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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, Parker Nichols and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      Election of Officers

A motion was made by Jon to elect Rich as Chair for 2010. Motion passed unanimously. Motion was made by Rich to elect Nancy as Vice-Chair. Motion passed unanimously.

Nancy said she was resigning from CVRPC. Jon said he would request to be appointed by the Select Board to CVRPC.

2.      Zoning administrator report

The letter from Rebecca Pfeiffer of the Vermont River Management Program dated October 16, 2009 to Bob Light regarding her Community Assistance Visit was discussed. Bob said he was asking the Commission to make sure that residents were notified of any changes in the flood mapping that affect structures on their properties. He said he was not asking for any assistance or input from the Commission regarding possible violations noted in Pfeiffer's letter. Rich said that a list of affected structures was sent to Bobbi and that the Select Board would be sending a letter to the affected property owners inviting them to a meeting with the staff from the Vermont Flood Management Division.

Bob reported that 35 permits were issued in 2009 and that no permits for new homes were issued (except for one replacement of an existing mobile home and one for a permit issued in a previous year).

Bob discussed the Onion River Campground violation that is under appeal in Environmental Court. He provided a history of the campground use. The Court is asking for additional information from the town before deciding how to proceed with the case. No action is required from the Commission on this item.

Bob discussed an application from the new owners of the Village Store to re-open. The application has been referred to the DRB. The Commission discussed the purpose and intent of Section 280, Non-conforming Uses, in the Zoning Ordinance. No action is required from the Commission on this item.

Report on Select Board public hearing

Rich and Jon attended the Select Board public hearing on the proposed ordinances. The Select Board previously amended the technical and minor edits draft ordinance by allowing the additional height for steeples and bell towers to be 25 feet higher than the normal maximum building height. One minor editing change was made after the hearing to the waiver section of the Subdivision Procedures Ordinance.

3.      Report on flood insurance public meeting

Rich said a draft letter and a list of affected properties have been forwarded to Bobbi for review by the Select Board. A tentative date for a public meeting was set for March 4^th. Jon will check with Bobbi on the status of the meeting.

4.      Request from Plainfield to hold joint training using state training funds

The Commission reviewed the idea of a joint training with the Plainfield Planning Commission using Vermont Municipal Education grant funds. The consensus of the Commission was that the VLCT trainings were of limited interest and that the Commission had a very full schedule for 2010 and that they did not want to dedicate any meetings to training at this time.

5.      Comments on proposed Town Report

It was the consensus of the Commission to include some additional details about the proposed ordinance regarding the technical and minor zoning edits. Jon will discuss with Bobbi how much information about the proposed ordinances is included in the Town Report.

6.      Discussion of approach to update Town Plan

The Commission discussed how to approach updating the Town Plan. The purpose of the Town plan was reviewed. It was agreed that the Town Plan update and the Subdivision Design standards review could be done concurrently. It was the consensus of the Commission that:

§         A new town survey was not needed given that one was done only five years ago and there is no funding for a survey.

§         Rich would review sources for updated statistics.

§         Joint meetings should be scheduled with the Conservation Commission and Town Energy Committee in order to gain input on their efforts and recommendations.

§         The build-out analysis should be incorporated into the updated plan.

§         A general review of each chapter should first be completed to determine portions that can remain with little change, to determine portions that need to be mostly re-written, and to evaluate the status of various strategies and tasks included in the current Town Plan.

The members agreed to review and come prepared to discuss Chapters 1 through 3 for the next meeting.

7.      Upcoming Schedule

The following schedule was agreed to:

§         1/21, 2/4, 2/18 regular meeting dates

§         3/4 (Tentative) flood insurance meeting

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, Parker Nichols and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: Annie Reed.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

8.      Zoning administrator report

Bob had no news to report.

9.      CVRPC report

Nancy reported on a CVRPC presentation on development of smart grid technologies in Vermont.

10.  Preliminary review of Chapters 1 and 2 in Town Plan

The Commission reviewed the Historical Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 of the Town Plan to determine the level of changes that will be required.

The Historical Introduction was found to be acceptable to remain in the Plan as previously drafted with some minor edits and with a change in the sentence on page 2 that discusses the Martin Bridge project.

Chapter 1, Introduction, was found to be acceptable to remain in the Plan as previously drafted with some minor edits. Jon will check on how the state groundwater withdraw statutes require review of the town plans.

