HINESBURG DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 18, 2003
Approved 12/02/03
Present: Tom McGlenn, Howdy Russell, Robert Gauthier, Greg Waples, and Clint Emmons. Also Peter Erb, Zoning Administrator.
Members Absent: Ted Bloomhardt and Wayne Burgess.
Members of the Public: Al Barber (Fire Chief), Renate Parke, Ted White (Conservation Commission), Jason Hoover, Jules Chatot, Michael Smith, Jeff Tobrocke, Kurt Proulx, Bill Root, Bob Mason, Miachael Bissonette, and Tom Barden.
1. ACTION ITEMS Tom McGlenn made the motion that the Board go into deliberative session and this motion was seconded by Robert Gauthier and passed unanimously. The Board members then moved to the Town Clerk’s Office in order to conduct a telephone conference call with Ted Bloomhardt and Wayne Burgess. This was to have the necessary quorum to vote on several actions. During this conference call the following motions were made, seconded and passed unanimously:
This ended the telephone conference with Bloomhardt and Burgess.
2. C.V.U. HIGH SCHOOL – SITE PLAN AND CONDITIONAL USE Kevin Worden
again lead a discussion of the various aspects of this master plan for additions and improvements to C.V.U. High School. He went through the following issues that had been brought up for consideration in the memos from Peter Erb:
· There will not be lighting in the upper parking lots.
· They will have to obtain a Stormwater Permit from the State and they have met with April Mouleart a State wetland professional, Ted White and Nancy Plunkett from Hinesburg’s Conservation Commission, and Al Barber from the Fire Department.
· They feel there is room for a grassed path along the Pond Road to the upper new practice field.
· Hazardous waste and the use of pesticides was a concern of the Conservation Commission. Buildings Maintenance Director, Kurt Proulx explained that they have a permit to use Roundup around the fences lines and do so about once a year.
· There are no plans to have night sporting events.
· The school would like to remove the “No Parking” signs along Pond Road.
· They have recently connected onto Town Water and have received a sewer allocation from the Select Board. However, they have found that they need 468 more gpd and have applied to the Town for that.
· The plans showed plantings on the south and east side of the new upper parking lot.
· It is necessary to have two chimneys for the heating system; one for the burning of wood chips and the other for oil. The chimneys are this high to avoid downdraft into the school if there are easterly winds. They will be 25’ feet above the highest building at the school facility. They submitted schematic pictures of the future appearance of the school including the smoke stacks from the Pond Road.
· There are no plans to have any landscaping within the parking lots at the school, which is a concern to the DRB members. Ted Bloomhardt had submitted an email expressing his concerns and strong feelings that there should be islands with trees to break up the appearance of the large lot on the south side of the property. He stated that any business this size that came before the Board would be required to provide landscaping. Kurk explained that this could increase their expenses for snow plowing by $5,000 to $10,000 by having islands with landscaping in the parking lot.
· It was explained that only seniors are given permits to park on school grounds. The school does not issue permits to juniors, however, that class each year negotiates an agreement with the Alliance Church on the Pond Road to use their parking lot for a fee. Approximately 75 of these permit are sold to the juniors. Methods to control parking on the edge of the Pond Road for athletic games were also discussed.
· The school has a policy that does not allow for idling of the school buses when waiting for passengers and they have recently initiated this same policy with students, faculty and parents.
· There will be additional mechanicals elements on the roofs of the additions. It was stated that these should not be running at night to create a noise problem.
· As new plan was submitted indicating more pedestrian paths for circulation between building areas and the parking lots and playing fields.
· There was concern about cars stacking at the new exit on the south side and blocking the exits from the rows of parking.
· It was requested that the hours of construction for these new facilities be the same as what was submitted to Act 250 and being 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays with no work on Sundays.
· It was explained that there should not be any odor from the wood chip furnace and this operation will create very little ashes.
· Al Barber, from the Hinesburg Fire Department, was present and did not have any concerns about this site plan proposal.
