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Council continues public hearing on zoning changes for large homes' decks to June 2
Summary
The council continued a public hearing on amendments to the large residential structure section of the zoning ordinance, which would change how elevated decks and balconies on homes larger than 4,000 square feet are reviewed.
The New Shoreham Town Council on Wednesday continued, to its June 2 meeting, a public hearing on proposed zoning changes affecting large residential structures and elevated outdoor features such as decks and balconies.
Planner Peter (last name not specified in the transcript) explained the draft ordinance language and attached diagrams that aim to clarify how protruding decks over five feet above grade would be measured and reviewed. "So this section of the zoning ordinance applies to the large homes... generally over 4,000 square feet," he told the council.
Council members pressed for clearer explanatory material for lay readers, and several asked whether exterior decks would be counted as additional square footage or be included in existing calculations. "Would if you added this, 1,200, it wouldn't put you over the current calculations that are on the record now," one council member asked; the planner responded that the proposed subsection did not change the calculations listed elsewhere.
Several council members and members of the public said they lacked a clear rationale and requested a plain-language summary of the problem the amendment is meant to solve and a run of show explaining how the amendment changes existing practice. The planning board had recommended diagrams for clarity; council members asked staff to provide a short explanatory memo and to hold the hearing open rather than re-advertise the proposal.
The council voted to continue the public hearing to June 2 to allow staff and the planner to supply additional explanatory material and to give council members time to review.
Provenance: The hearing opened mid-meeting and the record shows extensive back-and-forth between the planner, council members and members of the public before the council moved to continue the hearing.
