Welcome to Planner's Corner, a monthly update on the activities of the Williston Planning and Zoning Department.
Topic of the Month: The Development Review Process: Common Questions Answered
By Emily Heymann, Planner
What is the role of the Development Review Board (DRB)?
The DRB is a volunteer board appointed by the Selectboard to apply the requirements of the Williston Unified Development Bylaw (WDB) to proposed developments. Though their role is quasi-judicial (public hearings; appeal-able decisions), the authority of the DRB is quite limited. The bylaw is quite prescriptive and even decisions that require their discretion have a limited range.
What is the Williston Unified Development Bylaw (WDB)?
Land use regulations are one of the many ways the town implements the goals and vision of the Comprehensive Plan. In Williston, subdivision and land use regulations are “unified” in one document. The Planning Commission is responsible for writing and revising the bylaw, and any changes must be approved by the Selectboard. The 324-page document can be daunting. Planning staff are here to help you navigate the 46 chapters and answer your questions. Please reach out!
Why does the DRB approve almost every application before them?
The majority of hard “no’s” happen before an application is even submitted. Planning staff answer questions about what is or is not allowed by the bylaw every day. Prospective applicants typically hire a professional engineer or consultant to design a project that meets their desired goals and town regulations. If an application is submitted that may not be approvable, the hearing may be postponed, continued to a later date pending revisions, or withdrawn by the applicant before the DRB makes a decision. Projects that are approved by the DRB are subject to specific conditions of approval the DRB imposes on them to ensure compliance with the Bylaw.
How can the public be effective in the development review process?
The most common public input expressed at DRB hearings is often outside the jurisdiction of the bylaw and DRB: economic impact, usage of public roads & sidewalks, noise, well and septic design. All public testimony is heard by the board, but the most effective comments are those that relate to specific bylaw requirements. The Planning Commission is the more effective public forum when the content of the bylaw itself is in question, and the Selectboard when it’s a concern about another town policy or ordinance.
Here’s a summary of what’s coming up for our board and its advisory committees in the next month. Agendas, meeting minutes, and supporting documents for the items discussed below can be found on the “Public Records and Documents” page of Williston’s website.
Development Review Board (DRB)
WHEN: March 12th & 26th, 7:00 PM
WHERE: 7900 Williston Road – Second Floor
WHAT:
-DP 19-16 Grassroots Vermont requests a discretionary permit to establish a medical marijuana dispensary at 4560 Williston Road in the IZDW. (3/12/19)
-DP 19-17 REM Development Company, LLC requests a discretionary permit for a master sign plan for the existing multi-tenant commercial building at 552 Avenue D in the IZDW. (3/12/19)
-DP 19-18 Pre-App Glenn & Ronalyn Cummings request pre-application review to develop an 18,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant commercial building on Lot 7 of the Robear Subdivision (opposite 358 Shunpike Road) in the IZDW. (3/12/19)
-DP 15-02.1 The Snyder Creek's Edge, LLC requests to amend a discretionary permit (DP 15-02) to add 10 feet of depth on lots 23-35 in the Creek's Edge neighborhood off of North Williston Road in the RZD. (3/12/19)
March 26 is the annual Growth Management Hearing. Residential subdivisions that completed pre-application review in 2018 will be scored based on the Criteria of WDB Chapter 11 and, if eligible, assigned an allocation schedule.
Historical and Architectural Advisory Committee (HAAC)
WHEN: March 5th & March 19th, 5:30 PM
WHERE: 7878 Williston Road, 1st floor conference room
WHAT: Review pre-application designs of proposed Healthy Living building (3/5), review village district density standards (3/19)
Williston Conservation Commission (WCC)
WHEN: March 20th, 7:00 AM
WHERE: 7878 Williston road, 1st floor conference room
WHAT: Pine Ridge forest Management Plan, Water protection standards, summer conservation intern orientation (3/20)
Planning Commission (PC)
WHEN: March 5th & March 19th, 7:00 PM
WHERE: 7878 Williston Road, 1st floor conference room
WHAT: Vote on impact fee bylaw chapter revision (tentative), review “attachment A” draft memo (3/5). Watershed protection buffer discussion (3/19).
For more information about the DRB, HAAC, WCC, or PC visit www.williston.vt.gov, click on the “Boards and Commissions” Tab on the left side of the page, then click on the relevant board or commission link. Our staff is ready to assist you from 8:00-4:30, Monday through Friday. We can be reached at 802-878-6704 or by email.
