TOWN OF EATON

PLANNING BOARD

The Planning Board held their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, January 18^th, 2006 at the Evans Memorial Building. Present were; Paul Savchick, David Sorensen, Dick Shaw, Sunni Wilkewitz and Joyce Blue. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.

The minutes for the December 21^st were approved as distributed.

Joyce Blue gave the Selectmen?s report. She said that the initial steps in the revaluation were complete. Commerford Nieder Perkins LLC will be sending letters out to homeowners to set up appointments for interior inspections. Letters to current use owners will also be sent out seeking an update and status of the land in current use. A Public Hearing on the budget is set for February 9^th. Town Meeting is March 14th.

Peter Blue and Dick Fortin met with the Board to seek input on their proposed subdivision. Joyce Blue stood down from the discussion. Peter Blue said they would like to propose a hammerhead design instead of a circular cul de sac. He said it would save a number of trees and be equally effective as the design required by the road specifications. They hope to have the formal plan for the next meeting. They will also be discussing driveways and road standards. Regarding the hammerhead turnaround, the Planning Board referred the matter to the Board of Selectmen. It was suggested the Selectmen may wish to consider changing the road specifications to accommodate the hammerhead design. Dick Shaw noted that the ?as built? layout of Crystal Lake Rd is not that originally approved by the Planning Board and the actual layout has not come back before the Planning Board.

Paul Savchick distributed the latest version of the Shoreland Protection Ordinance. Joyce Blue said the Board of Selectmen had voted to recommend it be tabled for a year. They said there had not been adequate time to review it, it was more extensive than originally envisaged and needed to be simplified. The Board agreed and voted unanimously to table the Shoreland Protection Ordinance till next year.

PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENTS

At 7:30 p.m.. Paul Savchick opened the Public Hearing on the proposed zoning amendments. Copies of the proposed amendments were distributed. Present were Paul Hennigan, Fred Goss, Kenneth McKenzie, and John Hartman. Scott McIntyre, Laura Nicholson and Richard Dole joined the meeting in progress.

Paul Savchick explained that the Planning Board had just decided to table the Shoreland Protection Ordinance for a year but welcomed discussion on it. The general sentiment of those present was that tabling it for a year was appropriate. There had not been time to review it properly and it was complicated and difficult to follow. One suggestion was to put out a synopsis to explain the content. Pressed to volunteer for the Committee to review it were Kenneth McKenzie, Fred Goss and John Hartman. Paul Savchick provided background to the history of the proposal noting the need to protect ponds and streams that are not presently covered by the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act. It was understood that monitoring and enforcing the ordinance would be an extra burden on the Board of Selectmen or their agent. It was also noted that minor issues such as garden ponds may run afoul of the ordinance unless the language was tightened. Later in the meeting it was suggested that an overlay map be produced showing the properties that would be affected by the ordinance.

The second proposal discussed was to eliminate commercial kennels from a use permitted by special exception in the residential zone. The reason they were currently permitted had been to accommodate an existing situation many years ago. The Board did not feel such a use was appropriate in the residential zone There were no serious objections to the proposal from the audience.

The third proposal discussed was to prohibit aircraft / helicopter landings in the Town except for emergencies. It was suggested that a special exception be granted for agricultural and forestry purposes. The Board indicated it could work on that over the next year but wanted to get an ordinance in effect immediately.

The Public Hearing closed at 8:45 p.m.

David Sorensen made a motion, seconded by Joyce Blue, to put the aircraft/helicopter zoning amendment on the ballot for the Town Meeting. No changes were proposed. The motion carried unanimously.

Joyce Blue made a motion, seconded by Sunni Wilkewitz, to put the proposal to eliminate commercial kennels from a use permitted by special exception in the residential zone on the ballot for the Town Meeting. No changes were proposed. The motion carried unanimously

The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

David V. Maudsley