MINUTES OF THE SHAFTSBURY PLANNING COMMISSION
March 22, 2005, COLE HALL, SHAFTSBURY, VERMONT
Planning Board
Present: Kevin Bubriski,
chairman, Andrew Knafel, David Mance, William Jakubowski and Mark Young
Others Present: Anthony Zazzaro, Zoning Administrator, Bill Pennebaker, Alison Church, and Jeana Gelston
1. Call to Order: Chairman Kevin Bubriski called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM
2. Old Business
Application #05-6824: Mance, Trevor – Modify site plan – Sketch Plan.
David Mance stated that it was his understanding that Application #05-6824 would be continued until the next meeting that will follow the site visit. William Jakubowski made the motion to continue. Andrew Knafel seconded. The motion carried 4-0-1.
3. New Business – Access Management Training
Jeana Gelston, Transportation Planner with the Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC), distributed for the evening discussion three copies of Vermont Access Management. In addition to one copy of Vermont Access Management, She will provide the Town with a copy of the Powerpoint presentation as well as a CD of Vermont Access Management.
Prior to the presentation of material in Vermont Access Management, Ms. Gelston stated that through her efforts, the BCRC has new traffic counters. She emphasized that she is there for each town, in completing studies such as intersection studies and corridor studies. She offers help, guidance and data.
Ms. Gelston prefaced her presentation by saying that access management is a process that provides or manages access to land development while simultaneously preserving the flow of traffic on the surrounding road system in terms of safety, capacity, needs, and speed. It is set of standards that the State is hoping towns will adopt to for better planning for (1) new developments and (2) review of curb cuts that already exist to ensure the safety and efficiency of all roads in Vermont. She reinforced that a lot of access management is common sense, making sight lines straight and consolidating driveways whenever possible.
The slides of which Ms. Gelston spoke are summarized as follows:
Goals of this presentation
§ The Basics of Access Management (AM)
§ The Importance and Benefits of AM
§ Recognizing AM Applications
§ Implementing AM Solutions
§ Addressing your concerns and questions
§ Where to Find Additional AM Resources
What is Access Management
§ The systematic control of the location, spacing, design and operation of driveways, median openings, interchanges, and street connections to a roadway.
§ The purpose of access management is to provide vehicular access to land development in a manner that preserves safety and efficiency.
Access Management Strategies
1. Limit the number of conflict points
2. Separate the conflict points
3. Remove turning vehicles from through lanes
4. Preserve capacity and speeds – particularly on the highway and arterial network
If a town has access management strategies and principles in its zoning bylaw, that town is better equipped to deny a curb cut. A series of slides illustrating shared driveways, shared parking, alignment of driveways and rear parking. The shared driveway not only limits the number of access points to the main road and thus maximizes safety and efficiency but also maximizes green space and the aesthetics of each property.
Ms. Gelston referenced the slide entitle Access Management Performance Studies, stating that this slide illustrates areas where access management projects have been performed and have shown a great deal of success.
Benefits of Access Management
§ Reduced Congestion
§ Improved Safety
§ Shorter Travel Times
§ Positive Economic Benefits
§ More Attractive Roadways
§ Preserved Road Capacity
§ Safer for Pedestrians and Bicyclists
David Mance stated his concern where the Shaftsbury Planning Board had tried to limit the number of access points on state roads but then found that the State had issued a permit to the applicant without consideration for the Planning Board’s attempts to promote access management. The issue is that the VT Agency of Transportation should not write the book on access management and then thwart the Town’s efforts to enforce access management.
In response to Mr. Mance’s question of what can the Town do to have the State reinforce the Town’s efforts as opposed to thwarting them, Ms. Gelston said to contact her.
Access Management in Rural Areas
§ Properly designed and spaced driveway:
q Reduce curb cuts
q Consider plowing and drainage
q Reduce visual clutter
q Enhance rural quality
Mr. Mance stated that the Planning Board is well-versed in not only the principles of access management but also the application and implementation of them.
Chairman Bubriski asked if the Planning Board is interested in intersection study. Mr. Mance stated that there should be a goal associated with the intersection study. Mr. Jakubowski stated that the Planning Board has a number of things requiring resolution such as the Zoning Administrator job description, ethics policy guidelines, and the solid waste zoning bylaw.
Ms. Gelston suggested that Lissa Luke with the BCRC has experience with assisting towns with solid waste zoning bylaws.
Ms. Gelston said she would provide a list of services that she can provide the Town.
