Planning Board & Board of Commissioners Special Meeting

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The boards approved minutes from a May 15 joint public hearing and a June 26 Planning Board meeting, then heard consultant Jay McLeod and Erin Anderson of Inspire Placemaking Collective present the draft Unified Development Ordinance framework, meant to align the code with the town's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan. Anderson proposed reorganizing the ordinance with development standards up front and administration in the back, and outlined recommendations including better sidewalk and bike connectivity, incentives for affordable and green housing, adding missing-middle housing to the permitted use table, modernized parking standards, simplified approval processes, and consolidating or removing outdated zoning districts.

Board members raised several concerns: Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson asked about proposed removals of air quality and adequate-public-schools provisions, which staff said had become difficult to apply, and about burdensome Homeowners' Association requirements, which Town Attorney Robert Hornik noted also handle stormwater maintenance the town does not want to take on. Members discussed incentives for green building materials, reducing administrative burden for low-income homeowners, tree preservation, accessory dwelling unit rules, and increasing flexibility for non-conforming lots in historic areas like West Hillsborough. Vice Chair Hooper Schultz questioned a proposal to add Historic District Commission review to ordinance text amendments, which Commissioner Matt Hughes opposed; Mayor Mark Bell said such review could help preserve tax credit eligibility, while Senior Planner Molly Boyle suggested shrinking the Historic District's boundaries to exclude non-historic structures. After the town board left, Planning Board members reported the Board of Adjustment and Parks and Recreation Board had not met in July or August, welcomed new member Sean Kehoe, and noted October's meeting will be rescheduled due to a state planning conference. The meeting adjourned 5-0 at 8:34 p.m.

How the votes went

The boards voted 11-0 to approve the agenda and the May 15 joint public hearing minutes, 7-0 (Planning Board only) to approve the June 26 minutes, and 5-0 (Planning Board only, after commissioners left) to adjourn.

From the published minutes.