Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay, I'm ready. If you'd like to unmute. I think I am. I'm muted. Can everybody hear me? Bob O Connor, can you hear me? Yes. I'd like to call to order this Thursday, December 4th, 2025 meeting of the Madison Planning and Zoning Commission to order. Tonight in attendance we have um I'm going to do it alphabetically. Mike Bugda, Shell Clark, who's a new member and um we'll get an introduction from her. An alternate alternate Max Karun an alternate who um is not new anymore. Is not new anymore. There you go.

Uh Jeff DS, John Dooa, um and Bob O' Conor on Zoom. uh absent night are Andy Rubin, Janet Peckenpaw, and John Morgan. So, um we have no official applications or public hearings tonight, but we just wanted to review receipts and you can seat your alternates in the absence of Oh, even though we're not voting really on anything. Yeah, sure. Why not? Max Kern, would you like to be seated because we have absences and would you like to be seated in the first meeting? Yeah. Yes. Nothing. Yes.

All right. Um, so as receipts, we'd have 25-26 196 Durham Road. This is a site plan modification for Temple Beth Tika. And um we're going to table it to January 8th, 2026 so that they can um go through the weapons process. Uh could I have a motion to table it for that meeting? Do I have a motion? Can I go get a second? Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor?

Okay, great. Next is 25-28 Bushnell Lane um applicant Linda Fast. This is a subdivision application to legalize division of property um from 1957. Sometimes this happens. We get these kind of residual um improperly subdivided properties. And that one um we'd like to table to our next meeting on December 18th. So could I motion the table of December 18th? Thank you. Second. I'll second. Bob, you get credit. Any further discussion? All in favor?

We're good. Okay. Next. 25-29 Warpus Road. Um owner applicant Ernest Shamino. Shamino, I guess. Uh this is a request for zone boundary change to extend the RU2 zone over the entire property. It's currently bisected um by a zone line that so part of it is RU1 and part is RU2. And we'd like to schedule a public hearing for this application for December 18th, our next meeting. So could I have a motion for that? Oh motion. Mike Bnau second.

Any discussion? All in favor? So that's on the agenda for the 18th as well. Uh next 25-30 um 142 Boston Post Road. This is a coastal site plan and site plan application to construct a building with eight residential one-bedroom units. This is under the CGS 830G and we'd like to schedule the public hearing for that application for January 8th, 2026. server first meeting in January. I have a motion. Jeff, thanks. Second, Mike. Second. Any discussion? All in favor?

Thanks. So, that's for the January 8th meeting, which is, by the way, it's it's the second week because of the New Year's Day holiday. Yeah, you'll have two meetings in a row.

Yeah, two weeks in a row, plus the regional meeting, two on the same day. Uh pending applications, we have 25-25117 Buffalo Bay. This is a coastal site plan application which includes demolishing the existing single family dwelling to construct a new single family dwelling. Um and that is pending de referral. So we'd like to table it to the January 8th, 2026 meeting. Motion motion to second. Chill. Thank you. Second. I'll second it. MA and any further discussion in favor? Thank you. And I think we're breaking a record here within five minutes. 25-27. This is 875 Boston Post Road. Um applicants Janet Peek and Pon, Alexander Gerson, and Alan Nay. This is the downtown village district major alteration for the installation of a fence and some landscaping. So that is pending um approval by AKA. So we'd like to table it to December 18th next meeting. So I assume Janet

recuse yourself. Yeah, she's the Yes. I want to make a motion. Thanks. Second. Okay. Any further discussion? Good. All in favor? Okay. Good. Moving on to the approval of minutes for our October 16th, 2025 meeting. Secretary John Den. Sure. For October 16th, 2025 planning and zoning commission meeting on members present. Snow DA Morgan and Connor Reinhardt, Ruben and DS. I'll make motion for approval. So moved. Oh, thanks. Second. I'll take 5%. Uh, any comments, edits?

It's good. Short and sweet. Looks like everyone got right on target. Vote to approve. Yeah. Good. Great. Thank you.

Great. All right. Next, we have the approval of our 2026 annual meeting calendar. Erin, did you want to say make any comments? Sure. it. I'm just pulling up my copy here. You've kept your same um first and third Thursdays of the month. Um so that has not changed. Um any asterric will just uh indicate an adjustment because of a holiday. uh working around the holiday schedule for a change of meeting location. Uh you know, sometimes you have to juggle the rooms with uh uh early voting or something like that. Um this year we um updated our meeting schedule to include some deadlines for folks who are applying for public hearings um and also if an application includes a coastal site plan. The reason for that um is really to just be a little clearer for applicants to understand how early uh we need to plan ahead for a public hearing date. Um mainly because of uh notice postings, you know, postings of signs, postings of legal notices and um so we we just kind of um worked backwards to set some deadlines. the coastal regulations changed um in the uh last legislative session and uh required some mandatory referrals to deep. So that may um expand what we send to DEP for comments from their analyst. Um it's still an option as it always has been for the commission to refer any application to DEEP. Um but when we do make those referrals uh you have to allow DEB 35 days to comment.

And so we just adjusted that on our meeting schedule again as guidance for applicants um to understand that if their particular application triggers a coastal site plan, they're um likely not going to be acted on until uh we have given D enough time to comment. you.

So, this information is now uploaded on uh into our online permitting portal. So, it's right there uh before anybody enters to submit an application. Um and hopefully it will um make it a little easier for folks planning their projects. I think it's great to have the deadlines. Um the last item that we added to this um meeting schedule, it doesn't affect any of your dates um but just forformational purposes. We are uh adding a note that indicates applications that are received um after close of business the Monday, the week of um the agenda may not make it onto the actual agenda um just because of uh administrative tasks um you know involved in posting the agendas uh in the town clerk's office, getting them up onto the website as well and some of the backend work. Um, we always try to accommodate applicants, especially if they're minor site plan modifications, things like that that have the potential of being acted on. Um, and if it's within our means to get them on the agenda, we're happy to do so. Um, but it does not, the fact that it isn't on an agenda does not um eliminate the um official receipt dates for applications. If applica applications are submitted timely, um they would be received, you know, if they're more than 24 days or 24 hours, excuse me, not days, um ahead of the meeting, they would automatically be received at that next meeting. Um so we'll give it a year of having some some clearer deadlines and see if that's helpful to our applicants.

Any questions or comments about the calendar question? No, I was a thumbs up. I got a thumbs up. That's great. Really good idea. Yes, you do need to adopt or approve your annual motion to adopt the new 2026 proposed calendar with due dates. Good. Second. I would certainly second that. Any further discussion? All in favor? I. It's unanimous. Thank you.

Okay. Um for remarks, first of all, I want to announce those who don't know, but most of you do that Bob Rankart resigned. um as of after the November election because he was appointed to the board of finance. So, we want to thank him for all that he's put into planning and zoning in Madison, including the POC, um which he took a big part in, played a huge role in and made it a much better document as a result. Um and we wish him all the best. Sure.

So, onward to board of finance he goes. And then I want to introduce Michelle Clark who is um our new alternate and mass journalist. Say a few words about yourself and your background.

Sure. Um my maid name is Davis. Born and raised in Madison. My mother still lives in the house I grew up in and a graduate of Daniel Han High School. Before it was the new school, then it was the old school. So I'm thrilled to be part of the city commission and give back to the town that I was born and raised in. Um, professionally I'm a 20 year plus veteran of the financial services and insurance industry in the technology space. Uh, former software developer. So I've got an SDLC application portfolio management and IT operations background in finance strategy etc. So I'm happy to apply my brain here. Thanks. Thank you. Welcome. Yeah. Welcome. Welcome.

Listen I I am old school enough. I do my note takingaking with pencil and paper. However, during meetings, I've been trying to step forward into the electronic age and so I've trained myself that way. I also have to retrain for this. Yes, it's all good. We're all adaptable. Great. Thanks, Darren. Have any comments to add?

Um, I did just want to give you not to keep our 15minute meeting fair too much longer. Um, I wanted to introduce you. We, as I had mentioned probably back at our last meeting in October that we rolled out our online permitting portal for land use commissions. It was already established for building permits and any administrative zoning approvals um that went through our office. But um you'll notice that when you click on an application on the agenda, it's going to look differently than it did in um the document center of the website. So, I just wanted to screen share real quick and kind of walk you through it.

I was there today and it's completely different. It is. It looks different. We don't have paper applications anymore. Um, so I just used as an example here our first application that's on the agenda for receipt.

