Zoning Administrator

SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION                                                       January 18, 2023

 

Members Present: Sandy Gregg (Chair); Michele Gammal (Vice-Chair – via Zoom); David Roy; George Harwood

Member Absent: Fred Bartle

Others Present: Tim Maxham; Everett Dubuque; Judy Duvall; Ethelyn Dubuque; Don Bedard; Doug Patterson; Dotty Donovan; Michael Frett; David Gardner; Robert Fireovid; Joan Falcao; Rick Whittlesey; Beverly Blakely; Greta Brunswick (NRPC); Emily Klofft (NRPC); Bridget Kerr; Mike Gammal; Jonathan Debono; Nate Hayward; Phil Reynolds; Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA).

 

Changes to the Agenda

• Move item 3 (presentation of S.H.O.R.E. project) to the February 15, 2023 agenda.
• Add as Item 4a – presentation by NRPC of draft Town Plan review
• Move proposed Village District Maps and Land Uses to Item 4b.
• The Agenda will move forward while the Commission waits for Greta Brunswick of NRPC to arrive.

 

S.H.O.R.E. Project presentation, by Donna Boumil

Moved to the February 15, 2023 agenda.

 

Old Business

1. ARPA Committee update – Roy reported that there was no update at this time.
2. Wastewater Planning and Assessment Committee update – Harwood reported that it is currently too cold to continue digging test pits. This work will continue in the spring. No proposed locations for any systems have yet been identified.
3. South Hero Meeting House update – Gregg reported that there is a scheduled Congressional walk-through on Friday, Jan. 20 at 9AM. The purpose of the meeting is possible funding opportunities.  Attendees will meet at the Town Office afterwards.   The Meeting House Committee is recommending a $1.2 million bond for the completion of phase 1.   This will include removing and restoring existing windows, a new foundation, and stabilization of the east wall of the structure.  David Gardner questioned the need for restoring the windows rather than putting in new ones.  S. Gregg explained that the historical preservation grant they’ve received requires that the restoration include the existing windows.  The newly restored windows will be efficient.  Everett Dubuque asked where the septic will be.  Nate Hayward explained that it will be provided from existing systems on his property behind the Meeting House.  There was additional discussion regarding whether there will be association fees and the maintenance of the elevator.  Joan Falcao stated that the addition of an elevator and kitchen will change the character of the building.  People are used to it being unheated and uninsulated.  S. Gregg explained that the town-wide survey conducted 3 years ago by the committee showed the community was in favor of restoration.  ADA access, running water, bathrooms, and HVAC are required for public buildings.  Dotty Donovan asked if the Grannies would remain.  S. Gregg said she thought so.
4. Moved to later in the agenda.

 

NRPC Presentation of 1^st Draft of Town Plan

Greta Brunswick and Emily Klofft presented 1^st drafts of the 2023 Town Plan table of contents, the Introduction, and sections including Natural Resources and Land Use.  The draft is not yet in its final format.  Greta explained that additional drafts of the Plan will be presented to the Commission during the next couple of months and asked that the Commission members review the parts presented tonight and send comments to them before the next meeting.  The 1^st draft is meant to be rough – NRPC is looking for feedback from the Commission and members of the public.  [Copies will be posted on the Town website, under Planning Commission, and will also be added as attachments to the minutes on the Town website.]  Comments are requested by February 1^st and will be incorporated into the document by February 15.

The draft Introduction is from the previous (2015) Plan and will be updated.   The focused themes – Housing and Transportation, Climate Change and Resilience, Equity and Inclusion, Recreation and Recreation Economy, and Vibrant Villages – were identified in summer 2022 through surveys and community engagement.  S. Gregg asked that the “word cloud” be included in the Introduction also.  Joan Falcao asked that the vision statement be revised to include agriculture.  The Commission and NRPC will add it to the statement. M. Gammal asked that the Introduction or Table of Contents include a note referencing which parts of the Plan are required to be included, by statute.

The section on Natural Resources and Land Use will include subsections — Topography and Geology, Soils and Earth Resources, Water Resources, Habitat Blocks/Wildlife Corridors/Forest Land, Air Quality, Scenic Areas, Current Land Use, Considerations for Future Land Use, and Land Use Planning Areas.  All of these are used to guide the Town’s Development Regulations.  There was discussion re maps, wetland areas (the “Crick”), defining “character of the area” in the Plan, and whether to reduce the Shoreland Zoning District to areas 250 feet from the lake from the current 500-ft. depth.

