Planning Commission Minutes                     March 17, 2009

 

FAIRFAX TOWN OFFICE

PC MEMBERS PRESENT: G. Heyer, M Hunziker, D. Brown

PUBLIC PRESENT: S. Taylor, ZA; G. Brunswick (NRPC)

 

7:00 PM   G. Heyer called the meeting to order. The minutes from March 3, 2009 were reviewed. 

M. Hunziker made a motion to accept the Minutes from March 3, 2009.  D. Brown second.  G. Heyer, M. Hunziker and D. Brown in favor. An E-Mail from the Selectboard was read to the Board regarding a monthly Town Announcement

Article, to be printed in the Fairfax News.  The Planning Commission would like to participate with a short update each month. 

 

The Issues and Opportunities handout, prepared by G. Brunswick, was discussed.  The Board then spent time reviewing the newly organized “Fairfax Development Regulations” – Draft 1.  A copy of the Table of Contents from that document will be given to a DRB member for review of the organization structure.  The document at this time is only to illustrate the organizational changes; content will be discussed at a future time.

 

A few sections will be added such as Boundary Line Adjustments and access to land without frontage.  Certificates of Compliance will not be mentioned in the new Bylaws as it is a service, not a regulation.  Waivers will also not be included.  The category of home business, home occupation, and home industry was discussed. 

 

G. Brunswick volunteered to do some research regarding Plat revisions, and the possible need to go back to the DRB Board, or to be approved by the Zoning Administrator. 

 

It was decided that since this will be an extensive re-organization of the Bylaws, it will be a new document that will need to be adopted by the Selectboard, not an amendment of the September 12, 2000 Bylaws.  The Board agreed that they liked the new structure. 

 

The whole issue of Road Ordinances and other Town Ordinances was discussed.  Many of the Ordinances do relate to development, but the vast majority of the issues in the Ordinances are under Selectboard control.  The Selectboard members are in the process of reviewing all Town Ordinances.  S. Taylor volunteered to obtain a list of the various Ordinances from the Selectboard. 

 

A Town Forum was discussed.  A post card probably will be sent to all Postal Patrons in Fairfax with notice of the meeting to be printed in the Fairfax News and Henry Raymond’s web site. Large land owners will be encouraged to attend. No date was set yet.  There was much discussion of how to best encourage discussion and to generate new ideas.

 

The proposed Land Use Map was discussed and only a few changes will be made. G. Heyer expressed his opinion on lot sizes.  He does not feel that requiring large lot sizes (such as 10 acres) is in Fairfax’s best interest. He does like the PUD concept with open spaces required for large developments.

 

At the next meeting G. Brunswick would like to talk about dimensional standards and how they relate to density. 

The next meeting will be on April 7, 2009 at 7:00 PM.

 

9:15 PM  M. Hunziker made a motion to adjourn.  D. Brown second.  All in favor. 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Cathy Raymond, Zoning and Planning Assistant

 

 

Approved_____________________________________ Date______________, 2009

                               (Chair)

 

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