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PLANNING COMMISSION
Meetings are held at the Town Office |
Newfane Planning Commission, April 19, 2005, 7:00 p.m. Meeting called to order by Chairman J. Spencer, 7:05 pm Present: T. Bedell, D. Clarkson, J. Feifel, G. Garbe, K. Robinson, J.
Minutes of April 5, 2005 approved. (6-0) Calendar:
******************* G. Garbe said he had been given the assignment of obtaining the Town Hall key for the group, and he handed it over to D. Clarkson, the keeper of the key. He also noted that sometime after June a computer in the Town Hall would become available for the PC’s use. ***************** Jim Matteau, the executive director of the Windham Regional Commission appeared as a guest and gave a brief presentation of where he thought the PC was in terms of working on a plan that had a chance of being approved, within the current cycle of possible funding for the grants generated from land transfer taxes. Matteau felt the PC was in “pretty good shape” to move ahead and come up with a good document, quickly. He noted that by definition a PC is never done with its work, and that with one plan in hand, it’s time to work on the next. As for having an approved plan within an estimated cycle period of the end of August might be tough. But in a series of questions and answers with Jim, that’s essentially what the Commission decided to shoot for. Some of Matteau’s points in response to questions: --When a commission comes up with a revised plan it replaces the previous plan. It’s not considered an amended plan, but a new plan. --There’s no rule that says a PC is locked in with a new plan for the space of five years. It lasts for five years, but there’s nothing to say another new plan couldn’t be submitted in, say, two years. --The actual eligibility for Municipal Town Plan funds is the end of September, hence the need for an approved plan by the end of August. --While an update of data (lack of which was the main reason the updated plan was last rejected) will improve chances of a new plan’s approval, the WRC will consider the entire plan. The PC should also look to updating land use section and language throughout. --Approval will come from a group of regional commissioners. Matteau is not in a position to guarantee acceptance of a plan. The PC then reviewed, in general, some of the history of Newfane town plans—the ultimately approved 1998 plan, for example, was actually rejected at first by the regional commissioners. And Jim Matteau also noted that in the VT Municipal and Regional Planning and Development Act there are four questions to be asked about approving town plans. “If the four question are answered ‘Yes,’ the town plan shall be approved. If it answers the four questions, it must pass the test.” (See Section 4350, paragraph (b) (p. 22)) D. Clarkson suggested that a member of the group wondering why we were submitting an interim plan could simply be told that we were doing it to protect the town, and that we would then be going right on to do a more detailed job—and that they then might be more charitable in their pending vote. Jim Matteau mentioned that something like that was done in the past. D. Clarkson said we could then add a précis to the submitted plan to explain what we were doing, and K. Robinson and T. Bedell suggested that’s exactly what we should then do. Jim Matteau suggested this might be the way to go, to say the PC has approached a certain point, plans to work more on what is needed, and hopes the plan will be approved in the meantime. One thing that needs to be done, said Matteau, is showing progress over time. Many towns, he noted, didn’t show progress after new census figures came out. Not a good plan. While he said the PC shouldn’t be afraid to take longer, he also noted that the law does allow the Selectboard to request approval of a Town Plan before they actually adopt it. When that happens, and approval comes back, it’s contingent on no substantive changes. Jim distributed copies of various letter from WRC staff member Sue Fillion regarding certain phases of the Town Plan in progress over the last two years, with various recommendations to the PC. The PC thanked Jim Matteau for attending and giving his considered input. After a free-ranging discussion of the approval process, it was decided that D. Clarkson would go to the Selectboard meeting on 4/21 to seek the board’s agreement regarding approval of the plan before its adoption--in conjunction with Section 4385, paragraph (c) (p. 28) of the VT Municipal and Regional Planning and Development Act. Member Schedules: T. Bedell will miss 5/24 meeting. J. Feifel will miss 4/26 and 5/24 meetings. G. Garbe will miss 4/26 meeting. Dateline:
Prior to May 24 meeting, plan should be made available online. (Question Bahman Mahdavi on this.) Meeting adjourned at 8:40.
***************** Agenda for next meeting, Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 7 pm 1) Simultaneous work sessions on statistics, text revision, review of adjacent town plans 2) To consider any business that may come before the Planning Commission |
 Town Offices: Route 30, P.O. Box 36, Newfane VT 05345, Tel. (802) 365-7772 Please send all comments, suggestions and questions to info@newfanevt.com |