SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES February 1, 2023
Members Present: Sandy Gregg (Chair); Michele Gammal (Vice-Chair, via Zoom); George Harwood; David Roy.
Others Present: Tim Maxham; Michael Frett; Donald Bedard; George Tuite; Robert Fireovid; Joan Falcao; Rachel Gammal; Phoebe Gammal; [the following via Zoom] Greta Brunswick (NRPC); Bridget Kerr; Mike Gammal.
6:00 PM — S. Gregg called the meeting to order.
Changes to the Agenda
Here were none.
Public Comment
Bob Fireovid presented a letter to the Commission members informing them that their letter, presented to the Selectboard on January 23rd, was in violation of Open Meeting Law. The Commission members agreed to schedule a special meeting on Wednesday, February 8 at 6PM to respond. [The special meeting was later scheduled for Tuesday February 7, 2023 at 6PM at the Town Office. The Commission was unable to have a quorum for February 8]
Proposed Land Use Planning Areas: Continue Discussion on:
- Village Neighborhood – Potential Zoning Standards – Recommended dimensional standards: Minimum lot size 1/2acre; Maximum building height 35’; Setback from the right-of-way 10’ to 40’; minimum side setback (primary structure) 15’; minimum side setback (accessory structure) 10’; Minimum road frontage 75’. Joan Falcao stated that people indicated that they wanted a 1-acre minimum lot size and setbacks of 25’. Rachel Gammal told the Commission that she understood wanting to preserve space but that she cannot afford to buy one acre and that she thought the smaller lot size works in the village. Joan Falcao responded that multi-family housing are options, and that the Town’s PUD regulations are not very good. She wants to restrict density bonuses. Greta Brunswick responded that PUD’s in rural areas create protected space and that they can be designed in village centers. Roy stated that PUD rules promote affordable housing. Bob Fireovid wants a cap on the number of additional units. Mike Gammal expressed concern about growth options being limited. In the proposed Village Neighborhood zoning district, nearly half of the properties are less than an acre.
Rural Residential Zoning District – No proposed changes.
Shoreland Zoning District – M Gammal asked about reducing the depth of the Shoreland Zoning District from 500’ to 250’. No decision was made. Greta asked if the Commission was interested in further separating the Village Districts into “Village” and “Village Shoreland.” Again, no decision was made.
Town Plan 1st Draft Review Status
Drafts of the Town Plan Introduction, including Goals & Objectives, Strategies, and the Vision Statement, were presented to the Commission by Greta Brunswick of Northwest Regional Planning Commission, with suggested edits from the PC members. G. Harwood asked how other town define ‘light industry.’ Greta answered that South Hero needs to decide what standards it wants. Should performance standards be included I the Plan? S. Gregg asked Commission members to submit their ideas to her by Feb. 10. Bob Fireovid asked about the term “systemic oppression” included under the definition of equity in the Equity and Inclusion section of the Plan. He asked what is “systemic oppression” and that he challenges the opinion that there is systemic oppression anywhere in VT. He’d like the wording changed to “…may have been affected by systemic oppression in the past.” There was no decision to change the wording. Edits to the vision statement in the Introduction added ‘agriculture’ to the statement.
Greta presented the first draft of the Natural Resources and Land Use section of the 2023 Town Plan. Sections under Natural Resources included Topography and Geology, Soils and Earth Resources, Water Resources, Air Quality (a new section required by statute), and Scenic Areas. The existing analysis for scenic areas is from 2004. The Conservation Commission will help with a new analysis. There was discussion about adding legends to the maps, adding additional information from the South Hero Land Trust, changing ‘should’s to ‘shall’s throughout the document. Drafts of the Introduction and the Natural Resources and Land Use sections will be added as attachments to the minutes on the Town website.
Draft #2 will be reviewed at the February 15 PC meeting.
Old Business
- ARPA update- there was none.
- Wastewater Planning and Assessment – no updates until after winter.
- South Hero Meeting House update – no bond vote for the Meeting House will be included on the Town Meeting ballot in March. There will be an article asking voters to approve whether a feasibility study should be commissioned to move the Town Offices to the Meeting House as part of its renovation.
- Open Seat on the Planning Commission – Gregg read letters of interest from Bob Fireovid and Donald Bedard [included as attachments to the minutes on the Town website].
Questions from the Commission members:
- Harwood asked Bob how he would preserve open space in South Hero. Bob responded that there was some support for growth in the village cores. S. Gregg asked how to avoid strip development along RT 2? Bob responded that that should be the vision of the residents.
- Gammal asked Don his ideas for smart planning. Don said that the recent additions of the library, health center, Community Lane development (library, health center, restaurant, Fire/Rescue building) were examples of lots of progress for the Town.
- Gammal asked Bob about his recent commentary published in VT Digger about wanting the population of VT to shrink. Bob responded that his commentary applied to the whole world, not VT [Robert Fireovid: I want our population to shrink. I pray for it every day. – VTDigger].
- Harwood asked Don what his priorities would be for the Town Plan. Don responded that the Plan should clearly communicate facts so it is presented in a clear way that cannot be misconstrued.
- Gregg asked both candidates if they were able to compromise. Bob responded yes. Don said yes, that the demographic on South Hero is unique and that he was proud to live here.
- Roy asked both candidates where they would like to see South Hero in 5 years. Don responded that he’d like to see his kids be able to walk from the school to the bank. He would like to see more walking trails and neighborhoods with walking opportunities. Bob stated that the Town should go in the direction that the residents want it to go.
- Following up on the walking question, Gregg asked about sidewalks along South St. to the school. Bob said he thought it was a great idea but prefers that the paths be behind the properties that have frontage on South St.
- Roy moved to recommend that the Selectboard appoint Don Bedard to finish Fred Bartle’s term on the Planning Commission; M. Gammal second. All in favor.
Minutes
- Harwood moved to approve the minutes from the January 18, 2023 PC meeting; D. Roy second. All in favor.
Administrator’s Report
- On January 25, the VT Legislature extended the option to hold warned meetings virtually without a physical location under Open Meeting Law to July 2024.
- Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) for Northwest VT are currently being updated and will be available later in winter/spring 2023 for review. County work map meetings will be scheduled this spring. The maps currently in use are dated from 1976. Results from the maps may result in municipalities needing to update their bylaws to comply with FEMA requirements.
- Contrary to earlier information from the zoning administrator, VTrans has no schedule for replacing the culvert under RT 2 between South Hero and Keeler Bay villages.
- The contract with NRPC to be the administrator of the recently awarded VTrans Sidewalk Scoping Study has been signed. All VTrans requirements have been met and the Town anticipates starting the study process soon.
The next regular meeting of the Commission will be February 15, 2023 at 6PM. A special meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 7 at 6PM (reference Public Comment above).
7:54PM – G. 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.
Contact the Zoning Administrator ([email protected]) for a recording of the meeting.
Land Use and Natural Resource Goals and Strategies