The Planning and Zoning Commission’s Zoning Regulation Update Subcommittee and consultants from BFJ scheduled a public workshop for Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. to introduce the zoning update process and solicit early public input.

The workshop will open with a presentation on project goals, the current zoning framework and how the update connects to the town’s recently adopted Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). BFJ consultant Emily Tolbert said the first meeting is intended “to explain what the process is and what the current state of the zoning regulations is.” After the presentation the meeting will pause for a coffee break and then resume for public Q&A and comments.

The subcommittee and consultants agreed the public session should be presentation-first to keep the discussion focused, followed by a coffee break during which display boards (zoning map and copies of regulations) will be available for review. Officials plan to provide printed handouts and post the presentation on the town website afterward. The workshop will be recorded and the recording and a written summary will be posted on the Planning and Zoning website.

To manage time and give more people an opportunity to speak, the subcommittee agreed on a sign-up system during the coffee break. Attendees who want to speak will be asked to sign up; the group discussed a default speaking allotment of three minutes per speaker with flexibility depending on the number of sign-ups. A staffed comment box will capture written comments for people who do not wish to speak, and planners will include a QR code linking to an online comment form that will accept submissions during and after the meeting.

The consultants and staff emphasized setting clear ground rules on the screen at the meeting (for example, “presentation with no interruptions; questions during the Q&A period only”) and using the break to organize the public speakers list. BFJ said it will prepare and circulate the final version of the presentation to staff and commissioners prior to the workshop so the subcommittee can flag any last-minute edits.

Why it matters: The Oct. 23 workshop is the public launch of a 14-month zoning update process. Consultants and staff designed the session so residents can learn the basics of zoning, see the zoning map, and give structured feedback that will inform draft text and map revisions later in the process.

What to expect at the meeting: a team introduction, a zoning primer, a high-level review of proposed topics and timeline, printed zoning maps and regulation copies for inspection during a coffee break, a timed public comment period, and information about later opportunities for input such as a winter survey and a second public workshop in the spring.

Ending: Materials from the Oct. 23 session will be posted on the town’s Planning and Zoning web page and a summary of comments will be prepared by BFJ and submitted to staff for posting and future reference.