HomeMy Public PortalAboutPB Minutes 2002-07-09 ORLEANS PLANNING BOARD
July 9, 2002 —Minutes
A meeting of the Orleans Planning Board was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on July 9, 2002,in Meeting Room
A, Orleans Town Hall.
Present were: Chairman: Alan Conklin; Vice-Chairman: Mark Zivan; Clerk: Sims McGrath;Nate
Pulling; Associates: Karen Etsell; Secretary: Karen Sharpless. Absent: Town Planner: George
Meservey; William Wilcoxson; Stan Hart.
Approval Not Required—Kurt Martin—Rayber Road
David Lyttle (Ryder& Wilcox)represented Kurt Martin. This application is for the reconfiguration of the
lot line for 2 lots (13A and 14A). It is located in the commercial zone which requires 30,000 ft of upland.
These lots conform to the zoning requirements. There is a wetland. Each lot will have more usable property
with this reconfiguration. There is an existing building on one of the adjacent lots.
MOTION: On a motion by Nate Pulling, seconded by Mark Zivan, the Board voted to authorize the
Planning Board Chairman to endorse the ANR plan prepared for Kurt Martin, dated June 21, 2002, scale F
= 30',by Ryder& Wilcox.
VOTE: 5-0-0 The vote was unanimous.
OLD BUSINESS
General Business District—Plan of Study
The Planning Board discussed a memorandum from George Meservey regarding the Business Corridor Study
and decided to postpone further discussion until their next meeting.
Sims McGrath stated that he felt that George Meservey's elements of study are valid and thorough.
NEW BUSINESS
Planning Board Signatures for Registry of Deeds
The Planning Board members signed the annual form for the Registry of Deeds.
CORRESPONDENCE
The Planning Board discussed the Board of Selectmen letter to Mr. Herlihy regarding the Wise 40B
Proposal.
Zivan stated his concerns with the adversarial stance of the town, and that the Planning Board's
recommendation, requested by the Board of Selectmen, had been to take a far more reserved and open ended
position than they indeed had, with a view to eventually reaching some common ground that might benefit
both the town and the developer of a so-called"independent living facility." He stated that it might be
helpful for the Planning Board to do some density and traffic studies of its own, and make its own
Planning Board Minutes July 9, 2002 Page 1
recommendation to the town. He expressed concern that the town is being reactive rather than proactive with
regard to this matter.
The Planning Board expressed concerns about the Board of Selectmen's letter to the State and the strong
opinions that it indicated. Zivan stated that Mr. Wise's original proposal or one based on an even lower
density than the original proposal would be more desirable than the so called 40B proposal both for the town
and for Mr. Wise, based on the obvious economics of the matter, and that if the town exercised some
leadership and proactivity in studying what would be acceptable and desirable than just rather than just
reacting negatively, it might be possible to eventually negotiate a middle ground, one with less density than
put forward in either proposal, and that would serve the real needs of both the town and of a developer better
than an on-going,polarized, adversarial scrap. The Planning Board agreed that this situation seems too
adversarial.
The Planning Board briefly discussed the traffic issues at Skaket Corners which have increased with the new
lines recently painted on the road. McGrath stated that he understands that the Skaket Corners intersection is
scheduled to be reconfigured in the fall of 2002.
Zivan feels that people reacted to the idea of Mr. Wise's aggressively telling the town what proper density
and traffic, etc, should be, and that the town should be proactive and do its own study of what is and is not
desirable so that a constructive dialog can move forward, rather than just reacting negatively and
confrontationally.
McGrath stated that all of the discussion regarding the Bylaw was always around Wise's property and should
have been discussed on its own merits, not with a specific project. The Planning Board agreed that the
Business Corridor study can help with some of the specific issues.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES—June 11, 2002 & June 25,2002
MOTION: On a motion by Nate Pulling seconded by Sims McGrath, the Board voted to approve
the minutes of June 11, 2002.
VOTE: 3-0-2 The vote passed by a majority. (Karen Etsell and Mark Zivan abstained).
MOTION: On a motion by Nate Pulling, seconded by Karen Etsell, the Board voted to approve the
minutes of June 25, 2002.
VOTE: 3-0-2 The vote passed by a majority. (Mark Zivan and Sims McGrath abstained)
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: On a motion by Nate Pulling, seconded by Karen Etsell, the Board voted to adjourn at 7:30
p.m.
VOTE: 5-0-0 The vote was unanimous.
SIGNED: DATE:
(Clerk: Sims McGrath)
Planning Board Minutes July 9, 2002 Page 2