Greg Waples made the motion to continue the public hearing for the conditional use review for C.V.U. High School to the December 16th DRB meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall. This motion was seconded by Tom McGlenn and passed unanimously.
3. COLLINS – SKETCH PLAN Sandy Collins was next on the agenda to request sketch
plan approval to create one new lot on property on the south side of the Lincoln Hill road and owned by her parents Cliff and Christine Collins. A 6-acre lot was previously created from this property for another sibling. The following aspects of this proposal were then explained and discussed:
· This will be a 3-acre lot on the west side of the Collins property.
· At this time, the Collins have a forestry contract with the State Current Use Program. Sandy explained they plan to keep a 100’ wide strip between a lot created for her brother-in-law and her new lot so that her parents can remain in this program.
· The Board had received a letter from Henry Carse who is concerned about small lots in this part of Hinesburg cutting up the forest parcels. Peter Erb explained that due to the steep topography of the remaining acreage more development would not be possible. Peter said that the 3 houses will actually be clustered at the lower portion of this wood lot.
· This new lot is wooded and Sandy explained that they would not wish to clear an extensive area around their new house.
· They have not done septic testing yet and do plan to have a drilled well.
· The utilities will be underground from the pole at the Collins house.
· Peter felt that the drive to this house could be kept under a 15% grade. However run-off from the new driveway and construction of the house should be reviewed as this property drains into a stream that continues down to Hollow Brook.
After determining that this proposal would be a 2-step review, Tom McGlenn made the motion to close the public discussion of the Collins sketch plan review and instruct the staff to draft conditions of approval to be considered at the next meeting of the Board. This motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed unanimously.
4. FROST – CONDITIONAL USE Anne and Rob Frost were present for a continued public
hearing on their request for a conditional use permit to allow for an apartment in a detached structure on their property on the Boutin Road. It was explained that the size allowed under Section 5.9.1(2) of the newly adopted Zoning Bylaw was not increased and therefore at this time, such an apartment would only be allowed to be 600 square feet or under. The apartment at the Frost property is now over this limit and therefore in violation.
Anne explained that they had submitted 4 options to allow this apartment to remain in the garage and the Board members felt that Option #1 was the only one permissible at this time. The option stated “Sheet rock the entrance to the bedroom wing (at A). This would leave no bedroom in the apartment. This leaves bedroom wing inaccessible. Living space 516 square feet.”
Section 5.9.1(7) of the Bylaw states “on-site water and sewage disposal is available which meets all applicable local or state regulations.” Anne explained that their septic engineer is in the process of applying for a State permit for the system which will serve their new house and this accessory apartment.
Tom McGlenn made the motion to close the public hearing and to direct staff to draft conditions of approval in accordance with Option #1 as proposed by Robert and Anne Frost in requesting a conditional use permit to have an accessory apartment under 600 square feet in a detached structure at their property on Boutin Road. This motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed unanimously.
5. ACTION ITEMS
· Howdy Russell made the motion to accept the minutes of November 4, 2003 and this motion was seconded by Greg Waples and passed with Clint Emmons abstaining from the vote.
· Darrell Fortier was present to request a revision to the site plan for the Cliffeast Condo’s on Route 116 in the Village. The original condition required a hedge at the parking lot and after working with Peter Erb, they feel that several lilacs would be better. The dumpster is now located by the State road and it should be moved to the rear or side of this property. Greg Waples made the motion to direct staff to revise the conditions of site plan approval for the Fortier apartment in the Village as proposed by Peter Erb. This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed.
· Lloyd Evarts was present to request approval to enlarge the building envelope on Lot A of the Boutin 8-lot subdivision off the Shelburne Falls Road which is owned by David and Lisa Evarts. They wish to build a large accessory structure and he stated there are natural features there that prohibit them from doing this. It was the opinion of the Board that this matter should be considered at a warned public hearing as a revision to an approved subdivision and Mr. Evarts will prepare more information for that hearing.
· The members were then reminded to notify the Planning Commission if they have any suggestions on the size of accessory apartments.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45.
Respectfully submitted,
Holly Russell
Recording Secretary