Planning Board Minutes, April 8, 2014

TOWN OF SEDGWICK

PLANNING BOARD MEETING

April 8, 2014

 

The meeting was opened at 7 pm by Chairman pro tem Michael Rossney.  A quorum was declared with members Nicole Gray, Michael Rossney, Peter Neill, Peter Atherton, Alternate, and new member Richard Duffy present.  Also present were CEO Duane Ford, Selectmen Nelson Grindal and Victor Smith, Robert Jones and Assistant to the Selectmen Barbara Grindle.

 

It was moved and seconded to accept the minutes of the last meeting.  Vote 5-0 to accept the minutes as written.

 

The members of the Board welcomed new member Richard Duffy.  It was moved and seconded to appoint Assistant to the Selectmen Barbara Grindle to be the secretary for the board.  Vote 5-0 for Barbara Grindle to act as secretary of the Board.

 

There was no new business.

 

OLD BUSINESS:  The Board was presented with a fee schedule list.  CEO reported that the Hancock County Planning Commission is getting fee schedules together for the local towns so that they can know what each town is charging for services.

Building Notifications are mainly for assessing purposes, but the town needs to know what new structures are being built.  The fee for a building notification in Sedgwick is only $5.  Many towns are charging by the square foot.  Suggestions for getting the word out to the townspeople that the notification is needed were 1)  putting a note in tax bills when they are sent out;  2)  making a welcome packet for new homeowners which would include all town information, ordinances, registration places and times, etc.

The fee schedule should be comparable with that of other towns in the area.

It was moved and seconded to accept the current fee schedule.  Vote 5-0 to accept the current fee schedule.

 

Chairman asked when the town will be providing planning board email addresses for the planning board members.  The selectmen will see about setting them up with our webmaster.

 

CEO REPORT:  Covenant Way discussion.  CCLT (Covenant Community Land Trust) representatives asked the selectmen to tax the homeowner’s land.  Since the homeowners don’t own the land, the town cannot tax them for the land on which their homes sit.  The selectmen will refuse to tax the land until the landowner has a deed for it.  CCLT owns the land, a portion of which is in tree growth managed by Blue Hill Land Trust.

            CEO also asked if there was a way for utility and building notification papers to be directed to him to avoid duplication.  We also need to number the building notifications that are going out. 

            There is one subdivision that needs to be reviewed.  The CEO has notified the owner and has yet to receive a reply. 

            He has been attending many meetings and ordinance reviews. 

            When asked what ordinance work needs to be done next, he replied that the comprehensive plan needs to be checked and updated.  It was approved in 1993 and will be obsolete soon.

 

            It was moved and seconded and voted 5-0 to adjourn at 8:05 pm.

 

                     Barbara Grindle, Secretary, Sedgwick Planning Board