Washington Planning Board

Meeting Minutes

March 5, 2019

0.0       Assembly:  6:30PM, Town Hall

0.1       Members present: Krygeris and Schwartz

            0.2       Alternates present: Terani and Chidester

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Crandall, Hatch, Dulac and Kluk

0.4       Visitors: Erik Shifflett

Schwartz opened the meeting at 6:30 PM and asked Chidester to sit in for Dulac and Terani to sit in for Hatch.

1.0       Minutes: February 5th meeting – Schwartz asked if there were any comments on the minutes. No comments were made, Krygeris made a motion to approve as written, Chidester seconded the motion and all voted in favor.

2.0       New Business:

2.1 Town Meeting plan – Schwartz said that Hatch will speak at Town Meeting to let the people attending know about the PB ballot and the issues they will be voting on. He will also speak about the Town Center Vision committee’s progress and ask people to participate in the poster voting.

2.2       Erik Shifflett – Schwartz asked Shifflett if he was willing to become an alternate member to the Planning Board. He said he was willing and Krygeris made a motion to approve Shifflett as an alternate member to the Planning Board, Terani seconded the motion and all voted in favor. We welcome Shifflett to the board.

3.0       Old Business:

3.1       Business Permit - Noah Chidester gave us an application for Crestwood Landscaping LLC, 313 Old Marlow Road, at the end of the last PB meeting. We went through his application to determine if he should seek an exemption to the Site Plan Review or apply for one. Schwartz read through the conditions for exemption and the board decided he did not meet the criteria because of his trailers, backhoe and trucks that are parked on the property and are a part of his business. Schwartz gave Chidester the application form for Site Plan Review for home businesses. He will fill it out and return it so we can move the process forward.

Shifflett asked about his farm and whether he needs a permit. Schwartz said that he did but it was possible the board could transfer the Chute’s prior permit to them. We discussed and he felt that theirs is a different business with a different name and he would make a new application. Chidester asked about the Farmer’s Market and whether they we permitted. Schwartz said they were permitted as a group and the individual farmers were independent of that permit. Krygeris said the town carries the liability because it is held on town property.

3.2       Town Center Vision Committee – Schwartz said we will have some copies of the Assessment Report available and have a one-page summary as a handout at Town Meeting. We will also have a poster where people can vote for projects or ideas that they like.

3.2 Municipal Buildings project update – Krygeris said that the Town Hall elevator is in (but not quite functioning yet due to a circuit board malfunction) and lots of progress is being made upstairs. Shifflett asked if the upstairs has a plan for use? He wondered if they could hold dances, plays or other events. Krygeris said it could be used for all of those things but nothing has been planned as yet. Chidester asked if the space could be used for private events. Krygeris said it would be available for private use also. He said it has been used for private events throughout the years but no public events could take place there since someone complained about access to a concert. Now that won’t be a problem and they hope it sees lots of use for many different types of events.

Krygeris reported that the Safety building garage is done and is being used and the old station is being renovated and should be done soon.

Krygeris said that the Old Schoolhouse renovation is on the warrant and they are raising money to do the first phase (foundation). Shifflett asked if the Police were moving to the Safety building. Schwartz said yes, they have room there for parking the cruiser and other storage and office space to accommodate them.

Shifflett asked about the old Town Garage building and what was being planned for it. Krygeris said that it is wet in the rear and moldy inside the building and is presently used for storage by Police, DPW and Fire/Rescue. He said that the trailer sitting next to the building needs to be removed. Shifflett thinks PB should assess the building and come up with a plan, all agreed. Krygeris thinks that when it is painted someone could do a mural on the side of the building.

Krygeris commented he is working on getting the lighting at Camp Morgan Lodge changed from florescent to LED. He is having the lighting assessed by an electrician. He said Hatch is talking with Eversource to see if there are incentives to help with cost. Shifflett said he is interested in helping out with the Energy Committee. Chidester said he is interested in the Forestry Committee. Schwartz will send him some information on that. Both committees are looking for members.

3.3       Master Plan – This is a placeholder.

3.4       ZBA report – Hatch was not in attendance to give a report.

3.5       Noise Ordinance – Schwartz will send the existing and Henniker’s ordinances to members.

3.6       UVLSRPC – Dulac was not in attendance to give a report but he was going to attend the February commissioner’s meeting.

4.0 Driveway Permits: None

5.0      Mergers: None

6.0 Communications: None

7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting – April 2, 2019, at 6:30 PM, at the Town Hall.

8.0 Adjournment:                       Time: 7:40 PM

            Motioned by Krygeris, seconded by Terani, all voted in favor.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nan Schwartz