 

NRPC will have drafts of the following sections prepared for the February 15 meeting: Housing, Transportation, and Commercial Facilities and Services.  Comments and edits of the sections presented tonight are requested prior to the Feb. 1 meeting.  S. Gregg asked PC members to send their comments to her by January 25.  Bridget Kerr asked if “light industry” will be defined in the Town Plan.  M. Gammal is researching a definition, but it will not be included in the Plan.  Definitions are included in the Development Regulations.  Bridget also stated that the Town needs ordinances for sound and light.

 

 

 

 

Continue Discussion on Proposed Changes to Village District Maps and Land Uses

Due to meeting length limitations in the Commission’s rules of procedure (meetings limited to 2 hours), the discussion was rescheduled to February 1.  The agenda for that meeting will include time limits for each item.

 

Old Business, continued

1. Gregg thanked Fred Bartle, who has resigned as a member, for his service to the Planning Commission.

 

New Business

There was none.

 

Meeting Minutes

David Roy moved to approve the minutes from January 4, 2023; G. Harwood second.  All in favor.

 

Administrator’s Report

Martha reported that the Open Meeting Law amendment that allowed meetings to be held virtually without a physical location provided expired on January 15.   The VT Legislature is currently considering extending it.

 

Review of Proposed Articles submitted by Bob Fireovid and Joan Falcao for Town Meeting

Sandy read the opinion by the Town Attorney received the afternoon of January 18. [This will be included at the bottom of the minutes posted on the Town website].

 

Next Meeting

February 1, 2023 at 6PM.

 

Adjournment

1. Harwood moved to adjourn; D. Roy second. All in favor.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)

 

 

Signed: __________________________________________ Date: ______________________

For the Planning Commission

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  All motions were unanimous unless otherwise indicated.

 

SH Detailed OutlineSouth Hero Town Plan

_Introduction_Draft 1

South Hero Town Plan_Natural Resources & Land Use_Draft 1

Legal opinion from Dinse

SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES                          January 4, 2023

 

Members Present: Sandy Gregg (Chair); Michele Gammal (Vice-Chair); David Roy; George Harwood; Fred Bartle.

Others Present: Donna Boumil; Kathy Magill; Joan Falcao; Bob Fireovid; Phil Reynolds; Michael Frett; Mike Domenic; Nate Hayward; Devin Hackett; Doug Patterson; Tania Bertsch; Shaun Robinson; Sue Straight; Bob Wigness; Ruby Brezinski; Ruth Ring; Mike Gammal; Donald Bedard; Bridget Kerr; Ashley Williams; Carl Sahler; Steve Robinson; Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA).

 

6:00 PM – Chair S. Gregg called the meeting to order.

 

Changes to the Agenda

There were none proposed at this time.

 

Public Comment

There was none.

 

Continue Discussion on Proposed Changes to Village District Maps and Land Uses

[As a result of the Village Vision Public Workshop held at the Library in September, Northwest Regional Planning Commission presented a proposed map and district standards that introduced Village Core and Village Neighborhood zoning districts in both South Hero and Keeler Bay villages. This meeting began the discussion on the proposed dimensional standards for the proposed Village Core and Village Neighborhood zoning districts.]

Village Core: Dimensional standards — S. Gregg suggested a minimum lot size of .25 acre. D. Roy agreed that ¼ acre was appropriate for the village core.  Minimum road frontage was proposed as 50 ft. and a maximum building height of 40 ft.  The Commission members discussed the minimum percentage of green space, where they agreed to 10%.  Previously, the amount of greenspace was left to the DRB to determine during conditional use review.  Additional discussion focused on the whether “light industry” should be defined.  M. Gammal expressed concern that attempting to make a list would inevitably leave something out.  D. Roy noted that the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines light industry as “production of small goods that will be sold to the people who use them rather than to another manufacturer.”  The Commission agreed that this was a good definition.  Could a list be made with the stipulation that a use not included on the list must go before the DRB for a conditional use review to determine if the proposed use is considered light industry?  Discussion on this will continue.

