Town of Lenox
Planning Board
July 24, 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). Dave Coffey of the Berkshire Record came in at 7:00 pm just as the discussion on sign bylaw definitions was coming to a close.
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm.
Approval Not Required Plans-There were no plans.
Reorganization and Election of Officers- MA said that GS is on vacation and he may miss the next two meetings due to work conflicts. The election of officers was put on hold until all members could be present, but because representation is by statute for the following committees and commissions, it was agreed that those positions must be filled without further delay. The incumbents expressed a willingness to continue serving and all agreed.
Historic District Commission-SS
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission-MS GS has been the alternate, which is a position appointed by the Board of Selectmen. MA will send a memo to BRPC asking that this remain status quo.
Route 7&20 Committee- MS
These other two committees are not by statute. KMV will continue to serve on the Community Preservation Committee and Affordable Housing Committee. KRF will serve as the Board’s representative to the Open Space and Recreation Committee.
Update on the status of Open Space and Recreation Plan project-MA announced that Jan Chague, who will be appointed to the Historical Commission tomorrow, will represent that Commission. Tony Patella who serves on the CPC will represent the Community Center. Interest has been expressed by a few others. MA also said that she is continuing to work on the Request for Proposal.
Discuss Solar Bylaw-KMV and MA said that they have a contact person for the solar facility at Silver Lake in Pittsfield by the name of Bill Blanchard who is the Project Manager with WMEC. MA will try to arrange for a tour late in the afternoon of July 30 or July 31st. KRF will continue to follow up a possible lead for a solar contractor, and with Chris Vreeland, a consultant for solar projects.
Discuss Sign Bylaw Definitions-The Board was advised that the Historic District Commissioners were given the draft of the proposed sign bylaw and a discussion regarding this is an agenda item for their August 7th meeting.
The Board looked over the copy provided at their last meeting by KMV on the definition of signs. They looked at possible additions or omissions to the sign definitions and discussed the existing sign bylaw definition which seems to be the standard used throughout Massachusetts versus the definition in the existing draft. Possibilities were discussed at length. She asked the Board to consider if they wanted to capture it all or define every single sign.
SS said that window displays should be defined.
MA made a point that the Building Commissioner, Bill Thornton, doesn’t like the current definition of a sign and she believes that he is looking for more specifics. At MA’s suggestion, the Board agreed to have Mr. Thornton come to a meeting.
MA stated that the Belchertown bylaw is structured well, and it has become a model in the Pioneer Valley, while the Concord bylaw is more sensitive to the historic districts.
MA said that before more time is spent on the next draft, she would like to hear comments from the HDC’s August 7th meeting. She will then send those comments on to the Planning Board with their reminder of the August 14th meeting so that the Board can have the time to review and be prepared to make more substantial changes, and look at definitions and concepts like Belchertown’s. She wants the next draft to be more meaningful to both the HDC and PB.
At this point CG had to leave the meeting, but wanted to remind the Board that the sandwich board regulation that was put into place is the BOS’s temporary measure until the end of the year.
Discuss Economic Development-MA provided copies of the article The Role of Local Elected Officials in Economic Development: 10 Things you Shown Know with the Board members and she will make sure that the Selectmen have a copy of this article as well. She provided a list of questions, compiled from the first two chapters, that she asked the Board to review and become familiar with for the joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen on August 14th at 5:30 pm. There was a brief discussion on what the Board’s role would be in Economic Development.
Recommendations-MA told the Board that there is a petition before the Zoning Board of Appeals for Different Drummers regarding a sign. The ZBA has asked for Town Counsel and the PB to weigh in on the petition. MA asked if the Board if they thought the changing of lettering is appropriate i.e., if “moving parts” as referred to in the sign bylaw applied to periodic changing of the lettering. After considerable discussion, the Board felt that the almost 10 square feet increase over the 36 square feet allowed was substantial, but they were comfortable with the message sign. KMV made a motion to recommend to the ZBA to allow the changeable aspects of the sign but the Board has concerns about allowing a variance for a larger sign. KRF seconded the motion and
the Board voted to agree 4-0.
Correspondence from Abutting Communities & BRPC-Notices were reviewed.
MS and MA went to a BRPC meeting last week regarding the corridor on Pittsfield Rd. MA reviewed the substance of the meeting where they discussed different ideas of what the design standards would be and when they should apply. MS and MA will be attending follow up meetings on August 8th and August 20th. On either September 10th or 12th BRPC would like to meet with the Board. An invitation will be extended to BRPC to come to Lenox for that meeting.
Approve Minutes-KMV made a motion to approve the minutes of July 10, 2012 and MS seconded the motion. The Board voted to approve 4-0.
Other Business-
MS commented that with all that is before the Board at this time, he feels as if he is losing track and suggested that perhaps that individual members take on a particular matter to review and then share with the others. MA said that the agendas have had significantly more items recently than usual. Board members agreed that prioritizing could help to simplify. MA suggested that at the upcoming meeting of August 14th with the Selectmen she will abbreviate the agenda so that the Board could focus only on being prepared to discuss economic development. Other agenda items will be carried over to August 28th.
KRF made a motion to adjourn. MS seconded the motion and the Board voted to adjourn at
7:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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