Town of Searsmont

Planning Board Minutes

September 18, 2007

1. Call to Order:  7:00 p.m.

2.  Attendance:  Chair: George Sprowl, Vice Chair: Paul Leeper, Jack Degraff, Peter

                           Jolliffe, Dave Marceau, Steve Porter, and Wayne Thomas.

3.  Review of Applications and Requests:  None

4.  Minutes: review of September 4, 2007 minutes.

Motion made to accept minutes with minor corrections made, seconded and passed

     unanimously.

5.  Communications:

      Nothing to report on.

6.  Old Business:

George’s feedback on the information received from MMA concerning permit fees and its measuring bases were that most towns do not have a definition of a footprint. It is up to the town to decide  on a definition of a footprint of a building to base its fees on. The Planning Board discussed not including an overhang of less than  three feet in a permit fee, but for  overhangs of over three feet there may be a fee. No motions were made and further inquiries into this matter will continue.

7.  New Business:

     Discussions took place on the Shoreland Zoning  that must be updated by July 1, 2008. Focus discussions took place on  the 30%  expansion rule  of non-conforming structures (page 4)and its (Appendix A)Alternative to 30% Expansion rule Pursuant to 38 M.R.S.A. section 430-A subsection 4-A,  of the Department of Environmental Protection’s guidelines.     

     The D.E.P website at: http://www.state.me.us/dep/blwq/docstand.htm  contains the guidelines that were discussed above by the Planning Board. 

8.  Adjournment:  8:30 p.m.