TOWN OF WEATHERSFIELD, VERMONT
PLANNING COMMISSION
Monday, June 14, 2010

APPROVED MINUTES

Commission members present were Bruce Cox, Peter Daniels, Michael Todd, Gil Whittemore, Alan Hudson, Julia Lloyd Wright (ex-officio), and deForest Bearse (Land Use Administrator).

The audience members present were Debbie Graham, Jeff Spurr, Dan Willey, and Peter Korbet.

I. Approval of Minutes: Meetings of April 26, May 3, May 10, May 17 & May 24
Gil Whittemore made a motion to approve the minutes of April 26, May 3, May 10, and May 24. Alan Hudson seconded it. All were unanimous to approve the minutes with the corrections.

Since Peter Daniels was not present at the meeting of April 26, he abstained on approval of those minutes. Michael Todd will be presenting the minutes of May 17 to the Commission at a later date.

II. Discussions:
A. Town Plan Revisions - compile and discuss input from public outreach meetings
Dan Willey mentioned that the Select Board had asked for changes on the storage unit bylaw. deForest Bearse stated that the Select Board will be at the Commission's meeting on June 28, 2010 to participate in the discussion of this bylaw.
The Commission discussed different ways to organize all the input from the public community meetings. deForest Bearse will organize everyone's comments, including the Commission members, into categorizes (Education, Energy, Housing, etc.)
Peter Korbet suggested looking at comments in terms of goals. Dan Willey mentioned that before the notes are compiled, they need everyone's notes. Debbie Graham stated that in her notes she specified specific changes and Willis Wood had some specific changes in his notes. Michael Todd presented deForest Bearse with Edith Hunter's and Willis Wood's comments which had been presented at a community meeting. Debbie Graham gave deForest Bearse a copy of her notes.
Bruce Cox said that the Town Plan and Zoning Bylaws are on dual tracts. The Commission might need to split the month up with one meeting for the transportation chapter and the other meeting for the comments from the public meetings. deForest Bearse stated that the culver inventory which Westley Hazeltine and SWRPC are working on is holding up the transportation chapter.
Peter Korbet wanted to know if there was an inventory of private roads and there are small lots all along the highway. Weathersfield Center Road is the only place which is under access management. deForest Bearse said that there is no inventory of private roads. Peter Daniels stated that you cannot make someone plan a road around if someone sells 3 acres lots.
Peter Korbet stated that cluster development is up 25%. He wanted to know how many large land owners came to the community meetings and were interested in dividing up some of their land into smaller lots. Peter Daniels said that there are quite a few that want smaller lots available. People need to make a plan for their whole property versus a little here and a little bit there.
Dan Willey mentioned how people put in one or two lots and that changes the tax burden. Their taxes are a lot higher which is why they do not want it to be in more lots.
deForest Bearse stated that instead of creating and submit it, they need to create a master plan. The conceptual plan has been accepted and they do not have to pay extra taxes. It could be a master plan as a conception, but not recorded. In the master plan, the Commission needs to make sure that access to the back of the property is not being cut off.
Peter Daniels said that the Commission encourages people to go back and look at their plan. The Commission suggests different ways to do it. The Commission does not have the authority to tell people what to do with their land.

Peter Korbet stated that in the Town Plan on page 57, the Commission could come up with a positive statement about rural residential. Bruce Cox said that it could be put in as a goal. Peter Daniels said that the subdivision regulations were adopted a few years ago.
Dan Willey asked the Commission for copies of the member's notes from the community meetings. He also mentioned that in Springfield they call self storage units a personal storage facility and allow vehicles outside.
Michael Todd stated that anyone that sent in a note and the Commission members notes will be compiled in the final draft. The Commission members decided to give only deForest Bearse copies of their notes. The notes will not be a public document until they are part of the minutes of a meeting. deForest Bearse will have the notes compiled for the meeting on July 12, 2010.
Peter Korbet mentioned that the intersection of Maple Street and Route 106 needs to be addressed. He considers this a dangerous intersection. The Commission mentioned that they cannot do anything with that intersection since it is on State road.

III. Public Comment:

IV. Adjournment:
Michael Todd made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:10. Peter Daniels seconded it. All were unanimous to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted,

Diana Day