GENERAL MINUTES

Members Present: J. Heyer, B. Murphy, C. Rainville, J. Beers,

Public Present: S. Taylor, ZA

 

7:00 PM            J. Heyer called the meeting to order. The minutes from January 21, 2009 were reviewed. B. Murphy made a motion to accept the general minutes from January 21, 2009.  C. Rainville second. All in favor. The minutes from the Bryce Hearing were reviewed. B. Murphy made a motion to accept the minutes from the Bryce Hearing. 

C. Rainville second. All in favor.  Two projects were scheduled for March 4, 2009:  Rainville Sketch Plan/Boundary Adjustment and Paige Estates -19 Unit PUD re-submission. There was general discussion about Steeple Market.  1108 Main Street, LLC will be added to the schedule for March 18, 2009 at 7:15 PM. There was general discussion on future viability of farms in Fairfax.   

 

7:15 PM            LOVELL – FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

7:35 PM            NELSON - FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

7:55 PM            COLLINS FAMILY TRUST - FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

8:00 PM L. Hayes arrived.

 

8:15 PM            BRYCE – SKETCH PLAN REVIEW

 

9:00 PM  There was general discussion on exceptions to the Bylaws in reference to two or more homes requiring a road.

J. Beers mentioned that the amount of traffic generated should be considered.  The Board has to enforce the Bylaws as written even though they may not agree with the specific sections.

9:10 PM  C. Rainville made a motion to adjourn.  J. Beers second.  All in favor.

 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,    

Cathy Raymond, Planning and Zoning Assistant

 

 

 

 

Approved:  ________________________________  Date:  _________________2009

                    For the Development Review Board

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

All motions were unanimously approved unless otherwise indicated. 

 

 

 

JEFFREY AND SARAH LOVELL FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

DRB Roll Call: J. Heyer, B. Murphy, C. Rainville, J. Beers

Public Present: S. Taylor, Z.A.; J. Lovell; J. Nelson

 

7:15 PM                         J. Heyer called the meeting to order. The public notice was read and attendees signed in. Interested parties were sworn in. S. Taylor Zoning Administrator made the presentation.  The property is approximately 9 acres.  The Applicants wish to subdivide the property into two lots:  Lot 1 contains the existing house and will retain approximately 4.5 acres.  Lot 1A will be approximately 5.35 acres for a proposed 5 bedroom house.  The road going up is steep. The applicant must pave the hill section of the road. The land is relatively level where the new home will be built. There are easements on the land but each lot will have at least 2 acres of developable land.  The area has very sandy soil.  B. Murphy asked about erosion control measures.  S. Taylor stated he will place a condition on the Building Permit regarding erosion control. 

The amended Covenants are in the file. B. Murphy made a motion to approve the Lovell project on Maple Hill Road as recommended by Administrative Review.   J. Beers second.  All in favor.  J. Heyer signed the Findings of Fact and Order for the Board that was prepared by S. Taylor, Zoning Administrator. Jeffrey Lovell

was given the original to be recorded.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Cathy Raymond, Zoning and Planning Assistant

 

 

Approved:  ________________________________  Date:  _________________2009

                    For the Development Review Board

 

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

All motions were unanimously approved unless otherwise indicated. 

 

 

 

J.F. NELSON DEVELOPMENT, LLC - FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

DRB Roll Call: J. Heyer, B. Murphy, C. Rainville, J. Beers

Public Present: S. Taylor, Z.A.; J. Nelson

 

7:35 PM                         J. Heyer called the meeting to order. The public notice was read and attendees signed in. Interested parties were sworn in. S. Taylor Zoning Administrator made the presentation.  The property is approximately 34.4 acres.  The Applicant wishes to subdivide the property into two lots:  Lot 1 contains a storage trailer and will retain approximately 32 acres for a proposed 3 bedroom home. It also includes a 50 foot ROW to access a neighbor’s property. Lot 2 will be approximately 2.23 for a proposed 3 bedroom house.  The septic system for Lot 2 will be located on Lot 1.  The ROW and easements were discussed.  The correct names of adjoining property owners need to be on the final paper map and Mylar. Written approval for the driveway is needed from the Selectboard before a Building Permit will be issued. If the ROW is used to access a future home, the shared portion of the ROW will need to be upgraded to road standards. B. Murphy made a motion to approve the Nelson project on 168 Meade Road as recommended by Administrative Review. C. Rainville second.  All in favor. J. Heyer signed the Findings of Fact and Order for the Board that was prepared by S. Taylor, Zoning Administrator. James Nelson was given the original to be recorded.

    

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Cathy Raymond, Zoning and Planning Assistant

 

 

 

Approved:  ________________________________  Date:  _________________2009

                    For the Development Review Board

 

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

All motions were unanimously approved unless otherwise indicated. 

