Notes from the Planning Board, January 17, Hybrid meeting

Present:

• Kate Fetcher, Chair
• Lis Wheeler
• Gary Pitney
• Marie Raftery
• Nancy Sosha
• Carl Sprague via Zoom

1. Minutes of a site visit approved with spelling correction but not read at meeting.
2. Minutes of January 3 meeting approved as written.
3. Special Permit Hearing — Rob Rakroyd for 15 Lakeside Drive — to add a deck.
   1. Fletcher said passed SB with condition never to enclose and make indoor room.
   2. General discussion and questions and finally continued. Chair suggested PB wait to hear what ConCom does before they decide.
4. Discussion with expert David Cameron from Fleetwood Consulting.
   1. Chair said there was money for consultants in their budget. Is it possible for PB to hire Cameron if he is already working for ConCom? No clear answer.
   2. With respect to Lake and Pond Overlay District (LPOD) and transferring the responsibility in whole or in part to ConCom, Cameron appeared to think it belonged with PB that grants special permit. He also felt the Wetlands Protection Act and LPOD were very different and correct to be reviewed by different boards not put with same board because they appear to overlap.
   3. He viewed LPOD as very specific — black and white. Change parts open to too much interpretation and subjectivity.
   4. Cameron said, "Important to be said have really different regulatory authority."
   5. Cameron added that there should be NO collaboration and NO exchange of decision- making process or coordination of conclusions between the boards. Each has authority and should exercise it blind to whatever the other did. Each board has authority over different aspects. They only seem to overlap because they may be on a single piece of property. It is the responsibility of the applicant to satisfy all conditions even when the rulings are conflicting. Cameron added that the seeming "overlap" was not regulatory but physical, (same property different regulations) so all the conditions must be met.
5. There were questions from PB members. For example, Socha asked about making determinations with respect to erosion control. Cameron said there were "erosion control field tools for the average person". PB members seemed happy to hear there was a tool kit.
6. Another question was about "maintaining character of Town". Cameron said, "by character" Stockbridge meant aesthetics. Cameron said there were adequate provisions in the current bylaws.
7. There was a question was about enforcing bylaws. Cameron said had to be done but was a tricky decision. If ConCom starts the process to enforce then ConCom has to go all the way or perceived as "paper tiger" and perhaps ignored. Enforcement measures have clear steps and ConCom must follow through. However, Cameron's experience has been that applicants want to comply.
8. Fletcher said PB needed "more expertise at the table" and moved to "work with David Cameron as needed". Motion passed.

Meeting adjourned.

Photo: Blue Moon Images/Dana Goedewaagen