TOWN OF
PLANNING COMMISION
October 22,
2008
Approved November 19, 2008
Commission Members Present: George Bedard, Tim
Clancy, Carrie Fenn, Fred Haulenbeek, Joe Iadanza, Jean Isham, Will Patten,
Johanna White.
Commission Members Absent: Kay Ballard.
Also Present: Alex
Weinhagen (Director of Planning and Zoning), Karen Cornish (Recording
Secretary).
The meeting began at approximately 7:40 p.m. Alex introduced Tim Clancy as a new member of the Planning Commission.
Saputo
News Discussion
Alex discussed the recent news that Saputo intends to close its Hinesburg factory. He said several discussions have already taken place, including an emergency Select Board meeting, to consider the budget implications. He said Saputo pays for approximately half of the town’s wastewater operating expenses and contributes a substantial amount of tax revenue. He said Hinesburg officials are working to see if there is anything that can be done at the state level. Alex said Saputo gave financial considerations as the reason for closing.
Alex said SB members agreed they wanted
the town to be included in discussions when state officials consider what might
happen at the factory. Will thought it
was a good opportunity to pursue local business. Alex agreed but thought there were many
ramifications to the community. He
wondered whether the town could attract a dairy processor that was more stable
or perhaps a company that fit the town’s growing green image. The bond vote was discussed. Alex said the upgrade as proposed is
primarily to replace very outdated equipment; the loss in the revenue stream
(from Saputo) does not change that need.
Will asked who would take the lead in economic development efforts; Alex
said Jeanne Wilson. Will mentioned the
UVM agricultural department as a potential resource; the Greater Burlington
Industrial Corporation,
Alex’s biggest concern was support
for the Saputo workers following this announcement. Will offered to meet with Jeanne on the
issue. Alex said we needed to understand
what Saputo’s plans are - if the equipment would stay, the building sold and/or
modified, etc. He said Saputo is a large
multinational dairy processor; the factory sits on a 15-acre parcel they own, with
10 acres in the Industrial Zone and 5 acres in the Village Zone. He agreed the site had potential to be
re-developed and added there might be a need to rezone if an opportunity
arises.
Village
Growth Area Rezoning Draft Proposal
Alex asked the group to review the Select Board working draft copy, which showed changes both in summary and detail. Alex said it is up to the Board to decide if they wish to recommend any further changes. Changes were reviewed page by page. Highlights included:
p.5 – the SB proposed to replace the term “small-scale” manufacturing with “light manufacturing”. They said either “small-scale” could be defined by a square foot limit or the provision could be changed to state “light manufacturing”, without a square foot limit. Carrie wanted to keep the square footage limit to ensure that no large-scale manufacturer could move into the existing village or village NW. Will said he would rather control the impacts rather than the square footage. Board members agreed to opt for the light manufacturing description as it contained enough provisions for controlling impacts. Alex said through this proposal more specific design standards would be created, ensuring building exteriors fit into the village.
p.6 – Jean asked about the community theater language; Alex said he thought it was there to discourage larger, regional productions. Fred said attendance and traffic at any production would be limited by the number of seats in a space. Alex said theaters are allowed within the current regulations. The group agreed to cut the sentence after the word “productions”.
p.6 – Farmer Market – Jean said there has been much discussion regarding a year-round farm market space. She suggested eliminating the word “occasional or periodic” to address that.
p.8 – The SB wanted to emphasize the word “shall” over the word “should” as a way to ensure compliance with certain provisions regarding PUD spaces. Fred said there should be a plan as to exactly what we are looking for, to avoid unnecessary conflict at the DRB level. Alex said the Official Map would serve as that plan. Public spaces, especially within new developments, were discussed. Fred said traffic considerations within residential areas needed to be considered. He suggested that some uses within neighborhoods may draw unwanted traffic; he wondered how commercial and residential spaces could be configured to address that. Alex reminded the group of future plans for public infrastructure at the edge of Creekside, for example, that those public spaces just have not been built yet.
p.11 - Carrie mentioned dead storage space as something she wished to make conditional rather than permitted in the Village district(s). The group agreed that the dead storage use should be removed from the Village NE district.
p. 13 – Alex noted a change
regarding residential dwellings on 2nd or 3rd stories in
the Commercial district, from a conditional use to a permitted use. He also discussed the potential for development
on the
p.14 – Residential I district - the maximum lot coverage was changed from 25% to 60%.
p. 16 – Re: community theater language, the same change was made as above (on pg.6).
p. 19 and 20 – Renewable energy language was changed to list technologies and also to increase incentives. The group discussed lowering the percentages (the % of a building’s energy needs provided by renewables) to encourage even more of this type of building.
p.21-26 – Alex said changes within the Affordable Housing section were suggested by affordable housing representatives, with specific knowledge of the process in mind and to clarify language.
p.27-29 – Alex said a revised setback buffer map has been proposed by the SB, with changes made to add more specificity and variability to certain stream setbacks.
p.33 – Energy and Green Building Standards, regarding new, non-residential structures – Alex said he put a figure of 10% on the requirement, based on research of other towns. Joe asked about companies that wished to source power by other means, if the 10% should not be required of them if another energy source was ultimately more efficient. Net-metering was discussed; the group agreed to leave the 10% provision in, unaltered.
p.34 – Alex proposed a new section to define small wind energy systems, giving more specific language to frame issues; the group agreed with the proposed changes. Small wind energy systems would only require a zoning permit, not a DRB hearing. Alex mentioned the recent telecommunications tower discussions. Technical issues regarding the stability of towers were discussed. Alex said he would seek help regarding those issues from officials at NRG familiar with similar technical challenges.
p.35 – Alex proposed a new section to deal with waivers for dimensional and lot coverage regulations in special situations (such as for disability accessibility) and for buildings designed to take advantage of renewable energy sources.
p.39 – Alex said the Trails Comm. recommended striking language re: established trail networks.
p. 41 – Language was added to encourage the planting of native species.
p.42 – Alex said he discussed parking standards with the SB and they agreed to update the off-street parking table as well as allow the DRB the authority to determine the amount of parking.
p.45 – Project phasing was discussed; Alex proposed new language allowing the DRB more flexibility to phase projects, using the town budget and town plan as official documents.
Additional suggestions
- Alex said Peter Erb, in considering the potential for infill in the village area, suggested having a provision for minimizing the 50-foot setback requirement on ROWs within the whole village growth center as needed. George suggested allowing a reduction of that requirement for the core village only.
- Alex said Peter also suggested there be a requirement that the fire department review proposals for buildings with 2nd and 3rd stories.
- Off-street parking regulations were discussed
- Certain outdoor facilities were removed from the Residential I district (fishing, hunting, golf clubs, ski trail)
Other
Business
Alex said a group met about the Official Map project and hope to have a draft map soon. He said the wetlands official is out doing delineations as part of the process.
Minutes of the October 8th meeting
George MOVED to approve the minutes as amended. Fred SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 6-0, with Tim not voting.
The next Planning Comm. meeting
is scheduled for November 19, 2008. (NOTE:
this is the 3rd Wednesday and only PC meeting scheduled for
November). The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
Karen Cornish, Recording Secretary