 

 

 

JOHN AND ELIZABETH COLLINS FAMILY TRUST - FINAL PLAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

 

DRB Roll Call: J. Heyer, B. Murphy, C. Rainville, J. Beers

Public Present: S. Taylor, Z.A.; C. Havreluk; John Collins

 

7:55 PM                         J. Heyer called the meeting to order. The public notice was read and attendees signed in. Interested parties were sworn in. S. Taylor Zoning Administrator made the presentation.  The property is approximately 280 acres.  The Applicant wishes to subdivide the property into two lots:  Lot 1 contains the existing farm, and will retain approximately 270 acres. Lot 2 will be approximately 10.5 acres for a proposed single family home with frontage on Woodward Road. The parcel is on the east side of Buck Hollow Road. There is a stream on the property with a 50 foot buffer. The driveway cut has been approved and the driveway will have a turn-around.  A well and a septic system will be added to the new lot. The new house will be built on the side of a gentle slope. The Application for the State Permit has been submitted.

 

S. Taylor brought up a claim by O. Ovitt regarding approximately 12 acres of the Collins property.  S. Taylor had a map submitted by Mr. Ovitt showing the disputed land.  Mr. Collins questioned why a line was put across his property.  The Board agreed that the dispute was between the two land owners, and since it was outside of the project area, it had no bearing on this project. 

 

B. Murphy made a motion to approve the Collins Family Trust project on 829 BuckHollow Road as recommended by Administrative Review. J. Beers second.  All in favor. J. Heyer signed the Findings of Fact and Order for the Board that was prepared by S. Taylor, Zoning Administrator. Charles Havreluk was given the original to be recorded and John Collins was given a copy.

    

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Cathy Raymond, Zoning and Planning Assistant

 

 

 

Approved:  ________________________________  Date:  _________________2009

                    For the Development Review Board

 

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

All motions were unanimously approved unless otherwise indicated. 

 

 

 

JAMES BRYCE/ELIZABETH MARTELL – SKETCH PLAN REVIEW

 

DRB Roll Call: J. Heyer, B. Murphy, C. Rainville, J. Beers

Alternates Present: L. Hayes

Public Present: S. Taylor, Z.A.; P. Stevens, Engineer; S. Ruggiano, Engineer

 

8:15 PM                         J. Heyer called the meeting to order. The public notice was read and attendees signed in. Interested parties were sworn in. S. Ruggiano, Engineer, made the presentation.  This project was not eligible for Administrative Review due to the proposed shared road access. The new home will probably be used as a rental unit. Mr. Ruggiano talked to the Board about the road width requirements stated in the Bylaws.  The proposed location of the road is between a utility pole and a dry hydrant, close to a pond.   There is only 27 feet between the pole and the hydrant.  A 28 foot road (24 feet wide with 2 foot shoulders) would not fit.  Mr. Ruggiano stated his opinion that a standard driveway (16 feet wide with 2 foot shoulders) would be no problem.  Mr. Ruggiano asked for a waiver and appealed to the Board’s “common sense” to allow a driveway rather than a road. He thought the width of the driveway (or road) should be dependent on the amount of traffic generated. He also did not think that making a second curb cut was a good idea.  There was discussion on the Board’s ability to grant a waiver to the Bylaws.  Specific sections of the Bylaws were reviewed.  There was discussion on alternatives for the location of the road (or driveway). Moving the pole or dry hydrant would result in substantial cost to the developer.  The dry hydrant was put in for the benefit of the Town, and it is very close to the pond.

 

There was also discussion on the shape of the retained land.  B. Murphy stated that the Town discourages irregular shaped lots. C. Rainville mentioned that an easement would serve the same purpose.  Mr. Ruggiano stated that the applicant wanted the narrow strip of land containing the road to be owned by the retained piece of land. If there ever was future development, the Applicant understood that the roadway would need to be built to Town Road Standards.  Mr. Ruggiano did testify that Mr. Bryce has no plans for future development.  One border of the new lot angles down, and the Board suggested that it be straightened out. 

 

Mr. Ruggiano again asked the Board to consider his request for a waiver of the road width.  J. Beers mentioned that there are alternatives to get to the house. B. Murphy mentioned that part of developing a piece of land is to have access.  Two driveways would work for access. Three alternatives were brought up: 1) Move the utility pole. 2) Build the shared driveway on the other side of the pole 3) Second curb cut.  There was no public input.

 

The project was declared to be a Minor Subdivision.  The Board agreed the project could move on to the Final Hearing stage once the Action Items were resolved. A site visit was scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 1:30 PM. 

 

ACTION ITEMS:

1.  Lot 1 to be reconfigured to a rectangular shape, making sure the density requirements were met.

2.  Resolution of the Driveway/Road issue in accordance to the Town of Fairfax Bylaws and Subdivision

     Regulations. 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Cathy Raymond, Zoning and Planning Assistant

 

 

 

Approved:  ________________________________  Date:  _________________2009

                    For the Development Review Board

 

 

These minutes are unofficial until approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

All motions were unanimously approved unless otherwise indicated.