Regular Meeting, Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 6:30 PM
Remote Participation ONLY
Zoom Location:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7814490827?pwd=VWV4NEpIQm9yakd6WmU4ZGwvT1BmQT09&omn=89235474295
Meeting ID: 781 449 0827 Passcode: 234
You can dial in using your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Or one-tap mobile: +13052241968,,7814490827#,,,,*234# US
Dial *6 to mute/unmute on telephone
DRAFT MINUTES
Attendees: Stephan Chait (Chair; SC), Mary Horne (Member; MH), Lesley Pollitt (Treasurer; LP), Laurel Copeland (Secretary; LC), Rhonda Ashcraft (Guest; RA), Regina Hardgrove (Guest; RH), Diana Conway (DC1, guest), Nancy McCrea (NM, guest), David Christie (Guest; DC2f), Chris Lehner (Guest; CL), Karen Christofferson (Guest; KC), Linda Huebner (LH), Bonnie Brown (BB, guest), William Oglesby (Guest; WO), Jason Hale (Guest; JH), Penfield Chester (PC, guest), Frankie Wilcox (Guest; FW), Kim Lehner (Guest; KL), Dov Towler (Member; DT), Jonathan White (Guest; JW)
CALL TO ORDER at 6:33 pm
CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA – Introductions
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES – Regular Meeting Minutes of August 22, 2024, were approved.
NEW BUSINESS
The Results of the Planning Commission Public Hearing on the Application for Conditional Use Permit for Campground at 1600 Brook Road and 491 & 1355 Whitneyville Road – The Planning Commission public hearing on September 16th attracted 59 attendees which concluded with the conditional use application for Blue (Ballou) Mountain being withdrawn without prejudice (meaning it can be revisited). Issues included the Use Value Appraisal Program (Current Use), Halifax Town Plan, and Halifax Zoning regulations that might apply to the 427-acre forested property. A campground with 3 access roads for pack-in, pack-out camping with large recreational vehicles had been proposed. FW: the proposed camping activity is not likely to benefit the Halifax community. The Conservation District zoning does allow “limited outdoor recreation” further defined as something that doesn’t have permanent structures per town regulations. NM: campgrounds do qualify as a conditional use in the conservation district, can this be clarified? FW: what about grid energy—adding power poles is allowed although those are permanent structures, but there are limits on the size of spaces occupied (e.g., a 10×10 camp site is not permanent). DC2: although a campground is allowed, the allowed conditional uses intersect with the zoning districts. So, campgrounds are allowed in residential and rural districts but not in the conservation district. WO: Conservation district allows “limited outdoor recreation” including as an example campground. BB: there was concern about 30 cars per day using Whitneyville Road and the 3 access roads. All the camp sites were in the Conservation District, all the land is in Current Use, and the activity would probably trigger Act 250. Town forms do not ask the applicant to specify which zoning district is in nor whether the property is lacking road frontage. Town forms could be updated to reduce confusion. FW: Halifax zoning should align with Act 250. SC: the applicant did not specify how many acres would be developed; Act 250 is triggered at 10 acres. The Conservation District could be more restrictive. WO: there is a place on the Conditional Use form that asks zoning district, but in this case the applicant did not complete that part. SC: Owner needs to take the property out of Current Use prior to any development. Various: a building permit for a pavilion was granted but must be revoked. In this case, all 427 acres were enrolled in Current Use without any acres exempted. An existing structure may create an exception. Current Use (CU) forest management plans are online on the state website. The County Forester can advise on how to proceed if a property owner seeks to withdraw some acreage and build on CU land. Penalties attach to using the land in a manner not described in your forest management plan. Roads the current owner has recently made or improved may be contrary to the CU forest management plan. The CU status will turn up in a title search as lien. PC: planning and permitting needs to check whether property is in CU. Conservation Commission should get educated by the County Forester regarding CU. The Owner explained that he would advertise the availability of the camp sites, he would not be on site, there would not be water or sanitary facilities; this may be contrary to state regulations for campgrounds. Town and state responsibilities for enforcement of the regulations, for making new property owners aware of the regulations. CL: 2 days ago, the 15-acre parcel at 491 Whitneyville Road was put up for sale but with a right of way carved out. RA: need a map of the town districts (village, rural, conservation). JH: SC said there is pressure on the town for more development—explain? SC: the pandemic increased property buying activity and prices. The town gains tax revenue from new housing but also incurs additional road maintenance demands.
The Conservation Commission has the mission to preserve environmental, historical, and natural features and to protect the Conservation District.
Although the Road Commissioners (KC and RA) were present, they could not comment on the gravel roads, which are not town roads. The Conservation Commission will find out what can happen with these recently improved gravel roads.
The Halifax Town Plan and Zoning Regulations – Town Plan gets revised every 8 years; Zoning Regulations can be updated at any time.
Conservation District
Campgrounds
The Use Value Appraisal Program for Managed Forestland (Current Use)
Forest Plan
Act 250 Program
Criteria
OLD BUSINESS
Update on Develop Information Sheet on Emerald Ash Borer – LP and LC like the state hand-outs and recommend using those.
Visit to old growth Hemlock grove – Kiel Moe led a small group to the 200- to 280-year-old hemlock trees on steeply sloped ground. Kiel is interested in forest ecology and is willing to show another small group in but not to publicize it.
OTHER BUSINESS – None.
HEARING OF VISITORS – Done.
ADJOURNMENT at 7:49 pm.