Board of Selectmen January 2, 2001

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MINUTES

JANUARY 2, 2001

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Robert Mack, Jr.

John Rosenthal

Charles Russell

Clark Hinsdale, III

OTHERS: Mary Beth Freeman

Jennifer Adsit

Ed Stone

Paul Arthaud

Wendy Schroeder

________________________________________________________________

Chairman Mack called the meeting of the Board of Selectmen to

order at 11:16 a.m. in the Charlotte Town Offices.

SIGN WARRANTS AND BILLS

Board members signed warrants and bills.

APPROVE MINUTES

Board members discussed which minutes were in need of approval

and board members said they had reviewed the minutes of December

18, 2000.

Russell moved and the motion was seconded by

Rosenthal:

* "TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 18, 2000."

Vote: All in favor.

BUDGET WORK SESSION

Board members reviewed the budget worksheets prepared by Wendy

Schroeder, beginning with the Selectboard budget. Board members

discussed the legal budget and causes for overruns this year

with the Burns property closing and expenses associated with the

senior center. Schroeder said she think there were any more big

legal expenses currently on the boiler plate.

Board members discussed how to express the money approved by

vote in July for the Burns land in the Town Report.

Board members discussed the Town Clerk's budget. Schroeder

suggested the town would do better by working lump sum payments

into salaries or an employee's hourly wage and Mack and Russell

discussed the logistics of doing so. Schroeder said she thought

the board should decided on salary increases first.

Board of Selectmen -2- January 2, 2001

The Town Hall budget was reviewed and Town Clerk, Mary Mead's

request to put postage under the town hall budget as all offices

use the postage meter. There was discussion of combining

mileage, advertising, memberships and training seminars under

one line item of miscellaneous and Schroeder outlined her

reasons why that was not a good idea.

The board reviewed the Treasurer's, Planning & Zoning and

Listers budgets.

Board members reviewed the Delinquent Tax Collector's budget and

decided to put legal expenses under the Selectboard budget and

put the separate expenses for the computer and office supplies

under the town hall budget.

Schroeder noted that she, Rosenthal and Russell had completed

the annual reviews of employees and suggested taking up the

health insurance costs and raises at the next meeting, January

8, 2001.

Schroeder and the board reviewed the Fire and Rescue budget.

Mack noted that costs for the new building would have to be

estimated as the building is still under construction.

Board members discussed the Highway budget and the $38,000.00

increase for the next year. Mack noted most of the expenses

would be for retreatment of roads and board members discussed

how if the budget were trimmed how highway grants might be

affected. Schroeder noted the last 2 winters were mild and so

expenses were lower, but this winter so far has not been as easy

on the budget.

Schroeder noted the Library was looking for $2,000.00 for a

computer service contract with Panurgy.

Board members discussed charity donations and board members

decided to level fund last year's donation budget except for an

increase in the VNA donation and not to fund the Charlotte Food

Shelf, as they did not request money this year.

TOWN PLAN SESSION

Hinsdale gave board members copies of his proposed changes to

the Charlotte Town Plan, dated November 15, 2000 and reviewed

his changes with the board. Board members approved:

On page 63 under Agriculture: Charlotte's policy of encouraging

the maintenance and economically viable use of agricultural land

is set for previously in this plan. Charlotte's policies in the

aggregate are intended to be "farm friendly." This section

refers to the role of agriculture in the conservation of

biological diversity in its associated forests, meadows and

wetlands.

Board of Selectmen -3- January 2, 2001

Farm diversification is encouraged for diversity and economic

reasons. Beekeeping provides important pollinators for

agriculture, home gardens, and horticulture is encouraged.

Organic farming, various grazing animals, small fruits and

vegetables and horticulture are welcome additions to our

traditional dairy farming base. Large, industrial type "factory

farms" with no locally farmed land base utilizing strictly

imported inputs are not a desirable direction for agriculture in

Charlotte. However, modern agricultural facilities and

techniques that offer benefits to water quality, economic

viability, and therefore sustainability of our local

agricultural land base should be embraced.

Conservation easements placed on agricultural lands should

require best management practices or embrace Charlotte's

environment yet be sufficiently flexible to allow agricultural

land uses to change with the agricultural economy through time.

The overall objective with respect to biodiversity through

agriculture is to maintain and enhance health agriobiodiversity

and long-term production, and to protect neighboring lands and

waters from impairment.

On page 29 in the first paragraph, line 5, add "limited" in

front of support.

On page 33, in the last paragraph before SLOPES, add "over"

before development.

On page 35, the last 3 lines from the bottom, eliminate

"perhaps" before encouraged.

