Washington Planning Board

Meeting Minutes - Draft

February 4, 2020

0.0       Assembly:  6:30PM, Town Hall

0.1       Members present: Hatch, Revane, Dulac, Crandall (phone) and Schwartz

            0.2       Alternates present: None

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Kluk, Chidester, Shifflett and Terani

0.4       Visitors: None

Hatch opened the meeting at 6:36 PM.

1.0       Minutes: January 7th meeting and hearing – There were no changes requested Dulac made a motion to approve as written, Revane seconded the motion and all voted in favor.

2.0       New Business:

2.1       Schwartz handed out the new Planning and Zoning books. Hatch asked whether the new Zoning Appeals Board law was in the book and we found that it was. He said it passed but was not well funded.

3.0       Old Business:

3.1       Ballots for the petitioned change to RV section 306.0 and the Noise Ordinance - Schwartz made up the ballots and give them to Jane Barkie. She asked for 2 separate ballots because of the issues. Hatch said that after our meeting and vote last month the petitioners requested some changes to the language of the RV ordinance. He said that he had contacted them to explain that, as they had not provided input either in writing or in person at the January meeting, the PB had voted to move forward with the petitioned change as submitted. The petitioners then asked the BoS to rescind the petitioned ordinance. The BoS contacted the town attorney who said it couldn’t be changed or rescinded. The petitioners are getting the word out requesting voters not vote in favor for this year. They would like to come back next year and work on it with the board. Hatch read the wording of both ballots to the board. Dulac made a motion to forward both ballots to the Town Clerk, the motion was seconded by Revane and all voted in favor. Schwartz said the Noise Ordinance updated language and the existing ordinance are both up on the website. We have a handout concerning the RV ordinance that we need to review for any changes we might make before Town Meeting.

3.2       LUO review – Hatch said he has been thinking about how we would present the changes we are discussing for the LUO next year because they could be numerous. He saw that Henniker had a notice for a hearing for LUO changes and they listed them all out. He is thinking about mentioning the work we are doing on the LUO at Town Meeting to set expectations for the future. Crandall asked that he mention the TCV issues also. Hatch agreed that he would, along with the ballot items and DOT’s plans. He will come to our next meeting with a draft of what he proposes to say.

Hatch read through Article IV, we will add “Zoning” to BoA in 402.4 and 403.2. In 403.1 there is a typo – change to “of” a side or rear lot line. In 403.3 we will capitalize Health Officer and add that buildings designated as hazardous cannot be occupied until it is repaired or removed.

3.3       Town Center Vision project – Crandall gave a summary report. The committee went over Chidester’s sketch plan and several people thought the driveway might be controversial. He thinks we should scale back the expectations and put forward working on the parking area, the underground utilities and stairway/walkway from the parking lot to the Town buildings. He wants to hold a charrette/planning meeting sometime next summer to discuss other items. Revane says the driveway came up as a safety concern and it should be presented that way. Crandall said there is concern that we may lose grass area but we will actually gain more grass. Crandall asked about money in the warrant and Revane said it is locked and approved by DRA. Schwartz asked about the $9K that PB requested for a capital reserve fund. Revane said he thought it had been cut from the warrant. He said we might be able to raise something from the floor. Schwartz said the TCV subcommittee is meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. They are meeting with Jared Reynolds about a Rural Business Development grant for drainage and paving at the General Store.

3.4       Old Schoolhouse project update – Revane said they have a proposal in for construction of the annex and will have a warrant article for Town Meeting. They are looking to do the annex and tie into the sprinkler system, do the electric, heat and plumbing. Revane asked what the TCV want for underground wires and Schwartz said from the pole by the road, eliminating the pole by the Town Pound. He will add this to the estimate for the electrical. Revane said they are getting a price for the annex roof and siding. Schwartz asked about insulating and Revane said the recommendation is to only insulate downstairs. They will go as far as they can this year, they are looking for $150K but would use some of the unassigned fund balance.

3.5       Master Plan – this is a placeholder.

3.6       ZBA Report – Hatch said the ZBA met last week and have a continuance to do a site visit to an applicant’s property on February 15^th. They are looking for 4 variances. Hatch said he finds the application for a variance difficult to understand and explain to applicants. Revane confirmed that there is a bill in the legislature to remove the ‘hardship’ question from the appeals application.

3.7       UVLSRPC - Dulac said they are meeting on February 14^th.

4.0       Driveway Permits: None

5.0       Mergers: None

6.0 Communications:

6.1       Intent-to-cut – Pillsbury State Park, TM 4-6, Rte. 31 north

6.2       Letter from Paul Dulac saying he is stepping down from the Planning Board and as our representative to the UVLSRPC as of Town Meeting due to other obligations he has taken on.

7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting – March 3, 2020, at 6:30 PM at the Town Hall.

8.0 Adjournment:                      Time: 7:54PM

            Motioned by Dulac, seconded by Revane, all voted in favor.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nan Schwartz