PLANNING BOARD MEETING

PLANNING BOARD MEETING Town of Sylva Planning Board January 26, 2023 The Town of Sylva Planning Board held a regular meeting on October 27, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. hosted in the Board Room of Municipal Hall, 83 Allen Street, Sylva, N.C. and streamed electronically by Zoom meeting. PRESENT: Alan Brown Amanda Murajda, Town Clerk Russ Harris Paige Dowling, Town Manager Geoffrey Hirsch Melissa Madrona Boyd Sossamon ABSENT: Rose Bauguess Kendall Waldrop Boyd Sossamon called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. STAFF PRESENT: VISITORS: None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Russ Harris made a motion to approve the October 27, 2022, minutes. Alan Brown seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous vote. NEW BUSINESS Agricultural Uses in City Limits: A proposed ordinance for agricultural uses in the town limits was presented to the board. The proposed ordinance includes standards that must be adhered to by any individual wishing to keep poultry including: -Single-family detached dwelling units only -Chickens must be kept in a coop and pen, or portable chicken tractors. -These may not include residential structures or garages. - Distance: minimum setback of fifteen (15) feet is required from all property lines or not within fifty (50 feet of an adjoining property’s residential unit. The coop and pen must be closer to the chicken owner’s primary residential unit than neighboring residential unit. - Lot size / number of hens: Where the minimum lot size meets or exceeds seven thousand (7,000) square feet and is no more than one (1) acre in size ten (10) hens are allowed. Where the lot size is greater than one (1) acre, no more than twenty (20) hens are allowed. - Number of roosters: One (1) rooster is allowed for every ten (10) hens. The Planning Board discussed what districts poultry keeping should be allowed. The Downtown Business district is not a district that poultry should be allowed. Alan Brown made a motion to approve the ordinance as presented with the amendment of adding that poultry keeping is not allowed in the Downtown Business district. The motion carried with a 3-1 vote. Voting in the affirmative to approve the ordinance with the amendment were Melissa Madrona, Geoffrey Hirsch and Alan Brown. Voting against the ordinance was Russ Harris. Board Changes: Boyd Sossamon presented his letter of resignation to the Planning Board effective immediately. Board members thanked Sossamon for his tremendous work on the Planning Board over the years. Russ Harris made a motion to appoint Alan Brown as chairman. Melissa Madrona seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous vote. Russ Harris made a motion to appoint Melissa Madrona as vice-chairman. Geoffrey Hirsch seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous vote. Next Meeting Discussion: - Average lot size per district Planning Board Meeting January 26, 2023 2 ADJOURNMENT: Alan Brown made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Geoffrey Hirsch seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous vote of those present. __________________________________ __________________________________ Boyd Sossamon Amanda W. Murajda Chair Town Clerk