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TownPlanSteering Minutes 04-15-25 71 KB

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Minutes for 4-15-25 Town Plan 2026 Steering Committee Meeting

Date: April 15, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Location: Town Center, 3rd Floor (hybrid with Zoom)

1. Members Present

• Virginia Clarke (Planning Commission) - elected Chair
• Chelsye Brooks (Resident) - elected Vice Chair
• Andrew Powers (Resident) - elected Secretary
• Ian Bender (Planning Commission)
• Adam Wood (Selectboard)
• Jason Osterman (Resident)

2. Meeting Overview

The inaugural meeting of the Town Plan 2026 Steering Committee focused on understanding the committee's role, reviewing the 2018 Town Plan structure, organizing the committee, and discussing outreach strategies to gather community input.

3. Committee Organization

• Officers Elected:
  • Chair: Virginia Clarke
  • Vice Chair: Chelsye Brooks
  • Secretary: Andrew Powers
• Meeting Schedule:
  • Agreed to meet on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 PM
  • Next meeting scheduled for April 30, 2025
  • Future meetings: May 14, May 28, continuing twice monthly

4. 2018 Town Plan Review

• The committee reviewed the structure of the 2018 Town Plan, which includes:
   
  • Introduction
  • 11 Technical Plans with accompanying maps
  • Implementation Table of action items
  • Almanac (data and background information)
  • Appendices
• The focus will be updating the existing plan rather than starting fresh, as the visioning work from 2016-2017 is still considered relevant.
   

5. Planning Commission Work to Date

• Letters sent to committees/entities "owning" action items in 2018 Plan
• Initial assessment received from CCRPC regarding deficiencies in 2018 Plan
• List of potential contacts for technical plans developed
• File system established for tracking input

6. Work Plan & Task Assignments

• Andrew & Ian: Create centralized tracking system for outreach; compile and organize contact information; conduct outreach interviews
• Jason: Develop communications plan including Front Porch Forum posts, Times Ink articles, flyers, and other written outreach materials
• Chelsye: Review CCRPC assessment and identify statutory requirements that need integration into 2026 plan
• Virginia: Send letters to "unowned" or multiple-owner section stakeholders; coordinate with Keith
• All members: Review specific sections of the plan and related almanac content

7. Outreach Strategy Ideas

• Focus on contacting knowledgeable stakeholders first, then broader community
• Possible activities include:
  • Weekly Front Porch Forum posts
  • Tabling at Farmers Market (possibly with rotating themes)
  • Tabling at Friday Food Affair
  • Participation in community events (Fourth of July, Friday Food Affair)
  • Planning charrette events with maps and public input opportunities
  • Interviews, focus groups, simple surveys
  • Potential kickoff event

8. Data Management

• Need for centralized project management tool discussed (Google Sheets initially)
• Will work with Keith to develop system for cataloging public input
• Priority areas identified: housing crisis and climate change impacts

9. Next Meeting Agenda Items

• Reports on initial outreach progress
• Update on communication plan
• Further division of technical plan sections
• Discussion of statutory requirements (Acts 171, 174, 47, 181)

Minutes respectfully submitted by, Andrew Powers, Secretary