HINESBURG DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2003

Approved 9/16/03

Present: Tom McGlenn, Robert Gauthier, Howdy Russell, Ted Bloomhardt, Greg Waples, Clint Emmons, and Wayne Burgess.

Members of the Audience: Linda Lumbra, Tim & Kay Ballard, Daryl Miller, and Michael Potvin.

1. MINUTES Tom McGlenn made the motion to accept the minutes of August 19, 2003 and this motion was seconded by Robert Gauthier and passed.

2. GREEN DOLPHIN LLC/CAMERON – SKETCH PLAN Prior to this meeting, the

Board members had conducted a site visit to the Green Dolphin LLC property on the west side of Route 116 on Hickory Lane. For the record, at that site visit the Board observed the lots line locations, the proposed roadway, the building height pole, access points to the lots, adjoining properties and the location of the houses on lots 1,2,and 3.

Jim Cameron, representing Green Dolphin LLC, then further explained some aspects of his sketch plan proposal:

• He is working with Kathy O’Brian on evaluating the wetlands on this property.
• Lot #6 has not been mowed or used by the farmer to the north and she has indicated they may not be haying the upper meadow in the future.
• Jim had installed at pole 35’ in height on lot #3 to show that it is not highly visible from Route 116.
• His engineer has indicated that the road to the 3 house lots will not exceed a 15% grade.
• Tim Ballard, the farmer to the south, expressed his concern that these three new house lots are next to his young cattle pasture and the effects this development will have on those animals. This will mean more people, children and dogs that could access his pasture where he keeps about 20 young cows and a bull.
• Linda Lumbra, the owner at the beginning of Hickory Lane, has met with Jim and worked on the maintenance etc. of this private road. She also has concerns about lights and noise from traffic from this development.
• The Board members felt that to grant sketch plan approval they will need a plan indicating only those lots that have septic capabilities. Jim explained that he had submitted this plan to show the master plan of what could perhaps happen in the future. The remainder of the land should be retained and not approved for development. They also felt that to include the front lot #8 with this retained land could create a gerrymandered lot.
• The sketch plan would have to then indicate the 3 lots that have viable septic, the house lot and the retained lot. Howdy Russell suggested that if Jim only has the septic for three lots, he should evaluate the best locations on this whole property for these houses and incorporate the Planning Standards from the Subdivision Regulations. He felt that retaining that large meadow as open agricultural undeveloped land is of great importance.
• It is also important that the applicant consider the impact this subdivision will have on the neighboring properties, which are farms and low-density housing.

Tom McGlenn then made the motion to close the public discussion of this sketch plan and the Board take up this review in deliberative session in order to render a decision. This motion was seconded by Ted Bloomhardt and passed with Clint Emmons and Greg Waples abstaining from the vote.

3. BALDWIN/HAULENBEEK – FINAL PLAT Tom McGlenn opened the public hearing

for final plat review of a proposal by Andrea Haulenbeek to create for her son Brian Gevry, one new lot from property owned by she and Peter Baldwin. This proposed new lot will be 5.36 acres in size and located on the east side of the Baldwin Road. Fred led the discussion of this proposal:

• He had submitted a drawing of the improvement that will done to the existing farm road and the drive to the new house. This plan showed the location of existing and new culverts and a typical cross section of the roadway. In his memo, Peter Erb had recommended that the contractor submit a report that the road had been built to standards and will meet specific soil erosion and storm water reg’s.
• The shared portion of this roadway is approximately 60 feet in length.
• Fred has used Peter’s inclinometer and found that one section of this driveway averaged out to be about a 13% grade. However, he did not indicate whether any section is over 15%.
• There will need to be more points indicated on the plan in order to locate the building envelope. The location of the house is restricted due to the location of the septic system.
• He would be willing to have a couple of pullouts on this 880 foot driveway and there would be a turn-around at the house for emergency vehicles.
• The septic plans also show a replacement area for the existing house on the remaining land.
• The power will be underground from the Balwin Road and there will be an easement for that line.

