TOWN OF HINESBURG

PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES

 

February 1, 2006

Approved March 1, 2006

 

Commission Members Present:  Jean Isham, George Bedard, Kay Ballard, Fred Haulenbeek, Joe Iadanza, Carrie Fenn, Joe Donegan, Nancy Norris, Johanna White.

 

Commission Members Absent:  none.

 

Also Present:  Alex Weinhagen (Dir. of Planning/Zoning), Peter Erb (Zoning Administrator), Heather Stafford (Recording Secretary), Colleen MacKinnon, Kristine Reinhardt, Derek Perreault, Dawn Perreault, Brian Hunter, Mark Gonyea, Wendy Sorrell, Joanne Grogan, Mark Rosolen, Kris Perlee, Becca Rimmel, Roger Kohn, Larry Telford, Diane Telford, Susan Stasny, Miriam Adams, Ruth Ayer, Raymond Ayer, Wendy Pelletier, Pam R___, Chris Applin, Sally Reiss, Chuck Reiss, Howard Russell, Al Barber, Tom Ayer, Lynn Gardner, Barbara Lyman, David Lyman, Nancy Goddard, George Munson, Karla Munson, Bill Marks,  Andrea Morgante, Susan Mead, Mary Crane, Sally Reiss, Sam Hemingway, Lee Hemingway, James Donegan, David Hirth, Dana Hirth, Wayne Bissonette, Andrew Burton, Craig Cevrier, David Fenn.

 

**Note: Sixty-five people attended the meeting, not including the Commission Members, Alex or the Recording Secretary. The list of attendees above only includes those who signed the sign-in sheet.

 

The meeting began at approximately 7:45pm.

 

Alex welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained the structure of the next several Planning Commission meetings. He encouraged attendees to check the Hinesburg town web site (www.hinesburg.org) for updates as the process proceeds. Alex then split the attendees into four different groups to discuss five discussion questions focusing on the Village Core and Southern Approach. The discussion questions were as follows:

 

1.      What kinds of new uses would you like to see near the Buck Hill Road, Route 116 intersection to create an earlier sense of 'arrival' when entering the village from the south? Examples: recreation fields, small residential neighborhood, commercial uses (retail stores, restaurant, bank, offices, etc.)

 

2.      Do you support new homes and businesses behind the historic 'Main Street' section of Route 116 – i.e. around Lyman Park and surrounding areas?

 

3.      Do you think the village area needs and would benefit from an assisted living facility for the elderly or disabled – possibly next to Kelly's field?

 

4.      Do you think a network of new local roads, sidewalks, and access drives should be created in the existing village core to facilitate connectivity and shared parking in this area?

 

5.      Town Green & Park – If Lyman Park were redesigned as a more formal Town Green/Common, what kinds of amenities would you like to see? What do you think about relocating the war memorials and surrounding Town Green to a new location in order to re-establish commercial use of this space (used to be a church on this corner)? Possible new locations: next to Town Hall, in redesigned Lyman Park, next to Fire Station, etc.

 

After a little more than an hour of discussion the following thoughts, ideas and opinions were presented by the Planning Commission members on behalf of the attendees.

 

Group 1: Summary

·        Leave the southern approach the way that it is; don't add new development in this area.

·        Possible town green location in Commerce Park.

·        Move the War Memorial to Town Hall. This is a more appropriate location and will visually stand out more.

·        Possible town green location behind town hall.

·        Accentuate and use school fields as town green. Would work well with the addition of the band shell.

·        Supportive of elderly assisted living facility as well as affordable housing.

·        Need to calm traffic and not use sprawl-like development to do so.

·        Supportive of more affordable housing in Hinesburg.

·        Add on-street parking on 116 to slow traffic and allow for more pedestrian access without having to drive everywhere in town.

 

Group 2: Summary

·        Add strong visual cues along the southern approach to get drivers to slow down and realize they are entering a town. A residential area might work well here but not commercial or mixed use.

·        Keep existing green. Perhaps add some businesses around this location that focus on 'people services'.

·        Scale additional roadway system down around the park.

·        Supportive of increasing the density in the village district.

·        Supportive of assisted living facility in the village core.

·        Emphasize on-street parking then work on additional streets, shared parking, sidewalks and associated lighting.

·        Make War Memorial a more quiet contemplative space. If it is moved it will need to be at road level.

·        Noted that current Monument location has some historical significance.

 

Group 3: Summary

·        Southern approach is a good place for a park and ride.

·        Improve and add more sidewalks in town.

·        Improve 'Welcome to Hinesburg' sign.

·        Recreation fields or residential housing might work well at the southern approach.

·        Reduce the speed limit further to the south of town to slow incoming traffic.

·        Leave Lyman Meadow green as it is or make it larger.

·        Supportive of elderly housing/assisted living facility in village core but not necessarily in Kelly Fields.

·        Change zoning to allow mixed use further north of Ballard's corner.

·        Supportive of West Side Road concept but other side roads were not as acceptable.

·        Bring a drug store into the village.

 

Group 4: Summary

·        Add a more prominent welcome sign at the southern approach. Add trees and sidewalks to delineate the entrance to a town.

·        Lower speed limit to south of town to slow incoming traffic.

·        Add a median strip along southern approach.

·        Southern approach is a good location for a park and ride.

·        Not supportive of so many accessory roads.

·        Felt Lyman Meadows should be kept as it is.

·        Supportive of pedestrian connections in the village.

·        Use in-fill development as opposed to expansion into other areas of town.

·        Supportive of elderly assisted living facility.

·        Divided on location of War Memorial. If kept in current location, they felt landscaping should be added to improve it's prominence.

·        Important concepts that were revisited included the slowing of traffic in town, safety issues, pedestrian and bicycle access in town.

·        Area behind Lanthams would be a good location for multi-family dwellings (duplexes).

 

Colleen McKinnen identified herself as a member of the school board who was concerned with some discussions about Lyman Meadows field. She explained that the school has a 50 year lease on this space and that it is significant field space for the school. Colleen asked the attendees and Planning Commission to keep this in mind when furthering any development surrounding this location. She added that the Silver Street intersection has been a problem for some time and that she felt a T- access here would enhance the visual impact of the intersection as well as lessen safety issues that are currently of great concern.

 

Alex thanked all of the attendees for coming out to discuss these issues and encouraged everyone to attend the next meeting on February 15th when the Village Core and Commerce Park will be discussed.

 

Other Business:

Minutes of 1/18/2006 Planning Commission Meeting

Jean MOVED to accept the minutes of the 1/18/2006 meeting as amended. George SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 9 – 0.

 

Alex asked Commission members to review upcoming discussion questions and email him with any changes and/or additions they would like to suggest.

 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:50 pm.

Respectfully Submitted:

 

Heather Stafford

Recording Secretary