DRB Meeting 8-28-25

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2025 0828 DRB Draft Minutes 302 KB

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 TOWN OF SWANTON

DRAFT MINUTES

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD (DRB)

TOWN OFFICE BUILDING

One Academy Street

Swanton, VT 05488

In Person & By ZOOM

Thursday, August 28, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m.

Present: Spencer LaBarge-Chair, Jim Pratt, Reg Beliveau Jr, Jennifer Yandow, Kiersten Bourgeois-Members, Christina Candels-Assistant Town Administrator, Lucie Hill, Steven Hill, Lannie Chevalier, Deb St. Francis, Jeffery Barbour Don Jarrett, Lesleigh Jarrett, Casey Maathieu, Allen Pigeon, Carrie Parent, Shawn Cheney, Luke Willey, Chadd Bushey
Zoom: No Attendance

1. Call to Order

Mr. LaBarge called the meeting to order at 6:00p.m.

2. Agenda Review:

Mr. LaBarge reviewed the agenda, read the definition of interested persons, swore in applicants, board members & members of the public (in-person & Zoom).

Mr. LaBarge asked if any members had any conflicts of interest or ex-parte communications?

Ms. Bourgeois and Mr. Pratt are neighbors of DRB-29-2025 Chadd Bushey, with no conflicts.

Mr. LaBarge said he received one phone call about DRB-28-2025 Allen Pigeon. Mr. LaBarge explained how a variance worked and left the conversation at that. 

3. Meeting Topics:

1. DRB-21-2025 Shawn Cheney & Steven Domey
2. DRB-24-2025 Michael Blouin
3. DRB-25-2025 Michael Blouin
4. DRB-26-2025 Steven & Lucie Hill
5. DRB-27-2025 Mathieu Investment LLC
6. DRB-28-2025 Allen Pigeon
7. DRB-29-2025 Chadd Bushey

1. #DRB-21-2025: Shawn Cheney & Steven Domey:  Request for final plat approval for a 2-lot subdivision located at 98 Canada Street in the R5/Residential district.

Mr. Cheney came before the board to review his application.

Mr. LaBarge verified the plans are the same as last month.

Mr. Beliveau asked where the access/driveway will be off King St. to the property? Mr. Cheney passed out a site map to show plan details. This will be a plan is a 60’x28’ two story building with four units. This showed the driveway on the plans. Mr. Cheney said the driveway will not be as large as shown, roughly 15’.

Mr. Beliveau asked Mr. Cheney the percentage of impervious surface? 65%.

Ms. Chevalier as a neighbor asked if anyone has done a water table check of the property? Mr. LaBarge said that is not what is before them, only the lot line adjustment. Mr. LaBarge said those would be asked when Mr. Cheney comes before the board in the next steps of the process. Mr. Cheney clarified this will not need to go before the DRB, it is a permitted building by the Zoning Administrator with the new Bylaws.

2. #DRB-24-2025: Michael Blouin request for sketch plan approval for a 2-lot subdivision located at 26 Ceres Circle in the R1/Rural district.

No Attendance by the applicants.

3. #DRB-25-2025: Michael Blouin request for boundary line adjustment located at 26 Ceres Circle in the R1/Rural district.

No Attendance by the applicants.

4. #DRB-26-2025: Steven & Lucie Hill request for boundary line adjustment located at 457 Maquam Shore Road in the R1/Rural district.

Mr. & Ms. Hill came before the board to review their request.

Ms. Hill shared they would like to adjust the boundary line to sell a portion of land to a resident across the street. This would give them contiguous land. On both sides of the road. The proposed buyers (466 Maquam Shore) currently have a very small lot with a camp on. (.15-acre lot)

Ms. Hill said the plan is to sell them the little over half an acre they want to adjust out. This will give them a large building area with more land. Ms. Hill said they could use the land for septic space as well.

Ms. Hill said the lot has a driveway cut approved already.

Mr. Beliveau asked how it will be contiguous with the road between the lots? The bylaws definition of contiguous states the road does not break apart properties.

Ms. Bourgeois asked what was on other parcels on the map? Camps owned by other landowners.

Ms. Hill shared pictures to show the land discussed.

