Town of Lenox
Planning Board
July 10, 2012
Land Use Meeting Room
Members present: Acting Chair Steve Sample, SS Kate McNulty-Vaughan, KMV; Mark S. Smith, MS; Kimberly Reopell Flynn, KRF
Absent with notification: Gary Schiff
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, Land Use Clerk, PA; Mary Albertson, Town Planner, MA
Also present was Selectman Channing Gibson (CG), Kameron Spaulding of the Beacon and Dave Coffey of the Berkshire Record.
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 pm.
Approval Not Required Plans: There were none.
Reorganization and Election of Officers-This was tabled until all Planning Board members were present.
Discuss Open Space Plan: MA updated the Board on the progress that she has made since the last meeting. She sent a blanket invitation to boards and commissions at the suggestion last week of the Board to ask for a representative to be a part of the ad hoc committee for working on updating the Open Space Plan. Ruth Wheeler of the Kennedy Park Commission is the sole volunteer at this point, but it is felt that many of the volunteers are not available during the summer months. MA is in the process of preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) and hopes to have it ready for sending out in the next week or two. She anticipates that sometime in August the proposals will be coming in and that the committee will be in place. KMV, referring to the Massachusetts Open Space and
Recreation Planner’s Workbook, suggested that the list of prospective committee members might be expanded to include individuals involved with real estate development, the Department of Public Works, water resources, public health and community preservation. The Board thought someone from the watershed committee should be asked to represent water resources.
Discuss Solar Bylaw: MA presented to the Board the map prepared by Mark Maloy of Berkshire Regional Planning Commission who used the Geographic Information System (GIS) to gather solar resource data. Discussion ensued relative to the development of a comprehensive bylaw that would work for Lenox, and it was agreed that it
would be helpful for the Board to talk with solar contractors and to tour the solar facility at Silver Lake in Pittsfield. KRF will follow up a possible lead for a solar contractor, and KMV and MA will follow up on the tour.
Discuss Economic Development Plan: CG suggested that there be a joint meeting of the Board and Board of Selectmen. He said that it would be helpful if the Board first determined the part it wishes to play and then the BOS would fill in. It was agreed that MA will send to the Board members and CG the Lenox Economic Development Plan and Sheffield Economic Development Plan and then CG will forward to the BOS. The Board will review both documents and discuss their strategy at their next meeting on July 24th and then have the joint meeting
with the BOS on August 14, 2012.
Planning Board Recommendations to Town Boards and Commissions: There were none.
Review Correspondence: Decisions and notices of public hearings from abutting communities were reviewed.
Approve Minutes: MS made a motion to accept the minutes of June 26, 2012. KRF seconded the motion. KMV pointed out that the minutes did not reflect that there would be discussion at tonight’s meeting regarding the redefining of signs in the Zoning Bylaw and made another minor edit. The Board voted to approve 4-0.
Other Business:
The BRPC follow up meeting on the Route 7 & 20 overlay that was scheduled for the first week of July was rescheduled for next week. MS and MA will attend.
KMV gave the members a hand out which made suggestions for creating a new definition of signs in the Zoning Bylaw. This will be a part of the discussion at the next meeting.
MS made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 pm. KMV seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0 to approve.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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