Chapter 2, A Statistical Profile of Marshfield, was found to need substantial re-drafting. The availability of more up-to-date information than the 2000 Census was discussed. Many of the conclusions regarding development levels were found to be inaccurate given the building activity in the last ten years. Rich reviewed some data available from the Vermont Tax Department and how this could be useful in updating information about population. Rich also suggested an analysis of the grand list data. Nancy offered to research available school data. Bob offered to research the number of new residential units by year for the last ten years. There were questions about the relevancy of the 2000 Employment by Industry data.

It was agreed that new data should be compiled and that new conclusions should then be drafted. It was also agreed that charts are more reflective of changes than data tables. This chapter will be discussed further once new data is compiled.

11.  Upcoming Schedule

The February 4^th meeting will be devoted to discussing Chapter 3.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Parker Nichols. Guests present: Annie Reed, Ed Jalbert and Will Walters (Hardwick Gazette).

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      Zoning administrator report

Bob said he would be missing the next several meetings.

2.      Preliminary review of Chapter 3 in Town Plan

The Commission reviewed part of Chapter 3, The Land and Its Resource, to determine the level of changes that will be required. Minor edits were made to Section I, Overview.  Section II, Physical Geography, had minor edits with correction of land coverage percentages, correction of mountain elevations and locations, and incorrect references to SCS. Section III, Resource Production Lands, had minor clarification edits. Nancy will redraft the Agricultural Land subsection to reflect the current agricultural soil classifications and to add data regarding changes in lands dedicated to farming. Information on the current use program will also be added. Ed Jalbert will redraft the Forest Land subsection to reflect the current forest soil classification system. Annie will review sites to include in the Natural Areas subsection. The last paragraph of Critical Wildlife Habitat section was removed as not being relevant for this subsection of the plan and will be discussed under surface waters. Rich said he is getting an updated Grand List to review the potential to derive additional land use classifications. He will also review the build-out analysis data for other land use classification information.

The reviewed stopped at the end of the Critical Wildlife Habitat section.

A copy of edits completed to date, including comments on portions to be redrafted, is available upon request from the Planning Commission Chair.

3.      Upcoming Schedule

The February 18^th  meeting will be devoted to continuing review of Chapter 3.  In lieu of the March 4^th meeting, the Commission will attend the Flood Insurance meeting being coordinated by the Select Board and Ned Swanberg of the Vermont River Management Division.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Bob Light. Guests present: Annie Reed.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

The Commission reviewed comments on Chapter 3 received from Bob Popp and Brett Engstrom. Rich reviewed some initial data compilations from the 2009 Grand List. There was discussions regarding updating the plan maps. Rich noted there were no town or grant funds to hire CVRPC to update the maps. Rich will download some of the necessary data layers for new mapping and assess the time involved in creating new maps.

2.      Continuation of preliminary review of Chapter 3 in Town Plan

The Commission reviewed part of Chapter 3, The Land and Its Resource, to determine the level of changes that will be required.  There was a consensus to have the Surface Waters section to have five subsections: General Description, Water Quality, Flood Hazards, Fluvial Erosion Hazards, and Wetlands. This would involve combining several of the previous Town Plan sections into one section. Jon provided some general comments on the Surface Water section. First, the state department names referenced in the plan needed to be corrected to the new names. Second, the water quality portion needs to be updated to the current water quality standards. Third, potential water recreation areas should be referenced in the plan because they are a consideration in regards to water quality. Jon offered to redraft this section with assistance from Steve Fiske.

Jon suggested that the Wetlands section discuss the new regulations and the process for the town to add new wetland areas to the state wetland maps. Rich noted the previous version said that zoning permits involving wetlands had to be referred to the state. That is no longer required. Jon offered to redraft this section.

 It was agreed that the Flood Hazards section needed to be updated to discuss the new flood maps and the update of the flood hazard regulations in accordance with FEMA requirements. Jon offered to redraft.

Jon suggested that the Groundwater section be expanded to include discussion of the new state groundwater legislation that now makes groundwater a “public trust resource”. He discussed how the new proposed state rules for large-scale groundwater removal will include a review of local town plans. Jon suggested the Town Plan include statements in regards to the town’s policy towards large-scale groundwater removal. Jon offered to redraft this section.

It was suggested to ask John Johnson to review the historic and archeological resources section for any comments.

