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Planning board tasks staff to research ag-buffer and driveway definitions after waiver debate
Summary
After debating whether driveways constitute structures in agricultural buffers, the Franklin Planning Board asked staff (Brandon) to research code language and return with a report at the next meeting to guide future decisions and possible ordinance changes.
Board members spent substantial time discussing whether agricultural buffers (100-foot rear, 50-foot side) should apply to driveways and whether removing vegetation to install driveways counts as a violation requiring a variance. The vice chair agreed the issue would cause repeated conflicts unless clarified; the board formally asked staff (Brandon) to research the ordinance language and report at the next meeting.
Discussion included repeated references to the township’s buffer distances and whether a waiver could be narrowly limited to driveway corridors rather than a blanket removal of buffers. One member argued buffers are unnecessary in many cases, saying they “severely impact people’s properties,” while others urged a more measured approach that ties any waiver to a defined driveway corridor and emergency-access conditions. The board assigned two liaison members to draft recommended standards for flag lots and requested staff analysis on buffer definitions and enforcement.
