Planning Board Meeting - April 28

Interesting Meeting once we got started. Two of the guys on the Board were there by 6:15pm, along with Russell, Denise and Charlie Norburg, the Code Enforcement Officer, along with people scheduled with issues and presentations on the agenda, but we needed to wait until 6:50 before we had a quorum. No complaints here. Thank goodness the other two guys were able to get things organized at home to get to the meeting or there would have been no meeting. Susan had called in earlier that she wouldn't be able to make the meeting so her absence was excused.

It was a short agenda, but interesting. Even better, it was pleasant which is a credit to the people on the Board and those in attendance.

Michael Fornier presented his site plan for a camp setback at 664 Chemo Pond Road. He's taking down the current (old) structure and putting up a new one along with a septic tank. His plans were approved with the condition that he not put a lawn in front of the camp (which he didn't plan to do anyway) and that he replace the three trees that need to be cut for the construction. What was interesting about the tree replacement is that new rules require significantly larger trees (aka more expensive) for replacement than previous rules. Does anyone feel that those who are making these rules are doing their level best to keep anyone from building or developing anything near any of the ponds, lakes, etc. in this state? But try to get any of these same legal entities to clean up any of the disasters government entities create (such as DOT or the Legislature or the PUC) and they have six ways from Sunday to walk away from those issues.

Oh well, back to last night's meeting - Gretchen Heldmann presented a valuable work product (taking about 17 hours of her own time) a state-required Shoreland Zone Map of this area using some state-of-the-art technical resources and input from members present at the last Planning Board meeting as well as last night. It seems that along with passing the Shoreland Ordinance measure, which we did at the 2008 and 2009 Town Meetings, the town is also required to provide (to the state, I guess) a map with a variety of information. Gretchen's work will help make it possible to meet that requirement.

The Board plans to have a work-shop, with Gretchen's assistance, that will take about two hours at the next Planning Board meeting (May 5). The public can, and is urged to attend, and then there will probably be some kind of Public Hearing (which is usually a "done deal" kind of thing for the most part). If you're interested in how this map is going to look - and it shows residential areas, buffer areas near streams, protected wildlife zones, etc. - you might want to attend the May 5 meeting.

I'm sure Gretchen will have a comment to this blog - probably to add info or to clarify anything I've written here. Much appreciated as always. Personally, I hink her work is a great contribution to the Town of Eddington and we should join the Board in its voice of appreciation. BTW, Gretchen is planning on developing a website of Eddington - something we sorely need. Heck, the website might help people get interested in the doings of the the government here.

Two other agenda items were mentioned: A road ordinance and a windmill ordinance, but no action was taken. Interesting comment overheard - As long as there's no windmill ordinance and someone wants one, now is the time to put one in. Now there's a thought. It's like - Before government tells you what you can't do, go do it. I guess the presumption is that what you do before the rules get written gets grandfathered in.

This coming Saturday is a big day. It's Kentucky Derby Day (Big Day - all day - for me) and Hawaiian Night at Clewly Farm Restaurant - with Dola and Company. Wear something appropriate and enjoy the evening. Show starts at 7pm. The race starts at 4pm if you wait 'til the last minute (on NBC) but I'll be watching every race on whatever channel - probably ESPN or CNBC starting a lot earlier.

More from the School Board Meeting: The Board was asked to review the Absentee Policy which it agreed to do. At the same time, the Board removed several policies (without explanation). Nothing indicated they were being updated or being replaced with anything else. Interesting.

The eighth graders have selected a graduation trip to Funtown USA in Sacco for which they have raised the money to pay the expenses. The Board approved the trip - a requirement since the location was more than 100 miles from the district. They're also holding a spagetti supper Friday night as part of their fund-raising efforts.