PLANNING COMMISSION
TOWN OF STOWE
April 3, 2006
Minutes

The Stowe Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Monday, April 3, 2006, in the Banquet Room of the Akeley Memorial Building, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Members present:  Scott Noble, Acting Chair  Absent:  Lynn Altadonna
           Marie Duquette                   Chuck Baraw
         Bob Evans      
           Paul Percy
           Barbara Pfitzenmayer
             
Others present:  Richard Farnham, Recreation Superintendent; Recreation Commission Members; Amanda Riesmeyer, Administrative Secretary; Lisa McCormack, Stowe Reporter

Minutes
The minutes of the March 20, 2006, meeting were approved on a motion by Ms. Duquette, seconded by Ms. Pfitzenmayer. 

Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvement Plan
Dave Pelletier, LCPC, distributed drafts of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvement Plan with maps attached for members of the PC to review.  As the end of grant funding approaches, Mr. Pelletier requested the following feedback from PC members:

1. Is the structure of the plan in line with what the PC wants?
2. Are there other primary or secondary corridors that should be taken into account?
3. Criteria for prioritizing is needed.

Regarding the structure of the plan, Mr. Noble suggested that “Public Input” be placed in the appendix and members of the PC concurred that an Executive Summary at the beginning of the plan is needed. 

Suggestions for other primary or secondary corridors to be taken into account were provided by PC and Recreation Commission members including: Randolph Road, Stagecoach Road, Nebraska Valley Road, Dewey Hill Road and Taber Road.

Mr. Noble and other members made the point that this plan had the general populace, i.e., tourists and the average person in mind as opposed to the rigorous bicyclist.  Ms. Duquette made the suggestion that bike racks be put up along the routes to encourage using bikes as a way of getting around and enjoying Stowe. 

Regarding project prioritization, Mr. Pelletier went over the possible set of prioritization criteria listed in the draft plan and said he would come up with a succinct rating system.  It was suggested that the issue of safety needed to be added to the priority list.

Recreation Superintendent Richard Farnham and members of the Recreation Commission were present to provide input and stressed the importance of working together with the PC on this project. Mr. Pelletier agreed to get another copy of the plan to Mr. Farnum and Recreation Commission members so that they could review the plan together at their next meeting. Mr. Noble requested that once the Recreation Commission reviewed the plan they would provide feedback to Mr. Jackman and Mr. Pellietier.

Revisions to the Stowe Zoning Regulations:  Section 20—Signs
Members of the PC reviewed Mr. Jackman’s revisions to the sign regulations and agreed upon the following: 

Purpose:  changes approved

20.2 Procedure for Approval of Sign Permits
      (2)  Changes approved.

20.4   Signs in Commercial Districts
(1) After much discussion, PC members agreed that the first part of (1) should be left in the original. Where it reads “Except as provided in paragraph (2) below, where two (2) or more businesses are located in a single building…” to the end of (1), it was agreed by PC members to discuss this portion at the next meeting.

      (2) A. and B.:  Discuss changes at the next meeting.
     
      (3) Changes approved
     
      (4) Discuss at next meeting
     
      (5) Changes approved.
     
      (6) Discuss at next meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Amanda Riesmeyer
Administrative Secretary