TOWN OF SUTTON
Zoning Board of Adjustment
Pillsbury Memorial Hall
Meeting Minutes
October 21, 2015

Present: Zoning Board of Adjustment Members: Bill Hallahan, Chairman; Derek Lick, Vice Chairman; Dane Headley and Doug Sweet, Members; and Sue Reel, Alternate; (Ed Canane, Member, was absent); Laurie Hayward, Land Use Coordinator.
The meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM, by Lick, the Vice Chair.
Administrative:
Minutes from the last meeting: The Vice Chairman made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of September 16, 2015 with the amendment that the last sentence of the first paragraph of the Work Session and all language after that up to New Business be deleted. Headley seconded the motion and it was voted unanimously.
Work Session: Revision of Zoning Ordinance
The Vice Chairman described the meeting held with Roger Wells of the Planning Board and town counsel. At a high level it was about what belongs in Zoning Ordinance, what is handled by the ZBA and whether items handled by other Boards or Departments should be in the Zoning Ordinance.
Hallahan joined the meeting at this point.
There was a discussion about the appropriateness of having a section on Driveways in the Zoning Ordinance. It was explained that Driveways could come under “Innovative Land Use Control” and under the related statutes; the Planning Board could review and approve using a Special Use Permit. There was additional discussion about driveways and whether there should be any requirements for driveways beyond the “curb”. The Vice Chair asked for sense of the Board on the conceptual problem of whether anything on interior of a lot should be reviewed. Sweet indicated he was ok with the concept. Board members indicated that they were OK with some review of driveways where slopes are some amount greater than 15% and laybys might be required at 1000 feet. ZBA members did question the language requiring that a driveway not be more than 1000 feet from street.

There was a brief conversation about the proposed Article providing for a Steep Slope Overlay District. The Vice Chair asked the LUC to suggest that the Planning Board work on more clear and exact language than the current draft contains.
The Vice Chair opened a discussion regarding the language on “Manufactured Housing”, explaining that the discussion with town counsel confirmed that the current language in the Sutton Zoning Ordinance does not comply with state requirements and must be changed. There are two basic ways that the language can be brought into compliance: 1. to permit a single “manufactured house” on a single conforming lot or 2 to permit Manufactured Home Parks and Manufactured Home Subdivisions. There was a lively discussion on the two options. ZBA Members were in favor of the park and subdivisions option and not in favor of the individual lot option. The Vice Chair told Board members that there are three open questions that he feels the Board can take a vote on at this point. The Vice Chair pointed out the Ordinance Sections on Excavations and suggested that the language be changed to have the Sutton Code Enforcement Officer handle inspections. The motion was seconded and voted in favor. The Vice Chair then took up the Ordinance Section on the Temporary Use of Travel and Construction Trailers. The Vice Chair moved that revised language be added to make the approval of the Temporary use of a
travel trailer as a “construction trailer” the responsibility of the Select Board. Members agreed that this makes sense as this type of request most often arises in conjunction with a building permit application and those are approved by the Select Board. The motion was seconded and voted in favor. The Vice Chair took up a third Section of the Zoning Ordinance, making a motion that the language on junk be simplified by consolidating it into a single section rather than two and simply referring to the state
statute that covers junk more extensively. 

New Business: The Vice Chair briefly explained that Hallahan has requested to step down as Chair and become an Alternate. The LUC asked the Vice Chair if the Board wished to take up changes that had been requested and vote on a recommendation to the Select Board. The Vice Chair moved that a recommendation be made to the Select Board that Reel be moved from alternate to full member and Hallahan remain on the Board as an alternate. The motion was seconded and voted unanimously. The LUC explained that she will
notify the Select Board of the Zoning Board of Adjustment recommendation. 

Next meeting is to be held Wednesday, November 18, at 7pm. There are no cases before the Board at this
time. Therefore, the next meeting will be a work session.
There being no further business, DL moved and DH seconded, and it was voted unanimously that the
meeting be adjourned at 9:03 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Laurie Hayward
Land Use Coordinator