Washington Planning Board

Meeting Minutes - Draft

April 3, 2018

0.0       Assembly:  6:30PM, Town Hall Trailer

0.1       Members present: Crandall, Hatch, Dulac and Schwartz

            0.2       Alternates present: Kluk and Terani

0.3       Members and Alternates Absent: Williams and Russell

0.4       Visitors: None

Crandall called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM

1.0       Minutes:

March 6^th meeting – Crandall asked if there were any comments on the minutes. Kluk pointed out that Dulac was left off the list of those absent, Schwartz will correct. There being no other comments Hatch made a motion to approve with the correction, Dulac seconded the motion and all voted in favor.

2.0       New Business:

2.1       Election of Officers

Hatch made a motion to keep Crandall as Chair, Dulac seconded and all voted in favor. Kluk made a motion to keep Hatch as Vice Chair, Schwartz seconded and all voted in favor. Crandall made a motion to keep Schwartz as Secretary, Dulac seconded and all voted in favor.

3.0 Old Business:

3.1       24th Annual Spring Planning and Zoning Conference

Schwartz again mentioned the conference would be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. Hatch said he would like to attend again this year. He was hoping that several members of the ZBA would also attend (he mentioned that they have a full board with 5 members now). Kluk hopes to go as well as Schwartz. You can sign up online and information on the conference is available here:

https://www.nh.gov/osi/planning/resources/conferences/spring-2018/index.htm

3.2 Town Meeting Review – Crandall said he would get a call when the ballots are counted, voting lasts until 7pm. Hatch asked about the problems with the Warrant and the Keno ballot. Schwartz said Barbara decided it was OK after the advise of the town counsel and NHMA. The BoS didn’t correct it before they reposted the warrant for the delayed meeting. Hatch commented the moderator said that our only chance to speak to the voters was before Article 1, before the polls were declared open. Under Article 2 the town is supposed to hear reports of officers, boards, committees and agents. He feels this would be a good time to embellish on items in our report and speak with the public. Dulac said this is a local decision because he used to attend many Town Meetings as School Superintendent and in some towns allowed people to get up and speak about issues. It is up to the Moderator and how the meeting is run. Kluk pointed out that Article 1 should have included the ballot items and Keno as well as the Town officers on the ballot. Dulac said the BoS should meet with he Moderator next year well before finalizing and posting the warrant. Terani asked if we should be involved with the classV/VI road issue. Kluk asked if these 3 are the only Class V to summer cottages roads in town. Schwartz thought they were. Hatch said we will see what happens but we will be involved if asked. Crandall said he was going to speak on finishing the Safety building under Article 3 but it was dismissed. Crandall said that he knows they can’t pay down the bond before the project is complete and they have to go to Town Meeting next year to ask the voters what they want to do with excess funds. They can put the money aside for another bondable project or pay down the bond (or some combination of these). Hatch said he is concerned with the project coming in so far under budget and what might have been cut or not done. He tried to talk to the HVAC guy but he never returned his call. He knows there is no insulation in the foundation slab with radiant heat and he wants accountability for the project.

3.3       Town Center Vision – Hatch said that Noah Chidester approached him at Town Meeting and wants to be involved with the Center Visioning project. We will keep him in the loop. Hatch asked about the Washington Facebook page and whether it was active and worthwhile. Kluk said it was and she could put something up about the project on the page. Schwartz said she can put something on the town website to gauge interest.

3.4 Municipal Buildings project update:

            Dulac said that he is concerned about the Old Schoolhouse being neglected as a project. We looked under the building and we know the condition of foundation and underpinnings is bad. The report came back and the BoS is acting like there were no structural problems reported in it. He is concerned that the money was spent and the OSH is slipping away as a project. Kluk said that Williams reported that $50K went into the Building Maintenance fund for that building. Dulac wants to do something as a board to push that project. Kluk had a copy of the report and said that options were written up in the report for public and private uses (as well as all the structural problems that were found. Terani said that we asked for money last year and they refused. Hatch mentioned Article 27, which asked for $6K for a stove for CML, adding to the $93K already in the fund ($50K is earmarked for the OSH). Dulac wants to keep the pressure on to do this project. Crandall said that the project was given to Krygeris and it was slow tracked during the year because of the other projects.

3.5       Master Plan – this is a placeholder.

3.5       Collection of data from ZBA on non-conforming lots and setback information from other towns – Hatch mentioned his research project, he is hoping for access to the ZBA minutes as soon as the TH is open again. He has used the BoS minutes to gather his information. He reported lots of hefty variances given. He will dig more. Kluk asked if he had tax map numbers attached to the cases so we can look at the maps and see where the bulk of the problems are occurring. Hatch thinks the Valley Road area is tops. He spoke with Jack Sheehy about the setbacks and he said that they were the same and in place in the 90’s when he came on the PB. Schwartz had a copy of a 1987 draft LUO (for a public hearing) and it had the same setbacks. Hatch said that when we went to 4 acre zoning there was not a lot of research done. Schwartz concurred and said that the PB felt at the time that the town had so many undersized and small lots in existence they felt it was enough and didn’t want more created. Hatch asked if we can adjust the setbacks and make it make sense. He feels that the setbacks and variances apply uniquely to each lot and circumstance. He feels that the ZBA can handle these cases. Kluk said that Washington Lake Estates was subdivided in the 60’s and the deeds required 10-foot setbacks. She wondered what LAE specifies in their deeds. Schwartz said she will check on that and any other associations in town. Kluk offered to help Hatch with his research. Schwartz said that the property files will contain documents ZBA decisions so we can also look at those.

Kluk spoke briefly about the Town of Jackson allowing tiny houses as ADUs.

            She asked about occupancy numbers and whether they are restricted to a certain number. Schwartz said we don’t restrict numbers but she should speak with the Health Officer about it.

4.0 Driveway Permits: None

5.0 Mergers: None

6.0 Communications: None

7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting, May 1, 2018, at 6:30 PM, possibly at the Town Hall (TBD).

8.0 Adjournment:                       Time: 7:35PM

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

Respectfully Submitted,

Nan Schwartz