Town of Lenox
Planning Board
August 28, 2013
Land Use Meeting Room
Members present: Chair Kate McNulty-Vaughan, KMV; Steve Sample, SS; Mark S. Smith, MS; Kameron Spaulding, KS. (KS was recently appointed by the Board of Selectmen to fill the existing vacancy on the Board.)
Absent with notification: Gary Schiff, GS
Selectmen present: Channing Gibson, CG
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, Land Use Clerk, PA; Mary Albertson, Town Planner, MA
It was noted that an item should be on the next agenda for the reorganization of the Planning Board, committee assignments, etc.
Approval Not Required Plans-There were none.
Discuss Sign Regulations-There was a sub-committee meeting last week with KMV, MS and MA with a focus on signage allowed “by right”. MS constructed mock-up “Open” signs sized from 1/4 to 1 ne, but calls out antique stores and galleries and said this might be considered a housekeeping item the next time zoning changes are presented at Town Meeting.
KMV said that the Board should continue to work on temporary signs. Members discussed the concepts of pop-up stores and determined they may want to addresses this in the future. KMV reiterated that the goal of the Board is to prepare sign bylaw changes that are clear, fair and flexible. CG asked about a time frame. Members suggested a Special Town Meeting in March 2014 or the Annual Town Meeting in May 2014.
At this point KS had to leave briefly to tend to a job related project.
Update on the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee-MA said there will be an OSRPC meeting on Tuesday. She met with the Conservation Commission on August 15th to the goals and objectives listed in the OSRP. She said the Commission had been concerned about the recommendation to have an advisory committee on land management issues as it was thought this would mean the Commission would be replaced and no longer have the authority under MGL to do enforcement on Conservation Commission properties. MA said that to do so would not make sense, but she does feel that it would be beneficial to have an advisory committee made up of individuals, including representatives from the Conservation Commission, Kennedy Park Committee and Community Center Board, who would meet on a regular basis.
She added the Conservation Commission brought up that the goals for the OSRP would require budgets, funding and specific rules in place for enforceability.
MA said that she met with a representative of Ad Lib, Inc. out of Pittsfield who works with people who are disabled. This individual offered ways to look at recreational properties and how to improve them to make them handicapped accessible. MA will be putting together a report for the state and the policy will have to be endorsed. Mary Ellen Deming will be the ADA Coordinator.
Discuss Solar Bylaw Model & Medical Marijuana Moratorium Model-KMVsuggested the Board review their copies of the boilerplate solar bylaw and medical marijuana moratorium model forthe next meeting. MA advised that Broadway Electric has filed petitions and both will be heard in September by the Zoning Board of Appeals. With regards to the medical marijuana moratorium, discussion ensued on the purpose of a moratorium. MA explained that a community cannot just impose a moratorium. It is a de facto zoning amendment which has to be approved at Town Meeting, and the purpose is to allow time for zoning and planning boards to study zoning changes to comply with state law. It has been recommended that communities delay creation of bylaws until the state and federal agencies
resolve issues. As it stands, the distribution of marijuana is a federal crime.
Discuss 7&20 Corridor Overlay Bylaw-There have been no new developments and it was noted to not keep this as an agenda item.
Discuss Economic Development-*Fiscal Impact Analysis and SWOT Analysis:
MA talked to the Board of Selectmen at their last meeting about fiscal impact and SWOT analyses. CG said that the BOS would like for MA to organize and come up with a plan for meeting and then approach the new Town Manager before proceeding. CG thinks that it is a good idea to think of this as a town wide process, and not as a special committee process. He feels there should be a constituent group which would include landlords, Realtors™, business owners, and the town at large to have discussions about where we are and what it is that we wish to accomplish. In conclusion, it was agreed that it is crucial to have a clear goal to present to the population, i.e., “this is what economic development can do, and this is what it will be without economic development”.
At this point KS returned to the meeting.
MA presented an article entitled: “How to Make Charettes More Meaningful in a Hi-tech World.”, and encouraged the Board to look into overlay districts as a possible means to improve the tax basis.
KS shared an idea of creating special Twitter and Facebook accounts which would enable residents to participate if they could not attend a meeting.
Reviewed Correspondence from Abutting Communities & BRPC
Review and Approve Minutes-August 13, 2013: MS made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. SS seconded the motion and the Board voted to agree 3-0-1. KS abstained.
SS made a motion to adjourn the meeting. MS seconded the motion and the Board agreed to adjourn at adjourn at 7:32 pm by a vote of 4-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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