Minutes of Meeting
July 7, 2008
A meeting of the Sharon Board of Health was called to order on July 7, 2008 at 7:30 PM, in the Sharon Town Office Building, with the following members in attendance: Stanley Rosen, Chair, Edward Welch, Vice-Chair, Anne Bingham, Jay Schwab, and Suzi Peck.
Animal Hearing: Joan Benjamin-Farren
Ed Little was present to review that he had inspected the property and found it to conform with current regulations. He added that, per town by-law, no roosters are allowed. Abutters present stated their support. Mrs. Farren expressed her desire to have 8 chickens. Her property was once a farm. Anne Bingham stated her feeling that the BOH should encourage residents to have chickens.... where appropriate and where doesn’t disturb quiet enjoyment of neighbors. She expressed concern about predators, e.g., Fisher cats. Mrs. Farren stated her plan to house the chickens for their protection at night. An abutter noted that there are already predator animals in the neighborhood. Manure pile will be hundreds of feet from the nearest well...400-500 feet from the train tracks.
VOTED: (Welch/Bingham) unanimously to approve 8 chickens for the property at 46 Pleasant Street.
Minutes of meeting of May 28, 2008:
VOTED: (Bingham/Welch) Bingham, Welch, and Rosen voted to accept the minutes of the meeting of May 28, 2008. Peck and Schwab abstained.
Minutes of meeting of June 2, 2008:
VOTED: (Welch/Bingham) Welch, Bingham, Rosen, and Peck voted in the affirmative; Schwab abstained...to accept the minutes of the meeting of June 2, 2008, as amended.
Minutes of meeting of June 23, 2008:
VOTED: (Peck/Welch) unanimously to accept the minutes of the meeting of June 23, 2008, as amended.
Recusal request
Documents were provided to BOH members for review...relative to the Brickstone request for Anne Bingham’s recusal from voting on issues re the proposed Sharon Hills project: Request from Goulston and Storrs, response from PEER, response to BOH from Town Counsel. The Board will discuss this issue at its meeting of August 4th.
Animal Regulations - revision
Stan Rosen, Jay Schwab, and Ed Little (Animal Inspector) reviewed that they met last year as a subcommittee to review/revise animal regulations. Jay Schwab stated that they tried to compile regulations which are fair and up to date and appropriate for today’s lifestyles. Ed Welch asked that the regs. include the definition of chicken tractor. ..perhaps note definition of coop (moveable or stationary). Mr. Farren: Wondered why hearing is needed...with notification of abutters; concerned about cost of notifying abutters....cost greater than $100 to notify abutters by certified mail. He stated that there is no such process with dogs. He added that, if noise, odor, disease, become a problem, then regulations exist to deal with these problems. Stan Rosen stated that the BOH must treat everyone
equally. Suzi Peck: BOH will take into account the impact each type animal will have.
Ed Little: with a few exceptions sees no problem with existing regulations. He suggested that application approvals be delegated to Animal Inspector, except when an application does not comply with regulations.. then application should go to BOH. Jay Schwab stated that regulation can be adapted if BOH concludes no abutters be notified. Ed Little stated that residents always have right to complain to BOH if nuisance develops. Suz Peck: prefer to handle any potential nuisance issue before permit issued. Ed Little felt the BOH is trying to regulation too much. Stan Rosen stated that the BOH: will have public hearing on proposed regulation. Anne Bingham: animal units and some of new sections of regulation could be helpful to help the Animal Inspector enforce the
regulation. She suggested that a preamble be included...statement of purpose....re desire for animal where possible. She suggested that the definition of animal should be only barn animals....without listing the exceptions. Suzi Peck: use (either) should or shall consistently throughout. She prefers that not every applicant come before the BOH. She suggested that the setbacks in the draft are too large for some (type) animals. Roselyn Farren, who has chickens, stated that chickens are unobtrusive. She asked that the section on manure handling be refined...i.e., if it is just meant for horses, that should be made clear. She asked that BOH members go to see her chickens as part of their educational process on this issue.
The BOH will review the draft proposal and return with suggested changes on July 21st.
Horizons for Youth
The sense of the Board was to agree to Anne Bingham’s proposed revisions to the draft letter to the Board of Selectmen re the Horizons for Youth septic system. Linda Rosen will prepare the letter for the chair’s signature.
The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM
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