South Berwick, ME - Planning Board Minutes 12/16/2008

SOUTH BERWICK PLANNING BOARD

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

Present: Brad Christo (Vice Chairman), Mimi Demers, John Stirling, Bill Straub and Jim Fisk (Planner).

Not Present: Cheryl Dionne, Richard Clough and Bruce Whitney.

Susie Scott was taking minutes.

Vice Chairman Christo called the Planning Board meeting to order at 7:03 PM.

November 18, 2008 - Regular Meeting: Minutes are pending.

December 9, 2008 - Regular Meeting: Minutes are pending.

Ken Tuttle, 4 Emery's Bridge Road, reserved time to speak under MSP#08-02; Our Lady of the Angels Parish.

1. Letter from Denis St. Pierre (Homefront Bakery) dated December 10, 2008:

Request to withdraw application.

Vice Chairman Christo noted receipt of letter.

OLD BUSINESS and ORDINANCE UPDATES

1. MSP#08-02; Our Lady of the Angels Parish (Map 12 Lot 2): Site Walk Visit - Review.

Item moved to #1 to accommodate applicant and public audience in attendance.

Planning Board discussed the site walk conducted that morning. The Board reviewed site conditions and layouts as well as walked the property, viewed wetlands and discussed road lengths, possible entrances and the rational for access road location.

Tom Harmon, Engineer, discussed the site as serviced by municipal sewer and water. Items included water drainage, tight soil types that minimally percolate and concerns with soil and frost penetration. The geotechnical engineers will measure the water table and make recommendations.

The Board discussed buffer to parking lots, possible alternative entrances that would provide more screening and possibly more parking, as well as a walking path along the field line.

Item will be placed on the 1-06-09 Planning Board agenda for sketch plan review. Mr. Harmon will meet with Mr. Fisk for further review of sketch plan.

2. Rules of Procedure and Code of Ethics: Planning Board Bylaws - Final Review for Adoption.

Motion by Mr. Straub, second by Mr. Stirling, to accept bylaws with corrections, passed unanimously.

3. Continued Review of Proposed Table A and Table B.

The Planning Board discussed accepting Table A with corrections and the inclusion of the definitions of "Inns" and Neighborhood Convenience Stores".

Motion by Mr. Straub, second by Mrs. Demers, to accept and recommend Table A dated 12/15/08 with corrections and the addition of definitions as presented at the 12/9/08 meeting and as confirmed at the 12/16/08 meeting for the inclusion of the Business Residential (BR) Zone, passed unanimously.

The Planning Board requested a complete review of Table B, Dimensional Requirements at the upcoming 1/06/09 Planning Board meeting. Table B should provide for a column entitled BR Zone with all dimensions left blank.

Mr. Fisk said he was unable to provide dimensional concepts due to time constraints caused by the ice storm. He will have concepts prepared for the 1/06/09 meeting, which will include lot coverages, setbacks, parking and unit specifications. Mr. Fisk researched comparables in the past for reference.

Mr. Fisk provided Board members with an aerial map of the BR Zone. The Board requested another map in 100/scale. Revised map could illustrate street the maximum and minimum frontage figures along with street setbacks.

1. Table B Index: Modification of Note (16) - Church Height.

Motion by Mrs. Demers, second by Mr. Stirling, to amend Note (16) in Table B, passed unanimously. Amendments noted in bold italics and strikethroughs below.

(16) These height requirements shall not apply to farm buildings, flagpoles,

chimneys, ventilators, domes, water towers and tanks, church towers and sanctuaries, tanks, windmill towers, or other structures or building accessory features usually erected at a height greater than the main roofs of building, provided that such structure or accessory feature is not for human habitation or occupancy and further provided that any structure or accessory feature higher than thirty five (35) feet is set back from all property lines a distance equal to its height. Special height requirements shall be reviewed by the Planning Board under Site Plan review.

Chairman Dionne will forward a recommendation letter to the Town Council noting the above changes as appropriate and consistent, and will make all churches in town conforming to dimensional zoning requirements.

1. ArcGIS/ArcReader Presentation: Introduction to map viewing software.

Mr. Fisk presented the Board with an overview of how to download the ArcReaderWindows93 software and general tools for researching and viewing the different themes/layers on the South Berwick map. Information specific to parcels, zoning, wetlands, resource/Shoreland zoning buffers and streams could all be identified and/or located with this program.

Mr. Fisk provided Mr. Stirling and Mr. Christo flash drives to install and view ArcReader program.

Mr. Stirling: Thanked Mr. Fisk for the presentation, wished everyone a happy holiday and noted the Traffic Study meeting to take place.

Mrs. Demers: Noted that she does not have an EDC update, as the monthly meeting has not occurred.

Mr. Christo: Discussed how well the site walk visit went, as well as the benefit of site walk discussions.

Dates & Times for Upcoming Meetings:

01/06/09 - 7:00 PM Planning Board Regular Meeting.

01/20/09 - 7:00 PM Planning Board Regular Meeting.

Motion by Mrs. Demers, second by Mr. Stirling to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned without objection at 8:53 PM.

