Warren Connecticut

By: Dr. Everett Vreeland

I am starting this on 3-17-04 and the first report of bear sighting has ocurred. Paul Prindle had a warm fuzzy visitor on his back porch. I believe this same bear lives on the southern slope going towards the reservoir and generally seeks food from there to town hill and then can go back of the town hall to come along a continuing bird feeder route to my place where he is greeted with a raucous canned air horn (if seen). Bird feeders will suffer trashing along the route. He has contiuous cover on a NW route across Flat Rock where he is seen - and felt - enroute to the greater Mohawk Forest. My judgement - as seen on my porch - is that he is a male of about 350 lbs. and mates are available at Mohawk.

My feeder abounds in Finches with Siskins leading the attack. Squirrels are fattening with speed and many many resplendent male Mergansers gather in ice free places awaiting the yearly mating gathering at Waramaug. Redwings take up stations on treetops surrounding customary nesting swamps. Strong instincts demand that they clain territory for mating in spite of frigid winds and frozen bogs. They are joined here now by Grackles and a few Cowbirds.

A few fly fisherman have been braving icy waters in the river in search of hungry trout. I think mostly to escape the frenetic urban areas from whence they willingly come. The river also attracts migrant waterfowl and I expect odd species from time to time; just like Rt. 95 and its yearly “snow-birds.”

Humorous to me in this uncertain weather, is the erratic flights of the awakening Vultures. They try, in vain, to find an uplifting thermal current that gives them access to buoyant flight and carrion odors. Finding no thermals, they must actually fly. That is not a strong talent compared to soaring and they appear as amateurs. In observing this, however, I did see one Black Vulture in Kent. This is a smaller species, new to New England, that capable friends said were here a year ago. It took me this long to spy one. They have wing bars in flight, seen parallel to the body.

Watch now as the larger wooded slopes slowly change in color and the tree buds develop. First the Maples give a maroon sort of haze and then the watercourses begin to show vague light green of the Poplars. Way way back I used to follow these streams to their source learning every step of the way about plants and critters that average people never see: (e.g. trout-lilies, hepatica, water-cress.and sun-bathing snakes.) That knowledge brings a contented outlook and maybe a tendency to talk too much.

The Planning and Zoning Commission’s monthly meeting was held May 11.

Jack Baron of 187 Kent Road was present to ask the Commission about requesting a special exception to operate a bed and breakfast.  The Commission advised him that he will need to include sign size and location in his application and it will need a review by Torrington Area Health and the DEP.  A public hearing was scheduled for June 8 at 7 pm.

Tom McGowan presented a draft of regulations addressing docks.  He incorportated modifications requested by the Commission at its last meeting.

Mr. McGowan spoke to the issue of fences near the lake.  He reported that members of the Lake Waramaug Authority had done some informal questionning of land owners and found many interested in a “no fence” rule to protect the scenic vistas on the lake.  However, he stressed that no formal survey had been done.  Wayne Wilson, chair of the Commission, questionned the source of authority for the commission to regulate fences.  The Commission voted to send the draft regulations and questions about fences to the First Selectman to be forwarded to an attorney of his chosing for advice.

The Commission considered correspondence from Cynthia Shook of Brick School Road requesting clarification of the term “agriculture” as used in zoning regulations. They decided to seek the advice of counsel on their response.

Mr. Wilson led the commission in a discussion of their third draft of guidelines or rules for sizes of accessory structures.  When no consensus was reached on Draft 3, one member suggested a rule that any building of 100 square feet or less and no more than 10 feet tall could be built without a permit, so long as it observed sideline setbacks (25 feet.)  After much discussion, the matter was tabled to the next meeting.

Enforcement activities were reviewed by the commission.  They noted that two unregistered vehicles had been removed from 129 Cornwall Road and that the owner of 51 Kent Road responded immediately to their warnings to remove unregistered vehicles by asking for an extension and promising to remedy promptly.  Several possible violations at 250 Brick School Road had been observed and  it was noted that the selectman are working on resolutions.

Chairman Wilson raised the issue of notification of neighbors when special permits have been requested and asked that members find out how other towns word these notifications.  He urged the commission to consider adopting a policy of notification regarding future special permits.

Permits were issued to Susan Bates of 76 Tanner Hill Road for two sheds; to Mark Podlaseck, Brick School Road for a home and to Nancy Binns, 197 Brick School Road for a porch.

This is a PDF version of the May, 2004 Warren Observer newsletter. Click on it to download it to your computer, then print it and you’ll have the exact same newsletter that was sent out.

Warren Observer 5-04

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