On page 37 in the second paragraph, and second sentence: This

subdivision expends the size of East Charlotte with respect to

future growth as a "growth center."

On page 39, in paragraph 5, rewrite the third sentence to

"Because of Charlotte's increased desirability as a "bedroom

community" for the greater Burlington area, Charlotte residents

are realizing that more proactive planning techniques must be

used to protect the town's natural and cultural resources."

On page 40, change the last sentence to "A receiving area, for

example, could be an..."

On page 46, change the last sentence after the Route 7 change to

"except with site plan review."

On page 49, in paragraph 4, line 4, add "extensive" before

agricultural operations.

On page 53, in the first full paragraph, first sentence change

"will" to "currently" and add to the end of the paragraph: "A

TDR program may provide and opportunity to compensate landowners

who own significant open space resources when significant on

site development is deemed to be appropriate."

On page 55 in the first paragraph, in the last sentence, change

"are" to "were' before two sawmills.

Board of Selectmen -4- January 2, 2001

On page 59, under the Lewis Creek bullet point, eliminate

"now-destroyed" in front of dam.

On pages 66-68 switch the Garvey Farm, Sheldon Farm and M.

Hinsdale Farm to working farms and add the Kaplan Farm,

Charlotte Berry Farm and change the Goss Farm to an operating

farm.

On page 68 to eliminate the last sentence.

On page 87, add to the bullet points the New Little League

Fields at the Charlotte Berry Farm and Charlotte Park and

Wildlife Refuge and the town ice rink.

On page 88 to add to the bullet point "Once the new Little

League Fields are operational, the need for additional baseball

fields should be reevaluated."

On page 104 to add the start date of December 4, 2000 to the

commuter rail service.

On page 110, number 10 to add "Conservation district regulations

should be amended to provide the opportunity to construct

improvements for public benefit as a conditional use, such as

the parking lot at Mt. Philo State Park. Conserved agricultural

lands should remain in the Agricultural/Residential district."

On page 121, in point 2, add: "Zoning regulations should be

amended to promote "expanded home occupations" that do not

disrupt residential neighborhoods as a conditional use."

On page 135 under schools, add to number three: "As part of the

public planning process for the Burns property, future school

needs will be considered."

On page 134, in 5.8.3 add at the beginning: "Burns Property -

Community Planning Process, The Town recently purchased 55 acres

of the former Burns property at the north edge of the existing

Charlotte village with the assistance of the Charlotte Land

Trust, the Vermont Land Trust and the Preservation Trust of

Vermont. The Selectboard is committed to the public planning

process for the future municipal use of this property which will

begin as soon as this new Town Plan is adopted. This planning

process will carefully examine how the Burns property can best

be utilized to support the goals of this plan, including

municipal infrastructure, recreation, trails, affordable and

elderly housing, conservation and other identified community

goals."

On page 145, Year 1, add "5. Begin Burns Property Public

Planning Process and Year 4 add "Complete items for Years 1-3

that are unfinished and evaluate efforts of Actions of Years 1-3

with respect to implementation of the 2001 Town Plan."

On page 149, rewrite TDR definition per Shirley Allen's

suggestions.

Board of Selectmen -5- January 2, 2001

Board members did not approve Hinsdale's proposed changes to the

Water supply section on page 91 and changes to Design reviews

for historic resources on page 115.

Jennifer Adsit addressed the Telecommunications Section 4.6.7 to

change the reference to AT&T to "American Tower Company."

Adsit, Mary Beth Freeman and Paul Arthaud discussed updates to

the Telecommunications section with the board and Adsit said she

would bring a finalized version of wording to Town Planner, Dean

Bloch the next day.

Russell discussed a petition regarding the zoning of property at

East Thompson's Point Road and Route 7 that was brought before

the Planning Commission and tabled without recommendation. Mack

said he thought the voters would not support industrial zoning

in that area and suggested taking out any reference to

industrial zoning at that location in the new Town Plan.

Mack moved:

* "TO DELETE ANY REFERENCE TO COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

ZONING AT ROUTE 7 AND EAST THOMPSON'S POINT ROAD

FROM THE NEW TOWN PLAN."

Vote: 3 in favor, 1 abstained (Hinsdale).

Russell read an article on TDRs and board members discussed

examples of where TDRs might be used to advantage in town. Mack

said he only sees 1-3 places in town where it would work well

and said he views TDRs as a tool of town planning.

Having no further business, Chairman Mack moved:

* "TO ADJOURN."

Vote: All in favor.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:26 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:

Debby Flynn