CHESTER, Vt. – On Thursday, Jan. 2, the Chester Selectboard met to revisit their discussion of the long-running, and lately controversial, project to revise the town’s Unified Development Bylaws.
Prior to this meeting, the board had adopted revised bylaws for all residential districts in Chester but two, the current R-120 and C-R districts, which would be renamed in the proposed bylaws to RUR-3 and CR-5, respectively. The adoption of revised bylaws in these districts has generated controversy at previous hearings, first due to the proposal of density-based zoning, and then due to the proposed reduction of setbacks from abutting properties required for structures.
There was some discussion regarding earth extraction operations, and the parameters under which they are allowed in the bylaws. Chester residents Scott Kilgus and Leslie Thorsen spoke to the board, urging them to reconsider the distance from residential properties and areas of town in which quarrying is allowed. “You could move to a nice little rural spot here in Chester,” Kilgus said, “and then, all of a sudden, they can allow a quarry 100 feet from your property line, where they can do drilling, blasting, hammering. It’s insane.”
These complaints stemmed primarily from experience with the quarry operated in Gassetts by Julian Materials LLC, commonly known as the “Julian quarry.” While board members expressed sympathy with those affected by the Julian quarry, the consensus was that, given the extensive amount of dirt and gravel roads in Chester, quarrying is a necessary operation for the town. Board Chair Arne Jonynas recounted that, at one point, Chester had considered sourcing gravel from New Hampshire at significantly increased expense. Planning Commission Chair Hugh Quinn stated that the planning commission had not changed or amended any regulations regarding quarrying in the proposed bylaws. “We didn’t change anything about extraction or quarrying, except the fact that we removed it from…the Residential-2 district, which was the old R-40,” Quinn said.
Board member Arianna Knapp stated that she believed the board needs to “continue to pursue the questions of quarrying and extraction in our town,” though she did not believe that the development bylaws were the appropriate tool with which to address those questions. While she had left the previous meeting unsure of whether to approve the proposed changes, Knapp explained that, upon reflection, she believed that the new bylaws would “provide current property owners with more flexibility with how they choose to use their property,” which inclined her to support their passage.
Planning and zoning administrator Preston Bristow told the board that he believed future quarries in residential areas would be made difficult by the town’s noise ordinances, and that the development review board (DRB) could put conditions in place in hopes to avoid disturbing residents unduly. “Conditional use involves conditions, and that’s one of the tools the DRB can use,” Bristow said.
Quinn also told the board that the planning commission intends to revise the bylaws on a more frequent basis in the future, in order to address problems in the town more immediately, rather than on the previous 10-year bylaw revision cycle. “My message here is, don’t assume that what you adopt here today is the end-all be-all, and we’ll see you in 10 years.”
Jonynas introduced the motion to adopt the bylaws, which was seconded by board member Tim Roper. The board voted 4-1 in favor of the proposed bylaw changes, which included the reduced setbacks that had been controversial at the previous meeting. Board member Peter Hudkins cast the lone “nay” vote.
The Chester Selectboard will hold their next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m., at Chester Town Hall.