SOUTH HERO DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD September 11, 2024
Members Present: Tim Maxham (Chair); Doug Patterson (Vice-Chair); Mike Welch; Gareth Hunt; Jim Brightwell; Liza Kilcoyne; Nate Hayward.
Others Present: Steve Diglio (via Zoom); Devin Hackett; Karyl Sweeney; Sharon Palmer; Cliff P.; Bob Sweeney; Ray Allen; Mark Clifford; Martha Taylor-Varney (ZA).
7:00 PM – Chair T. Maxham called the meeting to order. He asked for a moment of silence in memory of September 11, 2001.
Changes to the Agenda
There were none.
Public Input
None.
2-Lot Subdivision Administrative Review at 154 South St. (Allenholm Farm – 25-09-SS154)
7:03 PM — T. Maxham recused from this hearing. Vice-Chair D. Patterson presided. The warning was read and interested persons sworn in. ZA Martha Taylor-Varney and Ray C. Allen presented the application to the Board.
The application proposes a 2-lot subdivision of the 14.26-acre Allenholm parcel that is on the east side of South St. This parcel is not in the land trust. This parcel includes the farm store and orchards, in addition to the open field south of the farm store. The proposed new lot, Lot 1, will be a 2-acre residential building lot for a single-family home. The remaining 12.26 acres is designated Lot 2.
Lot 1 has 281 feet of frontage on South St., narrowing to 178 feet 87 feet from the road and remains this width to the east boundary. About 2/3 of the lot is wooded. The front third is apple orchard. Ray Allen told the Board that they intend to keep as many apple trees as possible. A few trees will be removed for the house, but the buyers plan to leave the rest rather than clear cut. A septic system for a 3BR home will be along the extended road frontage, with a small septic easement extending onto Lot 2. Power will be underground from a pole on the road at the north boundary. Fire District #4 has indicated that they have capacity to supply water. The application for this will be submitted after the subdivision is approved. The Applicant requested a waiver from showing contours on the survey since the land is fairly level.
- Kilcoyne moved to waive the requirement to show contours on the survey; G. Hunt second. All in favor.
7:12 PM – The hearing closed. T. Maxham rejoined the Board.
Continuation of Boundaray Adjustment/Setback Waiver review at 41 Lake Dr. (Mark Clifford/Gordon Stewart 25-02-LD041)
7:15 PM – This hearing opened on August 14, 2024 and was recessed to September 22 to give the Applicants an opportunity to obtain some information needed by the Board.
The Board had asked for some clarification on the status of a small corner of 41 Lake Dr. that the surveyor was unable to determine who held title to it. At their September 9 meeting, the Selectboard agreed to quit claim release the area as it is outside the Martin Rd. right-of-way. This leaves it up to Mark Clifford (MR067) and Gordon Stewart (LD041) to decide ownership through their boundary adjustment. T. Maxham asked the Applicants to obtain a legal opinion to be included in the deed, to avoid any issues should either property be sold in the future. Mark Clifford explained that the surveyor had difficulty determining the boundary locations and the final survey is to the best of their knowledge. Both landowners are in agreement where the new boundary will be after the boundary adjustment.
Steve Diglio, of KAS Engineering, told the Board that the driveway had been moved and redesigned, as requested by the Sweeney’s (across Lake Dr.). It is a single- entry drive now, rather than the previous horseshoe shape, and moved further north to prevent headlights from shining at the Sweeney home. Some of the existing cedar hedges along the boundary between 67 Martin Rd. and 41 Lake Dr. may be removed as needed, to provide room for the replacement home, but most will remain and some added. A cedar hedge 8’ to 10’ high along Lake Dr. will provide additional screening of the septic system. Some trees may need to be removed. Shoreland Protection has approved. The septic system is in the northeast corner of the lot, in an area that includes most of the limited conforming space on the lot (about 18’x20’).
The proposed replacement seasonal home location was moved further from the lake than the original non-conforming footprint on the advice of a geotechnical study. The original single-story camp structure’s height varied from 17 feet to 21 feet, following the slope of the lot. The replacement home is proposed to be 2 stories with a flat roof and a height of 22 feet. Like the original home, the replacement will only have one bedroom. Although the home will only be used seasonally by the owner, the septic system has been designed for year-round use. Steve Diglio told the board that the septic application has not been submitted yet, but he is confident that it will be approved. It will be submitted after DRB approval.
The foundation will be a slab, no basement. The front foundation wall will be 8 feet deep to stabilize the structure, as requested by the Geotech study.
Public Comment/Questions
Karyl Sweeney thanked the Applicants for moving the driveway. She asked when construction begins if the work hours could be altered to reduce disruption to guests they may have in the short-term rental on their property. T. Maxham said that would have to be worked out between the neighbors rather than the Board imposing any restrictions. There were no further comments or questions from the public.
- Hayward moved to enter the updated site plan by KAS into the record as Exhibit #1; M. Welch second. All in favor.
7:31PM – The hearing was closed.
New Business
There was none.
Review August 28, 2024 Minutes
- Hunt moved to approve the minutes of August 28, 2024, with corrections; T. Maxham second. All in favor.
Administrator’s Report
- September 25 schedule – a conditional use/site plan review for a maintenance structure at 61 Station Rd.
- Martha will be out of town from September 14 to the 18th and will be working from home on September 19.
- Northwest Regional Planning Commission is hosting a Zoning Administrator’s Roundtable on September 19 in St. Albans at City Hall.
Adjournment
7:43 PM – G. Hunt moved to adjourn and move to deliberative; L. Kilcoyne second. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Taylor-Varney, ZA
Signed: ________________________________________________ Date: _____________________
For the Development Review Board
These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. All motions were unanimous until otherwise indicated.