TOWN OF
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
MINUTES
Approved
Also Present:
The meeting began at approximately 7:30 pm.
Minutes of the
Zoë MOVED to approve the meeting minutes as amended. Dick SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 5–0, with Ted abstaining.
Stephen & Joanne Hoke and Robert & Elizabeth Quackenbush for
Final Review of a Major Subdivision for property located south of Burritt Road
and west of Baldwin Road. [Tax Map
#08-01-73.000] **continued from the 11-3 meeting
George Bedard requested a continuation of the hearing to the December
15th meeting.
Ted MOVED to continue the public hearing to the December 15th meeting. Zoë SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 6-0.
Voted:
Ted Bloomhardt, Dick Jordan, Tom McGlenn, George Munson,
Elizabeth and Brian Hathaway for Revision to a Site Plan, Conditional
Use Review (office building over 1000 sq. feet) and Sign Review at property
located on Village Heights Road. [Tax
Map #20-50-10.100] **continued from the 11-3 meeting
Clem Stein and Brian Hathaway addressed these issues raised at the last meeting:
- Parking: Clem described how they planned to site the building and where parking spaces would be added. He said there would be plenty of parking due to unused spaces at the apartments and also the minimal use by staff of the new spaces. Dick asked if parking spaces situated in front of the garage bays should be counted towards required spaces. The group agreed that they could; Brian explained how those bays would be used mainly as storage without a frequent need for access to them.
- Lighting: Clem said the exterior lights would be cans, cast downward, adding they were open to other suggestions for the type/design, possibly concealing the lights under a soffit.
- Building Design/Façade: Clem and Brian showed the exterior design plans of the apartments and noted what features and building materials the new building would copy from those plans (siding, shingles, windows, color, etc.).
- Screening: Dick asked what the building would look like from down below; Brian said there was 20 year-old natural growth (incl. a stand of pines) that screened the area now.
- Drainage: Dick asked about snow melt from vehicles; Brian said there would not be a floor drain in the garage. He described the gravel diverter area that would be constructed to catch and disperse water flow.
- Landscaping requirements: Alex explained that new Village regulations required a certain percentage of the total project cost to be spent on landscaping, and how a credit for existing landscaping could be applied against that percentage amount. Clem described the gravel and mulched areas, landscaping near a set of stairs, and also an area that would be cleared and landscaped for the existing play set. Alex said the Board needs to find that gravel for drainage can count towards landscaping and/or determine what current landscaping can apply (e.g. existing trees that now screen the property). Peter suggested adding a provision stating those trees could not be removed in the future.
- Act 250: Clem said the project
is at the ACT 250 level; Alex clarified the
- Sidewalks: Peter said the original approval had a provision in it that stated a 24’-wide road must include a marked (painted stripes) area for a sidewalk. Brian said that area had recently been dug up by VT Gas; he intended to have it re-paved and would re-paint that sidewalk area when completed.
- Sign: Brian said they preferred
a lighted sign, explaining that the lighting element would be under a soffit, casting light downward onto the sign and not into
the road. He said he understood they
could not erect the sign until the building was completed (and those businesses
in operation). The group agreed to sign lighting hours between
Tom MOVED to close the public hearing and direct staff to draft conditions of approval. Zoë SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 6-0.
Voted:
Ted Bloomhardt, Dick Jordan, Tom McGlenn, George Munson,
Furno Design Consultants, LTD. for Sketch Plan Review of a 2-lot
Subdivision of property located at
George Bedard spoke on behalf of the applicant. Tom noted a letter submitted by Nancy Dyer (a neighbor) stating she had no objections to the planned subdivision. George described the proposal to divide the 10-acre parcel into a 3-acre lot with a new home site and a 7-acre lot with the existing home. He said the new site would have its own drilled well and that septic tests have been performed with good results. He reviewed several maps, noting the following:
- the proposed house site is sited towards the front of the lot and out of any view shed of the existing home.
-
a brook and feeder brook to
the south and east of the site, and stream setbacks from those brooks. He said he would locate the stream more
accurately, as
- Septic and replacement septic areas, noting they have been sited to take advantage of slopes that would allow a gravity feed toward the system.
- Property setbacks and also a general overview of neighboring properties in both Hinesburg and Huntington.
- A ROW for logging that will be retained by the existing lot.
The group discussed a very deep ravine on the parcel, and also the configuration of property lines that had resulted in multiple properties coming to a point to the south-east. They discussed the need for a site visit; members agreed to walk the property on their own. George noted flagging now marking the home site and septic areas.
Zoë MOVED to continue the public hearing to the December 1st meeting. Dick SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 6-0.
Voted:
Ted Bloomhardt, Dick Jordan, Tom McGlenn, George Munson,
Tom MOVED to go into deliberative session to vote on the Ruben / Maurer decision and to discuss the Bissonette / Champlain Oil application. George SECONDED the motion. The motion PASSED 6-0.
Other Business
Ruben/Maurer Revision
The group voted to APPROVE the draft decision (denial) as amended, by a vote of 5-1.
Voted:
Ted Bloomhardt, Dick Jordan, Tom McGlenn, George Munson,
Bissonette / Champlain Oil subdivision – no action was taken.
The meeting ended at
approximately
Respectfully Submitted:
Recording Secretary