Washington Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
January 5, 2016
0.0 Assembly: 6:30PM
0.1 Members present: Crandall, Kluk, Marshall and Schwartz
0.2 Alternates present: Dulac, Hatch
0.3 Members and Alternates Absent: Dagesse, Russell, Terani
0.4 Visitors: None
Crandall motioned to have Hatch to sit for Dagesse, Schwartz seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
Marshall wanted to speak with the board to bring us up to
date with what the Selectmen have been doing recently since he has missed
several meetings. He said that he
hasn't been around as much he wanted and he wanted to bring us up to date on
financial and other matters. He discussed a recent case the Selectmen brought
to court after trying unsuccessfully to deal with it locally. The Selectmen are
trying to enforce the townÕs ordinances. He asked the board to consider the
potential cost to the town when getting an ordinance passed. The Selectmen have
used up their budget for legal and will be going to the town for a larger sum
this year. Everyone felt the town will be supportive
and pass the budgeted amount. Kluk said that all the town ordinances
were approved by the voters and they appreciate that they are being
enforced. Dulac said there are sometimes people that
are going to break the rules and cause the town trouble and cost money.
Crandall asked the
board to move on to the agenda.
1.0 Minutes: December 1st meeting, Schwartz said that Terani suggested adding in the first section that Kluk could run for CookÕs remaining 2-year term, if she so choses. Kluk didnÕt think it was necessary, Marshall motioned to approve the minutes as written, Kluk seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
2.0 Old Business:
2.1 Master Plan Update: PB goal
priorities for 2016 - Crandall opened the discussion and suggested we go over
everyone's top goals. He started the list with his top goal: Land Use and
Zoning chapter, Goal A # 1 (review the LUO and regulations for relevance). Kluk
agreed that this was her top goal, also. She said that in reviewing the LUO she
found some conflicts and things to tighten up. Crandall said he realized that
we don't specify septic system as a requirement for business when we processed
at a business permit application last year. Marshall said that there is a
loophole with outhouses that should be looked at.
Dulac's top goal
concerns marketing the town as a great place to live and work for artisans. He
thinks that small businesses like these, help maintain
the rural character of the town and his goal encompasses goals from many of the
chapters in the Master Plan. It touches on Land Use and Zoning, Services and
Facilities, Economic Development, Natural Resources, Utilities, Historic and
Cultural and Housing chapter goals. He sees the main challenge to starting is
getting better technology and communication infrastructure in town. His top
goals were: Land Use and Zoning - goal F #1 and 3 (zoning for business and
expand broadband), Natural Resources - goal B # 1 and 2 (partner to make good decisions
on land use and update LUO to protect natural resources), Services and
Facilities - goal A #4 and 6 (expand fundraising for Meetinghouse renovation
and ensure funding levels of town services to meet technological changes),
Economic Development - goal A # 1, 2 and 3 (lobby for improved broadband, cell
service, foster formation of businesses and tourism, artisan, etc. and public
private partnerships to attract businesses that are important to a healthy
local economy), Historic and Cultural - goal C # 3 and 4 (hold summer event to
showcase artisanÕs work and connect with Ōliving History event in Hillsboro),
and Utilities- all recommendations. He envisions a 20-year time frame for
achieving this and thinks that the Planning Board should guide other groups
into choosing what to focus on as it relates to our overall vision.
Hatch said he
looked at the key areas for the Planning Board and his number one was in
Recreation, goal D #1 (regarding coordination and communication of events) and he
found similar goals in several chapters. He liked Economic Development - goal B
# 1 and 2 (define certain parts of town for different uses and modify LUO to
allow different lot sizes and setbacks), another was Housing - goal B # 3
(accessory dwellings), Population - goal A # 3 (review road infrastructure and
policy for seasonal homes) and Historic and Cultural - goal A # 6 (ordinance to
prevent demolition of historic buildings, encourage preservation), and
Utilities - goal A # 1 (determine barriers to entry for cell service providers)
and goal B # 1 (participate in regional broadband expansion efforts) were both
relevant.
Schwartz said
she wanted to work on lot sizes and setbacks but she agreed that a good place
to start is with looking at the LUO, Land Use and Zoning - goal A # 1. She would also like to work on accessory dwellings
and zoning to protect historic areas.