Ms. Yandow asked if they intended to run septic under the road from their current parcel to the lot? Ms. Hill said that it would be up to the buyers, Ms. Parent.

Ms. Yandow wanted to clarify you could not pump septic across the street. Ms. Hill said it is common along the lake for septic tanks to be lake side and mound systems to be across the street.

Ms. Parent said the current septic for their lot is only for seasonal use, the lot is too small.

That is all approved by the State, not the Town.

5. #DRB-27-2025: Mathieu Investment LLC request for conditional use to convert the showroom into 2 residential units and the existing garage to be leased by Yipes Stripes located at 157 St. Albans Road in the R1/Rural district.

Mr. Mathieu came before the board to share the use of the building previously known as Hamlens Garden. They have received a new wastewater permit. This new permit approves the addition of two small unit apartments-1200 sq ft and leasing the shop facility out of what was previously known as Yipes Stripes. They have a new name. One unit will be upstairs, and one will be downstairs.

Mr. LaBarge clarified the lot has enough parking. The work will all be interior.

Mr. Beliveau clarified they do have a new wastewater permit? Yes, and AOT gave them a new driveway access permit as well.

Ms. Bourgeois asked if the residential unit would share a wall with Yipes Stipes? Yes, two walls built to fire code.

Mr. Mathieu shared a better example on paper of what they were planning to do. 

6. #DRB-28-2025: Allen Pigeon request for variance for the south side setback to build a single-family dwelling located at 317 St. Albans Road in the R1/rural district.

Mr. Pigeon came before the board to request a variance to build a home. Mr. Pigeon said the foundation is already in place. Mr. Pigeon said they had the property surveyed twice, once when they bought it and again, so they knew where the boundary line was.

Mr. Pigeon said they thought they had enough room then they discovered they were 21’ in the southern corner not the 25’ required.

Mr. Pigeon showed the board on the map where he needs the variance in the corner. The house is on an angle and only roughly 12’ of the foundation is too close to the property line to the south.

Mr. LaBarge said the Zoning Administrator did share this was an after-the-fact permit request.

Mr. LaBarge said variances are tough to approve. The previous bylaw would have allowed for Conditional Use Less 30%, this would have worked for this situation.

Mr. LaBarge said one of the questions needed for a variance is (3) the unnecessary hardship was not created by the applicant. In this case it was because they already have the foundation in place.

Mr. Pigeon said it was not done intentionally.

The board reviewed on the map the line vs. the foundation.

Ms. Yandow asked when the foundation went in? A month ago. The new bylaws were adopted by the Selectboard July 1^st.

Mr. Barbour said he is Mr. Pigeons neighbor on the south side. Mr. Barbour asked how they did not know when the stakes were put why didn’t they know then they were too close? How many feet are they too close to his property, the whole line?

Mr. LaBarge said at the top it is 21’ and widens to about 32’ at the bottom.

Mr. Pigeon said when they put the flags in, they did the perimeter with red flags. Then they had them do the setbacks with blue and green flags. Day Land Surveying has surveyed the property twice.

Mr. Barbour said the foundation was right tight to the stakes.

Mr. LaBarge clarified with Mr. Barbour where the foundation is too close to the property line.

7. #DRB-29-2025: Chadd Bushey request for sketch plan approval for a 3-lot subdivision located at 98 Sugar Maple Drive in the R1/Rural district.

Mr. Willey came before the board as Mr. Bushey’s engineer.

Mr. Willey said this is an existing parcel of land they are proposing to subdivide two lots off the south side. The plan is to pass these lots down in the family. The property will then be sold.

The two new lots will be roughly 1.5-acres each.

Mr. Willey said the lots are designed to be compliant with the bylaws. The proposed lots will have one curb cut with a shared driveway.

Mr. LaBarge asked why they wouldn’t do two curb cuts? Mr. Willey said the regulations encourage shared driveways. If the Town would allow separate cuts that would be preferred. That will be up to the road commissioner.

Ms. Bourgeois asked if the driveway on the main parcel will stay the same? Yes.

Mr. Willey said both lots will have onsite water and wastewater systems.

Mr. Beliveau and Mr. Pratt asked about the jog on the map from the existing lot.

