Zoning Board of Appeals

CITY OF EASTHAMPTON ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 50 Payson Avenue, Easthampton, MA 01027 Meeting Minutes Wednesday, November 10, 2021 Board ✓ John Atwater * - Lindsie Alterkun ✓ Matthew Waugh Members: ✓ Steven Lytwyn ✓ Anthony Karella ✓ Lisa Jaffe~ * ZBA Chair | Vice-Chair | ~ Associate Board Member (x) present | (-) absent | (L) late City officials: Curtis Wiemann, Assistant Planner; Jamie Webb, Assistant Planner Other attendees: Meeting commenced at 5:00pm. Administrative Items  Correspondence/Requests for comment from other boards, committees, officials, etc.  No comments were received.  Public Comments / Public Speak  The Board welcomed Lisa Jaffe as a new Associate Member for the Zoning Board of Appeals.  Meeting Minutes: None. Announcements & Discussion of the Board  Discussion of Public Hearing Procedure  Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann presented the amended Rules and Regulations, including the following changes: • Proposals made by Board members  Chair John Atwater read through the amended Rules and Regulations section by section, soliciting commentary from the Board members. • Chair John Atwater reviewed the provision to automatically promote associate members to full membership upon a vacancy. The Board discussed briefly and approved this section. • Chair John Atwater reviewed the proposal to limit meetings to 6pm-7:30pm with limits on presentation times and inquiry times by the Applicant and public. Steve Lytwyn expressed concern that time limits would make necessary deliberations difficult. Assistant Planner Jamie Webb recommended against time limits given the burden to comply with those advertised limits during public hearings. After further deliberation including how it might function during public speak, Chair John Atwater proposed the time limits on meeting and item length be struck from the proposed Rules. Matt Waugh expressed his concern that without limits on items or meeting length, Board members would be unable to plan the rest of their time on a meeting date. Assistant Planner Jamie Webb commented that Board members could depart from meetings if other obligations required it. • Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann reviewed possible options, including amending proposed time limits to be aspirational, removing time limits, or imposing a limit on agenda items. Board Chair John Atwater and Assistant Planner Jamie Webb both expressed concern about limits in the Rules which might force the Board to not comply with statutory response periods for public hearing applications. Following this feedback, 1 of 3 Zoning Board of Appeals Assistant Planner drafted new language removing time limits for meetings and agenda items, pending approval at a final vote by the Board. • Chair John Atwater reviewed the proposed rules regarding meeting conduct and commentary by Board members, public, and applicants. Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann reviewed several drafted options, including making rules of conduct only apply to remote meetings or making them aspirational in nature. Matt Waugh expressed concern that the rules were overly prescriptive and would limit the Board’s ability to discuss. Assistant Planner Jamie Webb and Steve Lytwyn both expressed support for the proposed conduct rules but proposed revisiting the topic when in- person or hybrid. Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann reviewed the language pending final approval by the Board. • Chair John Atwater reviewed the proposed rules regarding curtailing duplicative commentary from members of the public. The Board and Planning staff discussed and ultimately agreed upon the inclusion of this section to be utilized at the discretion of the Board chair, pending final approval by the Board. • Chair John Atwater reviewed the proposed rules regarding straw polls. The Board and Planning staff discussed and ultimately agreed upon the inclusion of this section with minor amendments, pending final approval by the Board. • The Board discussed the Secretary position or scribe and determined that City staff should serve as the Secretary in addition to their advisory role.  Tony Karella made a motion to approve the Rules as amended in the course of the meeting. proposed that Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann forward the draft Rules and Regulations for Board members to draft their own additions, and requested that Assistant Planner Curtis Wiemann collect these responses and draft an amended set of Rules and Regulations reflecting these suggestions. Motion to approve amended Rules • Motion by: Anthony Karella • Seconded: Lindsie Alterkun • Further discussion: Matt Waugh voiced his concern that the proposed rules were overly strict given a lack of past issues. • Roll Call Vote: In favor Opposed Abstained Absent John Atwater ✓ Matt Waugh ✓ Lindsie Alterkun ✓ Anthony Karella ✓ Steven Lytwyn ✓ Lisa Jaffe ✓ Motion to adjourn • Motion by: Anthony Karella • Seconded: Matt Waugh • Further discussion: • Roll Call Vote: In favor Opposed Abstained Absent John Atwater ✓ 2 of 3 Zoning Board of Appeals Matt Waugh ✓ Lindsie Alterkun ✓ Anthony Karella ✓ Steven Lytwyn ✓ • The meeting was adjourned at 6:12pm by a vote of 5 in favor and 0 against. 3 of 3