Assembly refers lot‑size reduction proposal to planning board after public concern over wells and platting
Loading...
Summary
After a public hearing with many residents and professionals raising well/septic, platting and enforcement concerns, the Assembly referred proposed ordinance 25-102 (allowing 30,000 sq ft lots in single‑family districts under conditions) to the planning board for further review and input; a companion land‑use review ordinance (25-103) was also postponed.
The Assembly opened public hearings on Ordinance 25-102 (amending subdivision development standards to allow lots as small as 30,000 square feet in single‑family residential districts, subject to on‑site‑septic conditions) and Ordinance 25-103 (replacing the mandatory land‑use permit with a land‑use review). Residents, surveyors and engineers raised repeated concerns about showing well locations on plats, the administrative burden of plat notes, enforcement of septic/well placement, and the risk that smaller lots could make neighboring lots less buildable.
Several speakers recommended alternative approaches: use parallel recorded lot‑development documents rather than graphic plat reservations; require wells to be installed prior to final platting in some contexts; or apply the reduced minimum only where community water or verified soils exist. Assemblymember Sumner, sponsor of the lot‑size change, proposed technical amendments to remove well reserve areas from plats, strengthen septic reserve language and add a 100‑foot setback between wells and delineated septic areas. After discussion, the assembly accepted a planning‑board request for additional review and referred OR 25-102 (and the related land‑use review ordinance) to the planning board to return on March 17, 2026.
The planning board had earlier reported limited time to analyze the complex ordinance; the referral gives planners more meetings to evaluate practical implementation, enforcement and mapping issues before the assembly takes further action.
