Wellfleet Planning Board
Minutes of Meeting and Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Town Hall Hearing Room, 7:00 p.m.
Present: R. Dennis O’Connell, Chairman; Griswold Draz, Barbara E. Gray, Ronald Harper, Gerald Parent
Absent: Alfred Pickard, David Rowell
Also Attending: Ryan Christenberry, Cape Cod Commission
Chairman O’Connell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Wind Turbines Draft Bylaw
O’Connell said he had compared the State model bylaw with the Wellfleet proposed bylaws for wind turbines. Gooz Draz answered Planning Board questions and took revision notes on behalf of the Energy Committee. Some concepts under consideration were: having an Applicability section; zoning districts; a definition of “nuisance”; clarification of Special Permit terms; setback allowances; monopole supports; and time period for a Special Permit. Gerald Parent offered other refinements for the bylaw. There was further discussion on clear cutting regulations, kilowatts, siting standards, easements, visualization standards, signs, color of the tower, turbine and other facilities, and a time table for Town Meeting. There was consensus that the Energy Committee should rely more on the state model bylaws
and no vote was needed, but the Board will move forward scheduling a public hearing for April 8, 2009.
Sign Bylaws
Gray questioned if the sign bylaw revision should be submitted as General Bylaws instead of Zoning Bylaws, but the Board said ZBL was the correct choice.
Zoning Bylaw Revision for Size Control
The draft bylaw revisions for size in R1 and R2 were discussed. Draz quoted a paper on McMansions and neighborhoods. The Board considered approaches such as starting with the Massachusetts court cases. Planning Board does not expect to have a bylaw revision prepared for April Town Meeting. Gray suggested holding another luncheon meeting with the public after Town Meeting. Ron Harper suggested setting clear deadlines for preparing a bylaw for a future Town Meeting.
Several members of the audience expressed their thoughts on size control bylaws. Tom Rinehart said he sees the bylaw revision as near complete. Joanne Gorfinkle suggested breaking down the various aspects into parts and bringing it forward in portions to more than one Town Meeting. Gail Ferguson raised the issues of abutter notification and flexibility of design. Samuel Gorfinkle asked about the ruling from the Attorney General which approved the zoning changes for the Seashore District.
Draz suggested preparing different draft material before holding another session with the public. Parent speculated about changing the maximum use tables. Harper suggested beginning new work on the size bylaws in May.
Other Business
O’Connell updated the Board on preparation of Subdivision Rules & Regulations. Gray asked to have lot shape included in the document. She proposed that the frontage be measured up to the front of a building in order to prevent “pork chop” or “hammer head” lots from being created. This change could be added as an amendment at a public hearing, O’Connell said. Other members of the Board said that it was a zoning bylaw matter. Gray further suggested holding the public hearing for the Rules & Regulations on the same date as the Wind Turbine hearing.
Minutes of 2/28/09
O’Connell moved to approve the amended minutes of February 28, 2009. Harper seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.
Adjournment
Gray moved to adjourn, Harper seconded and the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________ ____________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary R. Dennis O’Connell, Chairman
________________________ Date
Planning Board approved these minutes at the meeting held 3/18/09.
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