Wales Planning Board

· The meeting was called to order at. Lori distributed the following items to the board: January 11 minutes, the telecommunications ordinance draft, and copies of miscellaneous ordinance drafts as needed by committee members. Ed distributed copies of the S.W. Cole report on the Deerfield Estates subdivision road for review.

· The minutes were read and approved as written unanimously by the board.

· Lori provided an update on the Floodplain Ordinance and the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance indicating that she had heard nothing back yet from SPO on the changes to the Floodplain Ordinance, but that she had received a marked up copy of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance from Rich Baker with items that can be removed because they don’t pertain to Wales – coastal and river references. He also provided changes that reflect those deletions in the definitions ordinance as well as some places where definitions can be combined. Lori will update those documents to reflect those changes. Lori also indicated she had completed the first pass at the Telecommunications ordinance and that she had highlighted areas that were different from the original that seemed to be updated sections in the “model ordinance” she was working from. Board members are to look these over to determine whether or not to include them in the updated ordinance.

· Carol went over her minor changes to the Draft Subdivision Ordinance indicating that we should take the references to the fee amounts out completely. She also made some changes to page 21 in the homeowners’ association piece. She made only minor changes to the existing document and will give Lori the marked up copy so she can make the changes to the Final Draft. The board discussed whether or not we would be able to add anything regarding impact fees. She indicated that town’s that implemented these usually did so in a completely separate ordinance not as part of their subdivision ordinance. If anything it would fit in better with the land use as it would have to reference all new housing. The State Planning Office has some guidelines and models to follow in establishing impact fees – how to come up with the fee structure. . If we followed the SPO models we would probably be safe in the fee structure we establish. We should probably try to tackle this during the coming year instead of trying to add it to the things for completion for the next town meeting.

· The Board went over Carol’s concerns and edits to the Road Ordinance. The biggest thing was the base course for pavement in the table. After discussion, we decided to reduce the number from 2-5 down to 2-3 but to leave the end note at the bottom of the table describing the different courses and their thicknesses. Carol gave Lori the marked up Road Ordinance to make the few minor changes she had.

· Carol began going through the changes she had for the draft land use ordinance we sent her. There were a number of recommended changes for the Lot Standards. Carol will include those in her redraft of the ordinance. She will correct some inconsistencies that occur throughout the document relating to open space type lots. We had an extended discussion on the right of way segment 2.2 B or 3.2 B depending on which version members were looking at. The board determined to reduce the required right of way from 60 to 30 feet and to also reflect that in the common driveway segment of the Road Ordinance. Carol passed out a completely new section to be added which adds our new districts (growth zones, general use, and limit rural zones). She will add those as Article 3 and bump everything beyond that up. She probably won’t be able to have the updated ordinance for us by our next meeting, but should by the last meeting in February so that we can have the draft ready for the public hearing we want to hold during the beginning of March.

· Ralph updated the board on the status of the building (garage??) under construction on Sabbaths Mountain (it’s now 3 stories high and climbing). Again, it was questioned as to what exactly was issued for a permit for that structure and how the comp plan restrictions might affect it once the ordinances have been put in place.

· Lori asked Carol if there were any major changes that needed to be made to the Site Review based on what was in the comprehensive plan. She indicated the buffers, the districts, and other items that had already been added into the land use and subdivision ordinances. The board will take a look at required modifications for that ordinance at the next meeting.

· Lori asked Carol if we could get the zoning/district map that was included in the comprehensive plan hearings and document. She indicated we should give the map an official title and she will make the changes and provide the town with some copies.

· The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be on February 8^th.

Respectfully submitted,

Lori Blier, WPB Secretary

Related Documents: Draft Ordinances, S.W. Cole Engineering Letter