HINESBURG DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 2, 2004

Approved 11/16/04

 

Members Present:  Greg Waples, George Munson, Tom McGlenn, Robert Gauthier, Howdy Russell, Ted Bloomhardt, and Clint Emmons.  Also Peter Erb, Zoning Administrator.

Members of the Audience:  Michael Munson, Steven & Carol Palmer, Tanya Jones, Laura Carotenuto, John Kiedaisch, Justin Driscoll, Sara Driscoll, John Driscoll, Raymond Ayer, Michael Hennessay and Chris Beaudry.

 

 

1.  MINUTES   Greg Waples made the motion to accept the minutes of October 19th as corrected.  This motion was seconded by Clint Emmons and passed.

 

 

2.       BISSONETTE – SKETCH PLAN   Wayne Bissonette was present with his consultant

Nick Nowlan in regard to his proposed 6-lot subdivision of his property on the west side of the Gilman Road.  This sketch plan consists of 5 residential lots and the remaining acreage. 

Al Barber, the Fire Chief, brought up the fact that this proposal may require a fire pond for use by the fire department and this is an issue that will be reviewed further.  Wayne also brought up paths on the property that had been mentioned in the staff memo.

 

Ted Bloomhardt made the motion to close the public discussion of the Wayne and Barbara Bissonette sketch plan review and this motion was seconded by Tom McGlenn and passed.  Ted Bloomhardt then made the motion to grant sketch plan approval with conditions to Wayne and Barbara Bissonette for a 6-lot subdivision of their property on the west side of the Gilman Road.  This motion was seconded by Clint Emmons and passed unanimously.

John Kiedaisch, a member of the audience and a resident in this part of Hinesburg, expressed disappointment that the State Fish and Wildlife department had not been involved with this review process.  They will be brought up to date and included with the mailing lists for all future reviews.

 

 

2.       CRIMMINS – SKETCH PLAN   Marilyn Driscoll Crimmins was next on the agenda for

sketch plan review of land on the south side of Route 116 at the intersection of the North Road and this state highway.  This parcel was part of the Everett O’Brien farm.  Nick Nowlan, from McCain Consulting, was also present to assist with the presentation of the plan.  He explained the following aspects of Marilyn’s proposal and answered questions from the Board members:

a)     The proposal is for a Planned Residential Development (PRD) with 6 residential lots and approximately 4 acres of open land.  Nick then passed out a second plan as a conventional subdivision of 6 lots.

b)     There is a VAST snowmobile trail existing through this piece of property and this will remain using the new private road to access Route 116.  Marilyn has met with those members.

c)      Peter Erb explained that a PRD would allow for more flexibility and better clustering of the houses.

d)     The majority of the houses would be back by the tree line and down hill from Route 116 except for the one on lot #1, which could be quite visible from the highway.

e)     There was also a discussion of the purpose of the open land and how this would be used.  Nick explained that Marilyn’s plan is to give 3 of the lots to her nephews and in order to do this she would then sell a couple of the lots.  The lot owners could then share in the use of this open space with such things as community gardens.

f)        Nick read from the Town Plan and explained that it strongly encourages PRD’s and the clustering of houses to preserve open land.  Ted felt that this was not a large piece of farmland and therefore maybe not the best tool.

g)     Greg commented that there are smaller lots in this area along the north road.

h)      It was felt that there is not much difference actually in the two plans and therefore a site visit would be helpful.

i)        It was the general consensus of the Board members that the conventional lot layout rather than the PRD may be the best method to use with this parcel of land.  However the site visit could help determine this.

 

Tom McGlenn made the motion to continue this sketch plan review of the Crimmins subdivision to the Board’s November 16th meeting at 7:30 p.m. and that the Board conduct a site visit to the property at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 13th.  This motion was seconded by Howdy Russell and passed unanimously.

 

 

1.      C.V.U. HIGH SCHOOL – EVENT SIGN   Bob Mason, Sally Mead, Jeff Tobrock, and Deb Rehbein then made a presentation for an event sign at CVU High School.  This sign would be located on the western side of the new entrance on the C.V.U. Road.  The following points were explained about this proposal:

a)     This would be a Daktronics Outdoor Galaxy Display sign with red lettering.

b)     The actual sign would be 48” x 96” with an additional 12” x 96” internally lit section with the school’s name.  There would be a roof over the sign.

c)      At this time, it is planned to have the sign on from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and only when there are events to announce.

d)     They hope to install this sign next summer.

e)     There will not be any moving and flashing lights associated with this sign.

f)        The lighting for the letters can be dimmed, however the lighting behind the school’s name cannot.

g)     It was explained that under the Sign Regulations the entire sign couldn’t be higher than 10 feet or larger than 24 square feet.

h)      The sign will be sufficiently back from the Town Road so as to not interfere with visibility.

 

The Board would like to see additional information about this sign including the following:  the ability to dim the light, that this sign will be text only, a new sign plan indicating it meets the height and size limitations, and the amount of backlit wattage.

 

 

 

 

2.      POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS – SITE PLAN   Rob Bast and Al Barber then presented revisions to the approved site plan for the police and fire department properties on the west side of Route 116.  These properties had received approval previously and there were several of the following issues that were then addressed:

 

a)     Lighting:  Rob explained each of the existing lights on the fire station building.  He then explained the proposed streetlights and those are downcast lights.  There will be 7 of these lights on the two properties.

b)     The lighting on the police departments lot were given temporary approval and Rob felt the police may want to change some of those existing lights.  It was suggested there be an additional street light on the south/west corner of the police parking lot.

c)      The curved drive at the fire station will be paved.

d)     There are no plans at this time to tie these 2 parcels in with the lot that Brett Grabowski has offered to the Town.

e)     There is a problem with water drainage on the police lot and some of this is caused by the construction of the new Town sidewalk along Route 116.  As a result of this issue, the existing trees may need to be replanted.

f)        The plans do not show curbing at the landscaped island in front of the fire station and it was felt this would be necessary.

 

Ted Bloomhardt made the motion to direct staff to obtain the remaining data and draft conditions of approval for this revised site plan.  The following information needs to be submitted:

·        Curbing at the landscape area,

·        The level of trees on the sidewalk,

·        Lighting police station and how will be shielded

·        Landscaping plan with more specific species and where would be planted and what is existing,

·        Any flag pole lighting

·        A proposal of what would be done to solve the drainage issue and to delineate the low area in the front.

This motion was seconded by Tom McGlenn and passed unanimously.

 

 

6.  BABBOTT  - EXTENSION   The Board had received a request from Frank Babbott to extend the sketch plan approval for this 2-lot subdivision on the Pond Road.  Greg Waples made the motion to extend the Babbott sketch plan approval which would expire on 11/18/04 for another 6 months.  This motion was seconded by Ted Bloomhardt and passed.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Holly Russell

Recording Secretary