The Commission discussed the Scenic Resources section. It was agreed that this should be expanded to include discussion of what the town considers scenic resources since this could come up as part of an Act 250 review. This is also an area that could be considered in subdivision review. Rich offered to redraft this section.

The reviewed stopped at Goals, Objectives and Strategies section of Chapter 3.

A copy of edits completed to date, including comments on portions to be redrafted, is available upon request from the Planning Commission Chair.

3.      Upcoming Schedule

In lieu of the March 4^th meeting, the Commission will attend the Flood Insurance meeting being coordinated by the Select Board and Ned Swanberg of the Vermont River Management Division. The March 18^th meeting will be dedicated to finishing the review of Chapter 3 and starting a review of Chapter 4.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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 Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Bob Light. Guests present: Steve Fiske and Will Walters (Hardwick Gazette).

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      CVRPC report

Jon said he was appointed as the new CVRPC representative and planned to attend the April meeting.

2.      Town meeting report/Zoning and Subdivision ordinance updates

All proposed ordinances passed with a significant majority.

3.      Flood meeting report

The meeting was well attended. All members thought the presentation by the state flood staff was more technical and longer than needed.  Rich mentioned that since the meeting he has provided more detailed GIS mapping showing the flood area for individual properties.

4.      Alternates needed for April 8th DRB hearing

Alternates may be needed for the April 8th DRB hearing. Jon said he probably could attend if needed. The DRB Chair will contact Jon if he is needed.

5.      Municipal Planning Grants

The Planning Commission reviewed the criteria for the newest round of Municipal Planning Grants. Only limited state funding has been budgeted for grants this year. All agreed that funding assistance to update the town plan would not rank very high given the state criteria. It was suggested that maybe the Conservation Commission would want to apply for funding to map local wetlands. The information was provided to Steve Fiske who will review it with the Conservation Commission to decide if they had an interest in trying to obtain funding.  Applications are due April 30^th. Any applications require Select Board approval.

6.      Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

The Commission decided to review the general points of the drafts completed to date and then do a more complete review at a later date. Jon reviewed the water section. He provided a detailed review of water classes and how they affect state approvals of projects. He discussed the Green Mountain Power dam and said it was grandfathered and did not have a permit regulating its use. He discussed the environmental impacts of the dam’s irregular water releases. Rich will send fluvial mapping information to Jon. The Commission recommended that this section not become too technical or else some residents will not be able to understand it. Jon will continue working on this draft.

Nancy started to discuss her work on the agricultural soils mapping. Rich showed a draft map of ag soils and ag soils that are currently protected by regulations or conservation easements. Nancy will continue work on her draft.

Rich reviewed his draft on rural character and scenic resources. The Commission agreed with the concept that rural character is different depending upon your perspective. The draft provided a review from the perspectives of Route 2 and from the back roads. Rich reviewed the visual analysis mapping done for Route 2. The Commission recommended that the rural village perspective also be considered. Rich will continue to work on his draft.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: Annie Reed.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      Zoning Administrator report

Bob reported on state legislation that would allow a town to require a state wastewater permit be in place before a zoning permit is issued. Currently the town is not allowed to deny a zoning permit because a wastewater permit is not approved by the state. He also reported on state legislation requiring a notice to abutting property owners when a wastewater permit will restrict the ability to locate a well or leach field on another property due to the required isolation distances between a well and leach field.

Bob also reported on the Onion River campground appeal and settlement. Under the settlement Onion River will have defined dates of operation and cannot have permanent residents.

Bob then discussed the recent fire on Maple Hill and the related junk car business on the same property. The owner has agreed to remove the junk cars and abandon the use within 90 days. The use had previously been considered a home occupation.

Bob then discussed concerns about a person developing a go cart track on property near Groton Forest Road. The Commission asked if the track was a new commercial use or just for personal use. Bob is continuing his investigation on this matter.

2.      CVRPC Report

Jon reported that he attended his first Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission meeting as a representative for Marshfield.  He reported that the new state “Challenge for Change” proposal and its impact on regional planning commissions were discussed. They also discussed the advantages and process to receive Village designation by the state. Parker said he would contact people in the Marshfield Village who may have an interest in such a designation.

3.      Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

Due to a lack of time no work was completed on the plan rewrite. Jon said he would not be at the next meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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The May 6, 2010 meeting was cancelled.

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. with a quorum present. Note: there was no meeting on May 6, 2010 due to a lack of members available.

