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May 9, 2022 SB Minutes

Select Board Minutes, Selectboard

Selectboard Minutes

Regular Meeting of Monday May 9, 2022 at 7:00 PM

At South Hero Town Hall and via Zoom

 

Board Members Present: David Carter/Chairman,, Ross Brown/Vice Chairman, Chuck Hulse, Anne Zolotas

Board Member Not Present: Skip Brown

Others Present:    Naomi King/Town Clerk, Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA; Sandy Gregg; Tim Maxham; Michael Frett; Andrew Herwig (Farm to Fork).

 

  1. Called to Order:

-The meeting was called to order by Chair David Carter at 7:00 pm

 

  1. Adjustment to Agenda:

            -add Sandy Gregg to Public Input

 

  1. Minutes:

–Ross Brown made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 25, 2022.  Chuck Hulse seconded.  All in favor.

 

  1. Public input:
  2. Sandy Gregg (Chair of the Planning Commission) Discussed with the Board an application for a bicycle and pedestrian scoping study. The award will be between $20,000 and $40,000 and will require a 20% match by the Town. Can ARPA funds be used for the matching funds? Sandy suggested the study could focus on sidewalks and bike lanes in the 2 village districts. Chuck suggested that this needs to be coordinated with the recent VOREC grant that was awarded to Champlain Islands Economic Development, in partnership with Local Motion, SH Land Trust, NRPC, and the South Hero Recreation Committee.  Ross suggested a study for upgrading Lake View Rd. could be included.  Deadline for applications is June 8, 2022 at 1PM. This will be added to the 5/25 SB agenda for further discussion.

 

  1. New Business:
  2. A. Andrew Herwig discussed the upcoming Farm to Fork Fondo bicycle tour of Grand Isle County, scheduled to be held on Sunday, July 17, 2022. They anticipate near to pre-Covid numbers of riders and visitors and hope to host 600 to 800 riders. The ride will begin at Snow Farm.  The route map is the same as before. Instead of a mass start, as in previous years, the riders will be started in 150-person groups – the longest route will leave first and starts will continue in 15-minute intervals.   The organizers have coordinated with the Sheriff’s Department to assist at intersections and crowd control.  Cars will have priority over bicycles.  Andrew Herwig will send additional information to the Town Clerk.  Naomi has agreed to post it on Front Porch Forum. Ross moved to approve the bike tour; Chuck Hulse seconded.  All in favor.

 

  1. Administrative Assistant Report:
  2. A. See the written report filed with these minutes (Below on the website or in Town Hall).
  3. B. The Board approved and signed a mobile vendor license application for B&M’s Famous Fries.
  4. C. Ross moved to waive the building permit fee for Jeanne Lavigne to rebuild the house and garage that were destroyed in a fire in April.
  5. D. Ross moved to appoint Ellie Reid to fill the vacant Alternate seat on the Development Review Board until the end of 2022; Chuck Hulse seconded. All in favor.
  6. Old and Ongoing Business:

There was no new or ongoing business.

 

  1. Announcements and Communications:
  2. David Carter wanted to acknowledge Robin Way’s many years as executive director of CIDER and to thank him and wish him the best of luck in his retirement.

 

  1. Other Business:
  2. A. Ross Brown made a motion to sign order #22/23. Chuck Hulse seconded. All in favor.
  3. B. The Town Clerk reported that 87 people had applied for the 60 available out-of-Town beach passes. 60 names were drawn and have been notified.
  4. C. Recreation Commission – The Board discussed the eventual need for a recreation program manager. Chuck Hulse will put together a list of what responsibilities Recreation Commission members have for programs directed by the Commission. Could this position be filled by an intern from UVM?  This discussion will continue at the next meeting.
  5. Road Dept. Update – The Highway Dept. has purchased a new skid steer. The final plan for the new salt shed is moving forward. There is no closing date yet for purchase of the property.   Ross reported that a 25% increase in paving costs this year may affect the scheduled repaving of Kibbe Point Rd. this summer.  There may not be enough funds available.  He will watch this and keep the Selectboard in the loop.
  6. Old South Hero Meeting House — David Carter reported that the next meeting of the committee is May 17. The committee will meet with architects and engineers to firm up the plans. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will need to be created for the Grannies’ use of the meeting house.
  7. ARPA – Their survey went live on April 25 and is available on the Town website and in the Town Office.
  8. G. Wastewater Committee updates – Ross Brown reported that preliminary studies do not show an abundance of appropriate soils for community systems. This will increase the difficulty for development. The priority is to protect the lake, not for development.
  9. H. Liquor Licenses – there were none presented at this meeting.

