Wellfleet Planning Board
Minutes of Meeting and Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Senior Center Duck Pond Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: R. Dennis O’Connell, Chairman; Barbara Gray, Ronald Harper, Griswold Draz, David Rowell, Gerald Parent, Alfred Pickard; Rex Peterson, Assistant Town Administrator
Chairman Dennis O’Connell opened the hearing at 7:05 p.m.
7:00 p.m. Hearing
After discussing the 5 Articles that are being presented in the Special Town Meeting Warrant, O’Connell gave a Power Point presentation of Planning Board’s proposed Articles 6, 7 and 8. Article 6 deals with Building Coverage within the Seashore District and in Residential 1 and Residential 2 Districts in the rest of the town. He explained thresholds that would trigger a Site Plan Review (SPR) and the Standards & Criteria in the Site Plan Review Article 7. O’Connell reviewed procedures for SPR. Article 8 proposes the Planning Board as the Granting Authority for the Site Plan Review – Special Permit.
O’Connell opened the hearing up for public comment. Bob Weinstein came to the podium and discussed Site Coverage provisions in 6.24.3 Applicability and properties in the Seashore District.
Aylette Jennes came forward and asked about public reaction to the complexity of the Articles at Town Meeting. Barbara Gray announced the Pre-Town Meeting by the Wellfleet Forum on Monday, October 20, scheduled for the advance review of the Warrant Articles.
Steven Pechonis had questions on coverage as applied to basements. O’Connell explained the difference between lot coverage (footprint) and site coverage (livable area).
Tom Rinehart had with issues on the Building Coverage Chart and preserving the character of the Town. Helen Miranda Wilson offered a suggestion to present examples of familiar buildings as a point of reference at Special Town Meeting, had comments on abutter involvement in SPR, and suggested that clear ZBL definitions be presented at Annual Town Meeting.
Martha Hevenor of the Cape Cod Commission commented favorably on much of the Planning Board SPR-SP Articles. She questioned Affordable Housing in the Seashore District and suggested incorporating the 50% guide as additional criteria for the Seashore District. She was concerned about bonus incentives for Affordable Housing in the Seashore. Parent discussed use of the 50% rule. She said 50% was a performance criterion rather than a land criterion. Gray asked Hevenor about other Cape Planning Boards that use Site Plan Review. Hevenor said she would research that and get back to Gray with the information. Hevenor offered to prepare graphics that could be of help at Town Meeting. She’d need to know as soon as possible in order to do so, she said.
Gail Ferguson had questions on Maximum Building Coverage numbers and changes to the numbers at Town Meeting. Ferguson discussed building to the maximum and the tear-down phenomenon.
Peter Watts discussed provisions for Affordable Accessory Dwellings inside the Seashore District. He also discussed tear-downs in ZBL 6.5.1, something not in the scope of the proposals.
Ben Zehnder discussed Planning Board as the Special Permit Granting Authority. Zehnder also suggested raising thresholds for the smaller and average sized lots. Zehnder expressed the hope that a bylaw be put in place this year.
Martha Carroll asked for clarification of the Site Coverage definition and about the treatment of garages in site coverage. Garages, O’Connell said were included in mass consideration. Draz elaborated on the visual impact of basement and other garages. Carroll also asked about Affordable Dwelling Use being discontinued. PB discussed the deed restriction that is attached to Affordable Housing Units.
Helen Wilson discussed Affordable Accessory Units in the Seashore. Wilson said that new dwellings cannot be created in the Seashore. Wilson said that an Affordable Accessory Dwelling that was no longer used for Affordable Housing would create a loophole in the Seashore District. PB disagreed with her interpretation.
The period for public comment ended, and Planning Board reviewed to Warrant Articles for corrections and clarifications that will have to be made as amendments on the floor at Special Town Meeting. A few typographical errors did not present significant changes, but 6.24.3 Applicability in Article 7, “Building Coverage” is supposed to read “Site Coverage.”
There was also a 6.24.3 Applicability discussion of increasing the 1,250 s.f. as aggregate site coverage. Ben Zehnder suggested making such a change as an amendment on Town Meeting floor. O’Connell said he’d like to have the number higher. The possible change must be addressed by the Town Meeting Moderator. Peterson will ask Town Counsel about the changes.
Article 8 - 6.24.10, Section 2b. was also reviewed for the “six (6) inch caliper trees” which had never been replaced with “twelve (12) inch caliper trees.” This also would have to be amended at Special Town Meeting.
Planning Board Recommendation of the Warrant Articles will take place at the next PB meeting to be held October 15, 2008.
O’Connell closed the public hearing at 9:58 p.m.
Minutes of 9/17/08
Gray moved to approve the amended minutes of September 17, 2008. Draz seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
Adjournment
Gray moved to adjourn. Parent seconded, and the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ ____________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary R. Dennis O’Connell, Chairman
________________________ Date
Planning Board approved these minutes at the meeting held 10/15/08.
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