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MARSHFIELD
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
Approved Minutes of
October 5, 2006
Board Members present: Paul Brierre, Tom Daley, Martin
Johnson, and designated alternate Jean Matthew. Also
attending: Zoning Administrator Bob Light, Kerry
O’Rourke, Betty O’Rourke, Wayne Kowalski, Susan
Kowalski, and Brad Washburn.
At 7:05 pm the Board held an initial meeting with Kerry
and Betty O’Rourke regarding
Betty and Alfred
O’Rourke’s
application for a
subdivision of their home lot on Route 2. They wish to create two
additional building lots of about 2 acres each. As shown
in the sketch accompanying their application, neither
lot would have the required frontage on the public road,
and would depend upon right-of-way access through the
remaining portion of the source parcel. Brief discussion
followed on the proposed development. The Board will
issue a Sketch Plan Determination letter, after which
the applicants will have the option to set a date for
Public Hearing on the application.
At 7:25 pm the Board held an initial meeting with
Wayne and Susan
Kowalski,
who wish to
subdivide
their property on Maple Hill Road. Their plan calls for
the creation of a total of 4 lots. One lot of just under
4 acres would contain the existing residence. Another
parcel of about 2.6 acres would be conveyed to adjoining
landowner Catherine Elwert, to bring her tiny home lot
into compliance with the Town’s minimum acreage
requirements. The remaining acreage, approximately 70
acres, would be divided in two. One of these lots would
remained undeveloped, and the Kowalskis plan to build
two residences on the remaining piece.
Although the portion of the property that
lies along the public road is in the Agricultural and
Rural Residential zoning district, the area where the
Kowalskis wish to site the two new homes is further back
in the Forestry and Conservation district. Brad
Washburn, who is helping them prepare their development
plan, explained that this is because the land closer to
the road is too wet to be suitable for home
construction. Because full-time residences are not
permitted in the F&C district, they are requesting that
this lot be approved as a PRD (Planned Residential
Development).
Tom offered his view that, because this
application is being advanced as a single subdivision
proposal, the entire plan is properly considered a PRD.
This status is a matter of procedure in the zoning
approval process, and does not in itself prescribe any
particular rights or limitations on the property
involved. Wayne and Susan indicated that they are aware
that, as a PRD proposal, they will owe more money to the
Town as a filing fee for their application.
Discussion followed regarding the property,
its proposed use, and the use of the adjoining land.
Wayne read from the portion of the Zoning Regulations
concerning the purpose of PRDs, and stated that he feels
their plans for the property, on the whole, fit these
objectives precisely. The Board will issue a Sketch Plan
Determination letter within 30 days.
At 8:30 pm Paul moved to accept the minutes of July 6,
2006, and July 26, 2006, as drafted. Seconded by Martin,
all in favor. Paul then moved to accept the minutes of
September 7, 2006 as drafted; seconded by Jean, all in
favor.
Tom then proposed that the Board go into deliberative
session to discuss possible Sketch Plan findings
regarding the Kowalski application. Martin cautioned
that the recent changes to Chapter 117 of Vermont’s
Statutes may affect the scope of Marshfield’s treatment
of PRD proposals, and that we should familiarize
ourselves with the state law on this before proceeding.
The members of the Board agreed with this, and made
plans to deliberate further on this matter after
researching this question individually. Further
discussion on this and several related topics followed.
At 9:10 pm Martin moved to adjourn the DRB meeting.
Seconded by Paul, all in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Daley
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