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APPROVED
Chilmark Planning Board Subcommittee Meeting
Monday, December 10, 2018
Present: Janet Weidner, Chair, Peter Cook, Catherine Thompson
Not Present:
Public: Clark Goff, Ann Wallace, Joan Malkin
Staff: Jennifer L. Christy
Meeting called to order at 3:04PM:
- Peaked Hill Pastures Proposal Planning Discussion:
- Ms. Weidner opened the meeting by reminding the members of the assignment to put their ideas for Peaked Hill Pastures on paper.
- Discussion occurred.
- Ms. Weidner stated she had heard David Vigneault from the DCRHA state at a recent meeting that the Middle Line Housing development has been relatively successful. She mentioned that it would be good to have David at a meeting upcoming to talk more about Middle Line Road development and his view on its successes and difficulties.
- Brief discussion occurred regarding how to define workforce housing. Members of the committee discussed whether that kind of housing is dormitories or longer-term housing type accommodations.
- Brief discussion occurred regarding the needs and desires of workforce members and whether they are interested in living in Chilmark as well as working in Chilmark.
- Ms. Weidner noted the idea postulated by Mr. Goff at the last meeting of possibly relocating two tennis courts at the Community Center up to the Peaked Hill Pastures site and placing the fire station at the current Community Center site, leaving an EMT station in the current fire station area.
- Mr. Goff was recognized and suggested that the Town will not be able to accommodate all needs and ideas. He mentioned that the workforce housing that he had imagined, as a member of the Peaked Hill Pastures Proposals Committee, was more a housing type for longer-term workforce. He mentioned that the priority should be affordable housing and the other ideas may be accommodated around the housing.
- Ms. Weidner stated that the plan may be to come up with a preliminary plan which addresses the major concerns and that the other concerns, that were less of a priority, could be fitted in later. She also noted that it may be good to work in concert with the engineer who is assessing the lot behind the landfill/transfer station lot.
- Mr. Cook stated he was interested in looking at what was learned in the process of developing a plan for Menemsha. He further stated that a key thing that has been learned is that, even though the subcommittee had many meetings and a forum to discuss the plans or Menemsha traffic and safety changes, the larger electorate is not clear on the amount of work and the quality of the work that has gone into the planning up to this point. Mr. Cook mentioned that a contributing factor to this situation is a reluctance of the subcommittee to get into the details of a plan to play out the impact of the plan that is working to address the issues that are apparent.
- Mr. Cook further noted a good process would be to identify the competing uses for the site, what uses would be very difficult to implement or would just not be feasible, keeping in mind the realization that there is not enough land for the Town to support all initiatives. He noted the subcommittee’s priority is to keep an eye on the needs and then to focus on the process that is followed to arrive at a recommendation.
- Mr. Cook reiterated his question concerning how the subcommittee should proceed. He questioned whether the process should begin with a plan that the subcommittee develops that is then ‘picked apart’ or is it beneficial to begin with a data gathering process where the subcommittee reaches out to the community for input on their priorities, needs, etc…
- Ms. Thompson asked if there is a recommendation to hire a consultant. Mr. Cook stated that if the subcommittee knew how it wanted to direct a consultant then that could be useful.
- Mr. Goff stated his view that the subcommittee should identify the uses that the subcommittee wants the Town to provide for and then hire a consultant to design for those uses.
- Ms. Wallace noted that David Vigneault of DCRHA would be able to provide good data on the two recent housing projects in West Tisbury (Scott’s Grove) and Aquinnah (Smalley’s Knoll) that may be useful for Chilmark to look at and see whether the model would work in Chilmark. Ms. Wallace also noted the usefulness of the MV Commission and the possibility that the Commission could possibly help with planning and funds for planning.
- Mr. Goff noted also noted that the area that is going to be considered for the various uses is a 16 acre area, not a 20 acre area.
- Brief discussion occurred regarding the clay rights owned under the various parcels in the area.
- The subcommittee asked If Ms. Christy could check to see if there are conservation maps of the Map 13, Lot 35 and the Peaked Hill Pastures site that show wetlands. Mr. Goff asked if there are test hole/water results for the landfill/transfer station site. Ms. Christy stated she would ask the Board of Health for the results.
- The subcommittee discussed how to determine if the Map 13, Lot 35 parcel is a feasible lot to plan affordable housing units.
- Mr. Cook noted that the primary end result of the discussions of the Peaked Hill Pastures Proposal Committee was the site would be used for Affordable Housing and open/recreational space. He noted that this information would be beginning information for a consultant. He noted also that the Housing Production Plan process did not present a clear path for the Town.
- Ms. Weidner asked that Ms. Christy scan the three documents written by each of the subcommittee members and email them to the members for study. Ms. Christy was also asked to obtain information on the Scott’s Grove and Smalley’s Knoll housing developments.
- Other Topics Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chairperson:
- Ms. Thompson noted various other topics that she is hoping that the Planning Board will address. She volunteered to look at the index to the 1985 Master Plan and see what could be added.
- Ms. Thompson discussed a draft survey that could be issued to the townspeople to gather input. The survey would attempt to address what is important to the townspeople and what issues they would like the Town to focus on.
- Ms. Malkin noted her support of a survey and emphasized the benefits of a simple survey and a brief question of set of questions. She also noted that the survey should ask for an email so that the Town had a starting database of contacts.
- Discussion occurred regarding the usefulness and potential of the website and various ideas were suggested such as linking News & Announcements with the Planning Board notifications and setting up a Question of the Week from the Planning Board webpage. Discussion occurred about going to the various Boards and Committees in Town to hear from them as well. It was discussed how to do this and also be efficient with the time that each Board and Commission has. Ms. Malkin noted that the Board members of these entities have limited time and a preferred approach would be to develop a plan that is then presented to Boards and Committees for feedback rather than asking more open-ended planning feedback.
- Ms. Thompson asked that the subcommittee plan, at the next meeting, to review the Table of Contents/ Index of the Master Plan after the discussion on the Peaked Hill Pastures site plan.
- Ms. Weidner noted the need to determine and insert action plans within the Master Plan as well.
- The minutes from Nov. 26, 2018 were reviewed and approved as written.
Meeting adjourned: 4:25PM
Minutes respectfully submitted by Jennifer L. Christy
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