LONDONDERRY, Vt. – At the May 20 Londonderry Selectboard meeting, the board received a resignation letter, heard public concern on the proposed zoning bylaws, and set a date for the bylaw public hearing.
The board also acknowledged a hazardous waste collection on June 1, and heard from Chrissy Haskins from Dufresne Group, who said the wastewater project was on track. The board approved the engineering services contract with Dufresne Group for $174,000 for the North Village and $235,000 for the South Village, as well the project coordination services related to the design phase for $21,362.
Chair Tom Cavanagh opened the meeting by reading a resignation letter from board member Melissa Brown, who would also be stepping down from the housing commission, Williams Dam committee, and the village wastewater committee. “I appreciated my time representing my community,” Brown wrote, expressing that she enjoyed working with a great group of people. She noted she was always welcoming of a good debate, and appreciative of everyone being respectful and considerate. “We didn’t always agree, but in the end, the outcome was usually the right action for the town.”
Brown’s letter continued, stating that things took a turn at the May 13 meeting. She said the meeting “became disrespectful, malicious, and personal, leaving me feeling vulnerable and uncomfortable,” directed at her and other selectboard and planning commission members. Brown stated that meeting regulations were not followed, causing disarray.
She closed the letter by stating, “I will continue to love and support Londonderry in ways that don’t feel threatening and disrespectful.”
Board member Martha Dale moved to regretfully accept Brown’s resignation. Jim Fleming seconded the motion, noting, “She will be sorely missed.” The board will be looking to fill the open position by special election. They felt it was important to allow the town residents to vote for a person of their choice, who will be officially elected by a vote at the annual Town Meeting.
The board later moved to address the zoning bylaw amendments. Cavanagh and Dale went through the details of the process, stating they need 15 days to warn a public hearing where the bylaws are discussed, another 15 days to warn a second public hearing where changes can be made, then 21 days before the bylaws go into effect.
Dale went through the past meetings to bring everyone up to speed, noting that the bylaws needed to be updated to coincide with the updated town plan, as well as stay up to date with state bylaws and regulations. On April 28, the planning commission submitted their finalized proposed set of bylaws to the selectboard. At the May 3 meeting, the selectboard accepted the bylaw document. During the May 13 meeting, the board had the option to set the public hearing date to adopt the bylaws, but postponed to more carefully look through and further discuss at this May 20 meeting.
“We want to know what our concerns and unintended consequences are,” Dale said. “We are merely trying to create an environment that works for everybody; there’s no other agenda behind it.”
Cavanagh opened the public comments, noting that he thought it would be difficult for the average person to go through the packet and make sense of it. He said he felt that “if it’s not enforceable, it should not be a legal document.”
The overwhelming consensus of the room was that the proposed zoning bylaws would be hurting the town, and impacting many people in different ways. The main topic of concern and disapproval was the proposed firewood processing regulations.
“Londonderry is built by, and continues to thrive on tradesmen,” one citizen said. “We should have the freedom to use our property as we choose…Our town is not an HOA, and shouldn’t be regulated as such.” He expressed his disappointment, “If this is the best they can do, then the whole document should be thrown away.”
One person wondered if the planning commission or any public officials approached any residents or business owners. Another later asked the audience directly if they had ever been approached or notified of the changes, and no one raised their hand.
One member of the audience stated, jokingly, he had begun reading the bylaws and fell asleep many times. He said he felt that the consultant that the planning commission used was “inappropriate and inexperienced,” adding that it seemed the board took a bunch of cookie-cutter rules that don’t work for a small town like Londonderry. Another person said the bylaws would be cutting many jobs in their small town.
“How is enforcement going to happen?” another resident asked. Cavanagh explained there would be a zoning violation, and if the violator doesn’t comply, it would be taken to Vermont environmental court. He stated that the board “always [tries] to work with landowners to bring things into compliance if we can.”
One resident expressed that she thought the planning commission should be revised too. “They took years to type this up; that’s shameful.” She added that the document was only made available at the post office and the town website, explaining that wasn’t enough; some people don’t have internet or a post office box. “You’re a selectboard, it’s your job to make it known.” She continued, “I had to take time off of work to go through the 248-page document…We wouldn’t be wasting our time here tonight if they did their job.”
Another public comment expressed that the town should look at how word can get out more effectively.
The board set the date for the first public hearing for the zoning bylaws to be held Monday, June 17, at 5 p.m. The next selectboard meeting will be Monday, June 3, at 6 p.m.