Town of Putnam
Zoning Board of Appeals
Legal Notice

The Town of Putnam Zoning Board of Appeals held a hybrid meeting on February 18, 2025 at 7:00 P. M. in Room 201 at the Putnam Municipal Complex, located at 200 School Street, Putnam, CT.  The following action was taken:

Appeal #2024-009  Douglas Porter-WBA request for variances for the front yard setback from the required 10’ down to 0, the side corner yard setback from 10’ down to 7’ and the rear yard setback from the required 20’ down to 7’ for a proposed addition to 16 Pomfret Street. Property located at 36 Canal Street, Town Assessors Map 15, Lot 93, Zoned PD and 16 Pomfret Street, Town Assessors Map 15, Lot 75, Zoned PD for the two properties to become one for the proposed addition at 16 Pomfret Street.  APPROVED
  
Joseph Nash, Chairperson

Feb. 27, 2025

.

Aspinock Memories - 1953
The Grant Farm plane crash – four killed
WEST PUTNAM — May 7, 1953 Mrs. John Grant was in her home when she heard a plane in distress overhead. She ran out into her yard but could not see the military plane because of the fog. It swooped overhead a second time and she saw a glimpse of it. 
Nearby Bert Packham had heard the same low-flying roar and saw the plane attempt to climb when it suddenly disappeared into some woods. A moment later there was an explosion and then a huge fire ball above the trees.
Both walked to the site and, as Mrs. Grant told the Providence Journal: “It was a mess. I saw one man on the ground about 15 or 20 yards away from the plane.” Peckham said he saw two bodies in the fuselage, another about 50 feet from the wreckage and a fourth lying 150 feet away near the edge of Carpenter Brook. 
The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Quonset Point. All four men died on impact. Two priests administered last rites. 
The true cause of the crash is not known for sure. The report said “The plane initially hit some tree tops wheels down” supporting the theory that the pilot planned to make an emergency landing. Because of the cloud ceiling the pilot would have had to have been flying very low. One later report noted the presence of carboxyhemoglobin. The report hints that an exhaust leak into the cabin and bad weather contributed to the accident but the official cause is listed as “undetermined.” 
The Navy policy in 1953 was to bury downed naval aircraft where they fell. A bulldozer would have been used to make a trench and push the wreckage into it and then cover it with earth. 
Compiled by Linda Lemmon from report researched and written by Jim Ignasher in January 2008. The complete report is at the Aspinock Historical Society.
Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.

.

Putnam's 1st bulky waste collection,in Pomfret
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — March 1 Putnam residents will become acquainted with the new bulky waste disposal program down the road at POMFRET’s new transfer station.
The program residents are accustomed to, bringing bulky waste to a Putnam location and having the items off-loaded by helpers, is no more. 
The new system will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 1 at Pomfret’s new transfer station, at the end of Nora Lane, off Rt. 101 (turn at Paquette’s Electric), according to Putnam Highway Superintendent Travis Sirrine. Putnam is using Pomfret’s station. The details of the memorandum of understanding between the two towns are still being worked out.
Here’s what Putnam residents can expect. At the black entry gate Putnam residents will show their proof of Putnam residency (i.e. driver’s license, vehicle registration, etc.) and tell the gate person what types of bulky waste they have and the staff will tell them which dumpsters to head for.
It is a one-way entrance and residents will be directed to pull in next to the railing to unload into the dumpster. There will no longer be any labor to help unload. Residents need to bring their own labor. 
There is no charge. Casella will have placed the dumpsters at the station and will charge the town of Putnam based on the tonnage.
Sirrine said the town of Putnam is hoping to have Putnam bulky waste disposal at Pomfret “in the range of once a month.” Schedules are part of the discussions on the memorandum of understanding. The town of Putnam did the paving, as agreed upon, Sirrine said, but the memorandum is not done yet.
What can be dropped off: Furniture, electronics, computers, large appliances, monitors, plumbing fixtures, mattresses, TVs, microwaves, stereos, scrap metal, miscellaneous electronics, etc. No household trash and no hazardous materials.
Sirrine said the town is working on a hazardous waste disposal day for some time midsummer. A date and time have not been determined yet.
He said that items currently dropped off at the town’s Fox Road garage, such as tires, electronics and mattresses/box springs can still be dropped off there; however, once the bulky waste schedule is “sorted out” those items will go to Pomfret only. “The town will give (Putnam) residents plenty of notice when that happens,” Sirrine said.
The possibility of a “trade station” at the transfer station has been talked about, Sirrine said. Woodstock has a trade station at its transfer station. Residents put items that are in good shape but not needed and other residents look through the trade station for items they might need. If Pomfret does one, it would be in the future. Sirrine said the state encourages trade stations to encourage recycling. 

.