ANTRIM PLANNING BOARD
Public Meeting
April 18th, 2019
MINUTES
Members & Planning Staff Present:
Janet McEwen (Chair), Lynne Rosansky (Vice Chair), John Robertson (Ex-Officio), Mark D. Murdough (Member), Neal Pattison (Member), John Anderson (Member), Steve MacDonald (Alternate)and Ashley Brudnick-Destromp (Assistant to Land Use Boards)
Members/Staff Absent: Carol Ogilvie (Planning Consultant), and Mary Allen (Member),
Others Present:
CTO: Chair McEwen called the meeting to order at 6:59 PM.
I. Minutes: Chair McEwen asked the Board to review the drafted minutes from 4/4/19.
Review: Chair McEwen had several things to be corrected in regards to sentence structure. Ms. Brudnick-Destromp said that she had found some errors as well on the first page with grammar after she had printed the drafts.
Discussion:
Motion: Mr. Anderson made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, Mr. Pattison second it.
Vote: Ms. Rosansky abstained. By a voice vote, all were in favor.
II Review of Current Fee Schedule:
The Chair opened up with informing the Board that, per the last meeting, they would be reviewing the current fee schedule, and that Ms. Brudnick-Destromp can add on or answer any questions.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp stated that the current application fee is $150, and that preliminary conceptual consultations and design reviews are exempt from the fee. Chair McEwen explained what a preliminary conceptual consultation is to the new Board members.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp went over the current fee structure:
Filing Fee for Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds (Depends on size of plat, can range anywhere from $9-$24)
Notice of Decision Fee ($20)
Certified Mail Notification ($10 per abutter)
Surcharge for Land and Community Heritage Investment Program ($25)
Newspaper Notice ($90)
Mr. Pattison had a question about if there was an application for multiple lots. Ms. Brudnick-Destromp explained that for Lot line Adjustments and Subdivisions, it’s an extra $25 per lot added to the application fee of $150. She also informed the Board she had emailed each member a copy of each type of application so they can review them, and have for their records.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp explained how the current fee for Newspaper Notification is at $90. Originally, the Planning Board used the Villager, and they charged $90. When the Villager closed unexpectedly in the fall, Michael Pon informed her, and said he would be opening up his own paper shortly. Due to time limits for public hearing postings, Ms. Brudnick-Destromp reached out to the Messenger. The Messenger was able to do her a favor, and put her notices in the paper the next day. They also give a $10 discount. The Messenger charges $60, which gives the Board a $30 buffer. Ms. Ogilvie charges $30 when she is asked to write a public notice so the current arrangement works money wise.
There was a discussion amongst the Chair and the Board members regarding what they would increase the fee to in order to accommodate the motion made at the last meeting to change the paper to the Ledger. It was noted where the Ledger was voted on last time, and is expected to be over $90 per notice, that the fee should be raised to $125 as suggested by Chair McEwen.
Mr. Anderson said that he was not sure the Ledger is the most read newspaper, as the other papers are free. The Chair asked each member if they purchased the Ledger, and the majority said no, because there are free papers. There was a discussion amongst the Board regarding the 3 papers, the consistency that needs to be maintained, and the cost per each.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp informed the Board she also price shopped the Stone Bridge Post, as she discovered that is who the Town uses for public notifications. She said she spoke to Mr. Pon on the phone, and he charges $5 per column inch, and that would be cheaper than the Ledger. Chair McEwen also said that it would make sense to use the same paper as the Town, so that the residents always look in the same place for public notices.
Motion: Mr. Anderson said he wanted to make a motion to reconsider the newspaper, Mr. Murdough second it.
Discussion: Chair McEwen said that she wanted to discuss the matter further, but when Ms. Allen returns since she was here the other night when they originally voted.
Motion: Mr. Anderson made a motion to table to the discussion until the next meeting, Ms. Rosansky second it.
Vote: by a voice vote, all were in favor.
III. Review of Bylaws Continued:
Chair McEwen said that she was confident in leaving the Bylaws as they were, and having Ms. Ogilvie and Ms. Brudnick-Destromp review them to see if there are any changes that Ms. Ogilvie recommends be made.
Mr. Anderson read the State’s guidelines on conducting a public meeting. There was a small discussion, and the Board decided to leave the Bylaw as is, as it makes sense now that Ms. Brudnick-Destromp explained the combination of the two during a Public Hearing during the last meeting.
IV. Planning Assistant Report:
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp said that she was still waiting for the flyer for event on May 22nd from the SWRPC, but that all dates have been confirmed. There will be 5 meetings in 5 different towns, Winchester (May 16th), Swanzey (May 30th), Jaffrey (June 3rd), and Walpole (June 5th). She said that so far, she has had 1 volunteer to help make some baked goods for the event, and that Ms. Murphy will be bringing a couple cases of water.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp said that she had touched base with Ms. Murphy from the SWRPC this morning for an update on how many residents had completed the online survey. She reminded the Board that the goal was to get at least 100 residents. Ms. Brudnick-Destromp said she wanted to point out that Mr. Anderson had created an online link for the survey, and it has been reposted by several other members throughout Facebook. The total so far is 72, and it was at 11 prior to the Facebook post. She also asked that if anyone had any completed paper applications to make sure they get them in to her to be sent out.
