HINESBURG DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 4, 2003

Approved 11/18/04

Members Present: Tom McGlenn, Howdy Russell, Robert Gauthier, Ted Bloomhardt, Greg Waples, and Carrie Fenn. Also Peter Erb, Zoning Administrator.

Members Absent: Wayne Burgess and Clint Emmons.

Members of the Audience: Al Barber (Fire Chief), Peter Mead, Scott & Carrie Stirewalt, Dan Cook, Becky Evens, Renate Parke, David Lyman, Mike Ray, George Dameron, Trey Polk, Tim Cornish, Dennis and Marian Willmott, Robert and Line Barral, Fiona Fenwick, Todd and Pamela Morris, George Bedard, Diane Moore, and Dan Simkins.

1. MINUTES Greg Waples made the motion to accept the minutes of October 21, 2003. This motion was seconded by Ted Bloomhardt and passed with Carrie Fenn abstaining from the vote.

2. DELIBERATIVE SESSION Tom McGlenn made the motion that the Board go into deliberative session and that motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed unanimously. At that time the following actions were taken:

• Tom McGlenn made the motion to approve the Peter and Christina Mead sketch plan with conditions. This motion was seconded by Carrie Fenn and passed with Russell, Fenn, Gauthier, and McGlenn voting in favor; and Waples and Bloomhardt abstaining from the vote.
• Howdy Russell then made the motion to approve the Timothy and Tracie Hultgren final plat subdivision located on Hayden Hill Road East with conditions. This motion was seconded by Tom McGlenn and passed with Russell, Fenn, Gauthier and McGlenn voting in favor; and Waples and Bloomhardt abstaining from the vote.

3. LYMAN – CONDITIONAL USE & SITE PLAN Tom Lyman was first on the agenda to request a conditional use permit to establish a woodworking shop at his property on the south side of the Shelburne Falls Road. This proposal is governed by Section 5.2 of the Revised Bylaw and as Tom’s house is also located on this lot and this would be a Larger Home Occupation. He explained the following aspects of his request:

• This shop would be in a 40’ x 54’ or 2160 square foot barn-appearing 1-story structure. He had pictures of a similar barn and stated that his would also be barn red with a metal roof.
• The operating hours would be from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7 days a week.
• After contacting Mike Anthony, the Town Road Foreman, the driveway to this workshop will be shared with that to his house. He felt it would be necessary to widen the existing drive for trucks entering from the west.
• There would probably only be one delivery truck a month, and at this time no other employees.
• He would keep the doors and windows closed while operating his tools to abate any noise issues.
• There would be a larger entrance door on the roadside and a smaller entrance door on the east. He was reminded of Section 5.6.3 of the Bylaw which requires parking spaces to be on the back or side of any commercial operation. Tom explained that he goes to customers’ properties rather than have them come to his shop, and therefore won’t have parking spaces.
• The interior of the building would be open up to the rafters without a second story.
• All lumber and products would be stored inside and he would not have a dumpster. All industrial waste would go to the solid waste district landfill.
• It was also explained that this use would be non-transferable if this property is sold.
• There would be some shrubs planted at this structure, but they have no specific plants at this time.

Ted Bloomhardt made the motion to close the public hearing for this conditional use and site plan review and direct staff to draft conditions of approval. This motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed unanimously.

4. BIRMINGHAM – SKETCH PLAN CONTINUATION David Marshall, of Civil

Engineering Associates, was present, representing David and Susan Birmingham who were not at the meeting, to explain a proposed 6-lot subdivision on the south side of Hayden Hill Road West. This subdivision is being presented as a Planned Residential Development (PRD). The review of this project had begun at the October 21^st DRB meeting and the Board with neighbors had conducted a site visit to the property on November 1^st. The Board members summarized the following issues that were identified at that site visit:

· The Board walked the roadway and trails and noticed the site lines to neighboring properties and the Town Forest (which is located to the east of this proposed subdivision).

· The watercourse, wetlands, and lot boundaries were also noted as well as an alternate access point onto the Town road. Walking the new roadway also indicated the slope of the driveways as well as this new private road.

