Planning Board Minutes 10.27.09

TOWN OF BRADFORD
PLANNING BOARD
WORK SESSION
OCTOBER 27, 2009
7:00PM

Phil LaMoreaux, Chair called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm with Marcia Keller, Jim Bibbo, Alternate, Barry Wheeler, Bill Glennie, Jack Meaney, Selectmen Representative, Sonny Harris and Marge Cilley, Secretary present. Jane Johnsen, Alternate absent and Barbara Vannata was excused.

In questioning the completeness of the Lot Line Adjustment on the Erickson (Battles) property on Center Road & Jewett Road, Map 6, Lot 96 + 96-1 as noted on their NOD, it was determined that the Deed description is needed as well as the recording checks to MCRD. The secretary will contact them for the requirements to complete the Lot Line Adjustment.

Phil LaMoreaux, Chair seated Jim Bibbo for Barbara Vannata.

Review and Consideration of September 22, 2009 minutes:

Motion was made by Jim Bibbo to accept the September 22, 2009 minutes as presented. Seconded by Barry Wheeler. Sonny Harris abstained. Motion carried 6-0.

Motion was made by Marcia Keller to accept the minutes as presented for the September 22, 2009 Site Walk on the Peter Isham property. Seconded by Bill Glennie. Sonny Harris, Jim Bibbo and Jack Meaney, Selectmen Representative abstained. Motion carried 4-0.

To Do Folder:

Mention was made of the upcoming conferences scheduled for Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21 at the Grappone Center in Concord on the subject of 2009 N H Joint Water and Water Shed.

Conference being held at the Kearsarge Middle School on How to Make Your Town Farm Friendly, to be held on November 12, 2009. Jim Bibbo will attend this meeting.

Jack Meaney, Selectmen’s Representative brought up that the Conservation Commission will again be working on the Battle Easement and it will be brought up at Town Meeting this year. One of the changes will be that no building lot will be reserved. Also brought up was that the Selectmen have signed a letter to Carolyn Demers regarding noncompliance of the Zoning Ordinance and advised her she should appear before the Planning Board for a Site Plan at their next meeting on November 10, 2009.

Sign Ordinance Hearing:

Phil LaMoreaux, Chair questioned the members and there was discussion regarding the wording of the Sign Regulations Draft and the sequence in which it appears. The first two bullets on the latest draft were to be reversed.

Phil LaMoreaux, Chair opened the floor for the Sign Ordinance Hearing.

Copies of the latest draft were made and handed out to all members.

Everett Kittredge had the following questions:

1. The Selectmen will likely designate the permanent approval to the Code Enforcement Officer, will this entail another fee? (Reply is: it would be up to the Select Board to decide.) Discussion ensued.

2. Prohibition of signs on rocks would mean: no signs on rocks, no chicken farmer greetings in rural Bradford. Lafayette Monument would not be allowed.

3. Non conforming paragraph A has no time specified for sign removal. Reply is: It is specified under B of the Non-conforming paragraph.

4. Are requirements in section 7 allowed by Special Exception in the Rural Residential District? Reply is: It has already been voted on to change the Ordinance to address this concern.

5. Under 7-a, why only single sided? Historically signs are often mounted on cross arms at right angles to buildings. Reply is: Consensus was that single sided was on the building and that 24 sq. ft. should be sufficient for free standing or free hanging, and if you want to put it on a building single sided then you could go up to 32 sq. ft.

Discussion ensued.

Motion was made by Marcia Keller to modify section 7 a to read: building mounted sign shall not exceed a total of 32 sq. ft. of surface area and not to extend more than three feet beyond and above the building. If multiple businesses exist in a single operating space, then all internal businesses would need to fit within the allowable 32 sq. ft. area. Bill Glennie seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.

6. Surely the rural character can be maintained allowing more than one off premise sign for Business. Bradford can be approached in four major directions. (Consensus from members is Off Premise sign would be to get someone’s attention and say it’s this way on this road. That does not allow businesses to have multiple ways of getting there.)

7. Who is responsible for providing the Site Plan to be allowed by special exception for off premise sign. Reply: Off premise signs are included on the original site plan with authorization from the land owner.

8. It appears that Bradford cannot control plans that are already in place, let’s make the rules that we already have work before enacting new ones. Reply: The members voted Aye!.

Everett Kittredge thanked the board for addressing these concerns.

The CIP is needed to be worked on beginning in April 2010 and volunteers are needed.

Motion was made by Jim Bibbo to make a change in the latest draft of the Sign Regulations to change the allowed sizes of the signs in the Residential Rural District to match those of the Residential Business District, with the understanding that a special exception is required for any business in the Residential Rural District. Marcia Keller, Bill Glennie and Phil LaMoreaux voted Nay. Motion carried 4-3.

Motion was made by Jack Meaney on 7-c to put a period after “The conditions for granting a special exception are that the sign may not exceed six (6) square feet in size.” And strike (and will be limited to one sign per business.). Seconded by Marcia Keller.

Sonny Harris abstained. Motion carried 6-0.

Bill Glennie will make the corrections and forward them to the Secretary who will forward to the members.

Continued Public Hearing on Sign Ordinance will be held on November 24, 2009

To review changes discussed tonight.

Report on Changes Made Regarding Land Use Laws:

Jim Bibbo printed the HB 210 Final Version which changes the time frame for public access to certain minutes of local land use boards to conform to the change made in the right-to-know law.

Regional Planning Commissions: Procedure Amend RSA 36:57 II to read as follows:

“Within 144 hours of” will be omitted and Not more than 5 business days after will be added. It was also noted that the Planning Board Rules of Procedure state 144 hours, and will be amended to also read “Not more than 5 business days.” To take effect January 1, 2010. Discussion ensued.

House Bill 156-Local

An ACT authorizing planning boards to require third party review and inspection.

This bill authorizes planning boards to require third party review and inspection and to require applicants to obtain or pay for third party review.

LGC will be checked with on this.

RSA 676:3 III Issuance of Decision:

Whenever a plat is recorded to memorialize an approval issued by a local land use board, the final written decision, including all conditions of approval, shall be recorded with or on the plat.

Budget for 2010:

The individual budget figures were gone over for the ensuing year.

Work Force Housing:

Subcommittee meetings will be held to work on Work Force Housing, on November 3, 2009. Location will be announced at a later date.

1. Floating Zone

Marcia Keller, Phil LaMoreaux and Jim Bibbo will work on this.

2. Density Bonus – Manufactured Housing – Cluster

Bill Glennie, Barry Wheeler, Sonny Harris will work on this.

Other towns will be checked on for information regarding their regulations on Work Force Housing.

Meeting Adjourn 9:30pm

Respectfully submitted,

Marjorie R. Cilley,
Secretary