Planning Commission Meeting 3-10-26 Public Hearing

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2026 0310 PC Public Hearing Draft Minutes 355 KB

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SWANTON PLANNING COMMISSION

PUBLIC HEARING

DRAFT MINUTES

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

1 Academy Street, Swanton, VT

6:00 p.m.

Present: Ross Lavoie-Chair, Desireah Ladieu, Heather Buczkowski-Members, Amy Giroux-Zoning Administrator, Christina Candels-Assistant Town Administrator, Mike Barrett, Roger Bushey

Zoom: Oliver Manning, Shawn Cheney-Members, Lesley Underwood, Erin Gagne, Carol Hubbard, Greta Brunswick, Linda D.

1. Call to Order

Mr. Lavoie called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

2. Agenda Review

No changes.

3. Review minutes of January 13, 2026

Ms. Buczkowski made a motion to approve the minutes of January 13, 2026, as written, seconded by Ms. Ladieu. Motion carried.

4. Public Hearing for Land Use & Bylaw Update

Mr. Lavoie opened the Land Use & Bylaw Public Hearing at 6:03 pm for the proposed amendments to the Swanton Land Use & Development Regulations.

The Planning Commission reviewed the attached amendments and will also include items listed below approved in the Public Hearing:

• DRB applications must be submitted to the Zoning Administrator at least 23 days prior to the meeting to meet the newspaper publication timeline.

Mr. Lavoie will review the regulations to see if the Town is required to post notices in the paper, this Is a large cost to the Town annually.

• Section 5.20 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (c)(1) change eight (8) feet to fifteen (15’) as required.
• Add “Agriculture Event & Agriculture Fair” to the definition of Recreation/Outdoor, requiring Conditional Use approval from the DRB.
• Add “Temporary Storage Containers” in Shoreland District (SL) for construction only be allowed for a maximum of 1-year. Are not permitted otherwise.
• Add “Snack Bar” to the definition of Restaurant.

Ms. Brunswick will research “Data Center” requirements for future Bylaw updates. Ms. Buczkowski expressed interest in this to protect Swanton.

Mr. Lavoie requested discussion on allowing “Vape” shops in the Village at the request of MVU & NMC. This will require defining them in the Bylaws.

Food Trucks will be discussed in a future meeting; they are not currently regulated.

Mr. Barrett did not agree with the proposed changes to existing bylaws and discussed in length in his opinion how this would be detrimental to the residents of Swanton. Mr. Barrett stated he feels this board’s predecessors drafted brilliant bylaws and should not be changed.

Mr. Manning said they can take Mr. Barrett’s comments into consideration, but they cannot say this will affect numerous people because he is one person sharing his opinion. No one else has come forward with these concerns or come to meetings to express this.

Mr. Cheney said the current bylaws are restrictive and these concerns are assumptive; the State of Vermont is pressing communities to open things up. They have been very restrictive for many years, and it is time to open things up for future growth.

Mr. Barrett requested his comments be added to the minutes for the record. Please see attached statement.

Mr. Lavoie said these bylaws were drafted by their predecessors and they are people this board still communicates with.

Mr. Manning would like to see a bylaw change/regulation in the Southern Growth District that would conserve that area as much as they can for a high tax yielding entity. Mr. Manning is unsure how this can be done but to look into it more. Mr. Manning said two large lots have been sold that will not bring in taxes. Mr. Manning also agreed you cannot tell people who they can sell their property to, but could there be incentives to do other things that can create tax revenue. The only way this could be controlled would be to not allow business and or buildings that would not provide tax benefit for the Town.

Mr. Lavoie said you also do not want to stop any type of growth.

Ms. Buczkowski made a motion to approve the proposed amendments to the Swanton Land Use Development Regulations and Zoning Bylaws & Subdivision Regulations to include the additions discussed at tonight’s Public Hearing and send these changes to the Swanton Selectboard, seconded by Ms. Ladieu. Motion carried.

Ms. Giroux said the dates for the Selectboard Public Hearing’s will be April 21, 2026 at 6:00 pm and May 26, 2026 at 6:00 pm.