1.      Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

The Commission reviewed the Agricultural Land section rewritten by Nancy. Comments included:

• Rich would calculate the percent lands in prime and statewide soils

• Nancy will check on acreage in the use value appraisal program for forest and agricultural lands

• Rich will calculate the acreage under VLT conservation easements

• Nancy will add language about the increase and relevance of homestead farming

The following changes were suggested for the related agricultural objectives in this chapter (with final language to be wordsmithed):

• Leave in items 1 and 2

• Add “To preserve prime and statewide agricultural soils”

• Add “To protect larger farms through conservation easements”

• Add “To encourage best management agricultural practices”

The following changes were suggested for the related agricultural strategies in this chapter (with final language to be wordsmithed):

• Remove strategies a through d in the first paragraph

• Leave in strategies a and b in second paragraph

• Add “Consider adding land use regulations to preserve prime and statewide soils”

Nancy will redraft the section and possible objectives and strategies. She will also explore East Montpelier’s revolving loan fund for farmers.

The Commission then reviewed part of the Water Resources section rewritten by Jon. Jon explained the technical aspects of water quality classifications and the upcoming watershed planning process to be completed by the state.  Comments included:

• Expanding on when and what is the watershed planning process

• Adding information on the need for preparing to identify areas where higher water quality is critical (such as recreation areas)

• Questions were raised about a statement that said higher bacteria counts in the Winooski were due in part to nonpoint agricultural runoff and road runoff.

• Adding information about the role of the Conservation Commission to assist with wetland mapping and securing grant funds

The Commission stopped the review at the beginning of the Flood Hazard section. Jon will consider the above comments in a new draft. The Commission will complete the draft review at the next meeting.

2.      Zoning Administrator report

Bob asked the Planning Commission to help interpret whether a non-complying building could be rebuilt after a fire in a different location so long as the new building did not increase the non-complying setback. Section 281, Non-Complying Structures, was reviewed. Section 281 (2)(b) reads “The nonconforming structure damaged by fire, flood, explosion or other casualty may be rebuilt and used as before.  The permit to rebuild the structure must be obtained within 3 years of the casualty.” The consensus of the Commission was that this provision only allowed reconstruction as existed.

Bob also asked whether a house built in the Forest and Conservation District with the approval of the DRB is a non-conforming use. The Commission reviewed Section 280, Non-Conforming Uses, and also the definition of non-conforming.  A nonconforming use “Means use of land that does not conform to the present bylaws but did conform to all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations prior to the enactment of the present bylaws, including a use improperly authorized as a result of error by the administrative officer.” The consensus of the Commission was that the house would be a non-conforming use it was improperly authorized by an error of the DRB or Zoning Administrator. The Commission did not review the DRB decision so could not comment on whether there was an error.

It was recommended that Bob contact the Town Attorney on the above matters since the Planning Commission is not charged with providing legal opinions on the zoning interpretation.

Bob updated the Commission on the previous issue of a possible go-cart track on New Discovery Road. He said that no go-cart track is actually proposed, but the Selectboard is concerned that one would be allowed under the current zoning. The Commission discussed the requirements and the consensus was that commercial or structural recreational uses should at least require a conditional use permit in all districts. There was also a consensus that non-structural and non-commercial recreational uses were probably not zoning issues and could maybe be better handled by public nuisance ordinances.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

1.      Zoning Administrator report

Bob asked the Planning Commission to help interpret whether a zoning permit is needed for solar panels. It was noted that under state law any energy generation that is net metered requires an Act 248 permit and is exempt from local zoning review. This would cover almost all installations except for a home off-the-grid and solar hot water systems. The consensus was that a roof mounted system would probably not need a permit since it is essentially part of the roof. Free standing systems would need a permit. However, since they are less than 100 square feet in size they may be exempt under Section 225.

Bob also discussed concerns with enforcement of cutting along streams. It was noted that this provision is not new since it was in place in the previous ordinance. It was also noted that the no-cut portion was only 25 feet from the stream as per Section 450. In addition, cleared areas in existence on March 3, 2009 are allowed to be continued to be cleared. This section also allows clearing 50 lineal feet along a stream or pond. Last, it was noted that clearing involving agricultural uses are exempt from zoning regulations by state law. This would include haying.

Last, Bob said the Select Board was interested in learning more about nuisance ordinances. Jon offered to meet with the Select Board to discuss the possible development of a nuisance ordinance.

