CHARLOTTE PLANNING COMMISSION

7:00 P.M., THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1999

TOWN OFFICES, 425-3533 



Members
Present:

Chairman Al
Moraska

Jim Donovan 

Ed Melby

Josie Leavitt
(new member) 

David Woolf

Jeff McDonald




Members
Absent:

Dave Brown



Officials
Present:

Planner Dean
Bloch



Guests Signed
in:

Chris Masterson

Kevin Garen

Mib Brown

Charles Brush
(not signed in)

Matt Dawson

Mike O'Brien

Bonnie Yarnell

Joseph Aube

Betsy Moraska

Laurie Stavrand

Eloise Woolf




1. General Business: Minutes of June 17, 1999 were read and details were corrected, special
note was to correct some names. Discussion about the computer needed to be under its own item
number. Clark Hinsdale, Jr. had been formally asked to sign the Open Space Agreement, and as a
note, he has done that since. Al Moraska moved to accept the minutes for June 17th as
corrected. Ed Melby seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0 with two members abstaining
and one absent.

Minutes for June 3rd were postponed due to lack of the same members who were present then.

Condition for Lazar school approval were that there was to be a letter from the Charlotte Fire
Chief. That letter will be part of the approval conditions.

Jim Donovan arrived, so minutes for July 1st were reviewed. It needed to have added, that all the
applicants for the vacancy on the Planning Commission were qualified. Al Moraska moved to
approve the minutes for July 1, 1999 with the condition that the Lazar school application
include a letter from the Fire Chief and that there be a statement that all the applicants for
the Planning Commission vacancy were qualified. Jeff seconded the motion and it was
approved, 5-0 with two members abstaining and one member absent.

2. Charles and Linda Stearns / Chris Masterson, Spear St. Ext., Final Hearing for 3-lot
subdivision: Chris Masterson explained their plans to take a 57 acre parcel of land and divide it
into 3 lots: 32.4 acres, 13.3 acres, and 13.31 acres.

Al Moraska reported that the Planning Commission members had been there on a site visit. Chris
said the total driveway is 1300' long, but the part leading to this is 795'. 

Regarding open space, Al Moraska explained that since this is a parcel of more than 25 acres, the
Town requires that between 15% and 50% be preserved for open space. Chris replied that open
space on Lot 1 (the 32.4 acres) will be reserved. She said that if they decide to subdivide Lot 1 for
future housing lots they would have to come in later and would have to get approval anyway. There
is a building envelope shown on this lot near the road, where there is an existing sawmill.

On Lot 3 there are two building envelopes identified, where two sisters plan to build. Lot 2 will be
Linda's and Lot 1 remains in her father's name. Chris plans to subdivide her own lot, #2, by selling
off a 5-acre portion. She said her father wants to build near the sawmill on Lot 1. She was asked
whether the septic capacity has been tested for the number of homes that are planned, and she said
it has.

Regarding open space, Chris said the areas outside the building envelopes on Lots 2 and 3 will not
be built on and should be considered open space. On Lot #1 however, it's 32.4 acres and she is
unsure just how her father is going to proceed. If he wants to subdivide that, she said, he can
provide additional information on the areas that will be reserved as open space. Jim Donovan
explained that areas need to be designated now as open space; they can subdivide these but then
cannot build on them in the future.

Chris pointed to an area on Lot 3 (her sister's) that was supposed to be better than the building
envelope that is shown. Jeff said he had asked Chris to label the building envelopes: if one was an
alternate he should label it as an alternate. 

Jim asked if the existing and proposed septic locations are designated, and Chris said the proposed
locations are on there. Jeff said plans were sent to Spencer Harris (the Town's usual consultant on
septic issues), and he said Spencer has not sent them back yet. He had wanted to see more on the
building sites as far as the tank and the separation distance from the proposed well.

Chris said Surveying sent a copy directly to Spencer, and has not heard anything to the contrary so
she assumed they are both happy with it. She said the sewer line continues off to the house site. If
they are to use an existing water source there is more than ample space. That's because there
happens to be a spring right there in the corner. Chris describes where other wells are located.

