MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE VIENNA
PLANNING BOARD HELD MARCH 26, 2025

The meeting began at 7:00 PM at the Town House. Regular members present
were Waine Whittier, Creston Gaither, Alan Williams, Ed Lawless, and
Tim Bickford. Alternate member Steve Trehu was also present. Minutes
of the February 26 meeting were read and accepted.
The possibility of a solar farm ordinance (see January minutes) was discussed
briefly. Alan will try to work up a draft ordinance for review at the
Board’s April meeting, as the May meeting might be a good occasion for
a public hearing in anticipation of a vote in June (when a selectman
election is already scheduled).
Short term rentals (see February minutes) were briefly discussed. Steve has
talked to people who live on ponds in Fayette about the problems that
may exist. Renters seem not to understand the sensitivity of the ponds.
Online investment firms appear to be marketing real estate to
management firms which rent the properties out. Steve noted that the
Fayette ordinance merely requires permits but does not prohibit rentals.
It also requires some tenant education efforts by landlords. If Vienna
creates a similar ordinance, applicability will have to be addressed,
regarding permissive rent-free uses and location (pondside or town-
wide). There was a general consensus that the Board should move ahead
with this matter, possibly after further discussion. The issues which a
Vienna ordinance should address must be determined.
It was agreed that the prospective mooring ordinance (see March 2023
minutes) can wait until the aforementioned ordinances have been
resolved.
The meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM.

Creston Gaither, secretary

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE VIENNA

PLANNING BOARD HELD JANUARY 22, 2025

The meeting began at 7:00 PM at the Town House. Regular members present were  Waine Whittier, Creston Gaither, Alan Williams,  and Tim Bickford. Alternate member Steve Trehu was also present and he was appointed a voting member in the absence of Ed Lawless.

Minutes of the December 4, 2024 meeting were read and accepted.

The Board discussed the possibility of enacting a temporary moratorium on solar power farms in Vienna (see December minutes).The wording of the proposed article for Town Meeting was discussed. It was agreed that no public hearing will be necessary for the moratorium but  that we will need one for the final ordinance itself.

Steve mentioned a new ordinance that Fayette has enacted controlling short-term rentals (such as Air BnBs) and suggested that Vienna may want to consider enacting such an ordinance. Control of houseboats was also discussed. The State may be enacting statutes to deal with this.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM.

          Creston Gaither, secretary

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE VIENNA

PLANNING BOARD HELD FEBRUARY 26, 2025

The meeting began at 7:00 PM at the Town House. Regular members present were  Waine Whittier, Creston Gaither, Ed Lawless,  and Tim Bickford. Alternate member Steve Trehu was also present and he was appointed a voting member in the absence of Alan Williams. Also present was Eric Higgins.

Minutes of the January 22 meeting were read and accepted.

Eric Higgins owns land shown on tax map 10 as lot 38-F; he would like to remove some trees (as advised by an arborist) and remove part of an existing rock wall and install some stairs and improve drainage; he presented a sketch of the project. The Board had visited the site on August 28, 2024. The Board noted that the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance indicates that this type of tree removal does not require a permit but that it must be done in accordance with the point system outlined in the Ordinance. Eric believes that the work on the rock wall will require moving more than 10 cubic yards of material. Based on his verbal representations and sketch and contingent upon a review of the pertinent flood hazard map, the Board made Findings of Fact as outlined in the Ordinance and voted 5 – 0 to authorize Creston to issue the usual permit by letter, conditional on the following: the usual requirements for soil stabilization on the project area including any access opening for equipment, and requiring that the project contractor be certified for work in the Shoreland Zone.

Short-term rentals and the recently enacted Fayette ordinance concerning them were discussed. It was agreed that 30 Mile River Watershed Association should be consulted as to such problems as may exist in Vienna.

The meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.

          Creston Gaither, secretary