ANTRIM PLANNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES
December 19, 2013
Regular Meeting
Members & Staff Present: Diane Chauncey (Secretary) Chris Condon (Member)
Jesse Lazar (Chair) Charles Levesque (Vice-Chair) Steve MacDonald (Member) Janet McEwen (Alternate) Martha Pinello (Member) Sarah VanderWende (Member) Gordon Webber (Ex-officio)
Public Attendees: Ron Haggett Ben Pratt
7:00PM Public Meeting:
Chair Lazar opened the meeting at 7:00pm.
CIP Committee report (2104 – 2019) – Ben Pratt, Ron Haggett, Janet McEwen, Steve MacDonald (tabled from December 5 meeting)
Parks & Recreation
Ms. Gorga (P & R Chair) had made significant changes to the CIP information. The Board reviewed the new information.
Mr. Pratt and Mr. Haggett summarized the new monetary requests:
New park on Smith Rd – no longer requesting
Memorial Park – Monetary requests for years 2014 – 2018 for improvement
Shea Field Lighting – Monetary requests for 2015 – 2019
Capital Reserve Fund - $25,000 for 2014 - 2019
There was a long discussion concerning the P & R requests.
The lighting for Shea Field evoked a long discussion. Some members were against the lighting. Others saw that there was a need for the lighting.
Mr. Webber suggested renting lights for the field and then determine how much lighted field use actually occurs. Mr. Webber stated that the high school had rented the lights and when it was realized that there was a need, fundraising occurred. He stated that he would be in support of the Recreation Committee approaching the lighting request with such a venture. Many of the Board members thought that might be a viable solution.
Ms. Pinello stated that some lighting companies had a financing plan and funding could be available from Public lighting programs
The Board also discussed Memorial Park and the Capital Reserve Funds. Most Board members felt that the P & R requests lacked details and specifics.
Library
Mr. Haggett explained that the Breadloaf analysis had not been completed, making it difficult to give any concrete numbers. The library building will need a new furnace, maintenance on the south chimney, and window restoration or repairs. He stated that money should be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund. He stated that here was also a question of whether the repairs and maintenance should come under “Library” or “Town Administration & Buildings”.
The Board members agreed that it was difficult to determine a course of action without the details.
Highway Department
The Board discussed the necessity of a new facility for the Highway Department. Some members felt that a new facility was unnecessary; other members felt that a new facility was necessary. The discussion continued.
Vice-Chair Levesque asked if the request was to accumulate funds (CRP) for the future facility.
Mr. Pratt and Mr. Haggett said the CRP money was for the future project.
The majority of the Board agreed with the line item.
Vice Chair Levesque made a motion: to fix the spreadsheet to reflect the Park & Recreation changes and recommend the CIP spreadsheet to the Board of Selectman; Ms. VanderWende seconded.
There was no discussion. By a voice vote, the Board recommended the CIP spreadsheet to the Board of Selectmen.
Recommendation for potential sale of Town property (Map 213 Lot17and Map 219 Lot 10)) (tabled from December 5 meeting)
Board members reviewed the tax map parcels. Vice-Chair Levesque read the RSAs applicable to the recommendation. (The Board of Selectmen are required to ask the Planning Board and Conservation Commission for their recommendation.)
Mr. Webber said that the Board of Selectmen had reviewed the entire town owned properties.
Chair Lazar stated that any sale of town owned property should be a reasonable market value.
Vice-Chair Levesque made a motion: No recommendation could be made due to lack of information. Mr. MacDonald seconded.
The Board discussed the town owned properties and by consensus agreed that that there should be a program in place in which the town owned properties were reviewed properly. So that when a recommendation was requested, the Board had enough information to give an appropriate recommendation.
Vice-Chair Levesque amended his motion by adding that the Planning Board would create a program to review all town owned property.
The Board voted unanimously (by a voice vote) in favor of the motion.
Land Use Secretary’s 3% raise (tabled from December 5 meeting)
A memo from the Town Administrator, Galen Stearns, stated that the Planning Board did not need to make a decision on the 3% raise.
Planning Board Candidates for the March election (Vice-Chair Levesque’s and Ms. Pinello’s terms expire) - FYI
Approve November 7, 2013 (tabled from December 5 meeting) and December 5, 2013minutes
November 7 – Vice-Chair Levesque moved to adopt the minutes as presented. Mr. Webber seconded. The Board members voted unanimously to approve the minutes, as amended.
December 5 – Vice Chair Levesque moved to adopt the minutes as presented; Mr. Condon seconded. The Board members voted unanimously to approve the minutes, as amended.
Set Public Hearing date for citizen’s petition requesting the following addition to the Zoning Ordinance ballot (Are you in favor of adoption of an amendment to the Town of Antrim Zoning Ordinance which would provide for the development of Commercial Wind Farms in the Rural Conservation District and the Highway Business District and establish specific development standards, including standards on proper construction, public health and safety, noise, environmental and visual impacts, and require operational agreements with the Town?)
Previous to setting the Public Hearing date, there was short discussion concerning the need for a January 2 meeting.
Vice-chair Levesque moved to cancel the January 2 meeting; it was seconded by Ms. VanderWende. On a voice vote, the Board unanimously voted to cancel the January 2, 2014 meeting.
The Board set the Public Hearing for the petition warrant as January 16, 2014. The Board requested that the meeting occur upstairs in the Town Hall and to utilize the sound system.
At 8:40pm, Ms. VanderWende moved to adjourn. Vice-Chair Levesque seconded the motion. All voted unanimously to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted, Diane Chauncey, Secretary of the Planning Board
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