China planners review documents submitted to selectmen

by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members used their Aug. 10 meeting for final reviews of documents they submitted to China selectmen ahead of the Aug. 16 selectboard meeting.

Both are proposed ordinance changes that need voter approval: an amendment to the shoreland zoning section of the town Land Use Ordinance to bring China regulations into conformity with state rules; and the Solar Energy Systems Ordinance, a new section of the Land Use Ordinance to guide planning board members as they review future applications for new solar developments, individual and commercial.

Planning board members hope selectmen will put the proposed ordinance changes on the Nov. 2 local ballot for voters’ action.
However, by the time selectmen got to the request, two hours into their Aug. 16 meeting, no one argued with Chairman Ronald Breton’s postponing it to the Aug. 30 selectmen’s meeting.

Codes Officer Jaime Hanson reported at the Aug. 10 planning board meeting that he continues to be very busy. In addition to reviewing permit applications, he is monitoring two properties that are not in compliance with town ordinances and four that are categorized as dangerous buildings.

The owner of one cluttered and rodent-infested property has made progress on cleaning it up – his “only positive response” to neighborhood complaints about such situations, Hanson commented.

Planning board members intend not to meet Tuesday, Aug. 24, unless Hanson gets an application or something else requires their attention. Without any immediate new business, their next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12.