- Flag Salute & Roll Call – The Special Meeting of The Acton Town council was called to order by President Tom Costan at 7:05 pm. Present at the meeting: Tom Costan, Dylan Lunde, Jacki Ayer, Russ Fawkes, Angela Toghia, Ruth Brock, Pam Wolter, and Kelly Teno.
- Community Comments – comments on agenda items only – None
- SEA (Significant Ecological Area Ordinance) Draft 9 Council Response – A feeling of happiness, they listened to our comments. There was discussion about how the SEA could still affect us and what is not exempt. After discussion Ruth Brock made a motion to ask for the following SEA exemptions, landscaping, driveways and roads, agricultural uses accessory or otherwise, existing businesses, and home based businesses. A definition or clarification when landscaping becomes a crop. Development footprint question to be answered, page 10 item E2 needs to be clarified and needs to exclude fuel mod zones B and C. Page 9, E1A clarifies we are truly exempt. Look up Past Supervisor Antonovich’s November 2014 motion for its wording. Take meeting with Donna Tremeer and Deputy Planner as soon as possible with the intent to meet with Supervisor Barger before it goes to BOS. Angela Toghia 2nd the motion. After discussion an amendment was made to clarify non profit animal facilities and request exemption for them. The motion passed. Since Jacki was leaving on vacation it was decided that Tom Costan, Ruth Brock, and Kelly Teno would get together to write the letter.
- Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned at 8:28pm
Kelly Teno emailed a copy of the motion to ATC members on June 30, 2017. Comments that came back include from Jacki Ayer – I apologize that I have not read your draft yet: Whatever is sent out, I recommend that it include:
- The SEA boundary in Acton was expanded to such an extent that it occupies nearly 30% (or 30 square miles) of our community.
- In 2014, the County Biologist was informed that none of the biological resources targeted for protection (according to the County’s own SEA study) actually exist in the bulk of the expansion area – see the attachment sent with SORT letter. This was provided to the DRP staff (including the “County Biologist”) in 2014, and at a meeting on the topic, the “County Biologist” stated that the placement of the SEA Boundary in Acton was “political”.
- To proceed with the expanded SEA boundary in Acton, the County committed to exempting residential and agricultural uses and accessory uses and structures and minor land divisions.
- The Draft SEA Ordinance appears to violate this agreement, because it does not exemt accessory uses or agricultural uses. In fact, it only exempts the construction of a new residence, accessory structures, and animal keeping areas and facilities. It does not exempt accessory uses (which includes landscaping, access driveways, gardens, home-based businesses, etc.) or agricultural uses. If DRP is unwilling to include these elements in the exemption provisions of the new SEA Ordinance, then amendments to the AV Plan and the General Plan must be processed to shrink the SEA Boundary in Acton to what it was in 2013.
