Appeals Board, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008

The Sedgwick Board of Appeals held its site visit and second meeting Wednesday, September 24, 2008.  The site visit was conducted at West Four Winds Lane at 5 pm.  The board and the public convened at the Town Office after the visit.

            Present were: Appeals Board Chairman Fred Marston, members  Tom Schroth, Pam Johnson, Danny Weed, and alternate Steve Tobey.  Also present:  recused board member Phil Urban, Attorneys Goodall and Patterson, Planning Board Chairman Palmer Little, CEO Duane Ford, Selectman Nelson Grindal, court reporter Karen Dube, Weekly Packet reporter Jon Thomas and Mrs Thomas, Bob Cote, David and Amber Chambers, abuttor Dr. Wilgram and Selectmen’s assistant Barbara Grindle.

            The meeting was called to order at 6:45 pm.  Chairman Marston welcomed everyone and asked alternate member Steve Tobey to introduce himself.  Mr Marston commented that he felt that the site visit was extremely beneficial, giving him a ‘feel’ for the land in question.  The other board members agreed.

            Mr Goodall was asked to make his presentation to the board.  He presented the board members and assistant Grindle with additional exhibits and copies of the minutes of last meeting.  # 25 and # 26 were photos of Twister and Squall flagged for floodplain management and # 27 was an affidavit from Mr Cartter Patten regarding the age and use of the property when the 1974 and 1995 shoreland ordinances were adopted.

            Mr Goodall took the board members through his interpretation of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance as it concerned non conforming structures and uses.  He had included a copy of the ordinance in the binders given out at the last meeting.  He explained the specific areas in the ordinance that he felt the board needed to be aware of regarding the

appeal.  Since this is a de novo appeal, any information given the Planning Board must be disregarded by the Appeals Board, therefore must be presented to them anew.  He will get all correspondence from DEP so the board has it.  They are asking for 30% increase in each of three buildings.  These increases would not be on the water side of the two affected buildings (Twister and Squall), but would be on the back side; the Director’s Cabin would not be affected by floodplain management regulations.  Foundations in all three would consist of steel beams supported by concrete posts.  Excavation equipment concerned many because of the trees and vegetation around the cabins.  The Director’s Cabin is in a wooded area and much construction equipment would have to be carried to it, the posts in the center of the other two cabins would also have to be done by hand because the buildings cannot be raised enough to get machinery under them.

            Mr Cote presented the plans for the foundation and reconstruction work.  Some of the reconstruction work will be required to meet new regulation codes.  There are no plans by the owners for heat in the buildings, there will be insulation, new electricity and new septic lines.  The septic design will be available next meeting when Mr Mattson will be here.

            Since the time was getting late, Mr Marston asked if there were any questions that could not wait until next meeting.  The next meeting will be held at the Town Office, Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 6:30.

            This meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm.

                                                Respectfully submitted,

  

                                                Barbara M. Grindle, Assistant to the Selectmen