HINESBURG PLANNING COMMISSION

                                                         Minutes of February 7, 2001

APPROVED

 

Present:            Ted Bloomhardt, Roger Kohn, John Mace, Jean Isham, George Bedard, Carrie Fenn, Fred Haulenbeek, George Munson, and Will Patten.  Also Faith Ingulsrud, Town Planner

 

Members Absent:         none                            

 

Members of the Audience:        Warren Palmer, Howard Riggs, Andy and Jeane Hubinger, Tim Hultgren, Grant MacLean, Veronica and Dave Estey, Andy Seaton, Tim Ayer, Rodney Churchill

 

 

1.  Howard Riggs - Public Hearing for Re-Subdivision of Commercial Lot.  Ted Bloomhardt opened the public hearing for the re-subdivision of a 9 acre commercial lot.  Mr. Riggs obtained re-approval on August 2, 2000 but did not file the plat within 90 days as required by state law.  Mr. Riggs explained that nothing has changed since the re-approval.

 

With no comments from the audience, Ted closed the public hearing and made the following motion:

 

The Hinesburg Planning Commission hereby grants re-subdivision approval to Howard Riggs for an 8.99 acre commercial lot approved on August 2, 2000.  The final plat approval expired because the plat was not filed within 90 days of the final plat approval.  All conditions of the August 2, 2000 final plat approval are incorporated into this re-subdivision approval with special attention to item #3 regarding final plat recording.

 

Jean Isham seconded, it was unanimously approved with the exception of Roger Kohn who recused himself from the vote.

 

 

2.  MacLean/Hultgren - Sketch Plan Review.  Tim Hultgren described his proposal to create 3.2 acre house lot from a 100+ acre lot owned by his in-laws, the MacLeans.  He proposes to build a 3 bedroom single family home.  Mr. Hultgren said the road is improved up to the last house on Hayden Hill.  The owners of that house, Andy and Jeane Hubinger, were in the audience.  Mr. Hubinger explained that he was asked to widen his driveway by the Road Foreman so that maintenance vehicles could turn around.  It was noted that from Texas Hill Road to just before the Hultgren proposed lot, the road appears to be 18 feet wide and it gets graded and plowed.  A good portion of the road is Class 3; it is Class 4 beyond the log home all the way to Hayden Hill West.   Mr. Hultgren’s proposed driveway is located directly across from the Town Forest entrance.  Ted said that the shared portion of the Class IV road needs to be 18 feet wide.

 

Mr. Hubinger added that he had wanted Mr. Hultgren’s house site to be further up in the lot.  Mr. Hubinger had offered to allow Mr. Hultgren’s septic to be built on his field rather than on the proposed site in an effort to get Mr. Hultgren build his house out of Mr. Hubinger’s line of vision.  Mr. Hultgren responded that he likes his proposed house placement and it is the furthest from Mr. Hubinger’s house as it can be.

 


Another member of the audience (also a resident of the neighborhood) asked if future subdivision of the MacLean lot is possible.  Ted noted that it is 3 acre lot zoning in that area and that the Hultgren lot meets all the configurations of the ordinances Hinesburg has in place.  Carrie Fenn asked about logging in the town forest.  Faith said that she checked with Steve Russell on that.  He said they are finishing-up an intense logging stage right now in the Hayden Hill Road East area and then the logging will move on to another part of the property.

 

Mr. Hultgren said he had not yet surveyed the lot.  Faith advised him to request a waiver from having to survey the entire 100+ acres.  John Mace thought the house location would be dependent on the location of the well.  Roger asked Mr. Hultgren about the old cemetery on his lot.  He said his house would be pretty far from it, and he may put a fence around it.  He intended to preserve the cemetery .

 

Will Patten suggested a buffer zone between the Hultgren and Hubinger lots.  The Hubingers said they were concerned about a lack of buffer.  In the winter they will be able to see his house, but not so much in the summer.  The Hubingers are also concerned about other possible grave sites on the hill.  Mr. Hultgren said he is building slightly into the hill, he will have a walkout basement.  He also said he needs to clear trees for septic and his front yard.

