PC Organizational Meeting Minutes March 21, 2017

Town of Newfane, Vermont
Planning Commission
Organizational Meeting Minutes

March 21, 2017 Time: 6:00 PM
Place: Newfane Town Office, 555 Vermont RT. 30, Newfane, VT

I. Present were Lynn Forrest, Bob McCandless, Mike Young and Angela Sanborn.
Members of the public present: Ken Estey

II. Organizational Meeting
Purpose: to elect officers of the Planning Commission (PC).
Mike nominated Lynn as Chairman. Angela seconded. All in favor.
Angela nominated Bob as Secretary. Lynn seconded. All in favor.

III. Minutes: Approval of the minutes from the Dec 13th meeting to be held at the next meeting.

IV. Old Business
Angela and Mike reported about the Dec 19th Selectboard meeting where the PC presented the Amendment to the Town Plan (ATP) for Village Center Designation (VCD), the February 6th Selectboard meeting to invite further discussion from the public on the Amendment and the March 20th Selectboard meeting where the Selectboard voted to adopt the Amendment to the Town Plan supporting Designated Village Centers.

The adoption of the amendment opens the way for applying for Village Center Designation for each of the Three Newfane villages, and therefore the compilation of data required by the State of Vermont to accompany the application. The completed application will be presented to the Selectboard for submission to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

The PC discussed the importance of and need to have the public participate in preparing the Application for Village Center Designation. The PC will be focusing on the 2018 update to the Town Plan, but will assist as needed. Mike will speak to members of the Williamsville Hall and South Newfane Community Association to get the word out that interested residents of ALL THREE villages are being asked to participate in the application process. Lynn will contact the Windham Regional Commission (WRC) and ask for their assistance in accordance with the Municipal Planning Grant the PC received. There is an existing packet of information put together in 2013 by members of Newfane Anew Community Volunteers and the Windham Regional Commission. It is assumed that documentation will be used and updated. Lynn will ask WRC to supply us with that information.

V. New Business
The PC invited Ken Estey to introduce himself as a candidate for the PC. We thanked Ken for his interest. Lynn will submit his name to the Selectboard for approval at their April 3rd session.

Angela will speak to the individuals interested in coming to the PC’s April 11th meeting to brief us about the history of what used to be Newfane’s fourth village called Brookside.

Lynn spoke about educational seminars available to the planning commissioners to enhance their understanding of various aspects of the commission. There is $200 in the PC budget for this purpose. She will email copies of the Town Officers Education Conference (TOEC) to each commissioner.

Lynn made a motion that if the content of the TOEC was relevant a commissioner would be able to attend, funded from the commission’s training budget. Mike seconded. All in favor.

Lynn motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:25PM. Mike seconded. All in favor.

Respectfully submitted
Bob McCandless

Posting Locations:
Town of Newfane web site:
https://newfanevt.com/meetings/meeting-schedules/
https://newfanevt.com/meetings/planning-commission-minutes/
Newfane Town Office
WW Building Supply
Newfane Market
Williamsville Post Office
Williamsville Hall (if bulletin board is reachable)