There was a discussion on the event, and getting notice out in time. Ms. Rosansky pointed out where it will be 4 weeks from Monday, that a “Save the Date” notice should have already gone out. Ms. Brudnick-Destromp explained she has been asking for a flyer for almost 2 weeks now, but Ms. Murphy has to wait for her boss to approve it prior to sending it out. Ms. Brudnick-Destromp suggested maybe herself and Mr. Anderson making one just for the Antrim residents and having it distributed. She reminded the Board this is a family friendly event, so she would be grabbing some coloring books and crayons and setting up a kids table for the event. The Chair thought that was a great idea to help get more families to attend.
Mr. Anderson mentioned that once a flyer is made, that you can pay $20 to have the add circulated on Facebook to anyone that has “Antrim” in their profile so that they see it. The Board all thought this was a good idea. The Chair told Mr. Anderson that he would have to make a motion to do this.
Motion: Mr. Anderson made a motion to target this on Facebook adds starting 2 weeks before the event with a cap of $20, Ms. Rosansky second it.
Vote: by a voice vote, all were in favor.
There was a discussion on places in Town to distribute the information for the survey. The library, Lions Club, the Teen Center, Grapevine, senior citizen center, and the churches.
Chair McEwen mentioned asking the Girl Scouts or the Teen Center if anyone can do childcare that evening, and watch the children at the coloring table.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp informed the Board that she received an email today, and that the Planning and Zoning conference on June 1st is sold out as of this morning. If anyone wants to be added to the wait list, she can send in an email on his or her behalf.
V. Other Business:
Mr. Anderson said that he went on the States website to see if he could search by Town for registered businesses, but it doesn’t allow you to search that way. He said the option was not there, and even if he uses “Antrim” for the key word, only businesses with Antrim in the actual name appear.
Chair McEwen asked Mr. Anderson if he had time to review the Town’s website to see if the businesses were up to date. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Murdough said they had done this in the past, and it all seemed accurate.
Chair McEwen mentioned the new rules on home businesses, and how it is loosened up now to encourage more business, but that people are still afraid to let the Town know they have businesses. There was a long discussion amongst the Board. Ms. Rosansky spoke on how having an economic development or business seminar would help. Chair McEwen brought up having Mr. Anderson and Mr. Murdough speak to the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, something they have previously mentioned.
Mr. Anderson said as a small business owner it is difficult to go through the grants that may help your own business and finances. Mr. Anderson suggested that if people sign up their businesses to be entered into our Town’s inventory, there can be a database put together and linked in to give them access to the information for grants that would assist them. Ms. Rosansky agreed that putting in a repository for them would be great. Mr. Anderson asked if as a governing body, if you can have a repository that is free, but requires a business to enter their information in order to gain access. There was a small conversation; Mr. Robertson said that was probably a legal question.
There was a conversation about becoming part of the Hillsborough Chamber, but how there is a fee involved.
Mr. Anderson had a question about public roads that are essentially driveways, and maintain them. Mr. Robertson answered several questions that Mr. Anderson had. Mr. Robertson said that Town only owns easements and that if the road is abandoned, then the abutters own until the middle where they will meet. Mr. Anderson said he did not understand why the Town plows one road. Ms. Rosansky said because it was originally the main access to Greg Lake. Mr. Anderson asked if the Town still has to maintain it where there is now a different road. Ms. Rosansky explained because it originally was owned, and now it is not, the Town still has to maintain it because it was in the original agreement that they did. Mr. Pattison brought up the road that goes into Pierce Lake. Chair McEwen said she agreed that the access to Pierce Lake should be maintained,
but it has never been put into paper and voted on. There was further discussion, Mr. Murdough said it is posted that it is a private road. There was a discussion on public and private access. Mr. Pattison said that emergency response are not allowed to use that road. There was further discussion regarding this specific road.
Mr. MacDonald entered around 8:00PM, as the conversation on the roads was ending.
Mr. Anderson wanted to bring up that he did find an RSA to drop the speed limit to 25mph instead of 30mph, and that it is on the Agenda for the BOS meeting on Monday. Mr. Anderson said he met with Chief Lester yesterday, and that he has 2 electronic signs that he wants put up, and that he is waiting for the Town to put the posts up. Chair McEwen said she would be attending that meeting as well. Mr. Anderson said that he also believes that the decrease in speed will help encourage economic businesses.
Chair McEwen brought up having a business development committee in the future, and that Mr. Edwards used to be interested in having one as well. The Chair asked Mr. MacDonald if he would be interested in being on a business development committee if they are able to get one put together. He said he would be.
Ms. Brudnick-Destromp asked what the Board would like to do for July, where the 4th is a Federal holiday, and would be their first meeting. She asked if they just wanted to have 1 meeting on the 3rd Thursday, or if they wanted an out of order meeting that she could post. Chair McEwen said for the time being, just having 1 meeting that month would be sufficient, unless anything changes.
There was further discussion about the range the 25mph speed limit would go distance wise. Mr. Anderson said that it has to be a congested area. There was a discussion of what “congested” is defined as in the RSA. The Board wishes it could be enforced past TBirds, but that area is not considered “congested.”
Motion: Ms. Rosansky made a motion to close the meeting, Mr. Robertson second it.
Vote: By a voice vote, all agreed
Meeting Adjourned: ~ The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 PM
Respectfully Submitted,
Ashley Brudnick-Destromp
(Assistant to Land Use Boards)
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