 

With no further questions regarding the sketch plan, Ted Bloomhardt made the following motion:

 

The Hinesburg Planning Commission hereby grants sketch plan approval to Grant and Marceline MacLean and Timothy Hultgren for subdivision of one 3.2 acre residential lot from a 100+ acre parcel owned by the MacLeans located off of Hayden Hill Road.  The subdivision shall be as proposed by the applicant and shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

1.              The applicant shall meet all the final plat application submission requirements for Minor Subdivisions as listed in Section 4.2 of the Subdivision Regulations.

1.              A roadcut permit shall be obtained from the Selectboard for the access across the Class IV road.

2.              A condition regarding improvement of the Class IV road will be made at final plat.

3.              The applicant shall provide a proposed buffer area for the northeast corner of the lot.

4.              The requirement to survey the whole 100 acre property is waived.

 

Before being seconded, Roger asked if maintenance of the roadway should be a condition of approval or in the deed language.  Faith suggested the Road Foreman should confirm that it is 18 feet wide.  Jean asked if a buffer zone should be part of the conditions.  Roger thought the final plat could show a proposed buffer zone.  It would make sense for Mr. Hultgren to suggest where he wants it located.  Fred Haulenbeek asked why the burden of a buffer zone falls on the new builder and not the home owners of the already existing house.  Roger noted that the Planning Commission is not asking anyone to “create” screening or remove a feature that is currently there, just maintain what is there.  Mr. Hultgren said he doesn’t like the idea of someone telling him what to do with his land.

 

George Munson seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved with the exception of George Bedard who recused himself from the vote. 


 

3.  Esteys - Site Plan Amendment.  The Esteys came before the Planning Commission seeking site plan approval for the as-built design of Fire House Plaza.  The approved site plan is different from what was actually constructed and a number of site plan changes were approved on condition that all the changes be shown on an accurate as-built site plan.  Firehouse Plaza has been operating without a Certificate of Occupancy.

 

Before reviewing the new site plan, Ronnie Estey requested she be granted a Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.) at tonight’s meeting.  Ted explained that the Planning Commission does not issue Certificate of Occupancies, and she would have to see the Zoning Administrator.  Ted suggested they either address the site plan review at tonight’s meeting, or that the Esteys could start all over and see the Zoning Administrator about a C.O.  Faith suggested that everyone go through the Planning Commission approval that was revised May 15, 1996, item by item, to delete what doesn’t apply, so that the Zoning Administrator could issue a C.O.

 

With everyone in agreement with Faith’s suggestion, the May 15, 1996 approval was discussed in depth item by item.  Both the Esteys and the Planning Commission will review a new draft before final approval. 

 

Highlights of the discussion include: 

- actual number of current parking spaces and reserved future parking spaces.

 

-  The exact location of the garden area and the issue of outside storage of bagged goods.  It was determined that the garden center shall be designated as an area along the west side of the building between the canopy and the gravel internal driveway.  Bagged goods can be stored under the canopy.  Mrs. Estey said the bagged goods are merchandise on display, not storage items.  She also described the use of bagged goods on pallets stacked closely together in the area between the garden center and the used car lot as serving as a barrier to stop theft.

 

- The Esteys will have the site plan revised to include labels for: possible future sign location; the grass areas; cross-walks on the driveways, garden center location and label and arrows showing circulation in parking lot.

 

 

4.  United Church - Site Plan Review.  Rod Churchill and Andy Seaton representing the United Church of Hinesburg Board of Trustees described the proposed 1,200 sq. ft. addition to the back of the parish hall.  The addition will have a slab foundation and will not be built over the town sewer line.  The addition is designed to give more space for Sunday School classes and will be a big, open room with temporary partitions.  Doors will be on each end.  Everything else will remain the same.

