Chairman Turner Lewis opened the public hearing to consider the William and Christopher Petrie subdivision request at 7:00 p.m. Planning Commission members William Pusey, Kaitlin Stone, Alice Aldrich, and Jason Ashcroft were in attendance, as were William Petrie, Michael Beck, Lucy Henderson, and Robbin Gabriel.

After inviting attendees to introduce themselves, Turner Lewis read the hearing notice for the record, as follows: “Pursuant to 24 VSA §4464(a)(1)(A) notice is hereby given that the Halifax Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on September 13, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the Town Office at 246 Branch Road, West Halifax, Vermont, to consider the following:   Request of William and Christopher Petrie for Final Plat approval to allow a 20.9+/- acre lot to be subdivided into 2 lots; Lot 1 = 3+/- acres, Lot 2 = 17.9+/- acres, at 380 Hale Road; Rural Residential District; Tax parcel HAE.0380. A copy of the application and map is available for review at the Town office during regular office hours.”

Lewis solicited questions from those present. Lucy Henderson asked whether Chris (property co-owner Christopher Petrie) intended to operate a business on the property, and if there was a plan to clean up the vehicles and machinery at the bottom of the hill. William Petrie advised there would be no business operation on the property; Chris intended to continue operating the business from its current location elsewhere on Hale Road (in the town of Guilford). He will be building a garage in the future, said Petrie, but it will be a private garage. There is a dumpster in place and vehicles are being stripped prior to removal from the property. The loader will be moved up to the house, but needs some work before it is operational. Petrie told Henderson there is no change of use for the property; the purpose of the subdivision is to meet bank eligibility requirements of the house plus a three-acre lot, for a first-time homebuyer’s loan. When did that come into play, asked Bill Pusey. Petrie said it was a Rural Housing Development requirement; the house has to be under 2,000 square feet, and and the land parcel must not exceed municipal zoning minimum lot size. Have all the regulations for residential zoning been met for the application?, asked Henderson. To the best of my knowledge, yes, answered Lewis. Petrie said the State-approved septic system already exists on the property. Petrie told Lewis application for an amended wastewater permit was in process, and he would give the Town copies of those documents as soon as he had them. Does the 17-acre parcel have to have its own perc test and septic design?, asked Henderson. No, replied Petrie. Gabriel explained that in a subdivision process, if a land-only parcel did not have an approved septic design and wastewater permit in place, the new property deed must contain wording to that effect.

Lewis asked for other comments. Michael Beck said his questions had already been covered by previous responses. Gabriel told the Board Petrie had provided the public road frontage measurement for the 17-acre lot; 1,707 feet. There was some further general conversation regarding junkyard ordinances and State and municipal regulations. Gabriel told Commissioners they could choose to make a decision at the hearing, or continue the hearing to another place and time, and conduct deliberations at that time. A written decision must be rendered within 45 days of the hearing’s close. Kaitlin Stone made a motion to approve William and Christopher Petrie’s 380 Hale Road subdivision application. Bill Pusey seconded the motion, which passed, 5-0. Petrie left the Board with a large version of the 380 Hale Road land sketch, and said he would retrieve it when he submitted the new deeds and Mylar to the Town Clerk.

The hearing adjourned at 7:23 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robbin Gabriel
Planning Commission Interim Secretary