Eye on Town Government

By Susan MacEachron

The Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z), at its meeting on September 14, approved a home enterprise application and a number of changes to the town’s zoning regulations, including classifying cannabis sales as permitted in a retail zone.

The meeting began with a public hearing to discuss Lisa Ludwig’s application for a home enterprise at 8 Westside Road.  Ludwig plans to make custom cakes and other bakery items for special order. No members of the public attended the meeting. Zoning Enforcement Officer Michael Halloran noted that an identical application for 378 Greenwoods Road West was approved last year. P&Z approved the application. Once the unanimous vote concluded, Ludwig presented the commissioners with a cake, which was received with great enthusiasm.

Next on the agenda was an application for an engineering studio home enterprise at 32 Grant Street. Ralph Prisco described his garage-based shop where he creates prototypes for various medical devises. P&Z accepted his application and scheduled a public hearing for its next meeting on Oct. 11.  

The remainder of the P&Z meeting was devoted to adopting changes to regulations that the commissioners have been discussing for the better part of a year. The new regulations will allow cannabis establishments in a retail zone but prohibit sales in a residential zone. The cultivation, micro-cultivation, producing or packaging of cannabis is considered manufacturing and will be allowed only in a commercial zone.

P&Z voted to opt out of the new state regulations regarding: a) temporary health structures, such as a backyard trailer to house a healthcare aide; b) minimum parking requirements for multiple dwelling units; and c) accessory dwelling units. Norfolk’s existing regulations already allow accessory apartments. P&Z revised the regulations for ground-mounted solar panels to make the permitting process easier for installations of less than 500 square feet.

The request for a letter of support from P&Z regarding the sale of 82 acres of land on Lovers Lane to the Norfolk Land Trust was discussed. It was noted that this land would be an attractive addition to the existing Barbour Woods Land Trust parcel. Two commissioners expressed concern about land being removed from the town’s property tax base. It was suggested that in a situation like this the land trust might consider carving out a 2-acre road-front parcel for a housing lot. P&Z approved sending the letter.

The final matter before P&Z was the ongoing and unresolved issue with the two buildings in the Village District at 24 and 32 Greenwoods Road West owned by Love Simply LLC. Halloran reported that after Christian Allyn, as agent for Love Simply director Ben Shiff, attended the Aug. 9 P&Z meeting, none of the documents he promised to deliver regarding intended uses of the buildings and an application for exterior changes have materialized. P&Z Chair Tom Fahsbender directed Halloran to consult with outside counsel and take the next appropriate enforcement step to address the ongoing violations at the site.