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PLANNING BOARD
ANNUAL REPORT 2007
2007 was a relatively
slow year for the Planning Board, as development proceeded at a reduced pace compared to previous
years. The Board:
-
Approved
one 2-lot subdivision. (4 other subdivision applications totaling 18 lots are
currently under review).
-
Approved
four boundary
line adjustments and four voluntary lot mergers.
-
Evaluated
two requests for determination as to whether
Site Plan Review
was required; in both cases the Board determined that
the projects did not meet the criteria triggering Site
Plan Review.
In April the Board
approved a comprehensive revision to the town’s
Subdivision Regulations.
The revision does not significantly change the current
standards for subdivision approval but was necessary to
bring the regulations up to currently-accepted
standards. The revision does enhance the Board’s
ability to request and review detailed information on
such issues as drainage and significant excavation that
are of increasing concern as development moves into more
difficult areas.
The Board has also been
working on a
5-year update to the Master Plan. The update will
not change the goals or direction of the current Master
Plan, but is necessary to ensure that the information in
the plan reflects current conditions in the town.
No amendments to the
Zoning Ordinance were enacted in 2007. The Board is continuing its review of the Zoning Ordinance in order to
resolve known inconsistencies, clarify language that
may be unclear, and determine if additional provisions
are necessary to meet new challenges that the town is
facing. Among the major issues facing the Board are the
increasing amount of development taking place on steep
slopes, the potential for increased development pressure
in Glen and Intervale due to the highway improvements
being undertaken in Conway, and
groundwater
protection issues, including commercial withdrawal
and aquifer protection.
The Board meets on the
first Monday and third Tuesday of each month.
The Board also hosts an ad-hoc planning and zoning
working group on the second Wednesday of each month.
Citizens with an interest in town planning and zoning
are encouraged to join these sessions.
The Board would like to
thank both Patsy
Rogerson and Frank Matranga for their years of
service on the Board. We express our sincere gratitude
for their willingness to volunteer time out of their
lives to contribute to the “social capital” that is a
critical component of small-town life.
DAVID PUBLICOVER
Chairman
_____________________________
he
PLANNING BOARD
ANNUAL REPORT 2006
2006
was a challenging yet productive year for the Planning Board.
Over the past year development proceeded
at a moderate pace. The Board approved:
-
Two larger subdivisions, one for
twenty units on Route 16A and one for twelve units on West Side Road.
-
The next phase of 4l units at the Stillings Grant development off of Cobb Farm Road. (Overall approval of
this large project was granted many years ago.)
-
Four smaller subdivisions totaling
6 new lots.
-
Two new cell phone towers.
-
Three boundary line adjustments
and two voluntary lot mergers.
In October the Board approved Site
Plan Review regulations. These regulations, which were authorized
by town voters in 2004, will give the Board greater authority to review
plans for larger commercial developments in order to protect public
health and safety and ensure that developments are consistent with the
Town’s Master Plan.
The Board has also been working to update
the Town’s Subdivision Regulations. A draft revision has been
completed and will be submitted to a Public Hearing in early 2007. The
revision does not significantly change the current standards for
subdivision approval, but are necessary to bring the regulations up to
currently accepted standards.
The Board proposed, and the voters of the
town approved, two amendments to the town’s Zoning Ordinance. The
first, approved at the regular town meeting in March, limits the size
of non-residential buildings to a footprint of 25,000 square feet. The
second, approved at a special town meeting in September, clarified the
relationship between state and federal regulations regarding the
calculation of allowable density, and ensured that all subdivisions will
meet the Minimum Land Area requirements set forth in the town’s Zoning
Ordinance.
Over the coming year the Board will be
conducting a comprehensive review of the Zoning Ordinance in
order to resolve known inconsistencies, clarify language that may be
unclear, and determine if additional provisions are necessary to meet
new challenges that the town is facing. Among the major issues facing
the Board are the increasing amount of development taking place on steep
slopes and the potential for increased development pressure in Glen and
Intervale due to the highway improvements being undertaken in Conway.
The Board meets on the first Monday and
third Tuesday of each month. The Board also hosts an ad-hoc planning and
zoning working group on the second Wednesday of each month. Citizens
with an interest in town planning and zoning are encouraged to join
these sessions.
The Board would like to thank Frank
Matranga for his service as Chairman. Though he has stepped down as
Chairman, Frank continues to serve on the Board.
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