TOWN OF SUNAPEE
PLANNING BOARD
MASTER PLAN MEETING
February 16, 2006
Roll Call
PRESENT:
Peggy Chalmers, Chairman
Emma Smith, Ex-Offico
John Wheeler, Alternate
Derek Tatlok
Bruce Jennings
Staff: Michael Marquise, Planner
ABSENT:
Barbara Hollander, Vice Chairman
Allan Davis
Philip Porter, Alternate
Robert Rieseberg
Frederick Gallup, Ex-Offico Alternate
Roger Landry, Zoning Administrator
Darlene Morse, Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT: Tara Bamford, a representative from the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Council, Catherine Bushueff and Harry Gazelle.
The meeting was called to order by Peggy Chalmers at 7:00 PM.
Michael Marquise introduced Tara Bamford, stating that it was discussed at their last meeting that he tries to retain someone from the Council to assist and offer input for the Master Plan. Tara began by stating that the Council is a good data source. She stated that because Sunapee was a member community, the Planning Board would write the Master Plan and Upper Valley would review the draft. A survey will be done and Upper Valley will help with the draft of that. The only thing that they would require is a separate contract for and charge for would be if the Planning Board asked Upper Valley to write the plan for them. M. Marquise asked about mapping and Tara Bamford stated that there would be a charge for that. M. Marquise asked if T. Bamford knew what the cost for mapping might be. T. Bamford stated it would be charged at the rate of $50.00 per hour. She encouraged that Upper Valley help the Planning Board in the beginning to get the project started to make sure that the
Board looks at maps that can be tucked into the plan as it goes along. She stated that she could have a GSI person spend a day to put something readily available together so the Board would have maps depicting sloping, wetlands, etc. She stated that they could be very valuable working tools. Discussion was held on zoning districts and the fact that they have changed since the last Master Plan was done.
Master Plan Revision
February 16, 2006
Tara Bamford stated that Upper Valley will be doing a redrawing of a map for another project, a build out analysis plan for Lake Sunapee Watershed, and part of this could possibly be used for Sunapee’s Master Plan. M. Marquise asked when it would be ready. T. Bamford stated it might be done by the end of the summer.
P. Chalmers discussed the issues facing the Board with the revision of the Master Plan, one being people want to preserve the rural nature of the area and at the same time want to bring in business. She asked how, with growth, can they encourage allowing for a broader diversity of people and types of housing that can be built? T. Bamford stated that was something Upper Valley could assist with through the process with information from other communities. Bruce Jennings stated that as a Board, they have seen some small parcels of land being built on. The Board hopes to have a method to look at each district and try to determine how much growth it will have and to what extent. The Board presently has no leverage to have those things. T. Bamford stated that is one of the things
that will be addressed by the Master Plan and she will provide guidelines for the Board to use. P. Chalmers stated that what the Board will be looking at is growth and how to regulate it for multi-income levels. T. Bamford stated she discourages towns from allowing cluster developments because they require a lot of land and allow for the use of common open space which raises problems for the owners and the Town. B. Jennings asked about preserving certain properties that the Town is concerned will be developed and can a developer buy abutting property to provide more density and then transfer the property to the Town? T. Bamford stated that it can and is called Transfer Development Rights.
John Wheeler asked T. Bamford if she could come up with a procedure for the Planning Board to follow in revising the Master Plan. She suggested that the Board begin looking at a little of the growth data. She discourages communities from getting caught up in data gathering though. She stated that she felt the Board had a good sense of what the community wants and needs and should start by making up a list of these. She also recommended that the Board look at the questionnaire survey from the last revision of the Master Plan because it may be useful. Also, T. Bamford recommended that the Board meet with other town boards and department heads for their input. P. Chalmers stated that the Board did want to get as many of the town’s people involved as possible. T.
Bamford agreed stating that the Board should have a series of public meetings and possibly a day long meeting to address certain issues and get the word out to the public that these meetings are being held. Once these issues and concerns are brought before the Board, then more information can be gathered to address them. Bruce Jennings asked if T. Bamford could give a time amount of how long it is to revise a Master Plan. She responded that she has seen from 3 years to 10 years. She said it depends on the volunteer efforts. P. Chalmers again stated that she wants to see a lot of public involvement because she feels it is the “resident’s” plan.
Master Plan Revision
February 16, 2006
P. Chalmers asked if T. Bamford could recommend any other Town she has dealt with that she feels was very good at approaching a plan and ideas. T. Bamford stated there
were many, but Stowe, VT was the one that stood out in her mind. T. Bamford brought a
couple plans that Upper Valley has done to show the Board. P. Chalmers stated that she felt the Planning Board should come up with a “vision” first and then look at the ideas that make up that “vision”. T. Bamford stated that she feels the “vision” should be broad and the specific policies and issues be more precise.
