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November 1, 2023 PC Minutes

PC minutes, Planning Commission

SOUTH HERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES                           November 1, 2023

 

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

Others Present: Tim Maxham; Jan Doehler (via Zoom); Joan Falcao (via Zoom); Marthe Taylor-Varney, ZA.

 

6:00 PM – S. Gregg opened the meeting.

 

Changes to the Agenda

There were none.

 

Public Comment

There was none.

 

Old Business

  1. Updating Regulations –
  2. The Commission is waiting for the Selectboard to decide whether to adopt changes to the Regulations legislatively, or for it to remain with the voters. The HOME Act negated Australian ballot for approval of zoning bylaws unless the Selectboard chooses to send it to the voters.
  3. There was discussion re two-household dwellings (duplexes), clarifying that they will be reviewed the same as single-household dwellings are currently reviewed, per Table 2.1. Duplexes will be permitted (without further review) in the rural residential and shoreland zoning districts.  Both duplexes and single-household dwellings will require conditional use review only in the conservation zoning district.
  4. The final list of proposed and required changes will be sent to NRPC for their review and approved by November 8th, when the warning for the November 29 PC public hearing will appear in the Islander.

 

New Business

  1. Short-term Rentals – The Commission began discussions on whether to recommend any regulations related to short-term rental (STR) units in South Hero. Gammal asked for what purpose they should be regulated.  G. Harwood commented on owners of STR’s who do not live nearby, and frequent issues related to noise and general bad behavior by tenants where there is no owner supervision.  Should these units be considered commercial and be required to have the same review process as other lodging establishments or B&B’s?  Jan Doehler said that she has two cabins she rents out for STR’s, but she lives on the property and restricts the number of people/noise/etc.  ZA Martha Taylor-Varney told the Commission that she is interested to know how many and where STR’s are in South Hero, to be able to guarantee that these homes’ septic systems are not overused by accommodating more people in the unit than the system is designed for.  There have already been STR’s in South Hero that have advertised accommodation for more people than a system’s design will allow.  M. Gammal stated that she has owned STR’s in the past where they didn’t live on site and had no problems.  She asked if the Planning Commission should be proactive by regulating STR’s as part of new development.  There is also the issue of STR’s removing affordable or workforce housing from the market.  S. Gregg said she wasn’t convinced yet that any regulation was necessary.  D. Bedard agreed, but an inventory list of STR’s in South Herro would be helpful.  Could an information sheet be produced that could be mailed with tax bills?  G. Harwood disagreed.  He suggested putting additional discussion off to another meeting.  Discussion will continue as old business at the next meeting.
  2. Housing Inventory – How many homes are there in South Hero? Year-round/seasonal/rental units/owner occupied?  Gregg is working with the Listers to see if a comprehensive list can be produced, to help the Commission determine what current and future housing needs may be.

 

Approve Minutes from October 18, 2023

David Roy moved to approve the minute of Oct. 18, 2023, with corrections; D. Bedard second.  All in favor.

 

Administrator’s Report

  1. Martha will be out of the office the week of November 13. Bedard will be the Zoom master for that meeting.
  2. The warning for the Planning Commission’s public hearing for amendments to the Regulation, to be held at a special meeting on November 29, will appear in the November 8th issue of the Islander. The warning for the Selectboard’s public hearing on December 11 will be in the November 22 issue of the Islander.

 

Announcements

  1. There is no additional information on the Meeting House. They are currently updating estimates.  The South Hero Foundation is preparing for intense fundraising in 2024.
  2. Town Office Committee – A structural engineer inspected the building on Oct. 26th. A report from him is expected soon. Roy is assisting Emily Klofft of NRPC to determine a grant amount for a feasibility study.
  3. Gregg handed out a letter from Matt Aranzio of VTrans that had been sent to Town Manager Sue Arguin responding to questions from the Town about cost benefits to the Town of a Class 1 takeover of RT 2. [The letter is included as an attachment to these minutes on the Town website.]
  4. Gregg has emailed State Rep Michael Morgan regarding reports of continued overflow of sewage into Lake Champlain. The State has allocated $46 million to municipalities to help mitigate the problem.  Rep. Morgan said he would put information on FPF and contact the Islander.  M. Gammal is on the Board of Friends of Northern Lake Champlain.  She said that the Clean Water Board is meeting on Nov. 2nd and is looking for public comment on how to allocate these funds.

 

 

Next Meeting

The next Planning Commission meeting will be November 15, 2023 at 6PM at the Town Office.  PC member M. Gammal will not be able to attend.

 

Adjournment

7:25 PM — Don Bedard moved to adjourn; David 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.

 

VTrans Letter

 

 

 

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