Crandall's
number two was Historic and Cultural - goal A # 3 (improve
signage for historic buildings and sites) and 7 (establish a Heritage
Commission) and goal B # 7 (develop maps of historic sites). His next was
Utilities - goal E # 3 and 4 (Inspect marginal septic systems and financial
assistance program for septic repairs) but realizes it is out of our purview
and is the responsibility of the Health Officer and DES. He would like to see
some incentives or help for upgrading septic systems. Kluk's
number 2 was Land Use and Zoning - goal B # 2 (instill pride in property and reduce
junky yards) she feels we could tackle junky yards not through regulation but
education, free transfer station days and fee waivers. Schwartz suggested a
program to help people clean up their yards with local help and trucking to the
transfer station. Marshall felt it is worth talking about but the town
shouldn't clean up people's yards. Kluk wanted to work on Economic Development
- goal B # 1 and 2 (define certain parts of town for different uses and modify
LUO to allow different lot sizes and setbacks), Services and Facilities - goal
G # 4 (hire a part time communications position) and Historic and Cultural -
goal A # 2 (conduct a historic resources survey).
Hatch said that touches on the four new entities we talked about starting, the
Heritage Commission, the Economic Development committee, the Agricultural
Commission a and the part time Communications person. Dulac
thinks that we should be careful because too much government and cost will make
people mad. We talked about approaching the Historical Society about the
Heritage Commission and see if they are interested in getting involved. Kluk
has information she can share and we can consider speaking about it at Town
Meeting this year. Dulac asked what is our vision?
Crandall said that some of these things are 10-year projects, or longer and we
need to do some things that are just getting something started. Crandall
believes that anyone that has a particular interest or experience in a goal
should start the process on their own by developing background information and
a plan forward and report to the full Planning Board. Hatch said that the LUO
is our overarching document that we should look at and work on.
We will
tabulate our goal preferences and discuss them again next month.
2.2 NRI map update - Schwartz reported that the Conservation Commission has a signed contract to get the list of maps updated this year. She said an additional map that is being done is a map showing where areas appropriate for development are in town. This could aid us in making good decisions for locating businesses and other development.
3.0 New Business:
3.1 Sign ordinance – Kluk said that because of a recent court case the NH OEP sent out and email with suggestions for updating sign ordinances. She said the bottom line was the rules concerning signs need to be non-content based. Our ordinance had provisions for commercial and business uses and we need to lose that and cover all sign use in an equal manner. She wrote a draft for us to discuss but said there are still issues we need to discuss and decide. She went through the issues and whether or not we should permit one sign on premise or allow two signs. We felt that two was a fair number. The new wording allows 120 days for a time frame, which we thought was good. On page three of the ordinance, # 2 for temporary off premise signs, we agreed to remove one sign per length of road. Kluk talked through the new definitions, one for on premise signs and one for off premise signs. We all approved the new definitions. Schwartz said that we donÕt have time to bring this to Town Meeting this year because of the need for public hearings but we will bring it to town meeting next year.
4.0 Driveway permits: None
5.0 Mergers: None
6.0 Old Business: Kluk asked Crandall if he had called NHMA about driveway permits on class VI roads. He called about another matter and will have to call again to ask about this. Marshall said that by state law we can only approve temporary driveway permits on class VI roads for agriculture and logging. We are not allowed to do curb cuts on class VI roads for any other reason. The permit we approved last month was to change the approach of an existing driveway.
7.0 Communications:
6.1 Copy
of boundary plat for Colby, Old Marlow Road, TM 11-15
6.2 DOT
– copy of driveway permit for logging, TM 4-6, Rte.31
6.3 Intent
to cut – Carr, TM 17-9, Kingsbury Hill Road
6.4 Intent
to cut – Patten, TM 4-6, Rte. 31
6.5 Notice
from DES, acceptance of Shoreland permit application,
TM 12-108-1, Sandy Cove Road
6.6 Notice
from DES, Forestry notification, Patten, TM 4-6
6.7 Copy
of DES Supply Lines with the Source
8.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting, February 2, 2015, at 6:30PM
9.0 Adjournment: Time: 8:25 pm
Motioned by Marshall, seconded by Hatch, all voted in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz