By Curt Peterson
Select Board chair Phil Hobbie and vice-chair Tom Kennedy made an official visit to the Hartland Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, April 2. The official topic was tying up any remaining loose ends regarding a complicated transaction — readoption of the expiring 2017 Town Plan to prevent a gap while the planners are refining a new, 2025 Town Plan, which may be ready for adoption in June. The 2017 plan, without readoption, would expire in May.
Everyone left the meeting confident they were ready for a public hearing on the readoption on Monday, April 7.
Hobbie said that by readopting a plan that would be replaced with its successor, “We’re avoiding a gap that would leave the town vulnerable.”
Would-be developers must comply with a current town plan when proposing a project. If there’s no current town plan, no restrictions would apply. Monday’s Select Board meeting was to include a public hearing to discuss the 2017 plan readoption. Hobbie and Kennedy wanted to ensure all statutory requirements necessary for readoption have been met.
“It’s on the record,” chairman Dukeshire responded. “Everything’s been done.”
Unfortunately, Hobbie sent an email out canceling the warned April 7 hearing, explaining, “There were a number of procedural issues that were not addressed correctly … missed by all the parties involved.”
It’s assumed the problems will be fixed, and the postponed hearing can go forward at a later date, and before the 2017 plan expiration takes place.
Planning commission seats, votes
There are nine member-seats on the planning commission, but there are currently only seven active members. Planning commission clerk Jay Boeri said the possible number of voting members was unimportant — the number of the active members is seven, and Boeri feels the four present made up the legal quorum on that basis.
To avoid quorum questions, the planners voted to recommend the Select Board reduce the voting members from 9 to 7.
The commission will also petition the Select Board for an increase in its budget to cover the cost of administrative help — Boeri is taking the minutes himself, and the Zoom option is often not working properly. Communication with the selectmen would go through the proposed hiree, smoothing any perceived lack of information.
The planners also asked for funds to cover legal expenses. Hobbie said by organizational rules, all planning issue attorneys would ultimately be representing and be chosen by the Select Board, who would control and cover the expenses.
Adding to discussion of ways to improve communication between the commission and the Select Board, Kennedy suggested the two bodies meet quarterly to review current status and possible future activities.
Boeri said he is looking forward to contacting the town manager asking for time at an open meeting for discussion of any issues that need consideration.
Hobbie told the Mountain Times the Select Board wants to make decisions with the planning commission, not for them. He is also looking forward to establishing protocol for communicating with the planners. The Hartland Select Board meets on the first and thirrd Monday of each month in Damon Hall at 5:30 p.m.
