NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF WORKSESSION TO DISCUSS
PLAN NH DESIGN CHARRETTE
JULY 7, 2009
1. Call to Order:
Chairperson Miles called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. In attendance were: Chairperson Ann Miles; Vice Chairman Jim Doggett; Planning Board members Barbara White and Frank Gibbs; and Alternates Rick Milner, Chuck Whitman and Mary Allen. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant, Lisa Babcock.
Also in attendance: Circuit Rider Planner David West.
Miles appointed Milner to stand in for Pettit.
2. Maplevale Builders / Katherine Drive – request for bond reduction: David Storey was in attendance. A bond reduction request dated July 6, 2009 was presented. Mr. Storey said the gravel base is down on the road.
Doggett moved to reduce the bond in the amount $62,774 leaving an amount of $81,990. Second by White. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Storey asked if the board was satisfied with the progress made on the road and if so, could he begin applying for permits again. He said the binder would be down once the rain stops and the area dries up. He expected that to happen within a week or two.
Miles asked if any board members were opposed to allowing building permits. No one opposed the issuance of permits. A memo will be sent to the building inspector.
3. Plan NH: The following were in attendance to discuss the Plan NH design charrette: Robin LeBlanc and Roger Hawk of Plan NH, Selectman Buzz Blinn of Plaistow, Coleman McDonough, Ray and Jane Labelle, Branden Cote, Sandy Estabrook, Selectman Trisha McCarthy and Town Administrator Nancy Wrigley.
Ms. LeBlanc described the Plan NH organization. She said the group is made up of 175 – 200 professionals that focus on the built environment and promote smart growth. Plan NH's programs include: scholarships, workshops and design charrettes or brainstorming sessions.
Mr. Hawk explained the charrette process. He said it typically begins mid-day on a Friday with a discussion and a tour of the sites in question. The there are 2 listening sessions where the community discusses its strong points and challenges. This is followed by a discussion about the future vision of the community.
On Saturday, work continues on the issues and a final presentation is made with recommendations.
Mr. Hawk asked what the town wants to accomplish with the charrette. Allen said she would like to know what the pros and cons of the town are and how the town can be enhanced while still retaining the rural character.
Doggett said the board is interested in have experts look at the historical villages and analyze what areas are viable for certain types of uses.
Mr. Cote said he hoped that the plans developed could address some of the issues that will be discussed at the charrette.
Mr. Blinn said that Plaistow had experienced significant growth and addressed the issues that arose with a re-zoning plan. He advised that the town look at what may happen 10 or 15 years from now and plan for that. He said that Plaistow has been able to get a handle on growth and planning and said Plaistow's planning board is willing to help Newton with this process.
Mr. Hawk said that the town must work toward getting people to buy-in to the process. People must be kept informed and be willing to participate. He said that strong community involvement is key to a successful charrette.
Mr. Hawk said he would need copies of the master plan and zoning as well as tax maps and other maps.
Planning Board member Kim Vaillant arrived at 8:15 pm.
Selectman McCarthy said she would like to see the various conservation lands connected with trails to encourage more walking and less driving.
Milner said we should have all departments begin working now on what they view as pros and cons of the town.
Doggett said he hoped that an outcome would be some direction to guide re-zoning to accommodate mixed uses.
Whitman said he wanted to see commerce brought in to ease the tax base.
Mr. Hawk said the board needs to select a few dates and choose a location that can accommodate a large crowd. He suggested sending a post card to everyone in town. He also said there would be a formal presentation 6-8 weeks after the charrette. He suggested involving children as well.
He said people need to be prepared to discuss what they like about Newton, what they don't like and what they want Newton to look like in 10-20 years.
4. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Babcock
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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