Town of Warren

The primary discussion involved Application #2023-07-CU submitted by Jared and Amantha Rouleau concerning Conditional Use approval for adding fill exceeding 1000 square feet, creating a steep slope at 143 Buck Road. The hearing, continued from October 16, 2023, addressed the inability of consultants to confirm the stability of the existing mound without expensive test bores. The Board stipulated that the applicants must consult engineers to fortify the site and provide security for the foundation and garage structure, and required a status update by December 18, 2023. An unrelated complaint regarding business operations was deemed outside the DRB's purview. Other business included reviewing and making grammatical corrections to the final draft of the Sugarbush Rosita's decision, specifically rewriting language concerning the replacement of dead and dying trees.

Key discussions included the approval of a 3rd Class Liquor License for Ole's, operating from 9 am to 6 pm, and the ratification of a contract for interpretive panel work with Turn Stone Research. The Board renewed the Blue Edge Business health insurance coverage for employees for 2025, following a benefits discussion. Information was presented regarding the Mad River Arts Committee's intent to request municipal support. Updates on the Sugarbush Path included a reminder of a public forum and a decision not to pursue the next phase extension due to pending policy and maintenance agreements. The Board approved retaining CVRPC for consulting services to update the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Discussions also covered cost-sharing for tree cutting at the Warren School, filing an insurance claim for a damaged solar array, and requesting a fixed bid quote for Town Hall door restoration work. The Board generally agreed to plan for a 4.5% salary increase for employees and to continue covering the full child care contribution. Further consideration of the Main Street project scope was deferred to budget planning.

Key discussions included an update on the Town Garage Steering Committee meeting, which successfully outlined steps and schedules for the project, with property surveying being the next immediate action. The Pavilion Update confirmed structural raising is scheduled for late November, with patch paving planned for areas needing electrical work. A water line break that flooded the fire station was addressed, with notes taken on the line's brittle condition. Revisions were deemed necessary for the Warren Elementary MOU concerning tree work approval, long-term maintenance language, and liability insurance. Significant time was spent on Road Reclassification for Bobbin Mill Road and Mill Road, necessitating the retention of legal real estate expertise to clarify ROW and ownership issues, especially concerning maintenance responsibility for Bobbin Mill Road. The Board reviewed and edited the draft Short Term Rental Ordinance, making decisions on occupancy, parking, E-911 address display, and secondary escape means, while deferring clarification on fire suppression enforcement and Granicus permitting procedures. Progress was noted on the Sugarbush Access Road Multi-Use Path Alignment, agreeing on a crossing point near Paradise Provisions, and the ARPA Funds discussion confirmed the Town would not handle the contract for the PTO Playground equipment. For the Covered Bridge project, the lack of documentation regarding archeological supervision during concrete pouring requires the installation of an interpretive panel. Administrative items included unanimous approval of accounts payable and payroll warrants, and an executive session was held to discuss personnel and legal matters.

Key discussions focused on Selectboard updates regarding Land Use Development Regulations (LUDRs) and the budget. The budget discussion included an estimate for Short Term Rental (STR) software costs, meal expenses for a spring charette, and reusing LUDR web pages for community outreach. The Planning Commission Priorities section detailed plans for an upcoming charette, emphasizing resident welcome, early spring scheduling, and preparatory presentations on interconnected issues like affordable housing. Further topics involved Adam meeting to research past housing work and discussions on the potential implementation of Granicus STR software, which could be covered by a registration fee from STR owners. The commission also noted that the MRVPD has not met recently and promised to share draft PD bylaws.

Key discussions focused on Planning Commission (PC) priorities. Regarding Land Use and Development Regulations (LUDRs), the Selectboard's review process was detailed, noting that the consultant, Brandy, is no longer working with Warren, necessitating the search for new consulting expertise to finalize regulatory language. A visioning workshop (charette) is planned for April/May, structured as a five-year review event focusing on needs such as affordable housing and town connectivity. Progress on affordable housing included meetings to gather background information, and a proposal for improving PC communications, including automated transcripts and synopses, is forthcoming. The commission also discussed software evaluations concerning Short-Term Rentals (STRs) to gather data on impacts related to health, safety, nuisance, and housing availability. Updates included information on the Selectboard open seat election logistics and a discussion about potentially sharing a town garage facility with Waitsfield.