Monterey Planning Board
January 11, 2007
Minutes of the Meeting
Members present: Maggie Leonard, Janet Cathcart, Laurily Epstein, Brian Puntin, Stephen Rose, Cindy Hoogs (7:15). The Planning Board secretary, Jason Dunlop, was away on business.
Jess Worman from Kelly, Granger, Parsons and Associates presented a plan for Michael Vatis and Mary Claire Hogan and the Estate of John Grubbs for property on Cronk Road. The property is located on the southerly side of Cronk Road and on the westerly side of Sandisfield Road. The Form A plan creates one lot consisting of 12.064 acres with one single family dwelling, two garages, and one shed. Road frontage on the newly created lot exceeds zoning minimums. The remaining land of the Estate of John Grubbs also exceeds zoning minimums as to lot size and frontage; the acreage and the road frontage are not specified on the plan. The board unanimously approved the plan and a check was received for $40.00.
The minutes from 12/14/06 were approved as amended.
Laurily Epstein reported that a symposium will be held on January 25, 2007, by the Highland Communities Initiative (HCI) at the Meetinghouse in Monterey. It was noted that the symposium coincides with the next Planning Board meeting.
The board reviewed an application for a Special Permit submitted by Scott Jensen of Bottomline Builders for Jeff Kirson of 8 Seven Arts Road. The applicant was denied a Building Permit and must seek a Special Permit because there is more than one single family dwelling on the lot as per Monterey Zoning Bylaws Section IV.E.2.a.3 . Seven Arts Road is a private road that is accessed from the southerly side of Route 57 and the property abuts the Camp Half Moon property. Kirson seeks a Special Permit to expand an existing single family dwelling that is on 9.34 acres along with at least five other dwellings according to a surveyors map submitted. The Kirson house is designated on the survey as Building Unit 2 with 0.500 acres of curtelage surrounding the house. Kirson proposes to construct an addition to the existing single family dwelling. The
existing house meets all setback requirements in the Monterey Zoning Bylaws; (the lot pre-dates zoning) and the proposed addition will also meet the setback requirements. There is no plan to increase the height of the building. The non-conforming nature of the building is that it is on a lot with more than one dwelling, and, there being no increase in the non-conforming nature of the property, the board unanimously agreed that, with regard to the Monterey Zoning Bylaws, Kirson is entitled to a Special Permit. The ZBA hearing will be held on January 31, 2007 at 4 p.m.
There was a discussion regarding common driveways. To begin the discussion Maggie Leonard asked, “Why regulate common driveways?” Responses were: safety; proper drainage or roadways serving more than one person; to protect land values; to require the creation of neighborhood associations for maintenance of common driveways; to protect land owners and the Town. It was agreed that it is in the best interests of the Town to have the driveways that access town roads safe and well maintained.
Other aspects of the discussion about regulating common driveways were questions about regulating the length, and who should be the permitting authority. The Board reviewed the West Stockbridge common driveway bylaw and noted that the Planning Board is the permitting authority in that town. After some discussion the Board agreed that that was potentially the best plan for Monterey as well. The ZBA meets sporadically and citizens have access to the Planning Board via the twice-monthly meetings. It was also clarified that the Highway Department issues the permit for the curb cuts on town roads. Brian Puntin volunteered to write the initial draft of a common driveway bylaw for the next meeting. The Board agreed to aim for having the bylaw ready for a public hearing on March 8, 2007.
The Planning Board requested that the chair have the February 22nd Planning Board meeting changed to February 15, 2007.
Maggie Leonard informed the board that she scheduled a meeting with Melissa Jette of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) for Friday January 19, 2007 at 2 p.m. Cindy Hoogs said that she would attend and Janet Cathcart said that she would try to be there.
It was agreed by the board to begin a series of public meetings, A Community Conversation, that would help get citizen input for the master plan. Maggie suggested that the topic for the initial meeting be the Monterey Kindergarten which is in danger of becoming extinct. The board agreed to schedule the first Community Conversation for February 13, 2007 at 7 p.m.
Janet Cathcart presented three letters to the board: one to Jerome Scully, Town Counsel; one to the Board of Assessors; and one to the Building Inspector. See letters attached here for details. The Board voted unanimously to have Janet send the letters to Town counsel and the Board of Assessors. Maggie agreed to deliver the letter to the Building Inspector.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:06 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Maggie Leonard / Chair
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