Planning Board Election

Set forth below are the questions I posed to the candidates for Planning Board, and Sandra Martin's responses. Eileen Vining notified me that an ongoing family emergency prevented her from responding by yesterday's deadline.

1. What changes, if any, do you think should be made in Egremont's zoning bylaw?

Any changes to the Zoning Bylaws should go through a rigorous process of discussions, good ideas and hearings. Changes to the Bylaws often affect people’s property values and as such need a lot of discussion time to allow for all voters to weigh the pros and cons of any changes. Everyone involved in the process should come to the table with an open mind. That being said, my own personal thinking would lead me to consider rezoning the village centers to allow them to be built as they are today – mixed uses on lots with smaller frontages and setbacks.

2. What do you think should be done, if anything, to encourage small businesses in Egremont?

Small, local businesses are basic to rural communities and should be encouraged in ways that do not substantially impact their neighbors.

3. What is your position on shared driveways?

I would support shared driveways as they reduce the number of curb cuts on the road, keeping the rural look and feel. I would prefer a mini-subdivision Bylaw that allowed for a shared, private road that was reasonable and cost effective.

4. What is your position on rear lots (a rear lot being defined as one that is one acre or more in size with road frontage adequate for access to the lot but less than 150 feet)?

With substantially increased acreage requirements, I would support rear lots with reduced frontages. Again I would prefer a mini-subdivision Bylaw that would make dividing large parcels practical and the first choice of people dividing their land instead of the last.

5. What is your position on facilities and equipment for cell phones and high speed Internet access?

We need this technology and I support reasonable accommodation for the needed infrastructure. This technology is changing rapidly and will soon be doable without the mega-towers of the past. I don’t think we should wait, though and should move to allow towers as they are needed and the owners and neighbors agree to them.