Town of Lenox
Planning Board
May 12, 2009
Land Use Meeting Room
Members present: Chair Joseph A. Kellogg, JK; Steve Sample, SS; Ken Fowler, KF Gary Schiff, GS and Kate McNulty-Vaughan, KMV.
Staff present: Mary Albertson, Town Planner, MA.
The meeting was called to order at 6:01 pm.
Reorganization: GS made a motion to nominate JK as Chair, KMV seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 5-0. GS made a motion to nominate SS as Vice-Chair, KMV seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 5-0.
Discussion ensued regarding the Planning Board appointments to the Historic District Commission, the Affordable Housing Committee, the Community Preservation Committee and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
SS made a motion to make the following appointments:
Historic District Commission - SS
Affordable Housing Committee – KMV
Community Preservation Committee – KF
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission – GS
GS seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 5-0.
JK offered to serve as the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Alternate. MA will contact the Town Manager regarding this matter because the Selectmen appoint the alternate.
Minutes: SS made a motion to approve the minutes of March 18, 2009 and KF seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 5-0. KF made a motion to approve the minutes of April 28, 2009 and GS seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 4-0. (KMV abstained as she did not attend the meeting.)
New Lenox Road – Road Discontinuance: JK recused himself. SS served as Chair. Larry Fox, East New Lenox Road and Joseph Kellogg, New Lenox Road, were in the audience for this discussion. The consensus of the members was that discontinuing the road at this time, and installing a gate to prohibit access to October Mountain State Park will not solve the problem of ATV’s. This is a regional problem and there should be a regional discussion on how to address the issues of ATV’s and the abuse of public lands. KMV made a motion to send a letter to the Board of Selectmen stating that the Board is not in favor of the proposed discontinuance of New Lenox Road and a more comprehensive regional study should be completed. GS seconded the motion. The Board voted to
approve 4-0.
JK resumed the Chair.
Section 6.7 – Educational and Religious Uses: MA stated that there is a new publication available from the APA called The RLUPIA Reader. KMV said she was disappointed that the proposed Zoning Amendment to remove this section was tabled at the Annual Town Meeting. Members discussed the information received at the public hearing and agreed that further study is needed of a Site Plan Approval option to deal with the impacts of assembly uses. Discussion ensued regarding not-for-profit vs. for-profit educational uses. JK suggested that the Board work on this bylaw amendment over the summer. The Board agreed it would work towards bringing such an amendment forward should a Special Town Meeting be scheduled.
JK asked members to review the handouts distributed by MA regarding recent legislation filed to revise Chapter 40A called the Land Use Partnership Act and suggested the topic be on the agenda for the next meeting.
MA offered a brief update on the ongoing effort to prepare an updated Open Space Plan.
SS made a motion to adjourn at 7:45 pm. GS seconded the motion and the Board voted 5-0 to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Albertson
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