Planning Commission

SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES                                       March 15, 2023

 

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

Member Absent: Don Bedard; George Harwood

Others Present: Tim Maxham; Joan Falcao; Ross Brown; Phil Reynolds;

Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)

 

6:02 PM – S. Gregg called the meeting to order.
David Roy was assigned minute taker for this meeting.

 

Changes to the Agenda

There were no changes made to the meeting Agenda.

 

Public Comment

Joan Falcao asked that the public be allowed to comment on any matter before the PC at the time of public comments and then leave. Michele stated that it is best to hear from the public during the actual discourse to allow back and forth on an issue instead of stating something and leaving.

 

Town Plan

 

Greta Brunswick and Emily from NRPC led us through the latest Drafts.

Climate and Floor Resilience:

1. The local hazard mitigation plan (LHMP) which was adopted in 2018 and approved by FEMA should be referenced in the new Town Plan.
2. Floodplain issues are to be identified in the TP. The South end of Keeler Bay, Wally’s Point, part of West Shore Road, Hochelaga Road and US Route 2(near Milton) will continue to be the areas at risk for flooding.
3. The ANR recommends limiting development in the stream corridors to at least 50’ from the top of bank to protect human life and infrastructure. ]
4. Planning efforts must focus on those most impacted by climate change and who have the least social and economic resources to adapt to its effects.

 

Energy – Draft #1

This is an optional additional addition to the Town Plan.

By having this enhanced anergy plan incorporated into the Town Plan, The Town can achieve greater say in renewable generation projects.

1. The plan now references electrical energy generation targets for South Hero. The target dates are for 2025, 2035 and 2050 respectively. This also includes other renewable sources of energy including wood, bio-fuel, heat pumps and as stated, renewable energy production.
2. South Hero supports NRPC’s position regarding “commercial” and “industrial” wind facilities.
3. There is preference for smaller solar facilities (under 5 MW or approximately 20 acres). Solar facilities with greater than 149 kW are to have screening or ways to break up the larger scale of the solar facilities. The Town of South Hero hopes to adopt a municipal screening ordinance in the future.
4. Table 7.11 (pages 11/12 and 13) identifies the mapping constraints in a narrative version and identifies the requirements and what department regulates the constraints.
5. Table 7.12 (pages 13-19) identifies facilities that have a Certificate of Public from the Vermont Utilities Commission to generate electricity.
6. Maps provide input on the power infrastructure and grid for South Hero.
7. All of this information will be in the appendix of the new Town Plan.

“Local Economy” section

1. The business and employment trends were identified in this section.
2. It was requested that Leisure and Hospitality also include the word “restaurant” within the pie chart to make sure it represent the total market and not just accommodations.
3. There needs to be some clarification on wether the data is full-time or part-time employment. This requires some clarification.
4. There was discussion that the median household income is on the rise to $116,985. This represents a 12% increase from 2019.

 

Draft #2 – edits

Municipal and Community Facilities and Services.

1. Some new Goals and Objectives have been outlined.
   1. #1 States: Maintain and upgrade, where reasonable and necessary, municipal facilities and grounds ate reasonable costs.
   2. #2 States: Strive to meet the basic needs of residents and access to affordable goods and services within town, including in times of emergency.
   3. Others are modified.

Tax Base and Cost of Services.

1. Property values have increased 5% since the 2019 appraisal.

Community Health

1. Sandy has an update to the Community Health narrative.
2. The picture in Figure #2 shall read “Old White Meeting House”

Housing

1. Add Strategy #5 “Support, and share information about, programs and resources that help to lower costs of home ownership such as energy conservation, weatherization and utility assistance.
2. The charts for Housing affordability need to be modified with 2020 census data to relate rental costs to that required to support rental usage in the community.
3. Under Future Housing Needs, add the statement that the senior community are looking for properties that are easier to maintain as well as being accessible to services and community spaces.

 

The Town Plan must be completed on August 1, 2023.

1. In order to achieve this goal, there will be additional meeting on March 23^rd and March 29^th (Greta will attend March 29^th meeting)
2. Sandy will send an agenda and link for the meeting at the Library on March 23^rd.