· It was noted that a lot of the houses on this road have 2 – 3 acres cleared around them and there was concerned about possible clearing around these homes.

· Also noted were the significant large old maples and other trees in this wooded lot.

Several of the neighbors to this proposal were present at this meeting and noted the following concerns:

• The location of the proposed curb cut onto Hayden Hill Road West.
• The configuration of the common land.
• The closeness of this new road to the property to the west or downhill.
• How to enforce any condition that trees not be cut around the houses or on the entire lot.
• This project would mean an increase in the amount of traffic on this gravel road.
• This subdivision could affect the trail system for hikers and bikers in the Town Forest.
• Protecting the wetland on this property.

Dave Marshall then listed revisions they would make to this proposal and studies they would conduct prior to preliminary plat review:

• Traffic study
• A study by a hydrogeologist including shallow wells.
• More details on septic soil availability
• Ensuring any trails are located on this property and also a map of the Town Forest trails within 200’ of this property.
• Mitigating any vehicle lights to the property to the west.
• Storm water plans
• Defining building envelopes and any clearing that would occur.

Dave Marshall felt that the developer, Birmingham, would want to continue on with this project and conduct these studies and do further engineering and not reapply with a revised sketch plan review. It was felt by the Board members and neighbors that this list of conditions to be further studied addresses the technical issues but not the design standards for subdivisions, the Town Plan or the objectives of a PRD.

Ted Bloomhardt made the motion to make the memo dated 9/01/03 from Peter Erb a part of the record of this subdivision review. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed.

Tom McGlenn then made the motion to close the public discussion of the sketch plan proposal by David & Susan Birmingham and the Board continue this review in deliberative session in order to render a decision. This motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed unanimously.

5. C.V.U. HIGH SCHOOL – SITE PLAN & CONDITIONAL USE Kevin Worden from Engineering Ventures Inc. then led a presentation by several engineers, landscape experts, and architects on the master plan for expansions and revisions to the site plan for Champlain Valley Union High School. There were also members of the staff and School Board present for this discussion. This review is also for a conditional use permit due to the scope of the changes to the existing facility. The following items were then addressed as outlined on a submittal at the hearing:

· General site improvements including a new access cut with landscaping to the building, parking in back of the building, and expanding the parking lot on the Pond Road. There will be trees planted along this new drive to the back of the school. However, the DRB members were interested in having plantings within the parking lots and there are not plans for this due to snow plowing restraints. There were also some questions on pedestrian paths and students getting from one parking lot to another and also to the parking lot at the Alliance Church.

· Building renovations/additions including a new gym and wood fired boiler, a two-story addition with classrooms and office, new cafeteria and kitchen addition, media center, and south classroom additions. The wood chips to this boiler will be delivered off hours and once a week. There will be steam from this 60’ high chimney, which will be located on the east side of the facility.

· Athletic facility improvements would include relocating the track with a new surface, a new soccer field and replacing the existing athletic storage building. The Town will be constructing a bike path along the front of the school property on the C.V.U. Road. There also are no plans for any additional landscaping along the Pond Road on the east side of the property.

· There will be a new sign at the entrance and an event announcement sign has been discussed. Any lighting will be downcast and meet the Town’s standards.

· The school is now attached to Town water and there will now be a sprinkler system within the building. They propose to have irrigation lines to the new fields as well from the existing well.

· They will have to obtain a State storm water permit, State conditional use permit in regard to wetlands, and revise their Act 250 original permit.

Tom McGlenn made the motion to continue the review of the master plan for CVU High School and the public hearing for the conditional use permit to the November 18^th DRB meeting. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed unanimously.

6. ACTION ITEMS

· The Board did not vote on the Ayer, Eppstein, or Dwight Bissonette proposals from the last meeting, as there was not a quorum of the members that had reviewed those items.

· Ted Bloomhardt made the motion to approve an extension of the sketch plan approval for Frank Babbott’s one-lot subdivision located on the Pond Road. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed unanimously.

· It was agreed that the St. Cyr final plat should be signed and dated by the licensed surveyor that had prepared it.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Holly Russell

Recording Secretary