MINUTES
OF THE SHAFTSBURY PLANNING BOARD
SEPTEMBER
9, 2008
COLE
HALL
Others Present:
Susan Swasta (Recording Secretary)
1. Call Meeting to
Order:
Chairman Craig Bruder called the meeting to order at
7:00 PM.
2. Minutes:
September 2, 2008 Minutes
Bill Pennebaker made motion
to approve minutes. Chris Williams seconded.
The following correction to the September, 2008
minutes was requested:
On Page 2,
Item 4A (Town Plan Revision), in paragraph eight "RANC" is changed to "RAHC."
Motion to approve September
2, 2008 minutes as amended carried 3-0-2. (Mr. Bruder and Mr. Carter abstained
because they had not been present.)
3. Actions to be
Taken:
There were no actions to be taken.
4. New Business:
Chris Williams said that he has received maps of the
Village Residential District from Jim Sullivan of the Bennington County
Regional Commission (BCRC). They can now do a survey of the district. He suggested
meeting Saturday at 10:00 AM to do a survey of the district on bicycles.
Chairman Bruder said that he will be able to meet then. Other Board members
will not be available, so the two of them will do a survey.
5. Old Business:
A. Town Plan
Revision
The review of the rough draft of the revised Town
Plan resumed. Mr. Pennebaker distributed four inserts that he proposes as
revisions to various sections, and then went over all of the revisions he
recommends for the Plan.
In the introduction, he suggested adding subdivision
regulations to "along with the zoning by-laws and Act
250..." In 2.1, he recommended adding the Solid Waste Committee and BCRC
to the list at the end of the section. Chairman Bruder suggested adding the
Committee, then saying "as well as regional organizations such as
BCRC."
In 2.2, Mr. Pennebaker suggested changing the 1990's to
"last two decades." In 2.3 he recommended removing
"archeological." In 2.4 he suggested striking the first sentence and
adding his first insert language. Chairman Bruder suggested incorporating that
wording into the fourth paragraph. Mr. Pennebaker suggested striking
"any" and "generated" from the second sentence of the
paragraph on solid waste. Mr. St. Onge said that the last sentence of 2.4 will
make reference to the actual ordinance.
Mr. Pennebaker recommended cleaning up italics in 2.6 and
changing "adequate education" to "adequate educational
opportunities" in 2.8. In 2.10 it was agreed to change wording to
"Issues surrounding energy" and "in the lives of Town
residents." A comma was added after "children" in 2.11. Mr.
Pennebaker had no changes in sections three and four. In 5.2.2 he suggested
changing "man made" to "man-made."
There was discussion of section 5.2.4 on groundwater. It was
agreed to move the sentences on protection of groundwater to the
recommendations section, using language that recommends that aquifer recharge
areas and reservoirs be mapped and protected from incompatible development by
the zoning bylaw. Mr. Pennebaker suggested adding his second insert on water
system improvements to 5.2.4. In 5.2.5 Mr. Pennebaker suggested striking
"policy" from the third sentence.
In 5.2.7 Mr. Pennebaker suggested a wording change in the
first paragraph. In the fourth paragraph he suggested changing "whether
density may be reduced..." to "whether density should be
reduced..." In 5.3, Policies, he recommended changing "shalls"
to "shoulds." (This wording change appears to have already been
made.)
In 6.1 Mr. Pennebaker suggested changing "the Village
Residential District" to "a Village Residential District," and
in the last paragraph changing " to support to an expanded VR
district" to "to support a modest expansion." He suggested
splitting the first sentence of 6.2 into two sentences and recommended two
other wording changes in later paragraphs. In item 2 of community objectives it
was agreed to strike "15-20%." Other wording changes were made to the
sentence on erosion. Mr. Pennebaker suggested several minor wording changes in
6.4 and 6.5.
In 7.1 Mr. Pennebaker recommended that the third paragraph
add language to the effect that this is officially a historical district. Mr.
Williams suggested striking the sentence beginning "However, in
establishing..." because this is irrelevant to village center designation.
It was agreed to insert the Secretary of the Interior guidelines on
preservation in 7.3. In 7.4 Mr. Pennebaker suggested changing
"however" to "but" and "realm" to
"sense." Mr. Williams noted that the spelling of "bylaws"
should be consistent.
In 8.1 Mr. Pennebaker said that the preamble should come
before the highway department section and suggested revised wording on the
sentence on the road survey. He stated that the Select Board is now discussing
chloride use, and item three might want to include a clause on minimizing
maintenance. He suggested new wording for item four that included lease
purchase. He suggested rephrasing and reordering of item five, noting that
there is no expansion space for the Town garage at its present site. In item
six Mr. Pennebaker recommended striking
"plans of adjacent municipalities should be consistent
with Shaftsbury’s objectives." He had minor wording changes to the
rest if item six.
In 8.2 item 9, Mr. Pennebaker recommended replacing
"should be" with "is." In the second paragraph of 9.1, he
suggested changing 'These meters are expected to have had the following
beneficial effects" to "Meters have the following beneficial
effects." He suggested referring to section 5.2.4 at the end of the section.
In 9.2 Mr. Pennebaker recommended striking "with an
option to renew in 2009" in the first paragraph, and striking the second
paragraph, which will be replaced with insert language provided in Mr.
Pennebaker's handout. Under recommendations, he suggested striking number 5 on
a swap system because it is already being done, and changing 10-year plan to
5-year plan.
In 9.3 item 6 Mr. Pennebaker suggested striking
"complete." In reference to item 7, he asked if a cemetery survey was
done. Wynn Metcalfe will be asked about this. Bob Carter suggested changing
"scattered" to "located." In 9.4, third paragraph, Mr.
Pennebaker suggested adding wording on lease purchase. He had minor wording
changes for 9.5 and 9.6. In 9.7 item three Chairman Bruder suggested changing
"youthful" to "younger" and striking "and
maintaining." It was agreed to change the next sentence from "The
town should strive to be a part of the state initiative to have all education
and business entities covered by broadband and cell phone coverage by December,
2010" to "The town should have complete coverage with broadband and
cell phone coverage by December, 2010.
Regarding section 10, Mr. Williams said he still needs to
talk to School Board Chair Betty Benedict. Mr. Pennebaker suggested adding
"in cooperation with
In section 12, Housing, it was agreed to add wording on
mobile home park zoning. In section 13, Energy, it was agreed to add "as
implemented in the zoning bylaws" to the second sentence of the second
paragraph. It was agreed to ask Town Administrator Aaron Chrostowsky for
numbers for section 14. Chairman Bruder has not heard back from Select Board
Chairman Lon McClintock on new wording for 14.2.
In section 15, it was agreed to strike "energy
use" in number four, item four. Mr. Williams suggested wording for item
five, on a strategic plan for facilities. The sentence on the road survey was
struck.
There was a brief discussion of limited capacity for growth
in the village center, and what the Town Plan should recommend in terms of
future Town development. Planning Commission members agreed to meet next week
to discuss this issue. There will not be a meeting on September 23. The Select
Board, Development Review Board, and Economic Development Committee will be
invited to discuss the revised Town Plan at the September 30 meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 9:22
PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Swasta