 

New Business

1. Gregg read the proposed new Rules and Procedures for meetings. Edits were proposed and will be made. ALL PC members will have to sign and adopt the changes at the next meeting. David made a motion to adopt the Rules and Procedures as edited. Michele Seconded.
2. Gregg read a letter requesting funding form our Congressional District for renovations and improvements to the Old White Meeting House.
3. Phil Reynolds indicated that Roberts Rules should be referenced. PC members should be allowed to abstain from a vote and Phil will write a short narrative to that effect.

 

Meeting Minutes

Michele Gammal moved to approve the minutes from March 1, 2023;  David Roy seconded.   All in favor.

 

Administrator’s Report

Nothing to report.

 

Next Meeting

The next “Special” PC meeting will be March 23^rd, 2023 at 6PM at the Library (Downstairs).

Adjournment

8:13 PM – S Gregg moved to adjourn; M. Gammal second.  All in favor.

 

Respectfully submitted,

David Roy , PC

 

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.

SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES                                       March 1, 2023

 

Members Present: Sandy Gregg (Chair); Michele Gammal (Vice-Chair); Don Bedard; George Harwood (via Zoom).

Member Absent: David Roy

Others Present: Tim Maxham; Joan Falcao, Bob Fireovid; Anne Zolotas; Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)

 

6:02 PM – S. Gregg called the meeting to order.  M. Taylor-Varney was assigned minute taker for this meeting.

 

Changes to the Agenda

Chair S. Gregg added “review of Town Plan Timeline” to the agenda as new item #3a under Town Plan.

 

Public Comment

There was none.

 

Town Plan

Town Plan timeline – the current Plan expires on August 10, 2023.  Does this mean that the 2023 Plan must be approved by the voters on or before August 10, or by the end of the month of August?  S. Gregg will check with NRPC.  The first PC public hearing is tentatively scheduled for May 17.  The first drafts of the final 3 chapters of the Plan will be presented by NRPC at the March 15 meeting.  The Commission discussed how to motivate people to encourage more public input, including noting the quick link to the Town Plan page on the Town website showing draft updates and review: https://www.nrpcvt.com/municipalities/south-hero/south-hero-drafts-for-review/

1. Public comments are encouraged. Additional discussion included when to schedule the vote for the Town Plan – August 1^st? Earlier? This will be confirmed at the March 15 meeting.  Joan Falco asked what the consequences would be if the Plan were to lapse.  Would it affect any existing grants? M. Taylor-Varney said that the existing sidewalk scoping grant and wastewater grant could be affected.  She will check with NRPC.
2. Continued Discussion on Shoreland Buffers — Shoreland Zoning District is currently all lands within 500 feet of the mean level of the lake. Discussion included reducing the depth of the district to 350 or 250 feet.  The State’s Shoreland Protection Act has jurisdiction over development within 250 feet from the lake.  There was concern that a 250-ft. buffer would bisect too many pre-existing, non-conforming small lots.  Should this be the same for village adjacent shoreline areas only or for all the lakefront properties in South Hero?  After much discussion, the Commission members decided to recommend remaining with the current 500-ft. distance but to add, under Goals and Strategies in the 2023 Town Plan, a recommendation to reevaluate the Shoreland zoning districts as the villages evolve.  All Commission members agreed.
3. Assign Maps for Editing: [Maps added as attachments to the minutes on the Town website. Some are updated; some are from the 2015 Town Plan and need to be reviewed and updated, if necessary.  Individual map titles included below].

–Community Assets Map – Need to make corrections/additions to the 2015 map (FD/Rescue/Library/Community Lane, etc.).  D. Bedard suggested adding a grid to the map with a legend to help readers find locations.  There was discussion on identified lake accesses in the 2015  Plan, and whether those on private property or only Town accesses or rights-of-way should be identified.  Anne Zolotas asked  whether these accesses are boats or people, and if they were seasonal. Include State Fish and Wildlife boat launch and fishing accesses?  G. Harwood will talk with Ron Phelps about historical references on the map. M. Gammal will talk with Andy Julow for additional information; D. Bedard will talk to VT F&W.

–Current Land Use Map – no discussion

–Current Zoning Map – no discussion

–Facilities and Utilities Map – S. Gregg recommended there be a pullout map of Community Lane added here.  Also add Whites Beach and Tracy Woods.

–Habitat and Natural Areas Map – What is meant by ‘Block Acreage’?