2.      CVRPC Report

Jon reported that CVRPC recently discussed the state Challenges for Change program. The final version does not eliminate regional planning commissions as originally proposed, but does cut their budgets. In addition, performance standards are being developed for the commissions.

3.      Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

The Commission completed their review of the Water Resources section rewritten by Jon. Jon explained the technical aspects of groundwater protection through the Act 199 review.  Comments on this section included:

• Rich will draft some language regarding the recent updates on the flood hazard regulations and creation of the water conservation overlay district.

• Jon will clarify and check details on paragraph discussing the Village water system

• Rich will create a map of the public wellhead protection areas

• Jon will produce a new draft of the water section incorporating the comments of the other planning commission members.

The following changes were suggested for the water resources strategies in this chapter (with final language to be wordsmithed):

• Under natural resource protection goals:

  • Add that wetland mapping is encouraged to be completed by the Conservation Commission

  • Bylaws should address wetland protection issues

  • The town should participate in the upcoming state watershed planning

• Under maintain and enhance the quality and quantity of soil and water resources:

  • Add seek grants for groundwater mapping

Jon will re-draft this section for further review.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

An initial review of the following chapters will be completed before the meeting when they will be discussed by the Planning Commission. The member will be prepared to recommend changes and sections that need to be redrafted.

Chapter 4, Utilities, Facilities, Municipal Property and Services – Parker

Chapter 5, Transportation – Rich

Chapter 6, Energy – Jon will ask for Rich Phillips to review (a joint meeting the Energy Committee to discuss Chapter 6 was recommended)

The next meeting will be June 17^th. It was agreed to meet only once in July and August. Since we are only meeting once the meetings will be from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. It was also agreed to not meet on Thursdays so that members can attend the summertime concerts. The exact dates for the July and August meetings will be determined June 17^th.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Bob Light. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

CVRPC Report

Jon reported that access management training was available from CVRPC. The consensus was that training was not needed at this time.

Reports on any progress on Town Plan rewrite/research

The Commission continued their review of Scenic Resources and Rural Character section of Chapter 3 drafted by Rich Baker.  Rural character was considered from three perspectives: the Route 2 environment; the back road environment; and the village environment. Overall, the revised general narrative draft was accepted as presented. Comments regarding the goals and strategies portion included:

• Reword to be more specific and action-oriented

• Remove "or clearly in the best interest of the public" under the strategy regarding ridgeline development

• Add a strategy regarding review of village zoning

• Add a strategy regarding review of ridgeline protection in the Zoning and Subdivision bylaws

• Add a strategy regarding obtaining village designation

The Commission reviewed strategies not related to sections previously under review. Amendments included:

• Adding “in conjunction with the Conservation Commission” under strategy involving review of the Groton State Forest management plan.

• Remove strategy to create a conservation commission

• Add a strategy to research options of a town conservation fund

• Several minor edits to clarify other existing strategies

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

It was agreed to meet only once in July and August. The meetings will be from 6:00 to 9:00 pm since we are only meeting monthly. It was also agreed to not meet on Thursdays so that members can attend the summertime concerts. The next meeting will be July 21^st at Nancy Everhart's house. The August meeting date will be set July 21^st.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Bob Light. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

Review Town Plan -  Chapter 4, Utilities, Municipal Property and Services

The Commission started their review of Chapter 4, Utilities, Municipal Property and Services. Parker led the discussion and will be re-drafting this chapter. Comments for the re-draft included:

• Adding background on the Marshfield Treatment Facility and verifying data on capacity

• Being more specific on flow levels for average single-family houses

• Adding discussion about the pros and cons of the town taking over the wastewater facility

• Discuss sludge field applications (Jon will research this item)

• Adding discussion about the state role in wastewater design review

• Discussing Phase 3 electrical power needs on Route 2 and the options for expanding Phase 3 power including the possibility of zoning bonus standards to someone expanding phase  3 power

• Discuss the status of broadband coverage  (Rich will research this item)

• Discuss of the status of cell phone coverage (Rich will research this item)

• Discuss the need to review the cell tower ordinance for compliance with state laws (Rich will research this item)

• Discuss Act 248 review  of towers under the new state law (Rich will research this item)

• Verify fire station equipment listed in plan

• Discuss the Twin Valley Senior center under the community services section

• Discuss the local food shelf under the community services sectio.

