China planners OK after-the-fact subdivision

by Mary Grow

In a half-hour meeting Nov. 25, China’s three remaining planning board members gave after-the-fact approval to a subdivision amendment and continued, briefly, discussion of China ordinances that need updating.

Hilda Gay explained that a year ago, her late son, David, divided one of the four lots in the Gay subdivision on Deer Hill Road into two lots. Family members recently learned the division needed planning board approval, but the town was not notified.

Planning board members found both lots met size requirements and unanimously approved the amendment. They told Hilda Gay that to finish the process, she needs to present a large mylar plan, with the surveyor’s seal, for them to sign.

The ordinance board members discussed is the 1993 Phosphorus Control Ordinance. Board chairman Toni Wall said the major updates needed are in references to outside documents (state Department of Environmental Protection standards, for instance) that have changed titles.

Since China voters adopted a revised Planning Board Ordinance in June 2024, select board members appoint planning board members (who used to be elected). The town’s Planning Board Ordinance says the board consists of five members plus an alternate.

The terms of the last two elected members expired Nov. 4. Members Natale Tripodi and Elaine Mather declined to continue to serve, leaving the board with a bare quorum: Wall, Dwaine Drummond and Milton Dudley.

Any resident interested in becoming a planning board member is invited to call or email the town office. The current ordinance eliminates the previous planning board districts, so members can live anywhere in town.

The ordinance directs board members to choose a chairman and a secretary at the first meeting of each calendar year. Wall continued as chairman Nov. 25, without objection.

The next China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9. The second December meeting would have been Dec. 23; board members cancelled it.