Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of March 28, 2007

Amended and Approved on April 11, 2007

Planning Board Attendees

Eli Hauser – Chair	Amanda Sloan – Clerk
Arnold Cohen – Vice Chair	Paul Lauenstein
Andy Schwartz

Guests

Susan Price

Meeting Initiation

Meeting was called to order at 7:35pm by Chair Eli Hauser

Meeting Discussion

Chair’s Report

• Performed by Mr. Hauser

Meeting Minutes

• Board reviewed the draft meeting minutes of 2/28/07. Mr. Cohen made a motion to approve the meeting minutes of 2/28/07 as amended and Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.
• Board reviewed the draft meeting minutes of 3/14/07. Mr. Cohen made a motion to approve the meeting minutes of 3/14/07 as amended and Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.

Additional Meeting Discussion

Town Counsel Dick Gelerman spoke to the Board regarding appropriate email use. He stated that open meeting law prohibits a quorum of the Board deliberating on a matter before it except at a posted public meeting. Deliberation cannot occur through email. It is not a violation for a Board member to speak with one another, in a 1:1 email or conversation; however, Mr. Gelerman pointed out that the law prohibits sequential conversations. The Board must refrain from deliberation of public business unless it is in a public meeting. Anything pertaining to a decision being rendered is not allowed. Discussions between any two members are allowed, as long as they are not serial, but they are frowned upon. It is legal to discuss administrative issues via email. Administrative issues are allowed to be discussed via email.

Mr. Hauser asked if informational material can be legally shared via email and Mr. Gelerman said as long as this information doesn’t pertain to a pending decision, its okay. If information must be disseminated on a pending matter it should only be presented in an open meeting. Mr. Gelerman said he will provide a booklet to the Board from the Attorney General’s Office regarding open meeting law.

All Board members except for Paul Lauenstein signed the amended zoning map with the new business district listed and it will be recorded in the Registry of Deeds.

Mr. Lauenstein expressed his opposition to the voting at Town Meeting on Brickstone on 5/7as he does not feel there is enough time to evaluate such a complex development. He wanted to inform the Board that he was considering warrant articles which would require that all supporting documents to articles proposing changes to zoning bylaws be mailed to all residents with the warrant and a warrant article that would allow all prescheduled speakers and a representative number of citizens in the audience to be able to speak at Town Meeting.

Ms. Sloan discussed shape factor and inclusionary zoning articles being presented at Fall Town Meeting and suggested a calendar needs to be developed.  Mr., Lauenstein will talk to Tom Houston regarding Inclusionary Zoning. It was also discussed that perhaps the Planning Board should speak with FinComm re the Shape Factor Bylaw.

The Board discussed the calendar through May. It was agreed that the next two regular Planning Board meetings will be on April 11^th and April 25^th. The public hearing on the Brickstone proposal was scheduled for May 2^nd.

Meeting Adjournment

Mr. Cohen moved to adjourn meeting at 9:30 pm; Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion; passed unanimously, 5-0-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Rachelle F. Levitts

Administrative Assistant