Town of Otisfield
Planning Board Meeting Minutes
July 15, 2014
1. Call to Order: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Vice Chair David McVety.
2. Attendance: Members present were Vice Chair - David McVety, Secretary -Karen Turino, Herb Olsen, Beth Damon, Alternate - Stan Brett &Alternate - Rick Jackson.
3. Announcement of Quorum: Board had a quorum. *Motion to move Rick Jackson up as a voting member.
4. Approve Secretary’s Report:
A. Regular Meeting Minutes June 17, 2014 *Motion to accept minutes. RJ/SB – Unanimous.
5. Discussion & Comments from public:
A. None.
6. Residence - Based Business Applications:
A. None.
7. Shoreland Zoning Applications:
A. None.
8. Site Plan Applications:
A. None.
9. Subdivision Application:
A. None.
10. Upcoming Dates:
A. Regular Planning Board Meeting August 19, 2014 at 7:00 PM.
11. Discussion & comments from Code Enforcement Officer: *CEO on vacation. Not in attendance.
A. None.
12. Discussion & comments from Board:
A. Election of Officer’s, Discussion: No one volunteered to be chair, and others declined. Some felt their schedules were too busy for the commitment and others felt they did not have the experience. Karen offered to step up if no one else wanted the position.
Chair – *Motion to nominate Karen Turino. BD/HO – Unanimous.
Vice Chair - *Motion to nominate Beth Damon. KT/HO – Unanimous.
Recording Secretary - *Motion to nominate Rick Jackson. KT/SB – Unanimous.
B. Next meeting: Rick Jackson will not be in attendance.
C. Rules under reconstruction: Discussion: RJ: I don’t believe there is any control with this, no penalty system in place. If a house on the pond had a walk in basement and it was designed for max sq. footage upstairs and the project was complete, everyone walks away. Next day if remodeled and no permits are obtained who is going to find out? What will be done about it? SB: How often do tax assessors come and check property? Hal Ferguson: I believe that if there is a reassessment, or as project goes on, once they get a certificate of occupancy they are done. HF: Home owner can deny access, but if CEO felt strongly about it, he can get something from the court giving permission to access property. KT: CEO position, does not go and look at something unless a violation is reported to him: During construction
we have CEO there to give occupancy permit. If a neighbor or someone reported a violation then it may be pulled. SB: Planning Board could approve a Shoreland Zoning application with a condition that a walk in basement have walls no higher than five (5) or six (6) feet in height. A change in policy would not need to go before Town Mtg, but an ordinance would. HO: It can be approved w/ conditions. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting to discuss with CEO.
D. Cell Tower Application Template: RJ: #5, if applicant is a corporation, check if licensed in Maine and attach. What if out of state? Do we do something different for out of Staters? Wording needs to be modified. We want State Registration regardless. #7, list below abutting property owners. We are required to notify. This needs to be clarified whether it’s our responsibility or theirs. Definition of abutters is within 1,000 feet whether contiguous to the property site. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting to discuss with CEO.
E. RJ: How do you go about requesting a new Ordinance: HF let BOS know at a BOS mtg. what you are looking for and if it’s worthwhile they will turn it over to the Ordinance Committee for review.
13. Adjournment: With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM. DM/HO – Unanimous.
Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Recording Secretary
Approved by: Karen Turino, Chair
Otisfield Planning Board
Approved on: August 19, 2014
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