Um, not to go through the, you know, the the merits of the application, but just to walk you through what the applications will look like. Um it's the same view for uh the commission and any member of the public. Uh when you come to the landing page, the uh you do not need um an account with view permit or open gov to um access any of these files. They're all available to the public. Um you are if you wish to make an application through the portal, that's when you need to have um a username and an account. Um so all of the applications we back entered every application from January 1st of this year so that all of the new applications entered match our naming convention that we had started. Um and so every planning and zoning commission application will have the letters PZC ahead of it. Zoning Board of Appeals will begin with ZBA, Inland Wetlands, IWWA. Um, and uh the uh administrative zoning permits uh just start with a Z. And uh so we have a landing page where folks um you know links from our web page um and a description of each type of application and when to apply.

The map is great by the way, Erin.

Right. So, so it pulls information from um our uh GIS and our assessor's record. So, you can click on the location details that will give you some background on the property itself. Um so, that's that is a newer feature that uh is available through the online permitting. When you click on the location details, I can do that in a new tab just so you can see how it comes through. Uh hopefully it doesn't log me out, but it will give you the property owner's information, any other previous application for the property. Uh typically will give you the zoning designation. Uh when you hit details, it'll tell you the building type of use, the map and lot, the volume and page of the deeds for the property, the size of the lot, uh when it was last improved, uh whether or not it's a commercial or residential, and of course, the zoning designation. The zoning designations, I would say 90% of the time, are accurate. Um but just keep in mind that the zoning map um is the official uh record for zoning designations. Um, I've noticed a couple of um properties uh throughout town where uh there may have been uh a floating zone that landed on a property and that had not yet been updated in the tax records. I've sent um a list of those properties to the assessor to um bring those up to speed, but generally speaking, uh the zoning is correct. So, here's uh the actual planning and zoning application. This is for uh again it'll give you the application the address the applicant uh the application number when the the permit application was created and this landing page where it says details this is the actual application form. So the information that used to be

in your paper applications is now here where you'll scroll down. Um the type of application that we have uh a title from the applicant what relevant uh regulations section is here um a subject you know basic summary of the project uh if the applicant needs a little more additional space they can add um in the attachment page a full narrative or project narrative. Um, and then some of these are just general for a second. The attachment page, is that where do you get So that would be here in the files. Um, so I'll I'll I'll pull that page up second. Okay.

Um, but that is also any any document issued with the applications or uh any files uploaded are all going to be available through this main page. Um, so standard questions like are on all of our other applications whether or not these basically are the questions up front that trigger mandatory referrals whether it's for another municipality um or uh watershed um aquafer protection things like that. Um and uh that will then better guide staff as to whether or not we need to be sending referrals to any other um community. um whether or not there are any easements or deed restrictions. Um we don't necessarily have to go through all of the items of applications, but all the relative uh relevant information uh will be in here as well as the coastal boundary uh application. So, if an applicant answers yes, whether or not a property is located in the coastal boundary, an additional section will pop up where they have all of those questions from the coastal uh site plan application all here. Um, so the um you will it will be a combined uh detail page for the main planning and zoning application if it's a site plan or special exception as well as the coastal site plan. If an application is just for a coastal site plan, then that's the majority of the information you'll find.

Cool.

Okay. And um as I mentioned, uh there are attachments. Uh right now, this particular application has uh six attachments. What we require in the beginning of the application to file the abuing property owner information and uh the site development plan and those are what are in the uh zoning regulations as required. Everything else um is uh additional whether the applicant was interested in um uploading other documents. Staff will be putting our staff uh memos in here. Any correspondence for public hearings from folks uh speaking for or against an application will come in here. Any other documentations, the photos of signposting via butters, you know, certified mailings, all those things. Um the only thing that's different is that we had control over the naming convention of documents when we placed them in the document center on the website. And so some of these um as you'll see this uh 5636 and the date um that is the way the applicant titled uh this attachment. Um so it's not as clear and staff does not have the ability to rename these um so that it's just a little more organized. uh we don't have the ability to create folders uh where all the correspondence was. So you may see, you know, for example, if we had a really big uh public hearing that had a lot of feedback, um you might you could potentially see, you know, 75 documents in the attachments.

Are they in the order that they were submitted or um it appears that the most recent is on the bottom. Yeah, I uploaded this today. So, yes. So, yeah, it'll be I believe that is likeund letters from the public through right. So anything ever does that. No, exactly.

