that the Zoning Commission is preparing to pave the way for Mr. Klauer to submit new plans for an inn after the regulations are revised once again, this time to say inns may be allowed alongside town roads. While zoning commissioners are being dutiful in exploring issues—how inns should be defined and where they should go—that were never fully resolved, observers can’t be blamed for perceiving that the post-election Zoning Commission might like to turn back time and make Mr. Klauer’s dream of an inn come true.

Before the commission goes too far down the road toward such an outcome, its members and other town officials might pause to consider whether the issues surrounding the place of inns in Washington are more of a community-wide philosophical concern, rather than a narrowly-focused zoning matter.

In other words, the issue has been so charged, and the outcome is considered so important by so many in the community, that a sort of super-public hearing, or multiple sessions, seems in order. And doesn’t it seem that, in this case, the commission should be guided by the majority view of the townspeople?

Click here to visit our Salisbury Land Use Regulations page.

Roxbury, CT Site Development Plan

Roxbury Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission approval was received for a proposed house at Southbury Road in Roxbury, Connecticut.  The proposed house is approximately 6,500 square feet in size and will consist of 7 bedrooms with associated appurtenances.  Health approval has already been granted as well for the proposed septic system. 

The proposed driveway is approximately 0.5 miles in length and the house has been situated so as to maintain privacy from surrounding properties.  Views of the nearby Maplebank Farm and the mountains beyond will be seen from the proposed house site. 

A wetlands crossing of approximately 65 feet was granted by the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.  In order to minimize impact a “seepage envelope” was proposed as well as pre-cast concrete box culvert where the existing watercourse currently conveys stormwater.  The box culvert will be set 1 foot below the existing watercourse bottom and the native watercourse material will be stockpiled and placed in the bottom of the culvert.  This will allow for the maintenance of the existing hydraulics and hydrology of the existing watercourse as well as allow for any wildlife habitat to utilize the area as it always as.

Overall Site Development Plan

Our firm performed the following services for this project: Property Survey, Topographic Survey, Hydrology & Stormwater Management, Stormwater System Design, Culvert Analysis & Design, Sedimentation & Erosion Control Plans, Septic System Design, Utility Layout, Driveway Design, Sight Distance Analysis,Low Impact Development, Wetland Soil & Watercourse Delineation, Soil Investigation & Testing, Local, State, & Federal Land Use Permitting.

Click Here to learn more about the services we offer. Arthur H. Howland & Associates, P.C. is a full service civil engineering, land surveying, land use planning and environmental services firm. Contact us today at (860) 354-9346 to find out how we can assist you with your next project.

Greenwich, CT As-Built Survey

A certificate of occupancy was granted for a house located at Old Orchard Road in Greenwich, Conencticut.  We performed all civil engineering and surveying services associated with the project.  Roof runoff is infiltrated into an underground infiltration system thereby minimizing any impacts to the roads drainage system.  We also provided for the tie-in of the sanitary lateral and all associated grading.  A detailed grade plan analysis was performed as well along with retaining walls as needed to meet the necessary grade plane requirements. 

Our firm performed the following services for this project: Property Survey, Topographic Survey, Hydrology & Stormwater Management, Stormwater System Design, Culvert Analysis & Design, Sedimentation & Erosion Control Plans, Sanitary Sewer Design, Utility Layout, Driveway Design, Local, State, & Federal Land Use Permitting. Contact us today at (860) 354-9346 to have us assist you with your next project.

Click Here to learn more about the services we offer. Arthur H. Howland & Associates, P.C. is a full service civil engineering, land surveying, land use planning and environmental services firm.

Culvert Crossing

Construction was recently completed on a watercourse crossing by our client in New Milford, Connecticut.  The crossing was installed as our client currently utilizes the property for passive recreation (i.e. – hunting, firewood, etc.) and did not want to have any adverse impacts to the watercourse when he crossed it.  As such, we developed a fully engineered pre-cast concrete culvert set 1 foot below the existing grade of the existing watercourse.  This will allow for the stream bottom to be recreated over time and mimic the conditions prior to development. 

Detailed calculations were performed to ensure the safe passage of a 100-year storm event.  This crossing will be utilized to potentially access 6 lots.  Nagy Brothers construction was responsible for the implementation of our design.  They were very conscientitious and performed the work with no impacts ot the wetlands or watercourses.  Please contact me if you have any questions regarding development or wetlands/watercourse crossings.

Our firm performed the following services for this project: Property Survey, Topographic Survey, Hydrology & Stormwater Management, Stormwater System Design, Culvert Analysis & Design, Sedimentation & Erosion Control Plans, Utility Layout, Roadway Design, Driveway Design, Sight Distance Analysis, Low Impact Development, Wetland Soil & Watercourse Delineation, Soil Investigation & Testing, Local, State, & Federal Land Use Permitting. Contact us today at (860) 354-9346 to have us assist you with your next project.

Click Hereto learn more about the services we offer. Arthur H. Howland & Associates, P.C. is a full service civil engineering, land surveying, land use planning and environmental services firm.

New Milford Dog Park

Our firm recently donated our services to providing a site development plan for the Friends of New Milford Dog Park.  As you may be aware, Kimberly Clark is allowing the Parks & Recreation Commission in Cooperation with the Friends of New Milford Dog Park to construct a dog park at Pickett District Road in New Milford, Connecticut.  Please contact us at (860) 354-9346 to learn more about how you might help with this great project.

Click here to visit our Kent Land Use Regulations page.