Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Rewrite topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Board debates packaging of zoning warrant articles; members favor clean reformat and limited substantive changes
Summary
Enfield planners reviewed a draft reformat of Route 4 zoning (proposed as EV4), debated separating a plain-language reformat from policy changes, and discussed warrant-article strategy—members suggested prioritizing a rewrite plus a targeted change (removing the single-principal-dwelling restriction) rather than bundling multiple density/height changes.
At its July 8 work session the Enfield Planning Board spent substantial time on draft ordinance reformatting and strategy for upcoming warrant articles. Board members described three possible warrant articles: (1) a reformatting/organizing article to rewrite section numbers and wording for clarity, (2) replacement of the existing Route 4/CV district with a new Enfield Village/EV4 district, and (3) additional changes such as density or building-form rules. Several members argued that bundling many substantive changes with the reformat risks losing voter support.
"I would suggest we just leave it the way it currently is, which is 12 housing units per acre," a board member said, urging caution on increasing density in the Route 4 proposal. Multiple members recommended moving any change in density or building height into a separate warrant article so voters could consider a single, simple reformat alongside one discrete policy change. One commonly proposed single policy change was removing the 'one principal dwelling per lot' restriction to enable more flexible development forms; the board discussed placing that as its own warrant article.
Members also flagged specific drafting issues for staff to fix: inconsistent references to section numbers, unclear vegetative-buffer language, frontage and minimum-lot wording, and the definition and measurement of form-related items such as maximum front setbacks. Staff said a small working committee would refine language and return a revised draft to the board. Several board members emphasized the need to make the reformat easy to understand for voters and suggested limiting the number of zoning warrant articles on the ballot to reduce confusion.
The board did not adopt final warrant language at the meeting but agreed to continue refining the drafts and to present committee recommendations at a future work session. The next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for July 22; additional drafting work and committee recommendations are expected before the town's March warrant cycle.