ATTESTED: Susie Scott

Assistant to the Director of Planning & Economic Development


	SOUTH BERWICK PLANNING BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES December 16, 2008 7:00 PM ROLL CALL Present: Brad Christo (Vice Chairman), Mimi Demers, John Stirling, Bill Straub and Jim Fisk (Planner). Not Present: Cheryl Dionne, Richard Clough and Bruce Whitney. Susie Scott was taking minutes. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chairman Christo called the Planning Board meeting to order at 7:03 PM. MINUTES APPROVAL November 18, 2008 - Regular Meeting: Minutes are pending. December 9, 2008 - Regular Meeting: Minutes are pending. PUBLIC AUDIENCE Ken Tuttle, 4 Emery's Bridge Road, reserved time to speak under MSP#08-02; Our Lady of the Angels Parish. CORRESPONDENCE 1. Letter from Denis St. Pierre (Homefront Bakery) dated December 10, 2008: Request to withdraw application. Vice Chairman Christo noted receipt of letter. OLD BUSINESS and ORDINANCE UPDATES 1. MSP#08-02; Our Lady of the Angels Parish (Map 12 Lot 2): Site Walk Visit - Review. Item moved to #1 to accommodate applicant and public audience in attendance. Planning Board discussed the site walk conducted that morning. The Board reviewed site conditions and layouts as well as walked the property, viewed wetlands and discussed road lengths, possible entrances and the rational for access road location. Tom Harmon, Engineer, discussed the site as serviced by municipal sewer and water. Items included water drainage, tight soil types that minimally percolate and concerns with soil and frost penetration. The geotechnical engineers will measure the water table and make recommendations. The Board discussed buffer to parking lots, possible alternative entrances that would provide more screening and possibly more parking, as well as a walking path along the field line. Item will be placed on the 1-06-09 Planning Board agenda for sketch plan review. Mr. Harmon will meet with Mr. Fisk for further review of sketch plan. 2. Rules of Procedure and Code of Ethics: Planning Board Bylaws - Final Review for Adoption. Motion by Mr. Straub, second by Mr. Stirling, to accept bylaws with corrections, passed unanimously. 3. Continued Review of Proposed Table A and Table B. Table A The Planning Board discussed accepting Table A with corrections and the inclusion of the definitions of "Inns" and Neighborhood Convenience Stores". Motion by Mr. Straub, second by Mrs. Demers, to accept and recommend Table A dated 12/15/08 with corrections and the addition of definitions as presented at the 12/9/08 meeting and as confirmed at the 12/16/08 meeting for the inclusion of the Business Residential (BR) Zone, passed unanimously. Table B The Planning Board requested a complete review of Table B, Dimensional Requirements at the upcoming 1/06/09 Planning Board meeting. Table B should provide for a column entitled BR Zone with all dimensions left blank. Mr. Fisk said he was unable to provide dimensional concepts due to time constraints caused by the ice storm. He will have concepts prepared for the 1/06/09 meeting, which will include lot coverages, setbacks, parking and unit specifications. Mr. Fisk researched comparables in the past for reference. Map of the BR Zone Mr. Fisk provided Board members with an aerial map of the BR Zone. The Board requested another map in 100/scale. Revised map could illustrate street the maximum and minimum frontage figures along with street setbacks. NEW BUSINESS 1. Table B Index: Modification of Note (16) - Church Height. Motion by Mrs. Demers, second by Mr. Stirling, to amend Note (16) in Table B, passed unanimously. Amendments noted in bold italics and strikethroughs below. (16) These height requirements shall not apply to farm buildings, flagpoles, chimneys, ventilators, domes, water towers and tanks, church towers and sanctuaries, tanks, windmill towers, or other structures or building accessory features usually erected at a height greater than the main roofs of building, provided that such structure or accessory feature is not for human habitation or occupancy and further provided that any structure or accessory feature higher than thirty five (35) feet is set back from all property lines a distance equal to its height. Special height requirements shall be reviewed by the Planning Board under Site Plan review. Chairman Dionne will forward a recommendation letter to the Town Council noting the above changes as appropriate and consistent, and will make all churches in town conforming to dimensional zoning requirements. OTHER 1. ArcGIS/ArcReader Presentation: Introduction to map viewing software. Mr. Fisk presented the Board with an overview of how to download the ArcReaderWindows93 software and general tools for researching and viewing the different themes/layers on the South Berwick map. Information specific to parcels, zoning, wetlands, resource/Shoreland zoning buffers and streams could all be identified and/or located with this program. Mr. Fisk provided Mr. Stirling and Mr. Christo flash drives to install and view ArcReader program. MEMBER COMMENTS Mr. Stirling: Thanked Mr. Fisk for the presentation, wished everyone a happy holiday and noted the Traffic Study meeting to take place. Mrs. Demers: Noted that she does not have an EDC update, as the monthly meeting has not occurred. Mr. Christo: Discussed how well the site walk visit went, as well as the benefit of site walk discussions. Dates & Times for Upcoming Meetings: 01/06/09 - 7:00 PM Planning Board Regular Meeting. 01/20/09 - 7:00 PM Planning Board Regular Meeting. Motion by Mrs. Demers, second by Mr. Stirling to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned without objection at 8:53 PM. ATTESTED: Susie Scott Susie Scott, Assistant to the Director of Planning & Economic Development