Mr. Pratt said he believed the current bylaws to not allow for less than 100’, the jog on the map is roughly 75’.

The board reviewed the bylaws for lot shapes. This was not part of the new bylaws.

Mr. & Ms. Jarrett shared their concern for the jog in the lot line and the concern that the proposed driveway placement so close to their pool.

Ms. Yandow said another suggestion could be to move that driveway over.

Ms. Jarrett asked if they would be able to express concerns at another meeting? Yes, they will be notified of the next meeting.

Mr. Willey asked the board if anything in particular stuck out that they would like changed? Mr. LaBarge said they would review and give them a list if they do.

Mr. Willey said the existing driveway aligns with a driveway across the street and they would want to align driveways for safety.

Ms. Yandow said one option is to move the driveway over to the other side away from Jarrett’s property line.

Mr. Willey said they are also trying to leave existing trees in place, and the edge of the property currently has very dense trees between the lots for screening.

4. Minutes from DRB Meeting July 24, 2025.

Ms. Bourgeois made a motion to accept the minutes from July 24, 2025, seconded by Mr. Pratt. Motion carried.

5. Any Other Necessary Business

None

6. Public Comment

None

7. Set Next DRB Meeting

September 25, 2025, at 6:00 pm.

8. Executive Session

Ms. Yandow made a motion to enter executive session at 7:20 pm, seconded by Mr. Pratt. Motion carried.

Mr. Pratt made a motion to exit executive session at 8:12 pm, seconded by Ms. Bourgeois. Motion carried.

Action Taken:

1. Ms. Yandow made a motion for DRB-21-2025: Shawn Cheney & Steven Domey:  Request for final plat approval for a 2-lot subdivision located at 98 Canada Street in the R5/Residential district be APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Mr. Pratt. Motion carried.

2. Ms. Bourgeois made a motion for DRB-24-2025: Michael Blouin request for sketch plan approval for a 2-lot subdivision located at 26 Ceres Circle in the R1/Rural districtbe APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Mr. Pratt. No Ayes, all board members voted Nay. Motion DENIED, due to the applicant not being present. Motion carried.

3. Ms. Bourgeois made a motion for DRB-25-2025: Michael Blouin request for boundary line adjustment located at 26 Ceres Circle in the R1/Rural district be APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Mr. Pratt. No Ayes, all board members voted Nay. Motion DENIED, due to the applicant not being present. Motion carried.

4. Mr. Beliveau made a motion for DRB-26-2025: Steven & Lucie Hill request for boundary line adjustment located at 457 Maquam Shore Road in the R1/Rural district be APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Mr. LaBarge. No Ayes, all board members voted Nay. Motion DENIED, due to

• Lot less than 1-acre
• Lot depth less than 150’
• Contiguous lot conversation, Steven & Lucie Hill do not own the lot across the road.

Per 2-8 of Zoning Bylaw & Subdivision Regulations Guidelines

Motion carried.

5. Mr. Pratt made a motion for DRB-27-2025: Mathieu Investment LLC request for conditional use to convert the showroom into 2 residential units and the existing garage to be leased by Yipes Stripes located at 157 St. Albans Road in the R1/Rural district be APPROVED AS WARNED with the conditions listed

• New wastewater permit recorded.
• 12/20 Auto & Graphics be a permitted business.

Seconded by Mr. Beliveau. Motion carried.

6. Mr. LaBarge made a motion for DRB-28-2025: Allen Pigeon request for variance for the south side setback to build a single-family dwelling located at 317 St. Albans Road in the R1/rural district be APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Ms. Yandow. No Ayes, all board members voted Nay. Motion DENIED, due to the applicant having not met 10-4 variance’s 1-5.

7. Mr. Beliveau made a motion for DRB-29-2025: Chadd Bushey request for sketch    plan approval for a 3-lot subdivision located at 98 Sugar Maple Drive in the R1/Rural district be APPROVED AS WARNED, seconded by Ms. Yandow. Motion carried.

1. Adjournment

Ms. Yandow made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:20pm, seconded by Ms. Bourgeois. Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted by

Christina Candels-Assistant Town Administrator