Approved 10/14/2014

TOWN OF SUTTON
Planning Board
Pillsbury Memorial Hall
Meeting Minutes
September 23, 2014

Present: Planning Board Members: Carrie Thomas, Chairperson; Julie McCarthy, Roger Wells, and Carole O’Connell members; (Bob DeFelice and Peter Blakeman, members, and Dan Sundquist, Ex-Officio, were absent); Laurie Hayward, Land Use Coordinator (LUC); and Thomas Schaumberg, New Hampshire State Representative and interested member of the public.

The meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM, by Carrie Thomas, Chairperson.

Work Session:

Regulations and Ordinances: The Chair opened the work session. Wells opened the discussion giving his concerns about the issues of noise and pedestrian traffic around Kezar Lake. He told the Board that he is concerned about those issues but not actively working on them. The LUC explained that she understood from the Town Administrator that there was a Select Board Meeting that he attended at which the impression was given that he was working on at least the noise issue. The LUC offered to send Wells the noise ordinance language that Chief Korbet had given her. The LUC also mentioned that Chief Korbet was looking for other ordinances to be added to the Sutton Town Ordinances [not the Zoning Ordinance]. Wells indicated that the issue of noise on the lake might be better taken up by members of the Lake Protective Association as the most recent issue involves excessive noise by a boat. The LUC pointed out according to the New Hampshire boating laws loud engines must have mufflers and the noise be below a certain decibel level. She stated that a noise ordinance might not help in that case as all waters and boating falls under the state Marine Patrol. Wells said he did not see why a Town noise ordinance wouldn’t apply if the noise exceeded that level regardless of whether made on the water or on land. The LUC agreed to research the statutes and send Board Members the wording in the statutes.

The Board moved on to a discussion about priorities and there was general agreement that the revision of the Regulations should be at the top of the list. The primary reasons for placing the Regulations at the top are that current regulations are not as clear as they should be and that has proven to make getting a correctly completed application more difficult than it needs to be for the applicant, the Land Use Coordinator, and ultimately the Board. The issues that come up in connection with the current Regulations impact day to day functioning of the Planning Board.

Master Plan: Wells stated that he did not consider it a serious problem if the Master Plan waited until 2015. The LUC pointed out that one reason to move on the Master Plan as quickly as possible is the CIP [Capital Improvement Program]. She explained that it should be updated annually in support of the work by the Budget Committee and it has not been recently. Members discussed whether it made sense to simply do an update of the CIP this year and do the Master Plan and a complete revision of the CIP in 2015.

The LUC told the Board that to date there have been 129 Survey Monkey replies and 30 paper responses to the survey. She explained that she was concerned so she asked Dean Williams if he had any thoughts on the low response rate. He replied that he and Mike Tardiff discussed it and they agree that it is just “a sign of the times” and, like problems towns are having getting volunteers, Sutton is not out of the ordinary.

There was a brief discussion about the Site Visit, PB Case 2014-06, and the difficulties with getting enough members available at one time. It was noted that a quorum [4 members] is necessary. The LUC asked if the four members at this meeting could find a time and all agree to be there. After some discussion, members agreed that they could all make the Stonehouse Road Site Visit Sunday, October 12th at 4 PM.

The members discussed the consistent problems getting a quorum and the lack of volunteers to fill open places within the Board. Wells recommended that the Board consider going from a seven person board to a five person board. It was agreed that would make the number of members required for a quorum three rather than the current four. The LUC pointed out that they have consistently had three members; but, all too frequently, they cannot get four members. Wells suggested that the LUC research the statutory requirements and the process. The LUC was directed to also put together a presentation on making a change from a seven- to five-member Planning Board.

Next meeting is scheduled be the Stonehouse Road Site Visit on October 12, 2014 at 4:00 PM.
Next regular meeting is scheduled to include a Public Hearing, the continuance of PB 2014-06, and will be held on October 14, 2014 at 7:00 PM.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:37 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Laurie Hayward
Land Use Coordinator