Minutes

Pittsfield Planning Board

Regular Meeting

June 13May 9, 2016

Draft

The Pittsfield Planning Board met on Monday, June 13May 9, 2016 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers of the Pittsfield Municipal Building, 112 Somerset Avenue, Pittsfield, Maine.

Present: Jan Laux,Tom Cote, Morris Pollard, Vaughan Woodruff,Royce Sposato, Matt Bolster, Brent Newhouse, Anna Bockis and Simone Engelhardt.Absent: Brent Newhouse, Also Present: Kimberly Wick Randall Wick, andBuilding Inspector Steve Seekins.

1.ChairRoyce Sposato opened the meeting at 7:00 pm by leading the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

the flag.

Chair Royce Sposato advised that associate board member Simone Engelhardt could vote due to one member being absent.

2.Motion by Tom Coteteand seconded byJan LauxAnna Bockisto adopt the minutes of the

meeting of May 9April 11, 2016

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

3.Public Hearing:

  1. On proposed changes to Chapter 13, Zoning Ordinance Section 4 “Home Based Enterprises”.
  1. On proposed changes to Chapter 13 Zoning Ordinance Section 4 “Performance Standards Wind Energy Facilities”.

Chair Royce Sposato Opened the Public Hearings at 7: 05 pm by asking if there were any opponents or proponents. There were none. Chair Royce Sposato closed the Public Hearings at 7:08 pm.

None

4.New Business: None

4.

Consider the Conditional Use Application from Kimberly Wick for a Day Care Home Class A at 50 Mount Road Tax Map 7 Lot 38

Chair Royce Sposato conducted the review of the Conditional Use Application from Kimberly Wick for a Day Care Home Class A. Kimberley Wick advised that the previous owner had remodeled the existing garage into an area for the daycare home. No new construction is needed. Kimberly Wick explained that state requirements require her to replace the existing Subsurface Waste Disposal (SSWD) leach field with a larger one to meet the additional load that the day care home will create. Steve Seekins advised an approved SSWD design has been obtained and recommended that if an approval was to be given it should be conditional on installing the SSWD. Randall Wick submitted a letter of intent form contractor Brandon Ellis of BHS, INC. Kimberly advised the state has given her until June to install the new SSWD system. She agreed to provide a letter from the state to document this. A motion by Anna Bockis and seconded by Jan Laux to approve the application was rescinded.

Jan Laux if construction we be taking place while the kids were present. Kimberly Wick replied no.

Tom Cote asked if the SSWD system would totally changed. Kimberly Wick advised the septic tank may not need to replacing if in good condition. Steve Seekins advised he would be inspection the tank.

A motion by Anna Bockis and seconded by Jan Laux to approve the application for a Day Care Home Class A conditioned on obtaining State of Maine licensing and a letter from the State of Maine allowing operation if the Subsurface Waste Disposal system is installed by June 30, 2016.

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

5.Old Business:

  1. Vote on changes to Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Home-Based Enterprises after holding the Public Hearing.

Motion by Jan Laux and seconded by Tom Cote to approve and recommend to The Town Council. Chair Royce Sposato asked if there was discussion. Vaughan Woodruff expressed concern on the language that requires a driveway be large enough to prevent trucks from needing to back in or out from the road. He gave an example of a business on Hartland Ave. Steve Seekins advise this ordinance pertains to the C-4 district and not in-town zones.

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

  1. Vote on changes to Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Wind Energy Facilities after holding the Public Hearing.

Motion by Jan Laux and seconded by Tom Cote to approve and recommend to The Town Council.

Vote: Aye by Jan Laux, Tom Cote, Royce Sposato, Matt Bolster, Brent Newhouse, and Anna Bockis. Vaughan Woodruff abstained.

Note: Associate Members were not authorized to vote as no members were absent.

Continuing Items to Resolve

Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Home-Based Enterprises. Review Ordinance after adding changes recommended by the Planning Board at the 4-11-2016 meeting.

