Roll Call: Present: Board members Chair Jeff Miller, Clerk Jason Perron, Joanna Andros, Bill Carmody, Select Board Representative Steve Dalessio. Southwest Region Planning Commission senior planner Lisa Murphy was the facilitator.

Topic: Final four drafts of the Walpole Master Plan that the Planning Board has been updating for the last couple of years. The sections were: Land Use Analysis, Economic Development Chapter, Community Facilities and Services and Historic, Cultural and Recreational Resources. Each section or chapter had a map attached that highlighted the information for that particular section. For example, a zoning map was attached to the Land Use Analysis section; a job census map included locations of transportation routes and focused on the commercial and industrial districts were highlighted on the economic development map.

The group went through each of the four drafts one by one. 

In the Land Use Analysis section Jason Perron wondered if the numbers were correct in the 2010 & 2021 Comparison: Taxable Value graph on page 10 when it shows that Electric Utility almost doubled. Ms. Murphy thought that may be high and planned to recheck those numbers.

Regarding the 2.6 percent increase trend to put land into current use mentioned in that section Steve Dalessio asked if that was the trend in other Cheshire County towns that Lisa Murphy had worked in and she replied in the affirmative. A short discussion ensued about how current use and conservation land affect taxes.

In the Community Facilities section a few people still have to get back to Ms. Murphy with information. