ANTRIM PLANNING BOARD MEETING
July 28, 2011
Members & Staff Present: Diane Chauncey (Secretary) David Dubois (Member)
Jesse Lazar (Vice-Chair) Charles Levesque (Member) Martha Pinello (Member) John Robertson (Ex-Officio)
Members & Staff Absent: Mike Tatro (Alternate) Scott Burnside (Member)
Andrew Robblee (Chair) Stephen Schacht (Alternate)
Public Attendees: Ron Haggett
7:00 PM – Review Period
- Review July 21, 2011 Minutes - Approve Minutes – Mr. Robertson motioned to accept the minutes. Ms. Pinello seconded. By a voice vote, the minutes were approved, as amended.
7:05PM – Work Session
Vic-Chair Lazar opened the meeting and asked Ms. Pinello to update the Board on the Ad Hoc Committee’s efforts.
Ad-Hoc Committee Update
Ms. Pinello updated the Board to what has occurred. The Jean Vissering Report (landscape architect) has been received. The Garrard Hassan Report is in progress. Ms. Pinello asked Board members if they had further concerns or comments. Ms. Pinello had asked the consultants to collaborate their efforts.
The Draft Ordinance (as prepared by Carol Ogilvie, consultant to the Ad Hoc Committee, and Community Development Director for the Town of Peterborough) will be ready for the Secretary to send out on 8-1-2011.
The Board discussed the Ad Hoc Committee calendar.
Mr. Levesque moved that the date of adoption of August 18, 2011 be moved to August 11, 2011.
Mr. Dubois seconded. All voted in favor. The motion passes.
The Board continued to discuss the Large Scale Wind Ordinance. The following are some of the points discussed:
- Because technology will evolve over time, standards need to be in place
- In which zoning districts will the large wind turbines be permitted – the Planning Board will need to make that decision
- Setbacks are a related issue
- The Master Plan has weaknesses that should be addressed. An example: “Talks about things that we value” – but does not name them or give a clear description
- The Master is not the law and has no legal authority
- Conditional use is allowed – only if a Master Plan exists
- Sense of the Board that large wind should be permitted in all zones
- RSA 674:21 – conditional Use
- Simpler path – applicant would appear before the Planning Board – no need to go to the ZBA for variance
- The sense of the group is that Conditional Use is recommended
- Garrard Hassan (consultants for the Ad Hoc Committee) is working on setbacks, height, decommissioning, pre and post construction, repowering
- With future applications of this type, the Planning Board will have the authority to hire qualified experts
- The title of the draft ordinance will most likely change
- Noise - a certain amount of industry standard will be used. Noise can be a reasonable obstruction. There is no noise standard in NH.
- There is a necessity for a field demonstration day in order that the “noise wording” in the ordinance can be communicated to the public. The problem – frequency is what matters – and it would be difficult to create the actual frequency because there are so many variables that it would be difficult to simulate. Possibly – done at Lempster – for the real thing.
- The importance of the financial aspects was discussed. Assessment of the properties affected by the project - an abatement process would be utilized
- The county portion of the taxes is based on the total value of the community – if the value goes up, the town will owe more to the county
- Some felt that the tax, financial and budget issues were the role of the Board of Selectmen, not a land use board
- Others felt that it was the role of the Planning board to discuss monetary issues
- Property valuation – possibly the developer could be required to meet with the aggrieved property owner – so that people feel that they have been heard
- The key thing in the appraisal is the scenic vista stigma – a very important aspect as well as a conundrum
- Jean Vissering’s report was discussed. The report has the three requested criteria within it: 1. adequately defined, 2. wind facility dominate the feature, 3. has the developer done everything to mitigate the impact
- There were questions as to how mitigation could occur – the wind turbines are so large.
Vice- chair thanked the Ad Hoc Committee for their hard work. He appreciated their hard work.
Fundraising for the Planning Board Legal Fund
Mr. Levesque stated that $4810.00 had been raised. He made a motion to ask the Board of Selectmen to make a payment of the total amount minus the required amount necessary to keep the account open. Mr. Dubois seconded. By a roll call vote (Mr. Dubois, yes; Mr. Levesque, yes; Mr. Lazar, yes; Mr. Robertson, yes; Ms. Pinello, yes) the motion passed.
At 9:00 PM, Mr. Levesque moved to adjourn. Mr. Robertson seconded. All approved to adjourn - by a voice vote.
Respectfully submitted, Diane Chauncey, Secretary of the Planning Board
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