Tom McGlenn made the motion to close the public hearing for the Baldwin/Haulenbeek final plat and the Board directs the staff to draft conditions of approval for the next DRB meeting. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed unanimously.

4. HULTGREN – SKETCH PLAN Tim Hultgren was next on the agenda to request sketch

plan approval for one new lot on the north side of Hayden Hill Road East. Daryl Miller, the owner of the property past this new lot was also present. This lot had been added to Tim’s house lot through a Transfer of Land to Adjoiner. A condition of that process is that to become a separate lot, the owner must go through the full subdivision process. Tim explained that following aspects of his proposal:

• His current lot is 8.17 acres in size and the new lot to be subdivided off will be 5.05 acres.
• He has gotten preliminary approval from Mike Anthony, the Road Foreman, for a new road-cut onto this Class IV road.
• He has designs for a septic system already prepared.
• The Town maintains the section of this road only to the driveway to the Town Forest and the road is not passable from the upper house, owned by Miller, through to Hayden Hill Road West.
• Tim understands that he will have to upgrade this Town right-of-way from his current house to the drive of the new lot to the standards for a “Lane” and with a width of 18’. The Select Board had allowed a section of road from the last house on the south to Tim’s current driveway cut to be only 14’ wide. This was done because there were stonewalls and large trees beside the roadway.
• Daryl in providing power to his house has installed a utility vault at this new lot and the power to the house will be underground.
• There was discussion of what would constitute “substantial construction” for this subdivision in order for it to remain viable after three years. It was felt that the road improvements might have to be done to keep this a buildable lot.
• The new lot is wooded and although a building lot was not shown on the plan, the house location was.
• Daryl Miller was concerned about 4-wheelers and trucks using and damaging, especially in the spring, the portion of the road that he has upgraded. It was suggested that the Town could perhaps put a chain across in the spring.
• There also was a discussion of how this shared roadway would be maintained and snowplowed and whether there is any type of association that determines this.

Tom McGlenn made the motion to close the public discussion of this request by Tim and Tracie Hultgren for sketch plan approval for a subdivision on Hayden Hill Road East and for the Board to discuss in deliberative session in order to render a decision. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed.

5. EDDY – TRANSFER OF LAND George Bedard, representing Paul Eddy, explained a

Transfer of Land to Adjoiner of 9.5acres from Paul to the Town Of Hinesburg. This parcel is located on the north side of the Charlotte Road and east of the Town’s sewer lagoons. Paul is in the process of selling his farm and also the development rights to the Vermont Land Trust. The Select Board therefore, is purchasing this 9.5-acre lot for any necessary future use.

This transfer is governed by Section 3.2 of the Subdivision Regulations and the deed or survey must state that no development may occur on this transferred land without further DRB review and approval. George said that a survey of the original Town lagoon lot will be recorded in the Land Records and this additional piece would be described in the deed and not surveyed.

Tom McGlenn made the motion to close the public discussion of this transfer of land to the Town of Hinesburg from Paul Eddy and the Board directs the staff to draft conditions of approval. This motion was seconded by Ted Bloomhardt and passed unanimously.

6. ACTION ITEMS

• St. Hillaire The Board members agreed that the corrections to the plat, that were requested by the DRB, do not require a warned public hearing. The staff will draft conditions of approval for the next meeting.

• Norris Howdy Russell made the motion to approval the final plat with conditions for the Richard and Norma Norris subdivision on the Baldwin Road. This motion passed with 5 affirmative votes with Wayne Burgess and Greg Waples abstaining from the vote.

• Green Dolphin/Cameron Clint Emmons made the motion to deny the request for sketch plan approval by James Cameron owner of Green Dophin LLC and the Board directs staff to draft Findings of Fact for this denial. This motion was seconded by Ted Bloomhardt and passed with Greg Waples abstaining from the vote.

• It was the consensus of the Board that the paint sample of barn red for the new animal hospital in Commerce Park is acceptable.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Holly Russell, Recording Secretary