Planning Board
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Meeting Minutes
The Harrisville Planning Board held a regularly scheduled meeting and public hearing on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at Town Hall.
Members present: Ryan Stone Co-Chair, Courtney Cox Co-Chair, Don Scott, Jon Miner, Pete Thayer, Kathy Scott Select Board Representative. Absent: Lisa Anderson
Attendees: Russell Huntley of Huntley Survey & Design, PLLC
The meeting opened at 7:00 pm.
Attendance, Roles and Voting Members – Ryan Stone named the voting members as follows: Ryan Stone, Courtney Cox, Jon Miner, Peter Thayer and Kathy Scott
Agenda – Members approved the agenda as prepared.
Minutes of previous meeting – 8/14 and 8/21 – Members approved both sets of meeting minutes as submitted.
Application, Two-Lot Minor Subdivision, Jeffrey Trudelle, 686 Tolman Pond Road (Map 60 – Lot 26). Following Courtney Cox’s confirmation that the application submitted by surveyor Russ Huntley, on behalf of the property owner, was reviewed and deemed complete by Ms. Cox and Pete Thayer, Mr. Thayer moved that the PB accept the application as complete. Members voted 5-0 in favor, after which the chair opened the public hearing on the matter.
The co-chair wished to note that, due to a property transfer of an abutter lot following the mailing of certified public hearing notices to abutters, the new property owner of Map 60-Lot 50-10, who was not an owner of record at the time the notices were mailed, did not receive a notice by certified mail, but was sent subsequently, two weeks prior to the hearing date, a hearing notice by regular mail. The owner of record at the time was sent a notice by certified mail The board further noted that no abutters were in attendance.
Russ Huntley of Huntley Survey & Design, representing Mr. Trudelle, then described the proposed residential subdivision of the 5.2-acre lot with frontage on both Nelson Road and Tolman Pond Road. Mr. Huntley referred to the site plan submitted with the application, noting the surveyed boundary lines, frontage calculations, existing dwelling and proposed boundary line. He confirmed that a test pit was done, and a leach field exists behind the existing dwelling. A state subdivision application for septic for the new lot, proposed as Map 60 – Lot 26-1, is in progress with DES.
The driveway for the new lot will be off Tolman Pond Road, where the frontage for the new lot totals 251 feet. The new frontage on Tolman Pond Road for the lot with the existing dwelling will be 295 feet, with Nelson Road frontage to remain unchanged at 803 feet.
The PB noted a couple of typos on the site plan and requested that Mr. Huntley make the following corrections: calculations for upland acreages should be swapped with 3 acres +/- noted for the new lot, with total acreage of 3.012 +/-, and upland acreage of 2 acres +/- noted for the existing dwelling lot with total new acreage of 2.166. +/-. In addition, the PB requested that the spelling of an abutter’s first name be corrected. Mr. Huntley agreed to make the changes. No additional concerns or questions were raised by the board.
Co-Chair Ryan Stone then closed the public hearing.
Pete Thayer moved to accept the application for the Minor Two-Lot Subdivision for Map 60 – Lot 26 as submitted with minor typo corrections to the plat. Courtney Cox seconded. The board voted 5-0 in favor. Mr. Stone will draft the Notice of Decision. Russ Huntley will make the noted corrections and submit the mylar and paper copies.
Recap of SB meeting with the PB and Transportation Committee – The PB discussed their perspective on the joint meeting with the boards and committee. All agreed the meeting was beneficial and that outreach among boards is beneficial. Members also support streamlining reporting for the sake of maximizing board and committee time. The PB will work to improve communication with the Select Board.
Committee updates
-Master Plan Review – The PB will confirm the status of the project with Lisa Anderson at the next regular meeting.
-Ordinance Review Committee – The PB acknowledged the request from Harry Wolhandler to review Airbnb and tourist home language in the ordinances and briefly discussed the definitions of “tourist home” and “hotel” as they are currently written. The ORC will also consider revisiting amendments to the Wetland Conservation District article, Article XII.
– Separately, the PB raised the topic of the Agricultural Commission, and whether this commission is still active. Kathy Scott noted it is, and that the commission was formed by vote at Town Meeting. Co-Chair Ryan Stone will reach out to the Agricultural Commission to propose a meeting.
Membership – As part of continued recruitment efforts, Ryan Stone will follow up with Lisa Anderson about the suggested blurb for Common Threads to help promote volunteerism.
Applications/Check Lists Review – The PB has the Major Subdivision application form on its list for updates, but noted that the Subdivision Regulations themselves need reviewing and possibly updating. Mr. Stone also suggests that the PB Rules of Procedure be reviewed to ascertain whether amendments are needed and offered to do so.
New business:
1) Paul Clark attended to reiterate his interest in and ideas on the housing issue. He hopes the PB can help get something ready for Town Meeting that would support the creation of additional housing and allow more flexibility to allow greater density, if the idea is affordability. The PB shared the typical timeline and process for bringing zoning amendments to Town Meeting. Mr. Clark will discuss board feedback with others who are interested, and get back to the PB with draft ideas.
2) The use of Zoom for meetings – Board members discussed the topic of Zoom, with several members believing that remote voting should not be allowed and that members should be attending in person. Members discussed different scenarios in which participating by zoom may or may not be allowed, or in which zoom would not be used at all. They acknowledged the easier accessibility for the public that zoom offers, but noted the frustration with audio issues and preference for in-person communication. They also noted that zoom is not required to be offered and that other town land use boards have opted not to use this medium.
Following discussion, Courtney Cox moved that the PB discontinue the use of zoom for all meetings effective immediately, September 11, 2024. Kathy Scott seconded. All voted in favor.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.