Town of West Sparta Planning Board

March 28, 2012                                  MINUTES -draft

Call To Order: 7:07pm

Roll Call; Present-Chairman Sue Erdle, Board Members Jill Kalmar, Barb Nagle

Absent -Andy Keiffer, Alternate Eugene Teed

One Board member position vacant, One Alternate Position vacant

            There is a Quorum

            Guests – Laura Moffat (ZBA), Paul Beatson, Justina Kinney

Approval of Minutes – Resolution 2012-05 to approve the February 22, 2012 minutes.  Motion to approve by B. Nagle, seconded by J. Kalmar

 Roll call vote; Erdle-aye, Kalmar-aye, Nagle-aye         PASSED

Privilege of the Floor – Paul Beatson wants to expand his dog grooming business in Byersville.  He was advised that the nature of this expansion would change his classification from home based business to a special permit use. He was referred to the town ZEO for the correct forms and the procedure for applying for a Special Use permit. Chairman Erdle said that if gets the paperwork done by early next week she will forward it to the County Planners for review and the application can then be placed on the agenda of the April meeting of the Town Planning Board as a Public Hearing for the application.

Communications – The Town Board will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed gas well drilling Moratorium on March 29

Old Business – The need for a moratorium was discussed as a way of protecting the taxpayers of the town from damages and expenses by giving the town a reasonable period of time to develop regulations on gas well drilling. Members of the Board were urged to attend tomorrow nights hearing.

New Business – Local West Sparta laws that affect our work on the Planning Board were discussed; Junk Storage Law, Unsafe Buildings & Abandoned Structures Law, Regulation of Telecommunications Facilities, Wind Tower Law, Subdivision Law, Erosion and Sediment Control Law, and the Flood Damage Prevention Law. All of the Planning Board members were reminded to review their copy of the Comprehensive Plan (copies were loaned to Jill Kalmar and Justina Kinney). Copies of the new Land Development Code will be available soon.

Handouts – Ag & Markets Law, The Permit Process In West Sparta

Other Business – Justina Kinney is interested in becoming a member of the Planning Board.  She was advised to send a letter of interest to the town Board.

Next meeting is April 25, 212 at 7 pm.

Meeting Adjourned at 8:20 pm