Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:33 p.m. Planning Commission members Sirean LaFlamme, Brian McNeice, Stephan Chait, and Linda Lyon were present; Bill Pusey was unable to attend. Robbin Gabriel was present as interim secretary. No members of the public were in attendance.

Changes and/or Additions to the Agenda

 Sirean LaFlamme asked Gabriel to speak to several housekeeping details. The WRC Hazard Mitigation meeting, scheduled for September 16^th, will be warned, as some Planning Commission members will attend. Gabriel will confirm correct public hearing procedure on the complete text of the revised zoning regulations. She also advised the Board of research in progress to ascertain whether subdivision approval had been granted in the past to a Halifax property.

 Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

Brian McNeice made a motion to approve the 8/11/15 regular meeting minutes with one correction. Stephan Chait seconded the motion, which passed, 4-0.

New Business

Update of Zoning Regulations
The Board’s primary focus was on Windham Regional Commission’s recommendations for zoning regulation revisions related to forestry. They considered each of WRC’s nineteen suggestions, approving some as offered, editing or declining others, and earmarking several for further discussion. At the outset of the conversation, Chait remarked that these suggestions were necessarily biased toward forestry management; in review the Board should bear in mind the overall purposes of the zoning regulations.

The Commission held open a decision to change Conservation District setbacks pending receipt of more information, agreed to provide permit applicants with information about the Use Value Appraisal (UVA, or Current Use) program, and has not yet made a determination on whether to include shoreline regulations. Subdivision regulations will not be incorporated in the zoning regulations but may be adopted as a separate document at a later date. Final wording was chosen for definitions of “right-of-way” and “easements.” The Board also revisited the noise regulation phrasing under General Performance Standards, considered it in light of John Bennett’s comments, and will redraft the wording. Brian McNeice will send Gabriel wording designed to clarify pond size, for use in Section 505.

Hearing of Visitors

None.

Old Business

None.

Other Business

None.

Adjournment

McNeice made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chait seconded the motion, which passed, 4-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:09 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robbin Gabriel
Interim Planning Commission Secretary