By LAYLA KALINEN
Eagle Times Staff
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. — On July 23, 2024, the Rockingham Selectboard had a public hearing on the updated Town Plan. The town plan, updated every eight years, posed some questions for board members and citizens.
At the beginning of each chapter are aspirations, outlined as Maintain, Evolve and Transform.
Howard said the zoning to require 5- and 25-acres restricted family homes, and the Town should encourage affordable, smaller lots.
There was discussion of current use zoned areas along the Rockingham Road into Saxtons River and debates on mixed use zoning laws within the village, specifically Atkinson Street.
Delilah Hall of the Rockingham Planning Commission noted the Town Plan is an aspirational statement from the town.
Peter Fox responded citing the zoning bylaws giving permitted and conditional use, where zoning asks, “Does it fit with the neighborhood?”
Elijah Zimmer understood it as aspirational but said he did not agree the town should encourage mixed use development.
The areas that were discussed encouraging mixed use included the island and downtown.
The current use of Atkinson is mixed, but according to RPC board member Deborah Wright said she understood they don’t want to encourage more and said that language can be discussed at Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting. Bylaws are the town’s protection, but Howard said there is nothing written in the zoning to stop owners from tearing a building down.
RPC board member Jim Mullen suggested that there were zoning districts by definition that could discourage the rehab of homes. RPC board member Delilah Hall said RBES is required by the state.
Howard commented on the enforcement of existing ordinances in the villages and language should not exclude the Town of Rockingham.
Mullen agreed, it is town wide by state statute. John Dunbar noticed language from the point of sale on apartments and said all houses should be added (page 39) on public spaces.
Fox mentioned a temporary zoning bylaw to allow outdoor dining that expired that had permitted all public spaces to allow that.
RSB member Peter Golec asked why they referred to village areas and RPC member John Dunbar said encouraged discussion and collaboration were key components for improving town and village areas, as the viability of Saxtons River was impacted by the viability of village area viability.
Fox said for example, it had provided for the village of Bellows Falls to use the performance hall in the summer; this statement encouraged more cooperation.
SB member Golec said he did not remember the yearly appropriation to Highway Department referred to on page 89 and Dunbar said they would correct that.
Finally, RSB clerk, Elijah Zimmer suggested an additional sentence in the town plan “promote historic preservation and sensitive adaptation of historic structures, landscapes and neighborhood” to be added on Page 5 under ‘Statement of Objectives.’
The next Rockingham Selectboard Meeting will be Aug. 13, at 6 p.m. in the lower theater at the Bellows Falls Town Hall.