These bylaws are now in effect and permittable by the Zoning Administrator. 

Mr. Lavoie ended the Land Use & Bylaw Public Hearing at 7:42 pm.

5. Set next Planning Commission Meeting date.

April 21, 2026 & May 26, 2026-Selectboard Public Hearing  

6. Public Comment

None

7. Any Other Necessary Business

Mr. Lavoie said he received two letters; one was documentation from Swanton Limestone stating the number of trucks with woodchips that went through this winter.

The second letter received was a public utility notification for a Verizon wireless tower on VT Route 207 at the Rainville farm.  

8. Adjournment

Ms. Buczkowski made a motion to adjourn at 7:44 pm, seconded by Mr. Cheney. Motion carried.

Minutes Respectfully Submitted by

Christina Candels-Assistant Town Administrator    

Swanton Planning Commission

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE SWANTON LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT

REGULATIONS

March 10, 2026, 6:00PM
SWANTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING

1 Academy St. Swanton

The Town of Swanton Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed Town and Village of Swanton Land Use and Development Regulations on March 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Swanton Municipal Building, 1 Academy Street, Swanton, Vermont. The hearing will also be held remotely via zoom. The link to join remotely is: Meeting ID# 353 203 4083 when prompted & announce your name (charges may apply). To join the ZOOM meeting online on a computer, click on this link: us06web.zoom.us/j/3532034083

This public notice is given pursuant to 24 V.S.A. Section 4441, 4442 and 4444. The proposed Town and Village of Swanton Land Use and Development Regulations includes the following sections – Article 1: Authority and Purpose, Article 2: Zoning Districts, Overlays and Standards, Article 3: General Regulations, Article 4: Flood Hazard and River Corridor, Article 5: Specific Use Standards, Article 6: Development Review, Article 7: Subdivision Review, Article 8: Subdivision Planning and Design Standards, Article 9: Planned Unit Developments, Article 10: Administrative and Enforcement, and Article 11: Definitions. The principal purpose of the proposed zoning bylaw amendments is to (1) revise the Planned Unit Development Regulations to include two types, cottage developments and rural planned developments in Article 9 (2) update the number of principal structures and uses allowed per lot in areas with municipal wastewater and water in Section 3.6, and (3)  [ADD OTHER UPDATES]. One or more of these proposed amendments will affect every geographical area of Swanton. Additional changes listed: New Planned Unit Developments

Cottage Development-Cottage Courts (CD)

Rual Planned Developments (RUD)

• 2-4 Shoreland Recreation-Conditional Uses

Remove Contractors Yard, Storage Containers & Kennels from Conditional Use

Add Temporary Storage Containers for Construction with no permit.

Add Multifamily dwellings.

• 2-6 Remove #4 & #5-reason remove from shoreland not just Maquam Shore
• 2-7 Rural District-Conditional Uses

Add Multi Family 4 plex, Mixed Use, Professional Service, Restaurant and Retail

• 2-14 Change Neighborhood Commercial District to Transitional Commercial District
• 2-22 Southern Growth- Permitted Uses-Outdoor Recreation definition add agricultural event to the definition.
• 3-7 Section 3.6Lot, Setback & Yard Requirements (F) removed (street line)
• 5-17 Section 5.18 Roadside Stand (2) products shall include those products raised in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties to 100-mile radius of Vermont or within the State of Vermont
• 8-8 Section 8.8 Roads & Pedestrian Access(D) Road Construction Standards Road Add Road Takeover Policy updated from Selectboard.
• 10-6 Section 10.4 Variances (4) remove “character of the neighborhood.”
• 11-13 Definitions Recreation/Outdoor definition: Agriculture fair to definition
• Add to all Conditional Uses in all districts:

Mixed Use

Indoor/Outdoor Recreation

Garden Center

Farmers Market

Professional Service

Snack Bar

Restaurants

The full text of the proposed Town of Swanton Land Use and Development Regulations

Amendments may be found at the Town Clerk’s office, 1 Academy, Swanton and on the

Town’s website at swantonvt.gov.