KAR Letter 3/27/2024

March 27,2024
Dear Commissioners,

We as Ashford Citizens welcome the opportunity to provide input to the Ashford Planning Zoning Commission (PZC) concerning their review of the IID Zone regulations.

Over the past year there has been considerable citizen input about the IID. It has been clear that the vast majority of input has been against large scale development in the IID. We, like most of the citizens in town strongly believe that development there (and in other locations as well) has to provide a benefit to Ashford and not have a negative impact on the environment. These are clearly stated goals in the last POCD. We also believe the current regulations are not detailed enough to give the town the needed planning and legal tools to direct development in ways that will best meet Ashford goals.

We ask the PCZ to consider the following as it addresses the zoning regulations as pertaining to the IID zone.

1. What are appropriate building specifications for the land in the IID zone?

• These specifications need to be backed by research into the characteristics of the land and its environs.

• They can not be based on special interest factors (what was built in Willington or what the owner would like).

• They need to be based on the specific qualities and challenges of this area of town. Questions need to be asked of qualified professionals about building in the headwaters of a public water supply, building above Pyrrhotite bedrock, and building on heavily sloped land.

• Specifications should cover 

  • Building Size

  • Building Height

  • Percent of Impervious cover

• What other concerns have been voiced and how are they being addressed in our regulations?
  • Light Pollution
  • Noise Pollution
  • Maintaining rural character

• Traffic impacts

3. Is the Special Permit process well enough defined in the Ashford Zoning regulations to provide legal support for the PZC to implement these or additional specifications?

• During the various public hearings over the past year a number of land use professionals (both consultants and attorneys) expressed concern over the weakness of the Special Permit provisions in the Ashford regulations.

• Members of the PZC have regularly stated that the issues of development can be handled by the Special Permit process.

• Is the Ashford Special Permit process robust enough to provide the needed regulation?
  4. What guidelines have the citizens of Ashford communicated? The PZC has done a remarkable job of allowing for citizen input and encouraging all citizens to participate. The survey responses clearly showed that:

• 79% felt a building in the IID should be 250,000 sq. feet or less. (45% reduction. 34% to maintain it).

• Grand List growth is not a major priority for residents. Maintaining the rural character is.
  We encourage the Ashford PZC to ask detailed questions and get professional input on these matters to craft better regulations to allow Ashford to grow responsibly and to protect our town from those who don’t have Ashford’s best interests at heart.
  We thank you for the time you devote to our town and to your on-going careful consideration of these matters.
  Sincerely ,
  Marjorie Roy
  David Roy
  Susan Leavitt
  John Leavitt
  Nora Galvin
  Joseph Hendrick Christine Acebo
  (All Ashford residents)