Wales Planning Board
August 10, 2004
Meeting Draft Minutes
In Attendance: Ed
MacDonald (PB Chair), Ralph Sanborn (PBM), Lori Blier (PBM), Lyndon Spaulding
(PBM), Alice DiPaolo (PBM), Tom Goudreau (A-PBM), Randy Greenwood (Selectman)
- Lori
distributed copies of the draft letter to SPO regarding their
recommendations for the 2004 Wales Comprehensive Plan, the minutes from
the last meeting, and a copy of the Planning Board phone list. A motion was made to approve the minutes
as written and the board approved them unanimously.
- The
meeting was called to order at 7:05.
- Ed
noted that there was an error in the lot size mentioned in the minutes –
it should read 80,000 not 8,000 square feet. A motion was made to approve the minutes
with that amendment and the board approved unanimously.
- Ed
opened the discussion on the draft letter to the State Planning Office
(SPO). It was pointed out that the
standard print was written by Lori and the bold print items were the
sections added by Carol. Ed stepped
through the letter by each item addressed.
The board believes that #1 is a little conservative for the number
of new housing units Wales
should expect to see in the next 10 +/- years. Lori will e-mail Carol advising her of
the board’s concern and ask her to re-evaluate her figures. Later in the meeting additional
discussion ensued on this matter, the board believes that with current
trends there can be up to 20 or more new units yearly. This of course is dependent on the economy
and whether the patterns change.
- With
regard to item #2 -- SPO’s issues with our growth area locations, general
use designations, etc – the board was in agreement with the response in
the letter to these concerns and doesn’t have any additions, deletions, or
recommendations for improvement.
- For
item #3, the concerns raised about historic and archaeological
sites/areas. It was generally
agreed that the concerns have been addressed and that the response can
remain as it currently is written.
There was some skepticism by the board as to the ability of the
town to get any volunteers to serve on such a committee or board.
- Item
#4, the affordable housing concerns – there was some discussion on the
general affordable housing available in Maine. The board is fine with this section as
written – there is one grammatical correction that Lori will forward to
Carol. Lori will also ask whether
Carol will update the plan accordingly and whether we can get an
electronic copy of the plan.
- There
was some general discussion of the number of new housing units expected
per year and how the new restrictions on subdivisions over 5 units other
than in the growth areas may keep that number down to some degree. The potential development on the old Greenwood
property on the Center Road
was discussed. It was pointed out
that it was in the growth area and wouldn’t be subjected to the 5 unit
limit. Once the moratorium is
lifted we can expect that area to be developed.
- Lori passed
around the current pages she has added to the Town of Wales Website and
asked for additional information that the town might like to have posted
or available. Randy gave her dates
for the selectmen and the volunteer fire department personnel
meetings. She also indicated she
was putting the ordinances she has access to in electronic format, but
that there are a number she does not have – like the Land Use
Ordinance. She also requested
clarification on just what ordinances the town actually had. These are actually listed in the comp
plan; however a list follows of the town’s official documents: Definition Changes; Land Use Ordinance,
Subdivision Ordinance, Telecommunications Ordinance, Shoreland Zoning
Ordinance, Floodplain Management Ordinance. Randy also pulled down “the” Land Use
and Planning book of Maine –
“Maine Planning and Land Use Laws 2004.”
Lori will see if she can get any additional copies from any state
agencies that might have a few to distribute.
- Randy
indicated that at the next selectman’s meeting they would be holding a
public meeting to go over the spring road postings issue so that the
selectmen could make them legal and binding. Lori will try to get the documentation
for this from DOT to post on the website in conjunction with the public
hearing information.
- Ralph
asked about the status of our CEO.
Randy indicated that currently Bill Paquette was acting CEO and
that our new CEO was still in the hospital with complications from his
heart surgery and may not come back.
They will be starting the process to find a new CEO again very soon.
- The
board went through the comp plan to look at what sections of the land use
plan needed to be updated. Ralph
brought up that there have been confusion issues with Section 2.2 A &
B of the Land Use Ordinance. It was
agreed that some work might need to be done on that to clarify its intent and
make it more understandable. Other
sections requiring work were highlighted in members comp plan books. It was agreed that the buffer changes
should be added to article 2 of the Land Use Ordinance and that references
to subdivision ordinance references should be added or utilized as
well. The board will take home this
list of changes that need to be made to the ordinance and bring back
recommendations on where and what to add.
- The
meeting was closed and the next meeting will be on the 31st of August where
we will go over the subdivision ordinance and SPO response letter with
Carol Fuller from AVCOG. We may
also look at the suggestions we have for the Land Use Ordinance if time
permits and query Carol on her thoughts.
-
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Blier, WPB Secretary
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