• Discuss alternative education options in Marshfield and vicinity.

• Update Twinfield school statistics

• Discuss town forest recreation under the recreation section

• Discuss private recreation options under the recreation section

• Expand discussion on Cross Vermont trail

• Discuss Old Schoolhouse Commons building upgrades

• Remove sub headers starting with municipal building section

• Discuss need for additional cemetery space (Jon will research this item)

• Discuss recent decisions about Town Forest use and discuss adjacent Village Forest and Drew Mountain Association uses

• Update Martin Bridge park section

• Add discussion on Stranahan Forest

• Verify town owned properties

• Move discussion on Cross Vermont trail use at gravel pit to recreation section

• Discuss participation in Central Vermont Solid Waste District and options to provide recycling

• Delete objectives #1,2,3,4,5

• Redraft objective # 8

• Delete strategies b & c under sewage treatment, b under water supply, a & b under solid waste, a & b under recreation and b under municipal property

• Add strategy in regards to expanding broadband availability

• Move strategy d under municipal property to recreation strategies.

Parker will re-draft Chapter 4 for final review later this fall.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

It was agreed to not meet in August so that members could work on  re-drafting their sections of the town plan . The next meeting will be September 2^nd.  

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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The Planning Commission did not meet on September 2, 2010.

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, Bob Light, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

Zoning Administrator Report

Bob reviewed  a fence and boundary line dispute on Lyford Drive.  He also noted that he has four applications that were recently referred to the DRB. Twenty-four permit applications have been received so far this year. Only one permit for a new house has been received in the last two years (not counting permits to replace an existing house or mobile home with another house or mobile home).

Review Town Plan -  Chapter 5, Utilities, Municipal Transportation

The Commission started their review of Chapter 5, Transportation. Rich led the discussion and will be re-drafting this chapter. Comments for the re-draft included:

• Discuss Knapp airport expansion and new capacity in Overview section.

• Discuss new public bus services in Overview section.

• Discuss bike commuter options with new bus service and need for bike lanes on Route 2 in Overview section.

• Move second goal to strategies since it is more of a strategy than a goal.

• Add objective to enhance existing Old School House commons parking to better accommodate commuters using new bus service including possibly adding a bus shelter and bike racks.

• Add objective to review options to reduce traffic speeds on Route 2 through the village.

• Add strategy to complete a traffic study to see if a lower speed on Route 2 through the village is feasible.

• Add strategy for Select Board to explore other methods, other than a lower speed limit, to reduce traffic speeds on Route 2 through the village. This could include enhanced enforcement and/or sign indicating the speed of vehicle entering the village area.

• Add strategy to explore options to promote the use of the new bus service

• Add strategy to pursue a separate bike/pedestrian  lanes or a widen shoulders on Route 2

• Add strategy to explore the option for an interconnecting public path between Groton State Forest, Cover Bridge Park and the Stranahan Forest.

• Make minor editing changes on existing strategies for clarification.

• Eliminated strategies e, f, and g

Rich will re-draft Chapter 5 for final review later this fall.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

It was agreed to meet on September 30^th instead of October 6^th because Jon was not available October 6th.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Bob Light. Guests present: None.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. with a quorum present.

Discussion of Upcoming Municipal Planning Grant

Members discussed possible projects that could be applied for using municipal planning grant funds. The consensus was the best project would involve developing a village revitalization study. The purpose of the study would be to address various concerns in the village including traffic, housing conditions and options, economic redevelopment and zoning constraints. The study would include public forums, surveys and/or focus groups.  Planning grants without a municipal share are limited to $8,000. It was suggested to contact Smart Growth Vermont about their possible involvement. Rich volunteered to contact the Executive Director and report back to the Commission. Grant applications are due by November 30^th.

Review Town Plan - Chapter 7, Housing

• The Commission started their review of Chapter 7, Housing. Parker led the discussion and will be re-drafting this chapter. Comments for the re-draft included:

• Nancy will review available housing data and assist Parker with updating the chapter.

• Comparison of local and regional housing trends was recommended. New housing starts in Marshfield have significantly changed in the last few years.

• Affordability data needs to be updated.

• Discussion on energy efficiency should be added.

• Minor edits for clarification of the strategies was suggested.

• Strategy C under affordable housing was modified to read "The Planning Commission will examine the Town bylaws to consider incentives to create affordable housing."

