Washington Planning Board & Board of Selectmen
Washington Planning Board
& Board of Selectmen
Joint Meeting Minutes
December 21, 2017
0.0 Assembly: 11:00AM
0.1 PB Members present: Crandall, Kluk and Schwartz
0.2 BoS members present: Williams, Krygeris and Marshall
1.0 Crandall noted that we were meeting with the Select Board to discuss our request for a warrant article for $3,000 for planning for the Town Center Visioning subcommittee for 2018 and looking for their support for the effort. He explained that we would form a subcommittee of the Planning Board to look at Town Center issues such as parking, businesses and public use. We want to get people involved for a 3 to 5 year project. We passed out the outline of the project that Kluk put together. Kluk said there is grant money through the Historic Alliance, DOT and Cooperative Extension. The committee would look for opportunities for money and planning assistance. Williams asked if it was a 3 to 5 year project why ask for money now, it feels premature to him. Crandall said that we wanted to do a public meeting similar to what we did on the Master Plan, we got someone from UNH Cooperative Ext. to facilitate and help come up with ideas and assistance to the committee. Kluk mentioned the UNH Coop “First Impressions” program. Williams thought we should start the process before we ask for money for consultants. Kluk spoke about fact finding and facilitating help. Williams said that a few years ago the BoS was looking to get a consultant in to look at municipal issues and the town rejected it. Crandall said that was political. Williams said we don’t need someone coming in here to tell us what to do. Krygeris hoped we weren’t planning a historic district because the Town shot that down before. Crandall said the warrant article is for $3K. Marshall stated that this is an insult to the Selectmen, it smacks of zoning, which people don’t want. He went through the document list and agreed with Williams that $3K isn’t happening. Crandall reminded them that according to the Master Plan 80% of people want zoning and things don’t go anywhere if people don’t want it. Kluk said that we are looking for community support for this. She mentioned the RPC and working with overlay districts for sections of town with differing needs. Krygeris asked about the historic building uses, Town Hall second floor and Old Schoolhouse. They don’t want to discuss any other uses beyond the present uses.
Kluk said the bottom line is the BoS doesn’t support this, we will take it back to the Planning Board. Kluk asked Williams about his support for the initiative. Williams thinks that the Planning Board needs to take up non-conforming lots (setbacks) he thinks PB has things to work on before looking for other things to do. Kluk said we misread Williams’ support for the project at our meeting, he encouraged asking for the money. Williams said he doesn’t support spending taxpayer money on it, we can do it ourselves, small lots are a problem, our focus should be on that need.
2.0 Adjournment: Time: 11:20 AM
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz