Planning Commission Meeting 7/7/15 Unapproved Minutes

TOWN OF PEACHAM

PLANNING COMMISSION

MEETING MINUTES

July 7, 2015

UNAPPROVED

Present:

Planning Commission: Geoff Sewake, Nick Comerci, Marilyn Magnus

Clerk to the Board: Melissa Laurita Kohl

Public: Mike Bruton, Ed Vilandrie, Marty Cavanaugh

The meeting was called to order by Chair of the Board Geoff Sewake at 7:10PM.

1. Additions to Agenda
1. Introductions
1. The Planning Commission, Clerk, and Public introduced themselves.
2. Review & Approve Minutes of 6/2/15
1. Marilyn moves to approve the minutes of 6/2/15 as written. Nick seconds. So moved.
3. Sign Ordinance/ Supreme Court on Signs
1. Geoff talked about a supreme court case that pertained to signs. Essentially a church that didn’t have their own property to hold their regular meetings/events had to place temporary signs around town in order for people to know when the next event was/where held. Apparently the bylaws had different rules for how long political versus religious signs could stay up. The Supreme Court said that content based bylaws violate the freedom of speech/ constitution. If the sign ordinance currently has any issues, Geoff recommends that the Selectboard seek legal counsel. Geoff said that other towns in the area have language on temporary signs, but he doesn’t think the Planning Commission should go down that route in light of the Supreme Court finding.
2. Geoff moves that the Planning Commission will not create content-based temporary, or otherwise, signs in the town bylaws. Marilyn seconds. So moved.
4. Form Based Code
1. Geoff talked to Paul, who does this professionally. He is happy to come and talk to us about how it would apply to Peacham itself. From Geoff’s experience, it is a more progressive approach. Historic districts are a good example. You can define what a village should look like, but not what happens in the buildings. If the goal is to keep the essence of the way a community looks, it has something to offer. Geoff encourages the Planning Commission members to go over the materials he provided, included definitions, interviews, and Newport’s form-based code. One of the biggest hurdles is that it does cost money to do and it does take time. That is the most critical piece of it. Geoff knows that the bylaws have been taking a long time, but he wants this to be done right and to have the bylaws be relevant into the future and to carry our values into the future.
2. Geoff said that we can reach out to other towns, like Johnson, to see what they have thought about the process of adopting form-based code.
3. Geoff said that one option is to create our bylaws as we are doing and then to add amendments later to the villages.
4. Paul said that there may be grant opportunities.
5. Geoff moves to have the Planning Commission review the form-based code materials presented and to determine whether Paul will come in to talk about the form-based codes at the next meeting. Marilyn seconds. So moved. Melissa will email Planning Commission members to see if she should add Paul to the agenda for the next meeting.
5. ATV Use of legal trails
1. Unless the Selectboard explicitly says that ATV use is allowable on legal trails and roads and posts that, it is not allowed.
2. Geoff makes a motion to have the ATV use of legal trails and roads added to the Selectboard’s agenda.
3. Marty and Ed said they moved to their property because they loved the privacy and are fine with walkers, bikers, and horses but would hate to see motorized vehicles of any kind, use it.
4. Nick moves to let the Selectboard know about this issue. Geoff seconds. So moved.
6. Public Input
1. In regard to legal trails.