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Council reviews Leachesta Drive overlay to limit uses and address parking on town easement
Summary
Council reviewed a proposed overlay district for Leachesta Drive that would grant limited easements for driveway access, restrict parking and storage on town-owned strips, and allow the town to remove unauthorized parking; councilors asked staff to refine language and consult affected residents.
Town staff presented a proposed overlay district for a strip of town-owned land along Leachesta Drive, explaining the overlay would formalize easements to allow access while restricting storage, parking and other uses.
The presenter explained the overlay would permit property owners to traverse town land for driveway access but would limit the scope of paved areas and could require a special-use permit for other changes. "The easement... would allow them to do so, but also limit the... use of that property," staff said.
Council members raised multiple concerns: one councilor asked whether the draft’s three-month threshold for unregistered or inoperable vehicles should be shortened to 30 days (as recommended by the planning board); others flagged a narrow lot where a resident’s entire driveway may fall in the easement and requested a carve-out for an easement-by-necessity. Members also suggested adding loitering and public-nuisance language rather than enumerating each prohibited behavior.
Staff said the town could inspect easement areas when the overlay is executed and recommend remediation to bring driveways into compliance; any exception for a homeowner with no other frontage would be treated as an easement by necessity and would be adjusted accordingly. Council voted to have staff work with the solicitor and return revised language for further review and outreach to affected neighbors.
