Lyme Planning Board Minutes
September 28, 2006
Board Members & Staff: Present: Freda Swan, Chair; Jack Elliott, Vice-Chair; Dick Jones, Selectboard Representative; John Billings, Member; Dan Brand, Interim Member; Simon Carr, Alternate; Stephanie Clark, Alternate; Don Dwight, Alternate; and Victoria Davis, Planning & Zoning Administrator Absent: Ben Kilham, Alternate
Public: Don Cooke, GIS Mapping Specialist; Lee Larson, Conservation Commission Chair; and Tara Bamford, Executive Direction Upper Valley-Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission
Item 1: Approval of Minutes: Minor changes were made to the minutes of September 14, 2006. Dick Jones made a motion to approve the minutes of August 24, 2006 and approve the minutes of September 14, 2006 as amended. Dan Brand seconded the motion, and unanimous agreement followed.
Item 2: Master Plan Development Discussion: Don Cooke presented maps illustrating a program he has set up for the Town on GIS (Geographic Information Systems) ArcExplorer of all the lots in town including the conservation districts. This program also provides the “lot size” of each lot and might be used in developing a “build-out” analysis. Lee Larson presented a map of the lots in town with conservation easements. He pointed out that the Natural Resources Inventory will generate several maps which might be used in the master plan, and he presented a list of maps which are available for free on NH GRANIT (Geographically Referenced Analysis and Information System). He also showed the town trail brochures which were are also mapped on GIS. He
recommended that the Board consider purchasing a GIS program for the town with any planning funds which might not be expended this year. Victoria Davis will be attending GIS training in October.
Tara Bamford presented maps of the Lebanon NH-VT Micropolitan (formerly known as a labor market area). This consists of 13 towns in New Hampshire and Vermont, including Lyme, which the Planning Board will use in its master plan for comparative and trend evaluation purposes. She distributed a NH OEP technical report for master planning. Her main concern was that the Board focus on the process of developing a master plan rather than the document itself. She stated the key to a successful master plan is gathering information from the community to represent the community and garner their support for the plan. The results of the input should drive how the master plan document looks.
She said the community attitude survey is a good start, and the Board might also go through the current master plan (1985) to see which goals were actually achieved. Some towns have one master plan meeting with the public, but she suggested topic-based public meetings, e.g. developed v. conserved areas, zoning, roads…. A zoning map should not be emphasized at these meetings it tends to direct people’s thinking to existing plans. These could be two hours in the morning, a potluck lunch, and then two hours in the afternoon. She suggested that an experienced facilitator and planner should be involved in the process so the Planning Board members can participate along with the public. Peter Dzewaltowski of the RPC would be available to assist, and the cost would be about $10,000 per
meeting if the Town provided no assistance. The meetings should be broadly noticed, but individual stakeholders should be called to encourage their attendance. Background information should be gathered prior to the meetings.
She stated the current master plan probably provides too much background information. She added the master plan should only contain data which backs up what is in the plan. She provided copies of master plans and excerpts of master plans from other towns as examples. When questioned, she said the CIP (Capital Improvement Program) should be done after the master plan as items may come up in the master plan process which should be budgeted in the CIP.
Item 3: Planning Budget 2006 & 2007: The Board determined since the aquifer study cannot occur until 2007 due to State funding, the monies could be used for focal meetings with assistance from the RPC. Victoria Davis will look into contracting for this service to tie up budgeted funds from 2006. It was also determined that the town could use these funds to purchase a GIS program. The 2007 budget will be put on the agenda for a future meeting.
Item 4: Zoning Amendments: Victoria Davis pointed out it is time to start reviewing zoning ordinance amendments. She felt the two major amendments needed were 1.) the definition of “lot” to correct the mandatory merging requirement and 2.) the telecommunications ordinance which currently does not allow these structures in any conservation district. She presented a map of the conservation districts and a map of the Ridgeline and Hillside Conservation District to illustrate the latter. She pointed out she has learned the Treadwells have a tower of sorts on their property and the Blodgetts also have a structure in a tree. It is not clear how to interpret the ordinance in these cases, and she will work with town counsel for review of the ordinance and to determine how to
proceed.
Victoria Davis read a letter from Peter Dayton which stated his property should not have been merged as it was deeded as separate parcels. She said Wayne Tullar will be visiting the Board at their next meeting with a similar issue. Stephanie Clark stated she will look into case law related to mandatory lot merging and discuss it at a later meeting.
Item 6: Other Business: Simon Carr gave an update on the community attitude survey stating he felt we could complete most of the data input within the next couple of weeks. He will then compile the information. The Board discussed requiring a zoning easement with general restrictive terms instead of tying it to a survey in the case of some lot size averaging cases. Freda Swan asked that this be a zoning amendment. Dan Brand discussed a draft letter to NH DOT requesting a meeting to discuss Route 10 at Crossroads Academy. The Board determined Ruth Bleyler, State Representative and Ray Burton, Executive Councilor should be invited to view the section of Route 10. Dick Jones made a motion to approve the letter. Jack Elliott seconded the motion and unanimous
agreement followed.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.
Submitted by,
Victoria Davis
Planning & Zoning Administrator
Tentative Meeting Agenda for October 11, 2006 at the FIRE STATION:
7:30 Informal Meeting with Wayne Tullar to discuss need for subdivision (M404 L32 & 10)
8:00 Discussion with Communication Committee on Telecommunications Ordinance
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