Washington Planning Board
Washington Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
January 5, 2016
0.0 Assembly: 6:30PM
0.1 Members present: Crandall, Kluk, Marshall and Schwartz
0.2 Alternates present: Dulac, Hatch
0.3 Members and Alternates Absent: Dagesse, Russell, Terani
0.4 Visitors: None
Crandall motioned to have Hatch to sit for Dagesse, Schwartz seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
Marshall wanted to speak with the board to bring us up to date with what the Selectmen have been doing recently since he has missed several meetings. He said that he hasn't been around as much he wanted and he wanted to bring us up to date on financial and other matters. He discussed a recent case the Selectmen brought to court after trying unsuccessfully to deal with it locally. The Selectmen are trying to enforce the town’s ordinances. He asked the board to consider the potential cost to the town when getting an ordinance passed. The Selectmen have used up their budget for legal and will be going to the town for a larger sum this year. Everyone felt the town will be supportive and pass the budgeted amount. Kluk said that all the town ordinances were approved by the voters and they appreciate that they are being enforced. Dulac said there are sometimes people that are going to break the rules and cause the town trouble and cost money.
Crandall asked the board to move on to the agenda.
1.0 Minutes: December 1st meeting, Schwartz said that Terani suggested adding in the first section that Kluk could run for Cook’s remaining 2-year term, if she so choses. Kluk didn’t think it was necessary, Marshall motioned to approve the minutes as written, Kluk seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
2.0 Old Business:
2.1 Master Plan Update: PB goal priorities for 2016 - Crandall opened the discussion and suggested we go over everyone's top goals. He started the list with his top goal: Land Use and Zoning chapter, Goal A # 1 (review the LUO and regulations for relevance). Kluk agreed that this was her top goal, also. She said that in reviewing the LUO she found some conflicts and things to tighten up. Crandall said he realized that we don't specify septic system as a requirement for business when we processed at a business permit application last year. Marshall said that there is a loophole with outhouses that should be looked at.
Dulac's top goal concerns marketing the town as a great place to live and work for artisans. He thinks that small businesses like these, help maintain the rural character of the town and his goal encompasses goals from many of the chapters in the Master Plan. It touches on Land Use and Zoning, Services and Facilities, Economic Development, Natural Resources, Utilities, Historic and Cultural and Housing chapter goals. He sees the main challenge to starting is getting better technology and communication infrastructure in town. His top goals were: Land Use and Zoning - goal F #1 and 3 (zoning for business and expand broadband), Natural Resources - goal B # 1 and 2 (partner to make good decisions on land use and update LUO to protect natural resources), Services and Facilities - goal A #4 and 6 (expand fundraising for Meetinghouse renovation and ensure funding levels of town services to meet technological changes), Economic Development - goal A # 1, 2 and 3 (lobby for improved broadband, cell service, foster formation of businesses and tourism, artisan, etc. and public private partnerships to attract businesses that are important to a healthy local economy), Historic and Cultural - goal C # 3 and 4 (hold summer event to showcase artisan’s work and connect with “living History event in Hillsboro), and Utilities- all recommendations. He envisions a 20-year time frame for achieving this and thinks that the Planning Board should guide other groups into choosing what to focus on as it relates to our overall vision.
Hatch said he looked at the key areas for the Planning Board and his number one was in Recreation, goal D #1 (regarding coordination and communication of events) and he found similar goals in several chapters. He liked Economic Development - goal B # 1 and 2 (define certain parts of town for different uses and modify LUO to allow different lot sizes and setbacks), another was Housing - goal B # 3 (accessory dwellings), Population - goal A # 3 (review road infrastructure and policy for seasonal homes) and Historic and Cultural - goal A # 6 (ordinance to prevent demolition of historic buildings, encourage preservation), and Utilities - goal A # 1 (determine barriers to entry for cell service providers) and goal B # 1 (participate in regional broadband expansion efforts) were both relevant.
Schwartz said she wanted to work on lot sizes and setbacks but she agreed that a good place to start is with looking at the LUO, Land Use and Zoning - goal A # 1. She would also like to work on accessory dwellings and zoning to protect historic areas.
