SOUTH HERO DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MINUTES August 12, 2026
Members Present: Doug Patterson (Chair); Jim Brightwell (Vice-Chair); Liza Kilcoyne; Gareth Hunt; Nate Hayward (via Zoom); Justin Myers (via Zoom).
Members Absent: Tim Mullen; Sherry Dupont (Alternate).
Others Present: Doreen Hebert; Lihn Nguyan; Charlie Tipper; Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)
7:00PM – D. Patterson called the meeting to order.
Changes to the Agenda
There were no changes.
Public Input
No public input.
Continue Site Plan Review for a Retail Business at 304 US RT 2 (Doreen Hebert — #26-59-RT304) – recessed from July 22, 2026.
Property manager Lihn Nguyan and applicant Doreen Hebert presented the application to the Board. Mr. Nguyan told the Board that he would stripe the parking lot across the front of the building. The 3 existing tenant spaces [8 feet wide] can remain. But the remaining 4 will be the required 4 feet in width. What is the distance from the building to the street? Is there room to back out? Yes, but may back partially into the breakdown lane of the road. The HC space is only 9 feet wide. Where is the additional 4 feet? Hash marks can be painted on the asphalt left of the HC space. During the day, there will not be tenant traffic. On the west side of the building, tenants will have an additional 3 parking spaces, and one space will be needed for the business employee. Parallel parking along the west wall will allow room for the garbage truck to reach the dumpster in the back.
L. Hayward – It is not typical parking but the best than can be done in an existing space.
D. Patterson – You may need to d rive in then back out. Customers might use these spaces if the area is empty.
J. Myers – Will there be signage to indicate parking? Yes, we intend to use signage. Tenant spaces will be marked ‘Tenant Parking Only.’
D. Patterson – Does the garbage truck back down to the dumpster? Yes, there’s no other place for the dumpster.
7:37PM – The hearing closed.
Request to Renew Conditional Use/Site Plan Approval #21-73-FR014 for a Food Truck (Bill and Kae Alexander — #27-03-FR014)
The Applicants did not attend. ZA Martha Taylor-Varney told the Board that the Alexanders were proposing no changes to their original 2021 application. The 5-year expiration of the Conditional Use approval became effective in May of this year.
7:37PM – the hearing was closed.
Request for an Amendment to DRB decision #26-50-SB017 for a setback waiver at 17 Sunset View Rd. (Charlie Tipper – 27-02-SB017)
The warning was read and interested persons were sworn in.
Charlie Tipper told the Board that the wording on his previous decision had the elevation of the first floor as 107’ ASL. He wanted to be clear with the Board that the permit should read “not higher than 108’7” to the first floor” to accommodate a crawl space. The previous application noted that the home would be on a slab. He’s not sure if he will put in a crawl space but wanted the leeway for that option if he chooses it. The top of the crawl space would be 104’. He said he had spoken with his neighbor, Brian Aitchison (SB015), and it was okay with him. The total height of the structure will be within that approved already. No other changes to the previously approved waiver are proposed.
L. Kilcoyne – Will there be enough headroom on the second floor? The top of the windows will be at 6’. The ceiling slopes to that point, where there will be a desk or something else where more headroom isn’t required, so there’s enough room as you enter the room. So, you are asking for an additional 1’7” more in height? Yes. But the finished height will be 1 foot lower than the existing structure.
N. Hayward – at the last hearing we asked if you wanted to raise the floor elevation.
L. Kilcoyne – the design fits in with the neighborhood.
N. Hayward – this is a good plan.
7:49PM – the hearing was closed.
Review of Minutes of July 22, 2026
G. Hunt moved to approve the minutes of July 22, 2026; J. Brightwell second. All in favor.
Administrator’s Report
Schedule –
Aug. 26, 2026: Brown Preliminary/Final Subdivision and PUD review at 9 Peters Farm Rd.; Estate of Ray W. Allen Sketch Plan Review of a proposed 7-lot subdivision at 154 South St.
September 9, 2026: Amend Conditional Use/Site Plan approval for the Rest Stop to expand their hours to serve breakfast.
Adjournment
8:16PM – L. Kilcoyne moved to adjourn and move to deliberative; G. Hunt second. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA
Signed: __________________________________________ Date: _________________________
For the Development Review Board
These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. All motions were unanimous unless otherwise indicated.