• The strategies regarding non-conforming uses were deleted since bylaws adopted several years ago addressed these issues.

• Strategy B under Future Housing development was deleted since infrastructure and capacity planning is not an issue for development in the near future.

Parker will re-draft Chapter 7 for final review later this year.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

The upcoming schedule was reviewed and several members had conflicts with the regular meeting dates. The next meeting was changed to October 28^th.  Nancy offered to review and lead the initial discussion of Chapter 8, Economic Development. Rich offered to review and lead the initial discussion of Chapter 9, Land Use. A goal was established to complete the initial chapter reviews by the end of the November and then to review two re-written chapter drafts per meeting, allowing the final review to be completed in three months. That would allow for a public hearing sometime in the spring.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, Bob Light, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: Energy Committee members Rich Phillips, Anne Miller, and Dan Chodorkoff .

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with a quorum present.

Review Town Plan - Chapter 6, Energy

Rich Phillips led the discussion for review of the Energy Chapter. He first reviewed the work of the Energy Committee which included:

• Conducting an Energy Fair with 200-250 people attending

• Conducting a solar hot water workshop

• Conducting a weatherization workshop

• Conducting a Twinfield School energy audit

• Conducting a Schoolhouse Commons energy audit

• Completing various energy improvements at the Schoolhouse Commons which should result in reducing the fuel needs by 50%

• Visiting 48 Marshfield residences to conduct preliminary energy audits and discuss possible weatherization projects

• Lobbying for starting the new commuter bus service

 Rich Phillips said that the current Energy Chapter narrative and goals and strategies are mostly still accurate and applicable. There was discussion of the need to make residents aware of possible energy projects that could be incorporated into home improvements projects they were considering. Bob offered to provide a copy of all permits to the Energy Committee so they could call the applicants of applicable projects about possible energy improvements. There was also discussion of the need for more education of residents about the benefits of weatherization and energy efficiency. Specific town goals for energy efficiency improvements were also suggested to be included in the Town Plan. There was also discussion of the need to track how many residents are making improvements. It was suggested to see if Efficiency Vermont could provide data on the number of such projects in Marshfield. Last, it was suggested that the Town Plan include a discussion of wind power and include a position of where towers may be appropriate. Any energy-generating projects that are connected to the power grid are exempt from local review.  However, it was pointed out that the Town Plan is taken into consideration when there is a Section 248 review (Public Service Board review process) for towers. It was also suggested that the Town take a more active role in Section 248 reviews to assure that any energy-generating projects are properly sited to best fit into the neighborhood.

Rich Phillips will re-draft Chapter 6 with the assistance of the Energy Committee members for final review early next year. The Commission commended the Energy Committee on their work projects and thanked them for assisting with re-drafting the Energy chapter.

Discussion of Upcoming Municipal Planning Grant

The Commission continued discussion of applying for a planning grant to complete a village revitalization study. The purpose of the study would be to address various concerns in the village including traffic, housing conditions and options, economic redevelopment and zoning constraints. The study would include public forums, surveys and/or focus groups.  Rich reviewed his discussion with Noelle MacKay, Executive Director for Smart Growth Vermont, about their possible involvement and recommendations. Jon volunteered to be in charge of applying for the grant. Rich offered to assist with the grant application process. Grant applications are due by November 30^th.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

The upcoming schedule was reviewed and several members had conflicts with the regular meeting dates. It was agreed that we should have meetings so long as we have a quorum. The next meeting is November 11^th .

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Parker Nichols, Bob Light (for part of meeting), and Jon Groveman. Members absent: None. Guests present: Will Walters (Hardwick Gazette)( for part of meeting).

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with a quorum present.                     

Review of Draft Municipal Planning Grant Application

Jon reviewed a draft for a Municipal Planning Grant to conduct a Village Enhancement study. The consensus was that the draft was well-written and accurately reflected the intent of the study. Jon will be reviewing the grant request with the Select Board to obtain their approval to submit the application to the state. Rich will assist Jon with defining the individual tasks descriptions and costs. Jon will review the grant application with Noelle MacKay, Executive Director for Smart Growth, for her input. Grant applications are due November 30^th.

Review Town Plan - Chapter 8, Economic Development

The Commission started their review of Chapter 8, Economic Development. Nancy led the discussion and will be re-drafting this chapter. Comments for the re-draft included:

• Nancy will review any new economic census data and state tax data for possible inclusion.