Chair Royce Sposato opened the discussion. Steve Seekins explain that the ordinances before them incorporated the changes recommend by the Planning Board at their 4-11, 2016 meeting. The Board should now consider setting the revised ordinances to public hearing. Vaughn Woodruff ask if the statement to provided driveways to be large enough to prevent trucks or other vehicles from needing to back in from or back out into the road was in the last revision? He was advised it was in the last revision.

Motion by Tom Cote and seconded by Simone Engelhardt to set the Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Home-Based Enterprises Ordinance to Public Hearing at the June 13, 2016 Planning Board Meeting.

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Wind Energy Facilities. Review Ordinance after adding changes recommended by the Planning Board at the 4-11-2016 meeting.

Chair Royce Sposato opened the discussion. Steve Seekins explain that the ordinance before them incorporated the changes recommend by the Planning Board at their 4-11-16 meeting. The Board should now consider setting the revised ordinance to public hearing. Anna Bockis expressed concerns on the effect to wild life that Wind Energy Facilities might have. Steve Seekins advised that the guide lines of Shoreland Zoning and Beginning with Habitat are design to address this. Morris Pollard advised the state has representatives available that will when called to come an area and assess areas such as habitat and deer wintering yards.

Motion by Tom Cote and seconded by Matt Bolster to set the Chapter 13 Section 4 Performance Standards Wind Energy Facilities ordinance to Public Hearing at the June 13, 2016 Planning Board Meeting.

Motion by Tom Cote and seconded by Matt Bolster to approve the 50 foot Right-of-Way.

2Other items that come before the Board:

A long discussion took place about the needs of Pittsfield initiated by Anna Bockis and VaughanWoodruff. Anna Bockis asked if the Planning Board could recommend an ordinance to address architectural design of new business buildings to be more in keeping with their surrounding buildings. Vaughan Woodruff indicated that it would be a Site Design Ordinance and explained why it was needed to ensure that the community remained attractive when businesses move here. Steve Seekins advised that making recommendations for ordinance changes is the Planning Board’s charge. Tom Cote advised that the Board could after a Public Hearing recommend such a change as we have done in the past if the Planning Board felt that this was appropriate. The pros and cons of such an ordinance were discussed in detail. Steve Seekins suggested that interested Board Members could search the internet of other towns for ordinances that could be used as a guide for proposing such a change. Once composed it could be voted on by the Planning Board to see if that is the wish of the Board.

Vaughan Woodruff advised he recently spoke with an individual who wanted to have a Marijuana growing business in the UTC plant. Vaughan Woodruff stated that road blocks have been put up that prevented this. He stated phone calls to the Town Manager and the Building inspector from the person wanting to do this were not returned. Building Inspector Steve Seekins stated he knew nothing of this. He was never called on this and stated that he returns all his phone calls. Vaughan Woodruff stated the business was greeted with open arms in Bridgeton where it is now located. Jan Laux states he believes that the town needs business that will provide services for the elderly, such as senior housing facilities. He stated that the community is getting older and is not going to be receptive to a marijuana growing facility. If we have an item such as senior housing, people visiting senior relatives in these homes will bring business to the town. He spoke about having more than one restaurant to attract people. Anna Bockis spoke about having little shops so that when people came to see their relatives, that they could buy items. JanLaux spoke at length about how the Dunkin Donuts will bring a lot of people into the community and advised that he and the Town Manager talked about the proper signing which she believes the State will let us do to promote items that are unique in town. We would have a sign down by the exit. Jan Laux updated the Planning Board about the Summer Concert Series in the Park. The people coming into the Town for the concert series and other items like this will drive what the type of businesses are that we need in Pittsfield.

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

6.AdjournmentOld Business:

Chair Royce Sposato reviewed the Finding of Facts Document

Please see the attached Finding of Facts Document for item by item voting by the Board

Motion by Walter Reuter and seconded by Vaughan Woodruff to

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

6. Other items that come before the Board: None

7. Adjournment:

Motion byJan LauxTom Coteand seconded by Simone Engelhardtthat the meeting be adjourned8:207.23pm.

VOTE: UNANIMOUS AYE

Respectfully submitted by:

Steve Seekins, Building Inspector

Planning Board Meeting Minutes of the May 5-9,2016 Meeting