Selectboard Minutes
Regular Meeting of Monday November 23, 2020 at 6:00 PM
South Hero Town Hall
Board Members Present: Jonathan Shaw, Skip Brown (also Board Secretary), Anne Zolotas, and Ross Brown in person. David Carter via Zoom.
Board Members Not Present: none
Others Present: Janet Yates, Town Clerk in person and Martha Taylor-Varney via zoom. Also see sign in sheet of zoom attendees.Attendance SB 11-23-2020
1. Called to Order:
-The meeting was called by Chairman Shaw at 6:00 pm
2. Adjustment to Agenda:
-Delete 7-C
3. Minutes:
-David Carter made a motion to approve the minutes of October 26, 2020. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
4. Public input:
A. none
5. New Business:
A. Members of the Recreation Commission presented a preliminary written budget request and explained it via zoom. The main part of the budget is level funded, with the assumption that some of the programs, such as the swim lessons, can proceed. They were cancelled this year due to Covid-19. The unknown at this time is whether to hire someone to monitor White’s Beach parking, sticker usage and beach rules in 2021. A job description needs to be developed to fully estimate how to proceed. More information will be presented at the next meeting. See attached. Recreation Budget Notes 2021-2022 2
-Note that all budget requests will be reviewed by the Selectboard, will be included in the Town Report and will be voted on by the Town residents in March of 2021.
6. Administrative Assistant Report:
A. See the written report filed with these minutes in Town Hall or www.southherovt.org.
7. Old and Ongoing Business:
A. There was a discussion about the name of White’s Beach. The name White’s Beach has been used in South Hero for many years, due to it being adjacent to the farm of a family with the surname, White. It is not now, or has ever been, a racial designation. But, some feel that the name should be changed. At a previous meeting, the Selectboard voted to keep the name as it is, and to add signage with an explanation for the name. The Recreation Commission does not feel that it is their place to unilaterally change the name.
B. Anne Zolotas made a motion to approve the Ordinance to License and Regulate Mobile Vendors. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried. Per statute, the ordinance will go into effect in 60 days should there be no appeal.
C. David Carter made a motion to approve and have the Chairman sign a letter of support for a grant opportunity titled Libraries Transforming Communities Grant that the Worthen Library is applying for. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
8. Announcements and Communications:
A. See other business
9. Other Business:
A. David Carter made a motion to approve and sign orders 21-11 and to pay the bills associated with the orders. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
B. Skip Brown made a motion to appoint Thomas Chagnon for a three year term to the Recreation Commission. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
C. Everett Dubuque sent a letter that he is resigning from as Constable and tax collector effective December 31, 2020. More information will follow after a discussion with VLCT on how to proceed with a possible new person to fill the roles.
D. The general Town budget was worked on.
10. Adjournment:
-David Carter made a motion to adjourn 7:45 pm. The motion was seconded, all in attendance so voted and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Approved by,
_______________________________ ________________________________
Graham Brown Jonathan Shaw, Chairman
********************************************************************************************************
Administrative Officer’s Report to Selectboard November 23, 2020
Discussion Items:
1. The 3-year terms of 3 DRB members and the 1-year terms of the 2 Alternates will expire on Dec. 31. I have placed an ad in the Islander for anyone interested in the Development Review Board. It is my intention to recommend re-appointment for all members whose terms are expiring but will wait until the 12/14 Selectboard meeting to allow for any additional interested persons.
2. I have been notified by David Dewyea that delivery of the new computer for the Zoning Office has been delayed until after the new year.
3. I am currently working from home but will be in the office, as needed, on various evenings and Fridays to take care of business that cannot be conducted from my home.
Planning Commission:
The Planning Commission is now holding meetings via Zoom.
A. The Commission has finalized a draft for an “Ordinance to License and Regulate Mobile Vendors”. I have given each SB member a copy of the Ordinance. If approved by the Board at a future meeting it will need to be posted throughout town and published in the Islander. Unless 5% of the Town’s registered voters appeal the SB’s approval within 44 days of approval, the Ordinance will become effective 60 days after the Selectboard’s approval date. If approved this evening, the Ordinance will become effective January 22, 2021.
B. In an act related to promoting affordable housing, the State’s Planning and Development Act has changed its requirements regarding accessory dwellings. These differ from the Town’s current definition – 1BR dwelling, clearly subordinate to a single household dwelling; measuring up to 50% of the total habitable floor area of the single household dwelling but may not exceed 700sf. The State’s new definition allows for additional bedrooms (as long as there is sufficient wastewater capacity) and to be as large as 900 sf or 30% of the floor area of the principal dwelling (whichever is greater). The Planning Commission is working on the new language for Sec. 701 of the Development Regulations and will be asking the Selectboard at their Dec. 14th meeting to approve the amended language in the Regulations.
C. The Planning Commission will only hold its first Tuesday of the month in Dec. The second regularly scheduled meeting will be canceled.
Development Review Board:
– The DRB has scheduled hearings currently into February 2021. All hearings are being held via Zoom.
– The DRB approved Cathedral Square’s Preliminary Site Plan for the proposed senior housing. There are still parking and traffic circulation issues to be worked out. No Final Site Plan reviewed has been scheduled yet.
– The Board will not be holding their regularly scheduled second meetings during the months of November and December due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
– Recent DRB hearing decisions can be found posted on the Board outside the ZA’s office or can be emailed upon request.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA)