HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-06-21
ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS
Minutes of meeting 10:00 A.M., SATURDAY, July 12,2008, in the
2 Fairgrounds Road Conference Room.
1. Present: Lou Bassano, Howard Blitman, David Brown, Dennis Cross,
Roger Ernst, Lucas Fischer, Bill Sherman, Jay Strauss, and Jim
Treanor - a quorum .
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2. Chair Howard Blitman called the meeting to order at 1~08 a.m~he -,
minutes of the 6/21/08 meeting were approved and the.;prior ap~oval
of the 9/29/07 minutes was ratified ~
3. Our Chair reported on his attending the BaS meeting Of 7/9/08":
saying that his remarks on the importance of completing the M~ter
Plan and of moving forward on auto limitations were well recew.ed.
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BaS Chair Mike Kopko encouraged ACNVT coming before the BaS
with a formal agenda item when ready to do so. Howard also told of
hearing from FinCom member Charity Benz her appreciating the
efforts of ACNVT on behalf of summer residents. Interest in speaking
to ACNVT about island business concerns was expressed to Howard
by Liz Rocks of Wolfhound.
4. After discussion, new FY09 officers for ACNVT were elected: Chair
Howard Blitman, Vice-Chair Jim Treanor, Secretary Bill Sherman
5. Vice Chair Jim Treanor offered his assistance to the Chair in
responding to a request for submission of ACNVT' s FY08 annual
report to the Town. All annual reports are published at the time of
April Town Meeting: copies are free at the Town Meeting.
6. Taking up old business agenda items (listed below), the imperative of
upgrading Town Code enforcement and particularly zoning was
stressed. Members who had talked with Code Enforcement Officer
Marcus Silverstein were particularly troubled by a self-
characterization as libertarian. Others had anecdotes of enforcement
gone awry or not pursued. Lou Bassano said he thought zoning
enforcement should be under the Building Inspector as in other
municipalities. Support for creating the post of overall head of
regulatory agencies was again expressed.
7. To gain further clarity on code enforcement, Howard undertook
contacting DPW head Jeff Willett and selectman Rick Atherton. Bill
Sherman would try to contact other Town officials
8. Our next concern was the proposed Summer Forum. David Brown
reported on NCA enthusiasm for co-sponsoring the Forum and
helping with practical aspects.
9. A suggested means for limiting secondary dwellings was to buy
development rights by accepting a conservation easement. [Setting up
an island market for exchange or purchase of development rights was
considered during lead up to the Comprehensive Community Plan.]
10.To get better perspective on a possible zoning amendment to curb site
clearing of native vegetation, Lucas Fischer offered to help Howard
Blitman in tracking down what's been done in other municipalities.
NCF might resources to commend.
l1.To learn more about affordable housing on island, Christine
Silverstein might be contacted as well as NHA/NHO. The view was
again expressed that MA state grant or low-cost loan money is worth
seeking.
12.Given how impressive the Chatham summer resident website is, a
proposal was made to invite its webmaster to share their experience.
13. The date of the next meeting was discussed [now scheduled for
7/19/08]. Howard noted that he would not be on-island 7/19 if Libby
Gibson were able to come but Jim Treanor could chair the meeting.
The next following meeting was set for 8/2 with hope that BaS Chair
Mike Kopko might come. After that, 8/16 is planned.
14. The meeting was adjourned at 11 :08 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Sherman, Secretary
Proposed agenda items to carry over to further summer 2008 ACNVT
meetings:
. Summer Town Forum for mid-August 2008 - or 2009
. Code enforcement czar
. Zoning for secondary dwellings
. Zoning to curb clearing all native vegetation from a development
site
. Auto limitations, e.g., any progress by the Downtown
Revitalization Committee
. Meeting with NHA and NHO representatives on island housing
. Position on extending guest house room occupancy tax to vacation
home rentals - or other alternative Town revenue sources
. Developing ACNVT website