Washington Planning Board
Washington Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
February 7, 2017
0.0 Assembly: 6:30PM
0.1 Members present: Crandall, Schwartz, Dulac and Tom Marshall (attending for Williams)
0.2 Alternates present: Hatch
0.3 Members and Alternates Absent: Kluk, Williams, Russell and Terani
0.4 Visitors: Roger Cullen, Peter Mellen
Crandall called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. Hatch was appointed to sit in for Kluk.
1.0 Minutes:
January 3, 2017 – No corrections were noted, Dulac motioned to approve as written, Crandall seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
2.0 New Business:
2.1 Roger Cullen and Peter Mellen came to speak with us about the subdivision on Bailey Road. The lots are currently taxed as separate lots, TM 20-45, 76.12-acres and TM 20-48, 63.88-acres, but by deed they are one lot. The lots are owned by Cullen’s uncle, Walter Peck. Mellen brought a survey plan of the lots, which we looked at and discussed. The lot is on Bailey Road and is divided by the road. There is a garage on lot 48 and a gravel drive onto the lot just past the point where Bailey Road turns into class VI for a section of the abutting road. Mellen used the mid point of Bailey Road as one boundary. We went through the application and checklist. Mellen provided a letter asking for a few waivers, which we considered reasonable and agreed to. He stated he would bring the 2 mylars to the hearing. Mellen stated that his deed research showed that the lots were separate in the 1800’s. They were combined on a subsequent deed when sold later. We discussed the issues around subdividing the lots in the future. We scheduled the hearing for March 7th at 6PM. Schwartz will notice the 18 abutters and put the notice in the paper. Schwartz will let Cullen know the cost for the hearing.
2.2 Ballot for Town Meeting
Schwartz said it is a draft of the ballot incorporating our comments from last month. She has run it by Barbara Gaskell and she approved. We will have a handout of the full language of the ordinance available at the voting booths. Hatch said he read through it and approves but wanted to know if we need to let the voters know that if they vote no on the first question, it will revert to the state law language. He is concerned about people understanding the difference between the state language and what we proposed. He asked if we need an explanation sheet. Marshall said we are making the law more restrictive. Schwartz said we are adapting the state law to Washington’s standards and what will work best here. Marshall said we should reach out to Barbara Gaskell about language. We reordered the language to make it clearer, Schwartz will make the change. Everyone thought that the language was clear for the other two questions. Marshall thinks that Q#3 could be contentious, Crandall agreed. Schwartz said a no vote wouldn’t change how we decide frontage issues; this is the way it has been interpreted since 1990 (and earlier).
3.0 Old Business:
3.1 Municipal Buildings project update:
Marshall updated us on recent activities on the building projects. He spoke about the Meeting House first and said they took our advice and crunched the numbers with Milestone and Drasba to turn the MH numbers into a GMP. They have decided to include the archives in the basement level and they will put in the structural beam and stub in for bathrooms and wiring upstairs but the annex will be unfinished on the second floor. There is some question on the generator size for the sprinkler system because of the lack of 3-phase power. Dulac asked about 3-phase power and Schwartz said that Eversource wouldn’t bring it into town. Marshall said the project is at about $1.2M (maybe $1.25 to 1.3M). Schwartz asked about insulating the 2nd floor of the annex and Marshall said maybe they would, they are still working out details but they are excited about where they are with the project. He said with the F/R building project the long and short of it is that they want the town to do it themselves. They have talked to the architect, Anthony Costello, Peter ? – the HVAC guy, Shawn Atkins, Roger Cullen and Tom Burt and they all believe we can do it this way. Peter gave the BoS a website with plans available and Costello has agreed to help. They have crunched the numbers to around $1.2M; there is $65K for the architect that they want to lower. They are meeting with Kyle Barker a week from Thursday. They have consent and backing from the F/R members. Dulac asked if the projects are separate warrant articles and who would be the general contractor for the F/R project. Marshall said there would be a Clerk of the Works only but they don’t know who that would be, the BoS would utilize their volunteer think tank. Cullen said he would get a quote for prefab trusses and walls from LaValley or Lumber Barn and get a crane and put it up. Hatch said that for some people in town going to Concord is like going to the big city and it equals big bucks. He thinks getting a working party together is good for Washington and also using local contractors is good PR. Marshall said we also don’t have a tight time frame for the project so we can space out the contractors. Dulac said it makes him feel comfortable in using locals because they will care about the project. Hatch said when we started this process we came up with a list that spoke to using local talent to do the project. Marshall said both projects are equal now and F/R is on board. Crandall asked if they would have an answer about why they are using locals for the F/R building and why they are using Milestone for the MH. Marshall said the MH has to go up and down in 6 months and is a more complicated project. They are working with John Brighton’s sprinkler company for both projects. Marshall said that the cost is about 75 cents per thousand but 36 cents is coming off the tax rate for the school bond. He said the tax rate is down already from $19.80 to $19.35. Crandall asked about a separate article for the Schoolhouse, Marshall said it is in the warrant. He said the MH will go first and then the F/R and the results will be announced for both at the end of the vote tally. Hatch said he is pleasantly surprised that we got here. Marshall said he is excited. Crandall said that Ed Thayer should sell the projects. Marshall said BoS would sell it on the floor of Town Meeting and Thayer; F/R and MH people can all speak in favor. They don’t have plans to do a mailing, we need to get out and speak with friends and neighbors to get the word out.
3.2 Master Plan – No discussion
3.3 Building Permit issue – Structural alterations definition:
Schwartz said she is keeping this on the agenda as a placeholder. We will move this discussion into future meetings.
4.0 Driveway Permits: None
5.0 Mergers:
5.1 Robert Cale seeking to merge two lots, on Coolidge Drive. He has TM 14-372 with a house on it and TM 14-371, the merged lots would be 2.32 acres and designated as TM 14-372. He provided the application, deeds and fee to us. Schwartz made a motion to approve the merger, Dulac seconded the motion and all voted in favor. Crandall signed the document and Schwartz will send it to the Registry of Deeds.
6.0 Communications:
6.1 UVLSRPC, Questionnaire for the 2019-2028 Transportation Plan
6.2 Copy of Boundary survey for Dole EW Trust lots
Hatch asked about the petition warrant articles for Town Meeting, specifically the petition to change back to a one day Town Meeting. Marshall said it is on the warrant but needs to be a paper ballot vote after discussion on the floor. Marshall said there are petition articles to buy the new ambulance this year and to be able to run ATVs on the roads in the Highland Haven Village district.
7.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting, March 7, 2017, at 6:30PM, the hearing for the Peck subdivision is at 6:00PM.
8.0 Adjournment: Time: 8:03 pm
Motioned by Dulac, seconded by Crandall, all voted in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz