NEWTON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING
JUNE 12, 2012
1. Call to Order: Chairman Barbara White called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. In attendance were: Chairman Barbara White; Vice Chairman Jim Doggett; Planning Board member Ann Miles; Alternates Mary Allen and Jim Holland; BOS ex-officio Charles Melvin; and Circuit Rider Planner Brian Groth. Minutes were transcribed by Administrative Assistant Rick Milner.
White appointed Holland to stand in for Blanchette.
White appointed Allen to stand in for Miller.
2. Town of Newton, NH review of Katherine Drive for acceptance as a town road.
Allen moved to send a written recommendation to the Board of Selectmen to accept Katherine Drive as a Town road. Second by Miles. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Other Board business.
a. Review of available grant funds and proposed uses.
Groth presented information regarding a community planning grant offered by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. The requirements of the grant stated that the grant must be used for regulatory review. The funds would be used to:
- look for areas of improvement and resolve conflicts within the zoning ordinances and the subdivision and site plan regulations
- enhance community livability principles within the zoning ordinances.
The planning grant would provide $7500.00 toward regulatory review services. The Planning Board would provide a $625.00 monetary soft match and an $1875.00 in-kind services soft match.
Allen asked if the grant funds could be used to review the Town of Newton Master Plan.
Groth responded that the grant funds could not be use for review of the master plan. The funds could only be used for regulatory changes.
Gibbs arrived at 7:10 pm.
Miles asked how much time has been spent on regulatory review in the past.
Milner and Groth responded that approximately 20 percent of their hours have been spent on regulatory review.
Miles stated that there is a critical need to address a comprehensive zoning plan for Newton. Newton currently has spot zoning. A zoning plan that integrates various aspects of zoning, such as buffer areas, as done in other area towns should be researched.
Groth responded that, due to the rural nature of the region, most communities in the region have zoning similar to Newton's zoning. However, he agrees that revisions to zoning are needed.
Allen moved for the Planning Board to proceed with the 2012 New Hampshire Community Planning Grant Program Round 1 application to aid Newton's regulatory review process. Second by Doggett. Motion carried unanimously.
Doggett moved for the Planning Board to provide a letter of commitment and authorize the Chairman to sign any required documents for the 2012 New Hampshire Community Planning Grant Program on behalf of the Planning Board. Second by Melvin. Motion carried unanimously.
Allen moved to send a memo to the Board of Selectmen asking for a letter of support for the grant application. Second by Miles. Motion carried unanimously.
Groth released at 7:20 pm.
b. Review of Planning Board office systems upgrades.
Milner presented quote for a new computer system for the Planning Board office obtained by the Town computer technician. The quote included a new computer, operating system, office applications, and monitor at a cost of $997.00. A letter from the Town computer technician detailing how upgrading the present computer with new software is not recommended was also presented.
Milner also reviewed the status of the Planning Board copier machine purchased in 2007 and the color printer. The copier machine has had several service calls in the past two months. The color printer used for official letterhead also has failed to work properly in recent months. Milner is exploring various options to satisfy the Planning Board office's printing needs. He will present these options to the Board at a later date.
Doggett moved to authorize the expenditure of $1000.00 for the purchase of the computer system detailed in the quote presented to the Planning Board. Second by Miles. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Acceptance of minutes.
Doggett moved to accept the minutes of the May 22 meeting. Second by Allen. Motion carried unanimously.
d. Manifests.
White presented an operating budget manifest to the Board. The invoices reflected payment of legal advertisement, office supplies, and second installment of the circuit rider planner services contract.
Doggett moved to pay the operating budget manifest in the amount of $5,242.61. Second by Gibbs. Motion carried unanimously.
e. Correspondence.
Milner notified the Board that the Planning Board office received the New Hampshire Livable Walkable Communities Toolkit from the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission.
4. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Milner
Administrative Assistant
Newton Planning Board
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