Appeals Board, Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Sedgwick Appeals Board 

 

            The Sedgwick Appeals Board met at the Sedgwick Town Office on Tuesday, November 11, 2008.  Present were Appeals Board members Danny Weed, Steve Tobey, Pam Johnson, Tom Schroth and Chairman Fred Marston.

            Also present were attorneys Cliff Goodall, and Jim Patterson, Packet reporter Jonathan Thomas, Court reporter Karen Dube, Assistant to the Selectmen Barbara Grindle, Selectman Tom O’Connor, CEO Duane Ford, Bruce Mattson, Bob Cote, Lee Patten, Phil Urban, Horace Wardwell,  Planning Board members Victor Smith, John Allen, Sylvia Wardwell, David Webb,  James Wood and Chairman Palmer Little

            The meeting was opened at 6:35 by Chairman Marston.  He opened the floor to Attorney Goodall who passed out minutes of the last meeting and modified plans for the sewage system.  He explained that they had met at the site with Scott Williams.  Mr Williams was unable to make it to this meeting, but will be at the next one to give a report on the water quality and resource protection.  He is associated with Lake and Watershed Resource Management Associates, and has monitored Walker Pond for the Friends of Walker Pond for several years.

            Also at the next meeting, Mr Goodall will present a summary on the ordinance with the appellate’s presentations.  He will explain how the Maine Supreme Court case of Sedgwick vs Stewart affects the Appeals Board duties in regard to the ordinance.  Mr Goodall is the attorney for the 4 Winds/Patten appeal.

            Mr Mattson: The plans for the septic systems have been changed to grinder pumps for the two cabins, Twister and Squall.  The effluent will be pumped to the existing 1500 gallon septic tank and run into the existing leach field.  The septic for the Directors Cabin will be a regular 1000 gallon tank and pumped into the existing septic tank.  There is to be a new 1500 gallon tank installed beside the old one so that the effluent will run from one tank into the other tank and then into the leach field.  By raising the steel foundations on Twister and Squall their grinder pumps can be gravity fed.  These new plans will reduce damage to the surrounding vegetation because they can be installed without heavy equipment.  They also are safer for the pond because the settling tanks will be 195 ft away from the pond and floodplain.

            Mr Cote:  He will be saving 80% of the old buildings, reinforcing the floors, roofs and walls to present code regulations and building the additions on the back of the buildings.  The steel beams for the foundations will be w12 x 48 lb/ft 26 ft long.  He will remove the rotten parts, cut openings for doors and windows.  The outside siding will stay as it is (live edge boarding) and the addition will be sided in the same material.  Each addition will be insulated, have partitions for kitchens, bedrooms, bathroom.  They will be heated with propane and have new shingles on the roofs.

            Questions and comments from the board and the lawyers about the responsibilities of the Board in a ‘de novo’ hearing.  They have to look at all of the presented materials, even that material that the Planning Board did not see, and make their decision for permitting on that material.  The Planning Board decision is not to be considered in their decision.  Since the appeal process began, many of the applicant’s plans have changed.

            The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 25, 6:30 pm at the Sedgwick Town Office.  Meetings after that will be held Wednesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 17, both at 6:30 pm at the Town Office.

            There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm.

                     Barbara Grindle,  Assistant to the Selectmen,

                                                  Town of Sedgwick, ME