 

Roger made the following motion:

 


The Hinesburg Planning Commission hereby grants site plan approval to the United Church to construct an addition to the west side of the parish hall approximately 1,200 sq. ft. in size.  The addition will be used for new classroom space to replace classrooms currently located in the church basement.  The site plan shall be as proposed by the applicant except as set forth herein.  This approval is subject to the following conditions:

1.              If experience indicates inadequate parking or unsafe traffic flow, the applicant shall immediately present proposed modifications of the site plan to the Hinesburg Planning Commission, and obtain approval of it.

2.              If any exterior lighting is installed at the entrances to the parish hall, the light fixtures shall be installed or shielded in such a manner as to conceal light sources and reflector/refractor areas from view from points beyond the lot.

3.              The applicant shall obtain a zoning permit from the zoning administrator prior to construction.

 

 

5.  Warren Palmer - Revision to Bedard Subdivision.   (Both George Bedard and Roger Kohn recused themselves from discussion.)  Mr. Palmer described his proposal to move the building envelope of the lot he purchased (Lot 1 of the Bedard subdivision on Texas Hill Road) further back into the lot about 250 feet.  He said that moving the envelope back will make it possible to keep more screening along the road.  Fred thought the biggest issue was the added length of the driveway and the extra drainage.  George Bedard said the extra drainage will be deflected onto the land above the power line.  Carrie asked about the location of the wetlands.  The driveway will impact a small area of soft land, but the building envelope itself is all on hard ground.  18 inch vs. 15 inch culverts were discussed.  It is more likely the area will have to be excavated to place the culvert.  Will Patten asked about impact to deer.  Deer do pass through the lot, but there is no yarding.  The Lot 2 building envelope will not be impacted by the new envelope location of Lot 1.

 

With no further discussion, Ted Bloomhardt made the following motion:

 

The Hinesburg Planning Commission hereby revises the November 1, 2000, Final Plat Approval for the 3-lot Subdivision by George Bedard on Texas Hill Road, to change the location of the building envelope on Lot #1.  The revised building envelope location shall be as shown on the Plat of the subdivision dated 10/8/00, last revised 1/22/01 and on a site plan of the subdivision last revised 2/5/01, and shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

1.              All other conditions of the November 1, 2000 Final Plat shall remain in effect.

2.              Wetlands impacts shall be dealt with in accordance with the December 18, 2000 letter from Peter E. Keibel, District Wetland Ecologist.

3.                  Appropriately sized culverts shall be installed under the driveway where it crosses the wet area near the home site.

 

Will Patten seconded the motion.  It was unanimously approved, with the exceptions of George Bedard and Roger Kohn who both recused themselves from the vote.

 

 


6.  Ayers - Simple Parceling.   Tim Ayer came before the Planning Commission to present his proposal for simple parceling of a 2.09 acre lot.  The originally approved lot is being swapped for this newly created lot.  Roger pointed out that this is really not swapping, but that the Planning Commission would be approving a new Lot  3.  Faith said the driveway would have to be widened to 18 feet up to the existing house and then the remaining driveway to Lot  3 should be 12 feet wide.  Mr. Ayer said the septic would have to pump up, and the utilities are underground on Lot 3.

 

Ted Bloomhardt made the following motion which is attached to the end of these minutes. 

 

Before being seconded, Roger asked that a condition be added regarding submittal of deed language for a common disposal pipeline easement.  This was incorporated into the approval.   John Mace seconded the motion, and was unanimously approved with the exception of George Bedard who recused himself from the vote.

 

 

7.  Follow-up to Previous Review (Erb, Bass, Donato, Gardner)  

Faith distributed copies of a letter from Steve and Lisa Carlson regarding the Rich Donato camp conversion request.  She asked that Planning Commission members read the letter for the work session meeting of February 21st.  A site visit will be scheduled in the future.

 

Faith will run the deed language for the Erb Lot’s new septic and well areas by Jean Isham.  The deed language needs Planning Commission approval.