I . Ross Brown moved to re-appoint Patrick Robinson as the Town Fire Warden; Anne Zolotas seconded.  All in favor. 3 Liquor Licenses were signed for Blue Paddle.

 

The next meeting will be May 25, 2022 at 7PM.

 

 

  1. Adjournment:

– Ross Brown made a motion to adjourn at 8;20PM; second by Anne Zolotas.  All in favor.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,                                      Approved by,

 

_______________________________                ________________________________

Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)                               David Carter, Chair

 

Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard                                        May 9, 2022

Discussion Items:

  1. There is 1 application for the SB to sign for 2022 Vendors’ licenses. The location for this vendor, the Goulets’, was reviewed and approved by the DRB last year.
  2. There is a VLCT seminar scheduled for May 24th on Regulating Cannabis. I will be attending. Planning Commission members have expressed interest.  Please let me know if you’d like me to forward the registration information.
  3. Doug Allen of VHB contacted me to introduce Kurt Muller as VHB’s new project manager for the South Hero landfill 2021 PFAS investigation. The initial investigation report for the landfill has been submitted to the DEC. Kurt anticipates that the DEC will respond to the report and require further investigation of the landfill.
  4. As you’ll recall, a home and garage belonging to Jeanne Lavigne were destroye in a fire on Lavigne Rd. last month. The site has been cleared and Jeanne has applied for a building permit to replace the garage. A permit for the replacement of the home will be coming in the future. I am asking that the Selectboard approve waiving the permit application fee for each structure as you have done in the past when homes were damaged or destroyed by fire.

Planning Commission

2023 Town Plan discussion — The Commission has scheduled public outreach opportunities for June 27 and August 22, to be referred to as “Community Cheers and Cheese.”  Three additional outreach opportunities will be at the Farmers’ Market on June 22, July 13, and August 17.

ARPA Committee updates – The ARPA committee survey went live on April 21st.  There is a link to it on the Town website.

Development Review Board

  1. The Applicant for the open Alternate seat on the DRB, Ellie Reid, has attended two meeings and hasn’t been scared away yet. I ask that the Selectboard appoint Ellie Reid to fill the vacant DRB Alternate seat for the remainder of 2022. Alternate terms are for 1 year, expiring on Dec. 31st of each year.  In December, the Board can choose to reappoint Ellie for a full 1-year term.
  2. The next meeting will be May 11. The schedule includes a special meeting at 6:30 to complete a hearing that recessed on April 27, followed by a regular 7PM meeting, where the Board will hold 3 more hearings – one recessed from April 27 and another from April 13.
  3. I was notified on Thursday (5/5) that the start of site work for a subdivision approved by the DRB on Ferry Rd. (RT 314) has been delayed due to the change in a VTrans requirement regarding access permits onto State highways. The Town was never formally notified of this change until the applicant attempted to get a Letter of Intent from the State that his proposed access met VTrans requirements, something that was previously required by statute to be obtained before Town review. He was told that the LOI was no longer needed until after the Town review.  The project was approved with VTrans’ verbal approval of the access location. When the applicant applied for his access permit, he was told that the access needed to be moved.  This has resulted in not only a delay in the project, but additional cost to the Applicant due to changes that need to be made to the survey, then re-recorded with the Town. He must also have a hearing to amend the original survey, as required by our Development Regulations.  This cannot be scheduled for a month.  I am writing a letter to the VTrans permit specialist and plan to cc the Sec’y of Transportation, the DRB Chair, and the Planning Commission Chair.  I’m tired of the State changing the rules and not letting the Town know.

Respectfully submitted,  Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA and Asst. to the Selectboard

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