Selectboard calls for revision of 2 town plan chapters

The Springfield Selectboard sent two Town Plan chapters, one on energy and one on flood resiliency, back to the town Planning Commission (PC) after lengthy debate at a public hearing and regular meeting of the selectboard on Monday, Sept. 26.

www.eagletimes.com     www.rutlandherald.com

2016-09-28 / Front Page Selectboard calls for revision of 2 town plan chapters By TORY JONES BONENFANT toryb@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Selectboard sent two Town Plan chapters, one on energy and one on flood resiliency, back to the town Planning Commission (PC) after lengthy debate at a public hearing and regular meeting of the selectboard on Monday, Sept. 26. The wording in Chapter 9, Energy Conservation and Efficiency, drew debate from several selectboard members, particularly the use of “shall” in four places, the chapter’s operational writing style, and written inclusion of the town’s Energy Committee (EC) feedback. At a public hearing on Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and flood resiliency, just before the regular selectboard meeting, Town Manager Tom Yennerell had proposed new, more general language for a paragraph referring to the EC. “This sounds more like a procedures operation than a town plan,” Yennerell said at the hearing. The original Chapter 9 draft includes five goals, such as promoting energy conservation, and 32 original objectives, which the planning commission will increase to 34. The original language included four uses of “shall,” such as “The energy committee ‘shall’ be notified by the zoning administrator and asked for comment on all zoning and planning actions involving an energy project.” Yennerell said that his proposed language has the same concepts in mind, but is not as direct. Selectboard member George McNaughton said he could not agree with a change of phrasing, and suggested using “is to be notified” instead of “shall be notified.” McNaughton said the energy committee cannot carry out its mission unless it is notified that energy-related projects are occurring. The EC reviewed and adopted this chapter, he said. “If you’re going to have an energy committee that’s working on energy issues, they need to be consulted. They can’t review projects if they never get notified,” he said. Also, when there is a filing for public use, or an audit, if the EC does not receive a copy, they may not know until it is too late to make comments, he said. Yennerell said McNaughton had stated the “whole crux” of difference in viewpoints between the selectboard member and the town manager. “We’ve been working together. Recently, the EC proposed something new in one of the town facility, and we’re working hand in hand to make that happen,” Yennerell said. Yennerell’s proposed wording would have included the phrase, “The Energy Committee advises the Selectboard and collaborates with the Town Staff to review, facilitate and promote projects and / or programs intended to increase energy efficiency for both the planning of private projects and projects owned by the Town,” while also keeping in mind that, per state statute, the town manager and the manager’s staff are responsible for all town buildings. Selectboard member Walter Martone suggested the selectboard could send the chapter back to the PC, and at the same time, it could ask the EC to make recommendations. Selectboard chair Kristi Morris and selectboard member Stephanie Thompson both expressed hope that, because the chair of the EC and a liaison from that committee were both at the meeting, the EC would be involved in the process once the chapter went back to the PC. A motion to accept the chapter as is, with the word “shall” changed to “is to” failed 2-2 with Thompson and Morris opposed. Martone motioned to send the chapter to the EC, with recommendations from the PC. That also failed due to a split vote, with the same board members opposed. Morris said that procedurally, the chapter would have to go back to the PC, from which it originated. McNaughton said that waiting on the chapter for new energy legislation to be enacted may lead to an “illusion of local control,” but that if the town wants control, “we need to act.” Morris said he was “not in favor of cramming this through tonight,” and was not opposed to sending it back. Thompson moved that the selectboard send Chapter 9 back to PC and ask that it seek the input of the EC in its revision. The board voted unanimously, 4-0, to send it back to the PC. Springfield Planning and Zoning Administration Officer Bill Kearns said that the PC would likely send it back to the members of the energy committee for their input. For the chapter on flood resiliency, Kearns asked if the selectboard agreed with wording in the chapter so far, and asked that the board “limit the limitations to the least burdensome,” as that chapter will be amended with maps and updates from Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). McNaughton moved the selectboard send the flood chapter back to the PC with a request that it “strive to keep the river corridor as narrow as possible and that the developed area from Woodbury’s to NorTrack be exempt from the river corridor regulations” and with a notation that otherwise, “we like the language that PC has presented.” The selectboard voted 4-0 in favor. Other chapters unanimously approved, as presented, included those on Natural and Scenic Resources, Housing, Education, and Recreation, with the exception of striking “with the SWRCP on a planning grant.” The next step is public hearings on the chapters. The town has had two public hearings as required by the state to adopt the whole plan, but has done this chapter by chapter. Rather than another public hearing on the chapters approved on Monday, all the chapters could be assembled, and two hearings could take place on the completed plan, Yennerell said. No chapters become effective until the whole document has had two public hearings, he said. Once hearings are complete, the town plan draft, including all chapters, will go to the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (SWRPC). Kearns said he expects to have the entire document by January 2017, and that new town plans will be for eight years, not five. The selectboard agreed unanimously to table further “town plan post public hearing discussion” of the Town Plan chapters until the next regular meeting.