PLANNING BOARD MEETING

August 23, 2007

The regular monthly meeting of the Bradley Planning Board opened at 7:00 p.m. this date in the council room at the Bradley Town Office, with the following Planning Board members present: Chairperson Linda Hardesty, Dean Bennett, Sharon Dill, Shawn Brown, Marty Jackson, and Charles Norburg (CEO).

Citizens present: Charles Wilcox, and Oscar Emerson.

Chairperson Hardesty opened the meeting.

The minutes of the last meeting were read. Dill motioned to accepted minutes as read and was seconded by Brown. The vote was 5-0, motion carried.

Citizens’ request: None

Old Business: None

New Business: Oscar Emerson, Down to Earth Professional Land Surveying spoke representing Charles Wilcox for A sketch plan review on Pine Knoll Road, off Ten Road. This is a 10-lot subdivision, each being 1 acre with 150 foot road frontage. Pine Knoll Road is an existing dirt road going toward Great Works Stream. Soil tests have been conducted on some sites, which show the soil is suitable. He also provided the Medium Soil Intensity Survey. Chairperson Hardesty asked for a motion to accept the sketch plan for Pine Knoll Road. Bennett motioned to accept the sketch plan and to find that it is a major subdivision. Jackson seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0, motion carried. Mr. Wilcox would like to be put on the agenda next month for the preliminary hearing. This was agreed to.

Dean Bennett presented information on Subdivision Laws to the Planning Board. He first spoke on state subdivision criteria. State law requires 20 criteria and Bradley’s ordinance only lists 16. The state law does allow us to use the state law in reviewing subdivisions even though the locally adopted ordinances says something different. Bennett gave the board the minimum review criteria from the state. He highlighted the "shalls" and "musts" and "mays" in the handout. The "shalls" are mandatory and nonperformance of the "shalls" can expose you to potential suit and make them vulnerable as a board. The "musts" can be more severe than the "shalls". The state law says when a subdivision is proposed, the municipal review authority shall consider the criteria listed on the minimum review criteria list before granting approval and must determine in the positive in addressing each one of the criteria. The Municipal Reviewing Authority is the Planning Board. State law names the Municipal Reviewing Authority as the Planning Board. Local ordinances reinforce that. Bennett went on to explain in detail each of the 20 criteria. He then explained "Article 1 - Purposes and statutory review criteria." This is proposed as the first article in what will be the new subdivision ordinance.

Next Meeting to be held on September 20^th, 6:30 p.m.

Adjourn: Dill motioned to adjourn and was seconded by Bennett. The vote was

5-0, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:15p.m.