WASHINGTON PLANNING BOARD

  Minutes

May 6, 2008

1.0 Assembly

1.1 Members Present: Jack Sheehy, Lynn Cook, Tom Marshall, Nan Schwartz

1.2 Alternates Present: Dennis Kelly and Fran Greene

1.3 Members & Alternates Absent: Ken Eastman, Bill Cole

1.4 Visitors: Dianne Dakowicz, Janusz Dakowicz, Timothy Lang, Jim Crandall, Wayne McCutcheon

Sheehy motioned that Kelly to sit in for Ken Eastman. Tom Marshall seconded. All voted in favor.

Minutes - Cook corrected last month's minutes to read - 4.2 Tim Lang TM 14-430, 14-488, 498 and 429. Kelly motioned to approve corrected minutes of April 1, 2008, Marshall seconded the motion. All voted in favor.  

2.0 Public Hearings

2.1 Public Hearing – Dakowicz Business and Sign Permits

Sheehy opened the public hearing for the Dakowicz business permit. Mr Dakowicz wants a business permit to operate a car repair business "Hillside Garage" adjacent to his home at 1693 South Main Street, TM 16-061-2. This will be a full service garage including state inspections. They also seek a sign permit.

Sheehy asked if any of the board members had any questions or concerns. Marshall said he had 2 concerns, the first was the number of unregistered vehicles allowed on the property. The state allows five unregistered vehicles and that would be the limit. Marshall asked Mr. Dakowicz if he would be willing to have an annual inspection by the selectmen in regards to unregistered vehicles on the property. Mr. Dakowicz was agreeable to this. Marshall’s second concern was fire protection and requested that the permit be conditional on the Fire Chief doing an inspection of the building and approving the containment system for waste oil and fluids. Mr. Dakowicz was also agreeable with this. Sheehy will call Fire Chief Moser to do the inspection. No other concerns were raised by the board. Kelly made a motion to approve conditional on Moser's approval, Marshall seconded. All voted in favor.

The sign permit was then taken up. It was for a 3X4 sign to be hung near the road, Route 31 (a state road). Sheehy reminded the Dakowiczs to check the proper setbacks with the state because their setback requirements are more than the town requirements. Kelly made a motion to approve the sign permit, Cook seconded. All voted in favor.

2.2 Public Hearing - National Flood Insurance Program, required additions to the Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations

Greene presented the additions to the Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations. Cook asked if we need to have a 90 day review period for the flood maps. Greene advised that it wasn't necessary because the town maps haven't changed at all. Some towns have new digital maps with changes to them making that necessary but ours haven't changed. The flood maps are available in the Town Hall for public viewing. Sheehy asked if the Natural Resource Inventory maps have the flood zone indicated on them and Schwartz assured him that they did. The board reviewed the language to be added. Sheehy asked about the next step in the process. Greene advised that she has all the needed documents now and she will take them to the state Office of Energy and Planning, where they go over everything for completeness and then they send it on to FEMA. FEMA will then process the application and notify the town when the process is complete. The selectmen are putting language into the building permit regarding whether the application is for a property in a flood zone. Greene will find out when the ordinance is in force.

3.0      Driveway Permit

3.1 Shawn James, TM 20-186, Beaver Brook Road, Ed approved and requested that boulders and brush be removed and a 15'x30' culvert be installed. Sheehy needs to inspect. Kelly made a motion to approve on the condition that Sheehy takes a look at it and approves, Marshall seconded. All voted in favor.

4.0      Mergers

4.1 Raymond & Ann Russell, TM 14-412 Lots 8 and 9, 32 Ashuelot Acres Road, fee paid. The board looked at the merger application and Cook looked up the property tax card. The property is already looked at by the town as one parcel. Sheehy motioned to table the application. Schwartz will call the Russells to get more details on the merger. The board will take it up again next month.

4.2 Lucas Strunk, TM 17 – 024, 033 and 034, 168Wild Acre Drive, fee paid. Kelly motioned to approve, seconed by Marshall. All voted in favor. Schwartz will bring to the county Registrar of Deeds.

5.0       Old Business-

5.1 Timothy Lang – meeting about merger and annexation of his land on the west side of Ashuelot - TM 14-429, 430, 488, 498, 499. Wayne McCutcheon, Mr. Lang's surveyor, presented his new maps to the board. He described what the Langs intended to do with their property on the west side of Ashuelot Pond. He fells the whole thing can be done with mergers and annexation. The plan is to annex 1.45 acres from 14-488 to the neighbor's lot, TM 14-436, making this lot 1.76 acres. Lot 14-430 (in current use) will remain as is at 3.30 acres. Lot 14-499 will also remain as is at .52 acres. Lot 14-429 will merge with lot 14-498 and will annex part of Lot 14-488 creating a 15.70 acre lot with .88+.52 acres not in current use, the house and barn are on those parts of the lot. Lot 14-488 will then be 16.18 acres, in current use. Cook requested that Mr. McCutcheon draw a map showing what was in current use and what was not. He agreed to indicate this on the final maps. Mr. Lang was provided with a merger application. Mr. McCucheon pointed out that in surveying Mr. Lang’s property, the boundaries of the Huntley Mountain town forest is now all blazed and marked. Schwartz will mention this to Lionel Chute.

5.2 Revised Nonconforming Lot language 401.1 – Board decided to adopt as written.

6.0       New Business

6.1    Assessor’s Current Use Map needs –

Cook discussed a problem that the Board of Assessors has with some of the subdivisions that we have approved recently. They are having a difficult time because the surveyor's maps don't indicate what is in current use and what isn't. Cook will write something to be added to our subdivision regulations requesting current use information on all plan maps for subdivisions. We will review next month.

6.2 New Alternate member to the board –

Jim Crandall attended the meeting and wishes to participate as an Alternate to the Board. Crandall will write a letter to the selectmen and we will recommend he is added to the board as an alternate member.

6.3 Discussion about All Town Board Meeting –

Schwartz spoke about having a joint board meeting this summer, possibly in June, attended by all the town boards, Selectmen, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Conservation Commission, to talk about town issues. Marshall suggested including the Board of Assessors and all were in favor. Schwartz will contact the Selectmen to see if they would agree to a meeting.

7.0 Communications

7.1 LGC – Land Use Clerks Works workshop for ZBA members - Filed

7.2 Lorman – Seminar for Zoning, Subdivision and Land Development Law - Filed

7.3 Letter from Lucas Strunk about merger – was tabled in October for lack of necessary documents

7.4 Town and City Magazine - Filed

7.5 Letter from Don Damm concerning the Visinski subdivision/merger wishing to know when this comes before the board so he can attend and comment.

7.6 LGC – Annual conference – November 12-14, 2008 - Filed

7.7 Letter from Jeffrey Taylor & Associates, reminding us of their services - Filed

8.0       Meeting dates

8.1 Working meeting with Peter Dzwaltowski, May 20^th, 6 PM – Regulatory audit

8.2 Next Planning Board meeting, June 3, 2008

9.0       Adjournment: There being no further business before the Board. Marshall motioned for adjournment, Kelly seconded the motion. All voted in favor. 9:30 PM.

Respectfully,

Nan Schwartz

Secretary, Planning Board