Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday August 24, 2020 at 7:00 PM
South Hero Town Hall
Board Members Present: Jonathan Shaw, Skip Brown (also Board Secretary), Ross Brown, Anne Zolotas, David Carter
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Janet Yates Town Clerk, Martha Taylor-Varney ZA & SB assist. Also see Janet’s attendance sheet filed in Town Hall.
1. Called to Order:
-The meeting was called by Chairman Shaw at 7:00 pm
2. Public Hearings:
A. Cindy Reid of Cathedral Square was in attendance to discuss grants for the proposed senior housing project in South Hero.
-South Hero received $60,000.00 for the State of Vermont for a planning grant under the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP). David Carter made a motion to close out the $60,000.00 VCDP planning grant. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-The Town of South Hero is considering making an application to the State of Vermont for an Implementation Grant under the VCDP. David Carter made a motion to approve and sign the Resolution for VCDP Application Authority form to initiate the grant for up to $730,000.00. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. The South Hero voters authorized up to $6,000.00 as a 10% match for a grant opportunity for the Old White Meeting House. The Town of South is considering making an application to the State of Vermont for a planning grant under the VCDP. David Carter made a motion to apply for up to $30,000.00 to accomplish planning and pre-development work necessary to restore the Old White Meeting house. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. David Carter also made a motion to sign the application and letter necessary to initiate the grant. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Adjustment to Agenda:
-Add to New Business: Discuss digitizing Town Records
-Add to Old Business: Discuss possible “junk” ordinance
3. Minutes:
-David Carter made a motion to approve the minutes of July 27, 2020. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. none
5. New Business:
A. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) awareness week will be September 12-19. There will be public outreach education and forest walks publicized during this period. More information will follow as to specific dates and time.
B. Town Clerk, Janet Yates, discussed that there is a grant available to begin the process of digitizing the Town records. David Carter made a motion to authorize Janet to apply for the grants and to have her, or a Selectperson, sign any paperwork as necessary for said grants. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. See the report on www.southherovt.org or filed with these minutes.
B. David Carter made a motion to approve three new application forms as necessary to conform to the new Development Regulations. They are:
– Application for a Variance Request
– Application for Determining If a Use Would Be Allowed When Not Listed in Table 2.1
-Application for Setback Waiver in Village and Shoreland Zoning Districts
The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. The name White’s Beach has been used in South Hero for many years, due to it being adjacent to the farm of a family with the surname, White. It is not now, or had ever been, a racial designation. The South Hero historical committee has supplied some history of the area. David Carter made a motion to support the continuation of the name White’s Beach and to add supplemental signage to explain the name. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. The Planning Commission has discussed a “junk” ordinance in South Hero. The State already has regulations for old automobiles and health & safety. Jonathan Shaw made a motion that the Selectboard does not support a “junk” ordinance at this time. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. see other business
9. Other Business:
A. Skip Brown made a motion to approve and sign orders 21-03, 21-03, 21-04, and to pay the bills associated with the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. There will be a CHAMP horse and rider trail ride on September 12 from Good Hope Farm to Eagle Camp.
C. The Listers have submitted an errors and omission:
-The Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) has changed but the value of the Vermont Tranco Substation was not changed. The CLA change meant that the value went from $8,789,000 to $8,681,700. David Carter made a motion to accept and sign the Listers errors and omissions. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
-A travel trailer was moved before April 1 and was not removed from the Grand List. David Carter made a motion to accept and sign the Listers errors and omissions. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
10. Adjournment:
-Ross Brown made a motion to adjourn 8:10 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown Jonathan Shaw, Chairman
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Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard August 24, 2020
Discussion Items:
1. Town Landfill well testing – I had sent letters to the 3 landowners who had not responded to the earlier request for access to their properties for further testing but have not received the signed agreements yet. VHB has not notified me yet what their testing schedule will be.
2. I have updated copies of Table 2.1 of the Development Regulations reflecting the edits approved by the Selectboard at their last meeting.
3. I am currently updating zoning application forms now that the updated Development Regulations have been approved. Two new additions to the Regulations include setback waiver requests in the village and shoreland zoning districts, and conditional use review for uses not included in Table 2.1 (Allowed Uses). Also updated is the application for request for variance. The Planning Commission has reviewed and approved them. I have included copies for the Selectboard for your approval. There will be more as I have time to update them.
4. I will be out of the office the week of September 7.
5. Efficiency Vermont has recently updated New Commercial and Residential Building Energy Standards that will take effect on September 1st, 2020. For more information, contact Martha at [email protected] or 372-4841.
Planning Commission:
The Planning Commission is meeting at the Town Office with proper social distancing and mask protocols. Topics of discussion include a junk ordinance, an ordinance for food trucks, and ideas for a possible 2021 municipal planning grant. The deadline for applying for an MPG is September 30. The Commission would like to consider a future grant application for sidewalks in the villages but agreed to wait until next year before applying.
Development Review Board:
– The DRB has scheduled hearings currently through the end of August. All hearings are being held via Zoom.
– Recent DRB decisions have included approvals for 2 separate 2-lot subdivisions, a denial for a conditional use approval for a trucking terminal at the Lavin subdivision at 275 US RT 2, and an approval for a variance to build a HC bathroom addition within the setback on Town Line Rd.
– Recent DRB hearing decisions can be found posted on the Board outside the ZA’s office.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor Varney, ZA and Selectboard Assistant