Jim asked about the driveway location and apparent bend, and Chris said that is because there's a
natural hedgerow there. Ed Melby asked about her stated plan to further subdivide her own Lot 2
with a 5-acre lot. Chris said she won't do that until she figures out where 5 acres would come; she
pointed out a general location.

Al Moraska said the minimal 15% of the 57.57 acres amounts to a little over 9 acres that need to be
open. They would like to have this set aside preserve some of the natural features of the land. He
asked where she would like to propose it. Chris suggested the front meadow of Lot #3 and all the
rest of Lot #2 that is not designated as a building envelope. Chris said there is a potential of her
sister building on either of the locations on Lot #3. 

Jeff asked for more description of the lay of the land. She pointed out a natural ravine that is being
used for boundaries, locations of pastures and wooded areas. Al discussed where the open space
lines were to be drawn. They want to leave her father out of this portion for the time being, but when
his part comes up the rest of the open space will have to be discussed. Jim agreed that even if the
15%, or nearly 10 acres, comes out of Lots 2 and 3, then some crucial areas near the brook on Lot
1 would not be protected. He wanted to wait and get the opinion of the Charlotte Conservation
Committee.

Al suggested where some of the boundaries for open space be placed. She will have the surveyor
mark these off, as well as decide which area are to be her future 5-acre subdivision of her Lot 2.

Matt Dawson, a property owner on the east side, asked to speak. On Lots 2 and 3, he asked about
the two locations for the building envelopes. He asked if the approvals, if given, would apply to
either or both of the locations, or if they would be for only one of the building envelopes on each of
the lots. Chris said when she decided which she wanted then she would apply for that one alone.
The alternate was not in addition to the one she would choose.

Matt said the reason he is asking, is to see whether a stand of very large, mature maple trees. The
boundary cuts through this stand of trees, and he is concerned whether they would be clear-cut. He
asks that whatever trees are on the boundary line be preserved in a kind of covenant.

Al said they could make a condition that the trees of a certain diameter be preserved (not weedy,
small trees) if they are healthy. Jeff said they could pick a diameter, say 8" to 12" and Chris agreed.

The last issues, Jeff said, are getting the septic plans back from Spencer and the open space drawn
out on the map. Ed said buried electrical lines should be designated also.

Al moved that the Planning Commission approve the 3-lot subdivision application of Chris
Masterson and Linda Stearns, located on Spear St. Extension with the following
conditions: 

There will be an Open Space designated on Lot 3 at a point 250' north of the
boundary for Lot 2, extending to the creek. And on Lot 2, Open Space designated at
a point 650' north of the southern property line for Lot 2 to the southern boundary
line. 
In a stand of maple trees on the eastern boundary of Lot 3, any tree on the property
line 12" in diameter will not be disturbed except in normal care. 
Open Space for Lot 1 will be designated when Lot 1 is further subdivided. 



Dave Woolf seconded the motion and it was approved, 6-0 with one member absent.

3. Gary Wulfson / Michael Brown, Dorset St. Ext., Sketch Plan Review for 3-lot
subdivision: Al Moraska recused himself from this hearing and Ed Melby took over as
chairperson.

Mike Brown presented copies of the plans. He said previous activity involved Lots 1 and 2 of the
Aube Estate. Lot 1 was retained by the Aube Estate and lot 2 was purchased by Gary Wulfson. Lot
2 at that point included everything south and west of Lot 1 within the property boundary lines. This
application involves those two lots at the southeast corner along Dorset St. and are marked Lots 3
and 4.

These are each 10 acres in size, and the building envelope for Lot 2, but there are no official
designations for the building envelopes for the two new lots. There have been tentative choices but a
final decision has not been made on these yet. A general building area for one could be about
400-to-500 feet in from Dorset St. and the second for either lot could be the next terrace up, where
the "TP" which stands for test-pits. There are roughly 3 terraces before you get to the wooded area,
Mike said, and on Lots 3 and 4 there is a stream and there are some hedgerows and stone walls
there, east or west of that area. The test pits are all in cornfields in the upper terrace. 

Mike said they have tried to pay attention to the natural features on these properties. There are
possibly six test pits on each of those two 10-acre lots. Each lot meets the requirement of 300'.
There is a small hedgerow west of the Luce property which helps screen the western boundary.