But what happens actually with that is um these documents really only the applicant and whomever the applicant shares access to this application can upload documents or staff. So all the correspondence like in the past has come through our land use email address. So as we download those we can label them at least clearly. Okay. Um, so this the really the only question is how the applicant is going to be naming certain items, right? Um,

so we'll work through that and um if I can, you know, provide in my staff reports some um insight as to what documents are, happy to do that. Um and then after the commission takes action on an application and a permit or a decision letter is issued through the system, those will then be saved in this section. Um so any uh and that's to the side and those will all be public facing as well. um certificates of approval. Um and so certificates of approval need a live signature, right, for uh filing on the land records. And so these documents will have um the letters will have a digital signature. The certificates will not have a signature. We still do have to go through the process of mailing uh certificates, but staff will um upload once we have uh record that they've been filed. we'll just go back and add them to the attachments. Um, so we're hoping it's streamlined. It's a little bit different look than the last time uh we've been, you know, the last round that we've gotten used to uh for sharing applications, but I think uh from a transparency perspective, it's great and um resolves our issues of having to store paper in the office moving forward. So,

I agree. Um we'll see Erin using this as a case study. There were previous applications for the site plan for the temple. Yes. And can we can we get that was my upload today. Yeah. Good. So it's helpful to see most initially had approved. We have scanned um this that particular application is a modification from a 2019 permit.

Right. And um those were part of our batch of paper files that were sent out to a scanning company to digitize. And what they did was digitized the entire application file into one document. And um so that made it very easy to upload uh the original documents uh in into this application um attachments. We have a few years from 2020 to 2025 that um when we accepted uh paper permits, but we were posting them online, they're all individual documents. So, in a case like that, if I had to upload 20 separate documents, I think we would try to use um Adobe and merge them. Yeah. on staff side and still get them in as one document just so it's cleaner and easier for us to to see because it it could get confusing.

There was also something called I think history documents.

So that that's um a great thing. Let me show you that. Um it is not in our applications but um okay so I'm going to go back to location detail this uh at which I have this tab open. So, if you are on a property uh and this is available to the public, uh if you searched for an address, it would come up on this landing page. Um and the records it has um records uh building permits, any um recent commission applications. Um remember that would only be from October of this year. Uh administrative zoning permits, uh health department. So these are you are able to view these permits uh completed or active permits. These are all links that you could look at. And um what we did was we had some historic microfich of building per uh building records and health department records. And those were all digitized. And in order to make those uh better accessible to the public where you didn't have to come in and use our microfich machine on the counter um to see them, we scanned them and put them in a historical document uh web page or link. And so there are no details uh associated because they're just historic files, but you could click on these and find all sorts of older um a lot of building permit records. Anything that has the letter MF, these are the microfich uh old historic microfich files and those can all be downloaded and viewed from home. So, it saves folks a lot of time having to come in and ask staff to

pull these files for them. Um, it does not have yet any of the historic land use permits that we just went through and scanned, all of our paper copies. They are all digitized. Um, but they have not yet been incorporated into Viewpoint Cloud. So, um, folks can contact the land use office and I can send we can send a a PDF of that particular application. Um, absolutely. It usually comes through as a Google Drive link. Um, and and they are all public record. We just have not uh had an opportunity to incorporate that yet into this process. Um, but it's great. I have a really handy PDF uh step by step how to do that using Town Campus as an example. We're going to post that on our web page. Um, and it's something if anybody contacts uh any of the departments uh within our suite. Um the administrative staff can also email that uh guidance document to to folks. Um but it's been really useful. You know, just residents coming in looking for septic as built, any kind of old records, site plans. It's a great resource to have now. It also gives us appreciation for how much

goes on that we're not aware of. True. That's true. When I when I poked around and I saw, oh my gosh, look at all these building permits and, you know, health permits, everything. Yeah. There's a lot of work. Well, quite often you see uh projects in the very beginning phase. Yeah. um you know before they've gone through any of those construction level drawings and um and other uh permits to actually build. So um but it's nice and and that's all available um very good for folks. Thank you. So

did you guys form that out or did you scan everything in house or what did you do? The digitizing was scanned through a company. Um, but building out the permits, we did that in staff. Great. Any other questions or comments? Terrific. Yes. Hopefully, we won't have too many glitches. We find out every we see anything. Sometimes the fee doesn't show up and we have to go back in the back end. And so as expected over you know the first few months to to see what happens but um so far so good. Very good. Thank you. Excellent.

All right. If there no other comments I have a motion to adjurnn motion second. Yeah. Thank you. Any further discussion? All in favor at 7:32. Thanks. Thank you. Night Bob. Great guys, have a good