Draft Meeting Minutes
Town of Bradford
Planning Board
May 8th, 2018 7:00 PM
Meeting called to order by Pam Bruss at 7:02PM
• Roll Call
Pam Bruss, Chair Claire James, Vice Chair
Carol Meise Jim Bibbo, Selectmen’s Rep
Steve Chase, Alternate seated Marlene Freyler, Alternate
o Carol Troy, Tom Dunne Board members absent
o Garrett Bauer, Doug Troy Alternates absent
• To Do:
1. Review & Consideration of April 24th Minutes.
Motion: Claire James motioned to approve minutes
Second: Jim Bibbo
Decision: vote 5-0 in favor; Steve Chase abstained
2. The Board received a copy of the expenses through the end of April.
Claire James asked about the Supplies budget line which is overspent. Purchases were done to produce binders for Board members. Steve Chase commented that it looked like there may be opportunity in the Dues & Subscriptions line to absorb some excess in Supplies. Pam commented that the Dues & Subscription line was a fixed cost billed at year end and the Circuit Rider line would be based on receipt of services as required. Pam requested a print out of the 2017 invoicing to review for comparison as well as a current breakout of Circuit Rider services which has an invoice pending payment. Claire will follow up on this.
• Appearances:
1. Public Hearing Parking Lot Expansion, Ayer & Goss, Map 6/Lot 104:
Pam Bruss outlined the rules for a Public Hearing and opened the Hearing at 7:09pm. She asked the Recording Secretary to review how the meeting was noticed which encompassed certified letter notification to Abutters, Notice posting at the Town Office and Post Office, a newspaper posting in the Intertown Record publication and a Notice posting on the Town Website in the Planning Board Agenda.
Dan Higginson presented the application to the Board for a 17,000 square foot parking lot expansion for employee parking.
Pam noted that the application had been received as complete at a previous Planning Board meeting and opened the floor for public comments. She read into record a letter received May 8, 2018 from the Conservation Committee outlining a concern related to contamination of ground water and water runoff to Lake Massasecum, stating the project sits on the Town’s largest, and most accessible, future source of drinking water.
Dan Higginson told the Board that the site was a former gravel pit and the ground is extremely permeable and water runoff would be extremely unlikely due to the soil conditions as well as the distance water would need to travel to reach the Warner River and then Lake Massasecum. Steve Chase noted that the way the Warner River flows in that area is out of Lake Massasecum rather than into the Lake. Jim Bibbo also noted that there is not an increase in vehicles using the parking area; the area was established to relocate where existing employees are parking rather than to increase the number of vehicles parking.
Claire James read the requirements for a Storm Water Runoff Plan, outlining a) a disturbance of 20,000 square feet or b) a disturbance of critical areas such as steep slopes, wetlands and floodplains. Standard agricultural and silvicultural practices are exempt from this regulation. Off-site Drainage – In the course of designing the on-site drainage systems, there shall be no net increase in runoff to off-site areas. If increased runoff is not preventable, the subdivider shall obtain an easement in the impacted areas, and make drainage improvements there to contain the increased runoff.
Carol Meise commented on the fact that whether the soil is permeable, or requirements were placed for retention ponds, there would still be pollution. Marlene Freyler commented that if we want businesses in town, placing excessive demands isn’t supportive of business growth. Dan stated he felt the road traffic and the neighboring gas station present more of a risk of pollution than the parking lot would. Steve agreed.
The meeting was closed for public comment at 7:34pm
The Board reviewed the concerns raised by the Conservation Committee and determined that the application was under the requirement for a Storm Water Runoff Plan and that, provided the space was not expanded or paved they were comfortable with approving the Site Plan.
Motion: Claire James motioned to approve the plan with the conditions listed below:
1. The parking lot shall not be paved.
2. Any future proposal to pave or expand the parking lot will require a Storm Water Runoff plan be conducted and submitted to the Bradford Planning Board for review and approval.
Second: Carol Meise
Decision: vote 6-0 in favor
• No new business was introduced
• Planning Board Communications:
• Previous Meeting Follow Up:
1. Autocraft, Map 3/Lot 1 site visit request will be continued to a future agenda
2. Antique Store, Map 17/Lot 61 update
A letter was presented to the Select Board May 7th requesting that the Site Plan Regulations be enforced; the Select Board will be inviting the site tenant to a Select Board meeting to discuss the Site Plan concern. A discussion ensued outlining that Walter Royal is the Code Enforcement Officer and should be the 1st to address complaints about regulation violations and then any remaining issues would be escalated to the Selectmen.
3. Visioning session (June 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm)
Claire reviewed the agenda and documentation received by the Planning Commission with the Board including advertising templates and strategy. The Board discussed attendance and recruiting additional organizations to help facilitate breakout sessions as well as hosting the planned break with homemade refreshments and local food donations. The location for the Visioning session is pending identification. There is a request in with the school, to host the session, pending approval. There will be additional focus sessions after the initial session.
4. Feedback from attendees on Planning & Zoning Conference
Pam Bruss reviewed highlights of the sessions she attended and will be sending the Board a summary of her notes. Two subjects were raised that generated significant discussion; The Planning Board should be engaged in driveway regulations and driveway permitting, additional follow up on the State Regulations will be conducted. The second area of interest was ensuring Board Members publicly communicate any item that may potentially present a perception of a conflict of interest. The Member should then ask the public, as well as other Board Members, if they feel that Member’s judgment would impacted by their conflict of interest. Additionally, if there were several members that have a conflict the Select Board would determine who would sit in the Planning Board’s place.
• May and June Planning Board tentative schedule:
1. May 22nd 7:00pm standing meeting Unless, LLC, Sweet Beet/Bradford Inn Map 16/Lot 105
A site visit was originally planned for May 12th, rescheduled for May 21st at 5:00pm
1. June 7th , 6:30pm Visioning Session for Master Plan Update
2. June 12th 7:00pm standing meeting with Legal Training for Planning Boards by Gardner Fulton & Waugh PLLC – no new business or hearings (ZBA was invited)
3. June 26th 7:00pm standing meeting
4. Gravel Pit Inspections May 19th Bruce Edwards at 9:00am, Barry Wheeler at 10:00am
Motion: Claire James motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:31 PM
Second: Carol Meise
Meeting adjourned
Minutes submitted by Laurie Colburn