4. Zoning Administrator Report:
Tony Zazzaro advised the Planning Board that he had spoken with Jon Endres who is working on a subdivision of the White property at the corner of Depot Street. There are seven parcels proposed, the smallest of which is 2.5 acres. There are wetlands surrounded by sand and gravel with excellent percolation.
5. Other Business
Discussion then turned to parcels/properties of apparent non-compliance with Planning Board stipulations.
Peter Cross has apparently taken ownership and is landlord to apartments on the second floor of the building at the northwest corner of the intersection of Route 7A and Church Street. Concern was raised about tenants parking along Route 7A as well as in back of the building on top of the septic system of the dwelling.
Becker’s Garage is an issue because it is a pre-existing non-conforming commercial property, everything that the property owner does should be presented to the Planning Board for site plan review.
Mr. Mance left at approximately 8:30. Chairman Bubriski recommended further consideration of the BCRC offer of providing an intersection analysis at Route 7A/Church Street/Buck Hill Road. The study would provide data of truck traffic, number of vehicles and type of vehicles and thus a better idea of impact. Alison Church advised that the Planning Board get in writing the BCRC offer of no-cost.
Shaftsbury Auto Body
One from 1996 shows 1 row of parking on south side of property. The conditions of the Board, dated in 2001, specify nine spaces of employee and customer parking. There are 14 spaces out front alone. Eight spaces for car sales. Mr. Zazzaro stated his preference to see the site prior to issuing a violation.
Dailey, Inc. There was a serious verbal commitment from Dailey, Inc. on August 30, 2001 to complete a 3-4 phase landscape improvement operation, including berm and parking lot paving that would span five years. The only phase completed is the parking lot paving and berm.
6. Minutes
March 15, 2005
Mr. Jakubowski requested correction to spelling of his name. Chairman Bubriski verified that his message regarding correct spelling of his name had been received. Mr. Knafel requested correction to spelling of his name.
Page 1, paragraph under Application #04 67295: Friends of Stanley Tools subdivision and site plan, 4th sentence reads, “The septic system has been design and will be located east of the building.” Mr. Jakubowski requested grammatical correction so that the sentence would read, “The septic system has been designed and will be located east of the building.”
Mr. Jakubowski also asked that an underscore of the letter “s” in “3. Old Business” be removed. Note that there was no underscore in the file. It may be a printer mark. It was also requested that no matter whether a hyphen separates the two series of numbers in the application reference, consistency be maintained. There will be both a space and a hyphen in between the series of numbers.
Mr. Jakubowski made the motion to accept the March 15, 2005 minutes. Mr. Knafel seconded. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Mr. Jakubowski made the motion to accept the March 15, 2005 minutes. Mr. Young seconded. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Chairman Bubriski presented information from the BCRC regarding upcoming meetings.
Additions and revisions are needed to the first page of Town Plan to reflect the Amended Date (new line) after Adoption Date as well as new Selectboard and Planning Commission members. The summary of changes in the Selectboard and Planning Commission members is as follows:
§ Peter Cross, Deborah Maskiell, and Jim Serrao are to be removed.
§ Wynn Metcalfe is Chairman of the Selectboard
§ Kevin Bubriski is Chairman of the Planning Commission, rather than Andrew Knafel
§ Jim Mead and Cinda Morse are Selectboard members
It was acknowledged that a significant amount of effort was invested in revisions to the language. For the next printing of the Town Plan (i.e. the next 50 or so copies printed at a time), the new amendment, 9.2, on solid waste should be completely incorporated into the Town Plan. As such, the document will have to be re-paginated and making it officially part of the Town Plan. This revised version should be posted on the website in PDF. Mr. Zazzaro mentioned that the Town Plan is available on CD ROM and suggested that Ms. Church incorporate the changes onto the Town Plan. Ms Church said she under the impression that she would be allowed to assist the Planning Board in that fashion and that she would verify with Aaron Chrostowsky.
Bill Pennebaker spoke with Ellen Howard, Town Manager of Rockingham. Ms. Howard was the source of information regarding revisions to the Town Plan. The website www.rockbf.org has useful information pertaining to solid waste zoning bylaws. Chairman Bubriski requested that Mr. Zazzaro access the website, print the information and distribute copies to the Planning Board members.
7. Adjournment - Mr. Young made the motion to adjourn at 9:00 PM, seconded by Mr. Knafel. The motion carried 4-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Alison B. Church