For minutes of meetings not listed below please contact Alan Lo
at 203-854-6790 or email at alo@norwalkct.org

CITY OF NORWALK
LAND USE AND BUILDING MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 21, 2008

ATTENDANCE: Douglas Hempstead, Chair; Michael Geake; William Krummel; Laurel Lindstrom; Richard Bonenfant (6:11 p.m.); Douglas Sutton (6:15 p.m.)
STAFF: Alan Lo, Building and Facilities Manager
OTHERS: Hal Alvord, Director, DPW; Todd Bryant, Norwalk Preservation Trust
Mr. Hempstead called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
Mr. Hempstead announced that he would take the agenda out of order due to the number of people present.
V. MISCELLANEOUS/DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. General Information and status update on the following items:
• Norwalk Historical Commission – Norwalk Museum – operating agreement with Friends of the Norwalk Museums
A review of the 2004 action agreement between the Norwalk Historical Commission and the Norwalk Museum was discussed.
Mr. Bonenfant joined the meeting at 6:11 p.m.
Mr. Hempstead said that he wants to be sure that the Committee has access to all of the documents so that they can make an intelligent decision. In an effort to conduct a fact finding mission, Mr. Hempstead submitted a number of documents to Mr. Lo to be included in the Common Council meeting packet.
Mr. Sutton joined the meeting at 6:15 p.m.
Mr. Hempstead said that he would prefer that the Norwalk Museum be run by a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. The collection is supposed to be managed by a Town Historian, not a Curator. The Museum is a collection and leasehold. The Town Historian position is in our City code and that should be followed. This item will be discussed further at the next meeting.
II. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(S) -
January 17, 2008

** MR. KRUMMEL MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
III. OLD BUSINESS
B. Law Department – Filming Location License Agreement (Item tabled from January 17, 2008 meeting)
1. Review draft Standard Form of License Agreement for Filming and refer the following to the Common Council:
“Authorize the Mayor, Richard A. Moccia, to execute any and all Filming Location-License Agreements to allow applicants for film location permits to use City of Norwalk property in connection with media production, including video, film and still photography. This is a general authorization based on the attached documents entitled: Location Permit Application and License For Filming Locations.”
Ms. Lindstrom suggested that the City create a Film Ordinance to better define the agreement. Mr. Alvord said that there needs to be a procedure on the execution of the ordinance. He recommended that the staff be allowed to provide input since they are the ones executing the process.
Ms. Lindstrom said that the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism film division assists municipalities in creating ordinances.
** MR. GEAKE MOVED TO TABLE THE ITEM TO THE NEXT MEETING
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

C. Board of Education (Item tabled from January 17, 2008 meeting. Item has since been withdrawn by the Board of Education)

IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. NFCC Referral
1. Review bid summary for painting at Tracey School and refer the following to the Common Council for approval:
“a. Authorize the Mayor, Richard A. Moccia, to execute a contract with The Exterior Cleaning Place, Inc. Leicester, MA for interior painting at Tracey Elementary School for a total not to exceed $48,100.00. Acct. #09045010 5777 B0311
b. Authorize NFCC to issue Change Order on contract for a total not to exceed $4,810.00.”

** MR. KRUMMEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Review bids for the Ben Franklin Center Heating System Conversion Project and refer the following to the Common Council for approval:
“a. Authorize the Mayor, Richard A. Moccia, to execute a contract with Main Enterprises, Inc. for the heating system conversion project at Ben Franklin Center for a total not to exceed $477,182.00 Acct. #09057100 5777 C0322 and 09074071 5777 C0388
b. Authorize the NFCC to issue Change Orders on contract for a total not to exceed $71,577.00”
Mr. Lo reviewed the item. He explained that there have been a lot of problems with the heating system at Ben Franklin. The bid package went out a month ago and they received five bids. The electrical scope of the bid was not included. It was agreed that the City would consider a supplemental quote for the electrical portion of the heating conversion project with no indirect mark-up by the contractor. Mr. Lo said that they are not changing the fuel source. They are using the existing boilers, which are efficient.
Mr. Krummel suggested asking CL&P if they could do an energy audit of the building. Mr. Lo said that they are looking at ways to fund energy audits of various City buildings. The Committee discussed various electric cost saving measures.

** MR. SUTTON MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
B. Building Management
1. Review bids for the City Hall Cooling Towers Replacement Project and refer the following to the Common Council for approval:
“a. Authorize the Mayor, Richard A. Moccia, to execute a contract with West State Mechanical Inc. for the replacement of the cooling towers at Norwalk City Hall for a total not to exceed $180,990.00, subject to approval of a Special Capital Appropriation in the amount of $79,990.00. Acct. #09084071 5777 C0416
b. Authorize the Office of Building Management to issue change orders on contract for a total not to exceed $17,000.”
Mr. Hempstead explained that this item has to go for a special capital appropriation. Mr. Alvord said that they are changing out the parts of the system, but not the source of energy. Mr. Lo said that this is a request to replace the exact units. Mr. Hempstead commented that what is being proposed is energy efficient.

** MS. LINDSTROM MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

III. OLD BUSINESS
A. Fodor Farm
1. Update by Alan Lo
Mr. Krummel requested that the Committee see the final copy of the RFP. Mr. Krummel said that in the past there had been conversations that individuals would agree to make renovations on a home using their own sweat equity. He said that he thought that was a very commendable prospect, but does not know how to address that in the document. Mr. Lo explained that people could not live in the home while making renovations without a certificate of occupancy. A person needs documentation proving that they have the financial backing and expertise to renovate the home in order to make the purchase. The goal is to restore the historic properties.
The Committee discussed the deed restrictions. Mr. Lo will research this further. He recommended setting aside $5,000 to give to the Historical Commission that would be restricted for plan review for two of the properties.

Mr. Hempstead suggested abating taxes for the first two years of ownership and then charge the full amount thereafter. He said that an advantage of phasing in the taxes is that it would discourage flipping. The Committee discussed Phased Increase Assessment and decided that the process will require an Ordinance change and too time consuming.
Mr. Lo provided the Committee with an update on Fodor Farm and reviewed his written report.
B. General discussion regarding Norwalk Historical Resources Inventory

Mr. Lo brought two binders containing the Norwalk Historical Resources Inventory dated 1978. Mr. Hempstead said that the Ordinance Committee will again address the Demolition Delay Ordinance. He said that an updated Historical Resources Inventory document is key to making the Ordinance work and that the City has an obligation to fund this initiative.

Mr. Bryant said that the Historical Commission is requesting $20,000 to fund the Resources Inventory document. Mr. Bonenfant asked who decides what is an historical property and what happens if a property owner does not want their home designated as historical. Mr. Bryant said that the Historical Resources Inventory document is a planning tool. He will provide the Committee with an update at their next meeting.

** MR. GEAKE MOVED TO ADJOURN
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

There was no further business and the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Rosemarie Lombardi
Telesco Secretarial Services

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