Some of the septic systems (which are modified mound systems), have been designed already. They
are on fairly good soils, Mike said. Two of the test pits were okay but the engineers recommended
modified mounds. The water seems to be good.

Ed said they need to discuss the open space. Mike said the back section, the western-most portion
of the property is planned to be set aside.

Jeff McDonald asked about the driveway access for these. Mike said it's possible that lots 2 and 3
would use the same driveway but lot 4, he described as having its own, screened driveway. Jim
Donovan asked about the possibility of having all three lots use a common driveway.

Ed asked about how the wildlife concerns are being addressed. This is a general area identified by
USDA as a wildlife area, he said, and asked if they had considered this when planning the house
sites. Mike said no house would be going further back than the one on Lot 2. Then he pointed to the
"back" area that would be unbroken.

Jeff asked if he could say the remainder of Lot 2 would stay as is, such as "no further subdivision of
Lot 2." But Mike said they don't want to say that, and suggested instead that there would be no
further subdivision of certain particular areas.

They plan to have a site visit at 6:00 on August 5th, before the next meeting. Mike said more
crushed stone has been brought in so it's probable that they will be able to drive right in. Linda
Radimer will be notified so that she or someone else on Conservation can accompany them on the
site visit.

The Planning Commission classified this as a Major Subdivision. Open areas will be designated on
the map.

4. Charlotte Central School Recreation Field / Margaret Therrien Titus, Hinesburg Road
Sketch Plan Review for expansion of Recreation Fields: Charlie Brush appeared on behalf of
the applicants.

Mr. Brush described the parking lot and ball fields on the map, and showed where the new playing
field is to be located, and the location of drainage systems and location of new trees to be planted. It
involves approximately a half-acre easement. This is simpler than actually going through a boundary
line adjustment. He showed where her house is located on the Mount Philo Road.

They have already discussed the project with Karen Bates from the State offices and the plans
appear to be acceptable. He showed the location of the old and the new drainage swales. It is
changing the direction of drainage but Jim Donovan, looking at it more closely according to the
elevations, was concerned that the drainage may not go in the direction they intend. He and Jeff
added their suggestions to avoid some of the problems, even if they have to add another catch
basin.

Mr. Brush thought they may want to add a fence there to protect other neighboring properties, and
was assured it is a good idea to put fences, and even plantings on the plan. Jeff said they probably
shouldn't be planting anything in the swale.

Some discussion ensued regarding the Burns property where they want to have another soccer field,
but it is realistic to say that after school the children would rather play in the field in back of the
school instead of waiting for transportation elsewhere. And of course no one knows whether the
Burns property site will happen soon.

Jeff McDonald noted that the National Guard volunteers have built the soccer fields in Vergennes,
and he asked if that option has been explored for Charlotte. Jim Donovan said he found out there
was a long waiting list for their help when he asked about bike paths. Mr. Brush said there is a lot of
work involved in making the right foundation for one of these fields, because without it the rains will
ruin the surface.

Mr. Brush asked that there be a public meeting to get as much input as possible. It will be a warned
hearing.

5. Town Plan Discussion: Jeff noted that according to the Burlington Free Press the Town Plan
was already approved, but of course they were only reporting on the draft copy and it has not gone
before the voters.

References to Husky were removed, but they left references to IDX and Country Home Products.
References to lake levels of 100' were discussed, and concerns were voiced on whether the
wording should be changed. 

Dean Bloch is helping to finalize the details in order to get the final copy in time for the public hearing
even if some minor changes or editing needs to be done before it goes to the Selectboard. Jim
suggested that the last section (Strategies and Policies) needs to be edited to eliminate some
redundancies. He said it needs more work to prevent saying something in a different way in S&P
than it says in the matching chapter, that can have a wrong interpretation. Jim was concerned
whether there is enough time to tackle that part of it, and Al said he thinks they do.

Al suggested that time-sensitive directions in the Plan be placed on one page, easy to access.

6. Other Business: Al reported on a windmill that had a permit, but he is in violation of his
variance because he has put in a much larger windmill that is creating a problem with the neighbors
due to the noise and size. Discussion is ongoing with the town attorney. This is informational only,
because it is a Zoning Board matter.



Submitted by Nancy Lane