PLANNING COMMISSION
TOWN OF STOWE
December 19, 2005
Minutes

The Stowe Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Monday, December 19, 2005 in the Banquet Room of the Akeley Memorial Building, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Members present:  Lynn Altadonna, chair  Absent:  Barbara Pfitzenmayer
           Chuck Baraw
           Marie Duquette
           Bob Evans
           Scott Noble
           Paul Percy

Others present:  Tom Jackman, Director of Planning; Lisa McCormack, Stowe Reporter; Allan Coppock, DRB Chair; Amanda Riesmeyer, Administrative Secretary.

Selectboard Meeting

Planning Commission members sat in on the first part of the Selectboard meeting to hear the discussion of the Impact Fees, Local Option Tax and Town Manager Form of Government. 

Impact Fees
Discussion centered on whether or not to go ahead with the study of Impact Fees without grant money being available.  Several questions and concerns were raised.  Mr. Percy raised the concern that impact fees would drive costs of development and land prices up resulting in increased property tax and therefore any benefit from these fees would be cancelled out.  It was pointed out that the study would address this issue as well as many other questions and concerns. Selectboard members agreed to proceed by putting it on the January 9, 2006 meeting agenda. They would find out what money is available for this study which would determine whether or not the Planning Commission could proceed immediately or have to wait until the following year to do the study.

Town Manager Form of Government
The Selectboard discussed the benefits and negatives of moving from a Town Administrator to Town Manager form of government.  It was decided by the board to move ahead in the direction of the Town Manager form of government. Mr. Drury and Mr. Lusk agreed to work together in crafting a document to present to the Selectboard at the next January 9, 2006 meeting with the possibility of having something ready to present to the voters by Town Meeting. 

Minutes

The minutes of the November 21, 2005 meeting were approved on a motion by Mr. Noble, seconded by Mr. Evans. 

Mr. Jackman said that the Speer’s would be present at the next Planning Commission meeting. They are owners of the Inn at Turner Mill and are interested in proposed changes to zoning regulation requirements specifically on district boundaries.  Discussion then ensued about whether the next meeting would be the appropriate time for them to speak on this issue.  It was decided to let them come and speak for ten minutes.

Dimensional Requirements

Table 6.2 on Dimensional Requirements was distributed and Mr. Altadonna gave a presentation on the districts and how various formulas were arrived at.  Mr. Noble asked if there was any specific method for arriving at these formulas and Mr. Coppock replied that they started with the original numbers and worked from those. 

Mr. Jackman brought up the point that as we look at these numbers and percentages we need to be asking if the regulations establish the intent as we’d like them to. Are there good reasons for these percentage numbers?  It is important to be able to visualize these numbers.

Mr. Coppock added that we need to go back to the statement of purpose and ask from that vantage point, what are the right numbers?  Where are they now and where do we want them to be 10 to 15 years from now?

Mr. Noble asked if there was anything that needed to be fixed right now mentioning that it was the set back requirements that were most striking. He also noted that it would be helpful to have zoning maps of the districts to look at.  Mr. Jackman agreed and said he would do blow ups on each district as they are discussed. 

Mr. Altadonna suggested that as members think about what changes to recommend, they should drive around town and begin visualizing the districts.  Along with that, Mr. Coppock suggested that when making changes it should reflect the current pattern or reality.  Mr. Jackman gave as an example of this the GIS of lower village where 50 ft. is the regulation and yet 85% of the buildings are in non-compliance and 20 feet is more of the reality. 
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The meeting adjourned at 8:15.

Respectfully submitted,

Amanda Riesmeyer
Administrative Secretary