• The last sentence of paragraph 2 referring to economic trends, under the Overview section was deleted due to lack of current data to support the statement.

• The fourth paragraph referring to the 2004 town survey under the Overview section was deleted. The first sentence of the next paragraph was deleted and the second sentence was edited to remove references to the 2004 survey.

• The importance of agriculture and forest industries will be expanded.

• The second paragraph under the Child Care section was deleted due to lack of current data.

• Nancy will check on the number of day care facilities and add data on the Twinfield Learning Center after school programs.

• The first objective was modified to read something like "To encourage development that creates jobs that pay a livable wages."

• A new objective relating to the importance of agriculture and forest industries will be added.

• The subtitles under Specific Strategies will be edited or deleted.

• Nancy will check on whether the town participates in CVEDC.

• The strategy regarding using GIS to assess development capacity was considered unneeded and deleted.

• A new strategy to encourage natural resource based tourism was added.

• The first strategy under Child Care was already done and was deleted.

• The second strategy under Child Care was considered unneeded and deleted.

Nancy will re-draft Chapter 8 for final review early next year.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

The next meeting is December 2nd. Parker will not be available.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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Marshfield Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Members present: Rich Baker, Nancy Everhart, Bob Light, and Jon Groveman. Members absent: Parker Nichols. Guests present: Will Walters (Hardwick Gazette) and John Warshow.

Rich Baker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with a quorum present.

Review of Municipal Planning Grant Application

Jon reported that he filed the application for a village revitalization grant. He commented that the on-line process is cumbersome and not easily understood.

Review Town Plan - Chapter 9, Land Use Plan

The Commission started their review of Chapter 9, Land Use Plan. Rich led the discussion and will be re-drafting this chapter. The Commission also reviewed the results of the build out study as it related to this chapter. Comments for the re-draft included:

• Under Overview, remove the use of the word "suburbanization".

• Under Overview, remove the first part of the first sentence in the third paragraph.

• Add a section discussing the build out study  methodology.

• Under the Village District section,  add discussion of the inability to add new connections to the Plainfield sewer system.

• Under the Village District section,  add comment on the reserve capacity of the Marshfield Village sewer system (Jon will check on this).

• Under the Village District section,  discuss the lack of growth in the recent years.

• Incorporate growth center discussion into Village District section.

• Clarify that growth center is not a state designation.

• Under Agriculture and Rural Residential Section, add discussion of exemption to 600-foot-from-road designation around Hollister Hill area.

• Under Agriculture and Rural Residential Section,  add discussion of desire to cluster commercial and light industrial uses on Route 2 and to have them maintain the rural character of the area.

• Under Agriculture and Rural Residential Section,  add discussion of the build out analysis

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, remove objective to expand village district zone

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, reword third objectives to something like "Review lot sizes and regulations in the village district to ensure they allow for historical compact village development."

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, modify objective #5 regarding FEMA regulations to include "continue to meet".

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, keep Village District strategies A through E.

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies,  reword Village District strategy F to "Review the benefits or seeking Vermont Village Designation".

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, remove Village District strategy G regarding studying infrastructure expansion.

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, Village District strategies, add following new strategies

  • Study need for expanding the senior center.

  • Study impact of Route 2 traffic in village and opportunities for traffic calming.

  • Study potential for developing senior citizen housing..

  • Review opportunities for improvement of rental housing conditions.

  • Support existing and new commercial development consistent with the village character.

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, Agricultural and Rural District strategies, add language about considering a minimum number of units for a PUD and to require PUD development for a development with over a certain number of units.

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, Agricultural and Rural District strategies, remove strategies C, D and E since they were completed.

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, Agricultural and Rural District strategies, remove strategy F regarding a identifying important agricultural and resource lands since the mapping is already available

• Under Land Goals , Objectives and Strategies, Agricultural and Rural District strategies, add strategy to consider standards for screening, landscaping and façade materials of commercial development to ensure the development maintains the rural character.

The Commission will continue review of this chapter at the next meeting. Since much of the discussion revolved around rural character, Rich suggested that the Commission go back and review some of the previous more general discussion of rural character the Commission had when discussing Chapter 3.

Upcoming Town Plan review and scheduling

The next meeting is January 6^th. The December 23^rd meeting was cancelled.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Rich Baker, Clerk and Chair

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