Emma Smith stated she would like to review the existing Master Plan page by page to see what it contains and to see if what is in it has come to pass. If not, she would like to know why not, and go from there. T. Bamford agreed adding that once the new plan is revised, that it be reviewed each year. B. Jennings stated that development in the Master Plan should reflect the identity of the Town , such as is the Town just primary homes with people who work in Town and whose children go to the schools, or is the Town a recreational Town and if so, is it 2 seasons, 3 seasons, etc.? He feels this is the real split in Sunapee. P. Chalmers stated that the tourism trade was in included in the last Master Plan as employment opportunities for a portion of the Town because
this was something that was wanted to be encouraged. She also added that she has noticed that a lot of homes that were expected to be seasonal homes are now year round homes. T. Bamford stated that a decrease has been seen in seasonal homes because of the housing shortage. Discussion was held on the housing needs assessment for the vicinity. T. Bamford explained that when the Upper Valley did a study, housing was approximately 3100 units short.
Catherine Bushueff asked for an explanation of why the Master Plan was being addressed as a process vs. topically. T. Bamford explained that she feels chapters are not needed on each topic and recommends that issues be looked at broadly. She feels growth is the first item to address and work with the public to get their ideas of visions and issues. Once this is completed, then those visions and issues should be addressed specifically. T. Bamford feels this produces a better plan and takes a shorter time to complete.
Bruce Jennings stated that he has seen the Master Plan for the Town of Jackson, NH and feels it is very creative. T. Bamford will get a copy of this plan for the Board.
Catherine Bushueff asked if a basic plan is developed, will the statistics, mapping, surveys, etc. be included in the new Master Plan. Will the Town be doing a build-out analysis? T. Bamford feels a build-out is more expensive than the Town would benefit from. The only time T. Bamford encourages a build-out analysis is if the Town is going through specific zoning changes. T. Bamford stated that this can be a daunting task. Emma Smith raised discussion on the Lake Sunapee Watershed build out analysis and the importance of this study for all of the towns involved and believes that in the Master Plan this has to be looked at to see what has been affected knowing that Chalk Pond in
Master Plan Revision
February 16, 2006
Newbury has been affected. T. Bamford stated that this is what Upper Valley does as professional planners. P. Chalmers stated that she did not feel revising the Master Plan was an over whelming task and added that she is concerned about what does the Town do after they have the revisions at the end of the planning process. B. Jennings agreed adding that the process takes time and changes still happen and is concerned how can the Board accommodate growth and encourage it in a way that can pull the Town together. M. Marquise stated that he agreed with P. Chalmers. The process of revision of the Master Plan is 70% data gathering but it creates 90% of impact of the Town getting where you feel it should go. T. Bamford asked if the Board would like help along the way, such
as with surveys and reviewing drafts. The response was yes, the Board would. T. Bamford suggested that the Board meet with Upper Valley a few times for this. John Wheeler suggested that Upper Valley provide methods and procedures. P. Chalmers raised the subject of breaking up into different committees to study various areas of the Master Plan. M. Marquise suggested that the Board sit down as a group and work out a procedure such as taking some of the basic data such as how many subdivisions, and creating a sample community profile. T. Bamford stated that she has not seen where it worked so well in other communities to divide up into small committees. She feels the Planning Board should work together with members of the community. P. Chalmers asked if Upper Valley had an outline of key questions the Board could start out with. T. Bamford suggested that the Board sit down with the existing Master Plan first and then develop the
community profile. She stated that then the Board should organize a meeting with other boards and department heads to receive input. B. Jennings brought up the amount of building that has been going on in Sunapee. It is no longer individual houses but duplexes that are being built. Discussion was held on how to regulate commercial development to make it fit into the community.
Catherine Bushueff stated that the last Master Plan had a lot of recommendations that were suggested to be implemented and some of those were, but not all. She feels that some of those recommendations should be readdressed to be implemented in the revised Master Plan. She hoped that the Board would go forward in addressing the recommendations cited in the Master Plan. P. Chalmers stated that the Board would review the current Master Plan and determine why the recommendation did or did not get accomplished. M. Marquise explained that after the last Master Plan was written, the Board made a list of all of the recommendations and prioritized them and that is how things were done. This list is not in the actual plan.
M. Marquise suggested that at the next meeting the Board rough out an agenda for action.
The following is the possible agenda of the Board:
- First review the existing Master Plan
- Meet with boards, committees and department heads
- Review subdivisions for growth, etc.
- Commercial development – what would be good for the Town
- Develop community profile – visions
Master Plan Revision
February 16, 2006
T. Bamford will get information for the Board on Master Plans that have been developed in the past 12 or 13 years for their review. She offered to attend any meetings the Board might want. P. Chalmers requested that T. Bamford provide any information on growth projections she might have.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM.
NOTE: The above minutes represents a summary, not a verbatim transcript of the tape.
Submitted by, Darlene Morse Approved_______________
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Peggy, Chalmers, Chairman Barbara Hollander, Vice Chair
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Bruce Jennings Derek Tatlock
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Robert Rieseberg Allan Davis
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John Wheeler, Alternate Emma Smith, Ex-Offico
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Frederick Gallup, Ex-Offico Philip Porter, Alternate
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