–South Hero and Keeler Bay Village Center Designations Maps – no discussion.  These maps have already been updated from 2015.

–Primary Agricultural Soils Map – no discussion.

–Proposed Land Use Map – check the scale.  Correct ‘Residential’ zoning district to ‘Rural Residential’ zoning district.

–Proposed Land Use Village Insets Map – no discussion.

–Septic Suitability Map – G. Harwood will ask Otter Creek Associates (consultants to the Town’s Wastewater Committee) to provide an updated map.

–Steep Slopes Map – needs a legend and a key.

–Topography – the maps need more contrast in color to make them easier to read.

–Transportation System – S. Gregg will update unpaved roads and correct total miles of Town Rds. shown on the 2015 map.

–Water Resources – no discussion.

 

Old Business

1. ARPA Committee update – no update available.
2. Wastewater Planning and Assessment Committee update – G. Harwood reported that the committee has identified 11 properties that may have appropriate spoils for a wastewater system.  Four to five of the property owners have responded positively and will allow test pits to be dug.  Allenholm appears to be the best site and the committee there are ongoing discussions there.   Test pits will not begin until spring.
3. Finalize Rules of Procedure – this item will be moved to the March 15 agenda due to time restraints.

 

M. Gammal moved to add discussion on 1^st drafts of the Town Plan Housing, Transportation, and Municipal/Community Facilities chapters to tonight’s agenda, as item 3d; These had not been on the agenda. D. Bedard seconded. All in favor.

-Transportation and Complete Streets — Discussion and edits.

-Housing — Brief discussion included adding Goal of creating a Housing Assessment Committee.  Ran out of time for further discussion; will continue at the next meeting.

 

Town Plan discussion, con’t.

3(d). Transportation and Complete Streets:  S. Gregg proposed to separate ‘Transportation’ and ‘Complete Streets’ into separate headings in the report.  A conversation with road supervisor John Beaulac helped her correct the combined mileage for Town roads.  There were some minor formatting corrections and clarifications to the Goals and Strategies section.  S. Gregg will check notes from the CIDER stakeholder meeting and add language from that.  The drafts for Housing and Municipal/Community Facilities will be on the website.  There were no recommended changes at the meeting.  It was suggested to move a statement about airports and helipads to the Land Use section.  The PC will craft language that states the Town does not support including these facilities at this time.  Additional discussion included scenic byways and the meaning of signage indicating these.

 

New Business

1. Gregg noted that the meeting at Worthen Library on February 23, hosted by SouthHeroVoters.org in reference to Articles 6 and 7 on the March 7 Town Meeting ballot, was recorded. Contact the library for a copy of the recording.

 

Meeting Minutes

Don Bedard moved to approve the minutes from February 15, 2023; G. Harwood second.  All in favor.

 

Administrator’s Report

1. ZA Martha Taylor-Varney attended a ZA’s Roundtable on March 1^st, hosted by Northwest Regional Planning. The discussion was held via Zoom.  Agenda items included the new Permit Navigator on the ANR/DEC website which allows ZA’s and project applicants to determine what State permits they may need; a discussion on bylaw enforcement and procedures for notices of violation; and information on the new digital FEMA maps of northwest Vermont that will be available this spring for review at County Work Plan meetings.  It is hoped that the final maps will be available by the end of 2025.
2. Martha reported that longtime surveyor Warren Robenstein died on February 26. Warren did a lot of work in the Islands.  He was 87 years old and still working as a surveyor.
3. Because of frequent comments from residents that they do not understand the proposed Articles on the ballot this year related to the village zoning districts, in addition to the approved ballots last year that require Development Regulations and Town Plan to be approved by the voters, Martha proposed offering a series of discussions and presentations on Zoning for the public. Plans are in an early stage but she suggested monthly evening meetings, either in-person, over Zoom, and filmed/recorded, that could cover individual areas related to zoning. Each meeting would have its own subject.  The Commission members supported the idea.  Discussion on this will continue at the next meeting.  Martha will present the idea to the Selectboard at their next meeting (March 13).

 

Next Meeting

The next PC meeting will be March 15, 2023 at 6PM.  NRPC will be representing the first drafts of the last required chapters for the Town Plan.

 

Adjournment

7:59PM – D. Bedard moved to adjourn; M. Gammal 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.

All Maps