 

The Gardners have submitted an as-built plan showing trees.  George Bedard said the roadside boundary is missing.  The front yard, Route 116 setback of 50 feet is required.  George said this requirement is necessary and it will aid the Gardners as much as anyone.

 

Faith said that Roy Bass did not file his plat in the Town Records within the time required in the conditions of his subdivision revision approval.  Roger Kohn moved that the Hinesburg Planning Commission approval granted to Roger A. Gadbois, Trustee for Lot F be modified to require the condition for the plat to be filed by February 28, 2001.  John Mace seconded, and it was unanimously approved.

 

 

 

The meeting adjourned at  11:05 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sally Kimball, Recording Secretary


HINESBURG PLANNING COMMISSION

                                                 AYER - SIMPLE PARCEL APPROVAL

                                                                  February 7, 2001

 

The Hinesburg Planning Commission hereby grants approval to Raymond and Ruth Ayer for simple parceling of one new 2.09 acre single family residential lot located on a 50' wide private right-of-way on the east side of Gilman Road.  The lot will be created from the Cedar Knoll Country Club property.  The new lot to be simple parceled, Lot #3, shall be as shown on a plan titled “Lot #3 Relocation - Part of Raymond H. and Ruth M. Ayer Property” and dated 10/10/’89, last revised 1/28/01, and includes a 20' wide pipeline easement and septic disposal area easement on Lot #2.  This approval shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

1.              What had been shown as Lot #3, part of a 2-lot subdivision plat approval on April 3, 1989 is no longer an approved lot.  The 2.47 acres associated with the previously approved Lot #3 shall become part of the Cedar Knoll Country Club Property, and no Zoning Permit may be issued for a new dwelling on the land without subdivision approval by the Planning Commission.

 

2.              Before a zoning permit is issued for this simple parcel, the applicant shall submit the following information to the Zoning Administrator:

a.   Subdivision Permit from the State Wastewater Management Division.    

 

3.              Utility lines shall be placed underground as required in Section 7.9.1 of the Subdivision Regulations.

 

4.              All exterior lighting shall be installed or shielded in such a manner as to conceal light sources and reflector/refractor areas from view from points beyond the lot.

 

5.              A roadway serving more than one lot is proposed.  The shared portion of the road shall be built in accordance with the Hinesburg Town road standards for a "lane", except that blacktop is not required.  The road shall be built, maintained, and plowed with a traveled surface at least 18 ft. wide, and the road shall have at least 12 inches of gravel.  The driveway portion of the roadway serving this Lot shall be at least 12 feet wide with at least 12 inches of gravel.

 

6.              Before obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy for Lot #3, the owner of the land shall require that the contractor constructing the road submit a letter to the Zoning Administrator stating that the road has been built in accordance with this approval and the standards specified in this condition.  If the roadway is being built in the location of a present roadway, the requirement of 12 inches of gravel can be reduced by the gravel presently located on the roadway.  This shall only be done, however if the contractor in his letter to the Zoning Administrator specifically states the location in which less than 12 inches of new gravel has been added, and provides an estimate (based on measurement, if this is feasible) of the amount of gravel located on the present roadway.

 

7.              The deed for the Lot shall include deed language consistent with language previously approved by the Planning Commission for Lot #2.

 


8.              Deed language shall be submitted to the Planning Commission detailing the disposal area and pipeline easements and approval obtained.

 

9.              The mylar of this subdivision and a copy of the conditions of approval shall be recorded in the Hinesburg Land Records within 90 days of this approval.  The language required in Section 3.3.2(3) of the Subdivision Regulations shall be added to the plat before filing.

 

10.         No further subdivision of this property shall occur without review and approval of the Hinesburg Planning Commission.

 

The above motion was passed by the Hinesburg Planning Commission on February 7, 2001.

 

 

_____________________________

Theodore Bloomhardt, Chairman

Hinesburg Planning Commission