TOWN OF HINESBURG

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MINUTES

 

June 5, 2007
Approved Jun 19th, 2007

 

 

DRB Members Present:  Tom McGlenn, Ted Bloomhardt, Lisa Godfrey, George Munson, Dennis Place, Zoe Wainer, Greg Waples.

 

DRB Members Absent:  None.

 

Also Present:  Alex Weinhagen (Director of Zoning and Planning), Peter Erb (Zoning Administrator), Karen Cornish (Recording Secretary), Paul MacCluskey, George Bedard, Dick Francis, Joyce DeVoid, Brock Francis, Brent Francis, Diantha Francis, Dennis Casey, Jim Pulver, Caroline Carpenter, Kenneth Perine, Dominqqus Paliling, Patti Drew.

 

The meeting began at approximately 7:30 p.m.

 

Minutes of the May 15, 2007 Meeting:

Ted MOVED to approve the May 15, 2007 meeting minutes as amended.  Zoe SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 6 – 0.  Greg Waples was not present for this vote.

 

Site Plan Revision – Hinesburg Auto Sales - Route 116 – Applicant:  Paul MacCluskey

** continued from the April 17th meeting

Tom explained the applicant asked for a continuance of the site plan review.  Tom MOVED to continue the Site Plan Revision public hearing to the July 24th meeting.  George SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 6-0.  Greg Waples was not present for this vote.

 

2-Lot Subdivision Sketch Plan – Hayden Hill Road – Applicant: Francis Family

** continued from the May 15th meeting

Tom gave his observations of a site visit, attended by Board members Tom, Ted, Lisa, Zoe, Dennis, Peter, and Dick Francis, Joyce DeVoid, Brock Francis, Brent Francis and Diantha Francis.  He said the group started at Dominique Francis’s house, then walked through a field on the edge of the forest.  He said the house site is tucked back on the wood’s edge, the septic site is south and west of the house site, and the driveway would branch off from the existing driveway (at about 400 feet from Hayden Hill Road).  The road to the new site had been improved a few years ago; it would follow a hedgerow, swing northwest and follow a wood’s line.  Tom noted the only visibility of the house site would be from Hayden Hill Road and also from many miles away to the south.

 

Greg Waples joined the meeting at this time (7:40 p.m.).  Lisa said she saw that sediment from the driveway had fallen into the stream.  Dick Francis explained that a storm 1-˝ years ago had affected the driveway and a new culvert was put in 6 months ago.  Dick believes the culvert does not need to be replaced but that more header on either end of the culvert is needed.

 

Tom said the group reviewed a map of the state-designated deer yard to the north of the house site.  Brent Francis explained the house site is on the very southern edge of the designated area, not in the deer yard but in a buffer area created by state officials around the yard. He said it is a white pine deer yard, which are typically transitional.  He explained that as white pine dies off, it is replaced by hardwood.  He said two logging operations have taken place in the past 20 years.  He believes the deer yard will remain only for another 20 years.  Zoe noted a significant cliff behind the house site; she thought it would serve to block deer travel.  Brent agreed, calling the cliff a natural break in the yard.  Joyce DeVoid said hardwood trees are already growing at the house site.

 

Lisa said the house would be sited for solar gain; Brent agreed.  Peter said the road appears to be 14 feet in width but that measurement needs to be verified.  Dick asked about road incline percentages; Peter said a 10% incline should be the goal and up to 16% is allowed if an applicant can demonstrate it can be achieved.  Dick expected the steepest section of the driveway to be 13%; the shared portion would be at 12%, then a 13% driveway leveling to 9% or 10% as it nears the house.  Ted said he felt the only matter remaining to be addressed was run-off.  The group then discussed a letter that had been received from a citizen regarding deer yards.

 

Ted MOVED to close the public hearing and direct staff to draft conditions of approval for a 2-step minor subdivision.  Dennis SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 6-0, with Greg abstaining.  Ted said a plan showing how run-off water was handled would be required.  The group discussed this and the timeline of the DRB process.

 

Sketch Plan Review - Transfer of Land to Adjoiner – Route 116 – Applicant: Dennis Casey

Alex explained this application only needs sketch plan approval (a one-step process).  Dennis Casey gave some background history of the parcel and previous transfers.  This request will transfer approximately 5 acres from a 7.27-acre parcel back to the adjoining main farm parcel of 71.3 acres, owned by Grace Casey.  Ted MOVED to close the public hearing and approve the transfer of land to adjoiner.  George SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 7-0.’

 

Approval of Lighting Plan for Drive up Facility – Commerce Park – Applicant: The National Bank of Middlebury

Jim Pulver gave a presentation of the lighting plan proposed for the National Bank of Middlebury facility to be on Mechanicsville Road.  (The Board previously approved the sketch plan with the request for a detailed lighting plan to follow).  He said he reviewed an outdoor lighting manual for Vermont municipalities and found it to be helpful.  He did not find, however, anything specific to ATM drive-up areas.  He then looked at different sources for ATM lighting standards, including information provided by the states of California, Illinois and New York.  He showed a diagram entitled “Definition of Adequate Lighting”, from a New York state publication.  He said he used this as a basis for design, as it was also consistent with publications from the other two states.

 

He then reviewed light levels for the parking lot area and discussed types of metal halide lighting they considered.  He said their plan would allow very little light spillage off the property.  Lisa asked if the parking lot lights were timed.  Jim said yes, the lot lights would have time clocks and photocells.  He said the ATM lighting would not operate using motion detection, as they found the time it took for the lights to turn on was too slow.  Tom asked about light meter readings at different grades.  Jim showed before-and-after views from Mechanicsville Road near the pedestrian bridge, at two different times of day (day and night).  Looking at the back view of the bank, he showed the lighting would illuminate the columns only.  He showed other similar views from area roads, both at day and night.  He then showed night lighting examples of other commercial buildings in town, describing their lighting types and effects.  He feels the bank is doing a good job of listening to Board member concerns and also addressing security concerns.  He discussed color values of lights.  He said there was a significant difference between this plan and one previously submitted.

 

Ted explained this was the last piece to the sketch plan already approved.  The group agreed it was an excellent presentation and exceptional lighting plan.  Ted pointed out wording in the approved draft decision that may conflict with this plan.  The group agreed that language (particularly condition #6) should be reviewed and revised.  Jim confirmed the bank hours of operation as:

            7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays

            8:30 a.m. to 12:00 or 1:00 p.m., Saturdays

 

He said lights would be set to operate one hour before each opening and closing on each day.  Tom MOVED to direct staff to draft amended conditions of approval.  George SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 7-0.

 

Other Business:

Patti Drew asked about the Board’s policy on continuance requests, particularly those submitted by applicants who have been previously issued a zoning violation.  Alex said the two matters (a violation and a request for a site plan revision, for example) are not tied together, i.e. the town can pursue enforcement action following a violation at any time.  The group encouraged Patti to write a letter to the Select Board.

 

Request to revise a condition of final plat approval - Orchard Commons – Applicant: Stephen Chupack

Tom MOVED to approve the request.  Dennis SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 6-0, with Greg abstaining.

 

Emmons/Burritt notice of violation

The group reviewed the draft decision.  George MOVED to accept the decision (denial) as written.  Tom SECONDED the motion.  The motion PASSED 6-0, with Greg abstaining.  Alex confirmed the vote would apply to both parties, but that two separate, identical decisions would be issued.

 

JULY DRB MEETINGS

Alex confirmed the dates of the next DRB meetings would be July 10th and July 24th (not July 3rd due to the holiday).

 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:45 p.m.

 

Respectfully Submitted:   

 

Karen Cornish

Recording Secretary