Any and all corrections to the following minutes will be made at the 05/04/05 Board of Selectmen's Meeting and are considered unapproved until then. Corrections will be noted in the minutes of that meeting.

MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING OF THE NEWFANE SELECTBOARD
AND NEWFANE PLANNING COMMISSION
APRIL 28th, 2005
NEWFANE TOWN OFFICE

PRESENT:
Selectmen: Piet van Loon, Dan DeWalt, Patricia Halloran, and Gary Katz.
Absent: Priscilla Cotton
Planning Commission: David M. Clarkson, Tom Bedell, John Feifel, Gunther Garbe, and Ken Robinson.
Absent: James Spencer and James Borta.
Also Present: Doris Knechtel, Administrative Assistant.

1. CALL TO ORDER
The Special Meeting was called to order at 6:37 p.m. by Chairman Piet van Loon.

2. REVIEW OF PLANNING COMMISSION WORK PROGRAM
The current Town Plan, which was passed on June 5, 2003 by the Selectboard after hearings by both the PC and the Selectboard, was not approved by the Windham Regional Commission because the statistics had not been updated and the maps also needed to include more information regarding current and future land use. In order to apply for planning grants the Newfane Town Plan must be approved by the WRC. The current plan is used in the Act 250 process.
David Clarkson spoke of the Planning Commission's plan for the update of the Town Plan in order to be considered for approval by WRC so that grants can be applied for further planning needs. He indicated that the PC endorsed a paragraph from the 1985 plan which indicates that the planning process is continuous and the Town Plan will be evaluated at least annually. The PC plans to update the statistics and the maps and hold a public hearing. They will then give the revised Town Plan to the Selectboard for their hearings and to the WRC for their review at the same time to help move the process along to meet the deadlines for applying for a grant in September. The PC is interested in obtaining funds to purchase tools for planning: a new computer, ArcView mapping software, and the hiring of a planning consultant for Town Plan revisions, Bylaw revisions, subdivision regulations and conditional uses, which are currently only considered in the flood plain. An application does not guarantee an award in the full amount requested. The Planning Commission does have an account with funds from Act 200 in the amount of $6,116, as of 06/30/04, to be used for planning purposes. There are also other sources of grants that may be available for planning. D. Clarkson provided some financial information regarding the PC over the past 20 years. While the process of bringing the Town Plan into compliance for approval by WRC, the PC also needs to update the Zoning Bylaws to incorporate language to comply with Chapter 117 requirements as of September 1, 2005, sections 4412-13, and subchapters 9-11 override any existing bylaw provisions regardless whether those bylaws have been amended.
P. van Loon reminded the PC that the Interim Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Bylaw will expire in the near future. It may be incorporated into the Zoning Bylaw or be a stand alone bylaw or ordinance. An interim bylaw may have a life of 3 years, 2 years plus 1 year renewal. The Planning Commission members will review the tasks before them and review the time schedule that they have proposed to meet their goals. The Selectboard will be kept informed.
Planning Commission members left the meeting at 8:05 p.m.

3. TO TRANSACT ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT MAY LAWFULLY COME BEFORE THE NEWFANE SELECTBOARD AND/OR THE NEWFANE PLANNING COMMISSION
A. Tom Bedell submitted a letter of resignation from the Conservation Commission to be effective immediately. His term was due to expire in 2007. The Selectboard will need to appoint someone to fill that term at some time in the future.
B. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Motion was made by G. Katz and seconded by P. Halloran to enter into Executive Session at 8:10 p.m. to discuss a matter of personnel. Unanimous.
Motion was made by D. DeWalt and seconded by G. Katz to come out of Executive Session at 9:05 p.m. Unanimous. No decisions were made by the Newfane Selectboard as a result of the discussion of the Selectboard during Executive Session.

4. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by D. DeWalt and seconded by P. Halloran to adjourn the Special Meeting at 9:05 p.m. Unanimous.

Doris A. Knechtel
Administrative Assistant
Newfane Board of Selectmen

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