RCL Notes of the December 13, 2016 Planning Board Meeting

(Part One, 2:20 elapsed) Zoning Amendment 2017-01 Accessory Apartments.  All in favor of moving to warrant without changes.  No public comment.

(Part One, 5:28 elapsed) Zoning Amendment 2017-03 Height limits applied to structures as well as buildings, but silos, protective netting on golf courses and wireless telecommunications towers are exempted.  Public comment about the wording relative to other provisions and definitions in the Zoning Ordinance.  All in favor of moving to the warrant without changes (i.e. voting that it appear on the ballot for the March 2017 Town Election).

(Part One, 12:55 elapsed) Zoning Amendment 2017-04 Retirement Community Developments, ostensibly to promote affordability.  Several members of the public object to the 20 percent override provision that appears to permit units of up to 1800 sq. ft.  They cite the Sea Glass Ln. development on the former Rand Lumber parcel where allowing up to 2160 sq. ft. units made the units unaffordable to many retirees.  A member of the public objected to increasing the number of remaining RCD units from 10 to 20 citing Rye’s aging demographics, decreased school enrollment and a lack of discussion about the impact of allowing for more senior housing in Rye All in favor of moving to the warrant without changes.

(Part One, 37:08 elapsed) Zoning Amendment 2017-05 Wetlands Conservation District changes.  Extensive public comment about the lack of agreement leading to the deletion of several proposed provisions and the need to continue the process to resolve remaining issues.  Several typos are noted by a member of the public.  All in favor of moving to the warrant with the typos corrected.

(Part One, 53:55 elapsed) Zoning Amendment 2017-06 moving the provision on fences from the Building Code to the Zoning Ordinance.  Residents express concerns about golf course netting which appears to be exempt from the height limits under proposed Zoning Amendment 2017-03 but which the ZBA has previously determined not to be a fence.  Residents dispute assertion by the Town Attorney that this fence amendment has nothing to do with golf course netting. All in favor of moving to the warrant without changes.

(Part One, 65:53 elapsed) Release of final escrow and surety of Hoefle Subdivision

Part Two video:  https://vimeo.com/196047954

(Part Two, 2:11 elapsed)  Applicant makes presentation and takes questions from the Planning Board on the first of seven issues:  effect of the subdivision on the nearby Rye Water District wells, including blasting.  Experts retained by both the applicant and the Town provide testimony.

(Part Two, 96:25 elapsed) Hearing opened to public comment on the water issue only.

(Part Two, 123:00 elapsed) Chairman Epperson closes the public hearing and suggests that discussion of the remaining six issues be deferred to the January 10, 2017 meeting.  Applicant agrees to pay $10,000 additional into escrow to cover the cost of town experts.  He argues that his experts and the town experts have agreed on the locations of the wetlands and the outcroppings and says that he will be preparing a new site plan designing around those.  He implies that he will be reducing the number of lots, but says that he does not want to reduce them further.  Case is continued to January meeting.

(Part Two, 147:37 elapsed) Other items and payment of escrows.

(Part Two, 170:53 elapsed) Subcommittee discussions

(Part Two, 172:45 elapsed) Approval of minutes, including South Rd. site walk.

(Part Two, 178:35 elapsed) Adjournment