Eye on Town Government

By Susan MacEachron

The Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) met on Aug. 9. Public Works Supervisor Troy LaMere addressed the commission to ask for a modification of the peninsulas in front of the Berkshire County Store, where new trees have recently been planted.

LaMere stated that the current configuration of the peninsulas, which were put in place more than two decades ago, makes snow removal difficult for the town road crew. Zoning Enforcement Officer Michael Halloran noted that the peninsulas had been created after many years of discussion, in order to slow the traffic moving through the town center and make it more pedestrian friendly. P&Z Chair Tom Fahsbender told LaMere that he would need to come to the commission with a specific proposal, and most likely the commission members would want to visit the site to view his plan.

P&Z accepted an application from Lisa Ludwig for a home enterprise. Ludwig informed P&Z that she is in the process of obtaining a cottage food license and plans to make custom cakes and other baked goods. Halloran noted that this request was nearly identical to one P&Z had approved several months ago. A public hearing is scheduled for the next P&Z meeting on Sept. 13.

Christian Allyn introduced himself and said he was representing Love Simply LLC, the owner of two buildings in Norfolk, 24 and 32 Greenwoods Road West, better known as the Thurston building and the former pizza place. Allyn said the owner of Love Simply, Ben Schiff, was focused on improving the structural integrity of the buildings and wanted to work with P&Z to approve the changes to the buildings for the betterment of the town. Allyn said that he understood the project was “rubbing against” the town’s regulations governing the Village District.

Fahsbender noted that P&Z has been waiting for an application that would provide an explanation of Schiff’s intended use of the buildings. He stated that the boarded-up windows of the Thurston building were a change to the exterior made without an application, in violation of the Village District regulations. Halloran said that Allyn had promised an application for the exterior changes at the Thurston building and a narrative describing the proposed use for both buildings, and neither was produced for the meeting. P&Z members directed Halloran to proceed with the enforcement process.