There was also discussion about whether to require sidewalks to be included in any future development in the core village where there are currently none.  The Commission agreed that, because safe walkability is a priority in the village core, any new development should include sidewalks along RT 2.  D. Roy reminded everyone that ARPA funds can be used for sidewalk maintenance.

 

Open to the Public

Mike Gammal asked if the proposed village core boundaries could limit growth in the villages by restricting development.  He noted that in Keeler Bay village the Shoreland zoning district had been added back within the village, extending almost all the way to RT 2.  He suggested that the Shoreland district be reduced to 250 feet from the lake instead of the current 500 feet.  The Commission will include this discussion when proposed descriptions for the Shoreland zoning district are discussed later.  Bridget Kerr asked if the proposed village core in South Hero village was larger than the current Designated Village Center.  It is not.

 

1. Roy moved to accept, as a final draft description of the Village Core in South Hero and Keeler Bay villages, the following:
2. minimum lot size – ¼ acre;
3. setback from the right-of-way – 10’ to 40’;
4. setback from boundaries – 10’ for principal structures, 5’ for accessory structures;
5. minimum percentage of greenspace – 10%;
6. and to include a requirement for sidewalks for new development;
7. Gammal second. All members voted in favor.

 

The Commission agreed to continue with the rest of the meeting agenda and return to the discussion of the Village Neighborhood draft descriptions if there is time [per Planning Commission Rules of Procedure, meetings are limited to 2 hours].

 

 

Old Business

1. ARPA Committee update – Roy stated there was no update at this time.
2. Wastewater Planning and Assessment Committee update – Harwood stated the committee had no updates at this time.
3. South Hero Meeting House – Gregg told the members that she would have more information at the next meeting.
4. Open Seat on Planning Commission – Bartle told the Commission that he will be resigning effective Jan 31^st.

 

New Business

1. Gregg asked the Commission members if they would support more “Community Cheers and Cheese” events in 2023, as an opportunity for Town Commissions and Boards to meet with the public and get feedback. M. Gammal recommended just one event, in June, preferably on a Monday night. G. Harwood said it would provide an additional platform to present the Town Plan update.  S. Gregg will propose the idea to the Selectboard.

 

Meeting Minutes from December 21, 2022

1. Gammal moved to accept the minute of Dec. 21, 2022; D. Roy second. All in favor.

 

Administrator’s Report

1. There will be an administrative meeting on January 5 with VTrans representative Ashley Andrews for the Sidewalk Scoping Study Grant. ZA Martha Taylor-Varney and Gregg will attend.
2. An ad for a South Hero Town Administrator/Listers Administrator was placed in 7 Days, in the Islander, and on VLCT’s online certified ads. Martha has received several inquiries and letters of interest.  The Town will be accepting resumes until February 1.

 

Next Meeting

January 18, 2023.

 

 

Return to Discussion on Proposed Changes to Village Zoning Maps and Land Uses

Village Neighborhood zoning district:  Continuing the discussion on light industry, the Board asked if this should be the only zoning district that cannot have light industry.  No decision was made.

Dimensional Standards — S. Gregg suggested that since this district would be between the Village Core and the Rural Residential zoning district, should the minimum lot size be somewhere between ¼ acre and 1 acre?  Initial suggestions from Commission members varied – G. Harwood, F. Bartle, and M. Gammal suggested ½ acre; D. Roy recommended ¾ acre but was open to ½ acre.  Minimum lot frontage distances of 75’ and 100’ were proposed.  A 100-ft. frontage would allow for a right-of-way to access any development without frontage or an accessory dwelling unit that may be behind the primary structure on the lot.  Should setbacks from boundaries be 20’ or 15’?  This discussion will continue.

 

Public Comment

Sue Straight recommended a minimum lot size of ¾ acre.  She suggested looking at the home and lot where she used to live at 35 South St.  That lot is ¾ acre and said that it would give people a better idea of how large ¾ acre is.  Bridget Kerr said that ½ acre is too small.

 

The Commission made no decisions, and the discussion will start here at the January 18 meeting.

 

Adjournment

1. Gammal moved to adjourn; D. Roy second. All in favor.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA

 

Signed: _____________________________________ Date: __________________

Map8-VillageInsets-ProposedLandUse2023-Letter (1)

Proposed Land Use Area Standards