Crandall's number two was Historic and Cultural - goal A # 3 (improve signage for historic buildings and sites) and 7 (establish a Heritage Commission) and goal B # 7 (develop maps of historic sites). His next was Utilities - goal E # 3 and 4 (Inspect marginal septic systems and financial assistance program for septic repairs) but realizes it is out of our purview and is the responsibility of the Health Officer and DES. He would like to see some incentives or help for upgrading septic systems. Kluk's number 2 was Land Use and Zoning - goal B # 2 (instill pride in property and reduce junky yards) she feels we could tackle junky yards not through regulation but education, free transfer station days and fee waivers. Schwartz suggested a program to help people clean up their yards with local help and trucking to the transfer station. Marshall felt it is worth talking about but the town shouldn't clean up people's yards. Kluk wanted to work on Economic Development - goal B # 1 and 2 (define certain parts of town for different uses and modify LUO to allow different lot sizes and setbacks), Services and Facilities - goal G # 4 (hire a part time communications position) and Historic and Cultural - goal A # 2 (conduct a historic resources survey). Hatch said that touches on the four new entities we talked about starting, the Heritage Commission, the Economic Development committee, the Agricultural Commission a and the part time Communications person. Dulac thinks that we should be careful because too much government and cost will make people mad. We talked about approaching the Historical Society about the Heritage Commission and see if they are interested in getting involved. Kluk has information she can share and we can consider speaking about it at Town Meeting this year. Dulac asked what is our vision? Crandall said that some of these things are 10-year projects, or longer and we need to do some things that are just getting something started. Crandall believes that anyone that has a particular interest or experience in a goal should start the process on their own by developing background information and a plan forward and report to the full Planning Board. Hatch said that the LUO is our overarching document that we should look at and work on.
We will tabulate our goal preferences and discuss them again next month.
2.2 NRI map update - Schwartz reported that the Conservation Commission has a signed contract to get the list of maps updated this year. She said an additional map that is being done is a map showing where areas appropriate for development are in town. This could aid us in making good decisions for locating businesses and other development.
3.0 New Business:
3.1 Sign ordinance – Kluk said that because of a recent court case the NH OEP sent out and email with suggestions for updating sign ordinances. She said the bottom line was the rules concerning signs need to be non-content based. Our ordinance had provisions for commercial and business uses and we need to lose that and cover all sign use in an equal manner. She wrote a draft for us to discuss but said there are still issues we need to discuss and decide. She went through the issues and whether or not we should permit one sign on premise or allow two signs. We felt that two was a fair number. The new wording allows 120 days for a time frame, which we thought was good. On page three of the ordinance, # 2 for temporary off premise signs, we agreed to remove one sign per length of road. Kluk talked through the new definitions, one for on premise signs and one for off premise signs. We all approved the new definitions. Schwartz said that we don’t have time to bring this to Town Meeting this year because of the need for public hearings but we will bring it to town meeting next year.
4.0 Driveway permits: None
5.0 Mergers: None
6.0 Old Business: Kluk asked Crandall if he had called NHMA about driveway permits on class VI roads. He called about another matter and will have to call again to ask about this. Marshall said that by state law we can only approve temporary driveway permits on class VI roads for agriculture and logging. We are not allowed to do curb cuts on class VI roads for any other reason. The permit we approved last month was to change the approach of an existing driveway.
7.0 Communications:
6.1 Copy of boundary plat for Colby, Old Marlow Road, TM 11-15
6.2 DOT – copy of driveway permit for logging, TM 4-6, Rte.31
6.3 Intent to cut – Carr, TM 17-9, Kingsbury Hill Road
6.4 Intent to cut – Patten, TM 4-6, Rte. 31
6.5 Notice from DES, acceptance of Shoreland permit application, TM 12-108-1, Sandy Cove Road
6.6 Notice from DES, Forestry notification, Patten, TM 4-6
6.7 Copy of DES Supply Lines with the Source
8.0 Meeting date for next Planning Board meeting, February 2, 2015, at 6:30PM
9.0 Adjournment: Time: 8:25 pm
Motioned by Marshall, seconded by Hatch, all voted in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz