Planning Board Meeting
MINUTES
TOWN OF SEBAGO
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
7:00 PM
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
I Call to Order
Chairman Paul White called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Jim Jansz, Andrew Plummer, Tina Vanasse, Paul White, Code Enforcement Officer Brandon Woolley, Recorder Desirae Bachelder.
Absent: Dick Perry
Guests present: Joanne Chessey, Stephen Ristich, Daniel & Mackenzie Bowe, Nathaniel York.
III Correspondence
The schedule of Planning Board Meeting Dates for 2019 was distributed to the Planning Board members in their meeting packets.
IV Open to Public Questions
There were no questions from the public.
V Review of Minutes (September 11, 2018)
(NOTE: No meeting was held in the month of October)
Jim Jansz made a motion to approve the minutes from September 11, 2018 as presented. It was seconded by Andrew Plummer. Motion carried with all in favor.
VI Old Business
CEO Updates
Nothing reported.
Goal Setting Items
Voting Matrix (finalizing process)
Nothing reported.
Review of Application Processing Documents
Nothing reported.
VI New Business
Site Plan Review – Joanne Chessey – Map 14, Lot 7
NOTE: Joanne Chessey submitted a packet of information to the Planning Board members during the course of the meeting in reference to “New Business” agenda item a.
Ms. Chessey is in the process of opening a bed and breakfast located at 178 Hancock Pond Rd. There have been developments since the Site Plan Review application and meeting packets were sent out. Ms. Chessey has passed the inspection process and in the handout there is a copy of her approved license from the Department of Health and Human Services along with pictures of the improvements that were required for fire and life safety, these will be added to Ms. Chessey’s file. Ms. Chessey stated that there are five bedrooms that they will be letting out and she and Mr. Ristich have their own private residential quarters.
Paul White asked if Brandon Woolley felt that the application is complete. Brandon asserted that the application is complete as presented, everything has been permitted and Ms. Chessey has gone through an extensive application process with the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the State Fire Marshall’s Office. Ms. Chessey has met all of the State’s requirements and has met the town’s requirements as well.
Andrew Plummer asked where the new parking lot will be going. Ms. Chessey explained that the parking lot will be adjacent to the driveway (a copy of the driveway material design is in the packet Ms. Chessey passed out). Combined with the driveway, the parking lot is approximately 1,600 square feet and she hopes to have parking for up to twelve vehicles.
Desirae Bachelder reported that all fees have been paid to date.
Paul White confirmed with Brandon that the application is complete. A site walk and public hearing will be scheduled at the end of the meeting in conjunction with the other applications.
Tina Vanasse made a motion to accept the application as complete. It was seconded by Jim Jansz. Motion carried with all in favor.
Paul White explained that the public hearing will be scheduled for the next planning board meeting, allowing the public to voice concerns about the project. Ms. Chessey asked for clarity about being allowed to be open for business. Paul explained that at the next scheduled meeting, Tuesday, December 11, 2018 a public hearing will be scheduled and the application voted on, until then Ms. Chessey is not authorized by the town of Sebago to be open for business.
NOTE: A site walk will be conducted on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 8:00 am and a Public Hearing is scheduled for the next meeting Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Site Plan Review – Daniel & Mackenzie Bowe – Map 4, Lot 14
NOTE: Dan Bowe submitted a packet of information to the Planning Board members during the course of the meeting in reference to “New Business” agenda item b.
Dan Bowe stated that the property will be used primarily as a wedding venue, “The Barn at Autumn Lane”. The application presented to the board is for a bathroom facility that will be able to support up to two hundred wedding guests. Mr. Bowe has submitted copies of plans for ten additional cabins that will support additional lodging for wedding guests in the future.
Andrew Plummer asked if the cabins will be used year round for the wedding venue. Mr. Bowe stated that they will probably be seasonal, but will be built with the potential to be used year round. Mr. Bowe explained that the primary wedding season is June 1 to October 31. The barn is not insulated or heated which may deter year round usage. Andrew then asked if the property has any right-of-way access to the beach. Mr. Bowe stated that they do not have a right-of-way at this time, but are under contract for a piece of property across the street that has a cottage and 160 feet of beach. A right-of-way will be built into the deed for the property that they are closing on. Andrew noted that there is potential to have a crowd of people on the beach. Mr. Bowe’s family also owns property along the beach and has voiced their concerns about having too many people on the beach. Mr. Bowe will build into his wedding contract the stipulation that use of the beach is for immediate family of the bride and groom only, that way there are no wild parties on the beach. The cottage that Mr. Bowe is closing on may or may not be rented as part of the wedding package. Paul White pointed out that there may be legislation concerning overburdening access to the water, and limiting the amount of access to the water. Andrew asked where the cabins will be located. Mr. Bowe explained that the cabins will be located on the back acreage of the property and will not be visible from the road. Tina Vanasse questioned if Mr. Bowe would be renting the cabins for any other purposes than for a wedding. Mrs. Bowe stated that that is not the plan right now and even the cabins are a future project, the bathroom facility is the primary goal.
Brandon Woolley confirmed that the application is complete as presented. The building permit for the bathroom facilities has not been applied for yet, but a proposed floor plan has been submitted, and the new septic design will accommodate the appropriate number of guests for the wedding venue and the guest house already in existence. The current septic is not adequate for the expected number of wedding guests but is being expanded to accommodate the bathroom facilities. The proposed septic design meets all dimensional requirements and setbacks required by the ordinances.
Andrew Plummer asked when Mr. & Mrs. Bowe would be planning to build the ten cabins. Mr. Bowe would like to have two or three years of weddings accomplished before he would start to build and incorporate the proposed cabins. There is an existing building where the proposed bathroom facilities will be placed, this building will be moved.
Desirae Bachelder reported that all fees have been paid to date.
Andrew Plummer made a motion to accept the application as complete. It was seconded by Jim Jansz. Motion carried with all in favor.
A site walk and public hearing will be scheduled at the end of the meeting.
NOTE: A site walk will be conducted on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 8:45 am and a Public Hearing is scheduled for the next meeting Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Site Plan Review – Nathaniel York – Map 4, Lots 6 & 8A
Nate York explained that he and his wife own a small excavation company and the property in question is off of Woodland Road. He has received approval from Brandon for two acres of storage area and is seeking approval for a five acre gravel pit, which is the limit, for material sales and company storage. Mr. York stated that he is DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) compliant, the proper berms and setback requirements are in place. There are 129 acres total with a five acre portion set aside for the gravel pit. Paul White asked if there is a statutory limit for five acres. Brandon Woolley replied that yes the statutory limit is five acres, but does not reference any storage areas, stock piles or fuel storage. Mr. York has cleared five to six acres, but the only spot that is considered a gravel pit is the actual excavation. Paul confirmed that Mr. York can have cleared space as a storage area as long as he doesn’t dig it up. Brandon explained that at this time Mr. York is allowed to deplete two acres of land for excavation, but before he can open a new site he has to reclaim those two acres, grade and reseed them. Mr. York stated that his intention with the five acres is to have a cleared flat space for storage; his goal is to get the current mining area to a consistent elevation of ten feet above the water table and then move the mining area which would allow for approximately five acres of flat area with organized stock piles for different materials. Mr. York explained that after he is finished excavating these five acres, the goal is to restore it and have vegetation growing before he moves to any other sites on the property.
Paul White asked Brandon what would be required if Mr. York wanted to open a large pit. Brandon replied that a large operation would require DEP approval, storm water runoff and groundwater impact statements. Brandon clarified that the town allows up to two acres of open pit before applicants need to come before the planning board for approval. Brandon explained that there are two reasons he asked Mr. York to come before the board, first he is reaching the two acre threshold, he could close and reclaim those two acres and move on without approval, but there is a second issue, the materials production. Mr. York is screening materials; he is not quarrying or crushing materials but he is improving materials through the screening process. Paul asked if he needs a commercial license for production activities. Brandon replied that Mr. York needs to go through the Site Plan Review process to be able to start large scale production activities. Paul asked Mr. York if it is his intention to sell the materials he will be producing. Mr. York stated that he can sell the materials; currently he has been using the materials to build up the property, and has sold some of the materials. Andrew Plummer asked if the master plan is to sell materials from that pit. Mr. York explained that the master plan is for him and his wife to build a house and a small farm using some of the materials that he is producing, while operating the excavation company.
There are three materials that Mr. York is able to sell from the property, granite boulders, loam and fill. Mr. York has no intention of having a massive production facility with trucks travelling the road every day; this site will be a working area for the business and storage for the materials being produced. Paul White asked if there was a stump dump, and when Mr. York stated that there is a stump dump, Paul asked Brandon if there are any requirements for that. Brandon replied that there are no requirements for a stump dump.
Tina Vanasse asked for clarification concerning Mr. York’s comment that the land is ten feet above the water table, and whether the water he is referring to is the (Sebago) Lake or the groundwater. Mr. York stated that the land is currently ten feet above the groundwater table.
Paul White asked if there is any other access to the property besides Woodland Rd. Mr. York confirmed that Woodland Rd is the only access road to his lots. Paul then asked if there are any houses on Woodland Rd. Mr. York stated that there is one house that is legally on Woodland Rd, and two that use the road as access to their property. Paul asked Brandon about the condition of Woodland Rd and if the road is sufficient for the heavy trucks loaded with heavy materials to be travelling. Brandon is confident that the road is sufficient for this kind of traffic. Mr. York stated that he has donated materials to keep the road maintained for that purpose. Brandon explained that Woodland Rd is classified as a public easement and the town provides winter maintenance and one grading before the winter season, Mr. York provided a great deal of the materials to spread and make the road improvements.
Desirae Bachelder reported that all fees have been paid to date.
Brandon confirmed that the application is complete as presented.
Tina Vanasse made a motion to accept the application as complete. It was seconded by Jim Jansz. Motion carried with all in favor.
Paul White asked if there are any buildings on the property at this time. Mr. York stated that there are no buildings but he does have a storage container on the property.
NOTE: A site walk will be conducted on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 9:15 am and a Public Hearing is scheduled for the next meeting Tuesday, December 11, 2018
VIII Adjournment
Tina Vanasse made a motion to adjourn at 7:32 p.m. It was seconded by Jim Jansz. Motion carried with all in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Desirae Bachelder
Administrative Assistant/Deputy Clerk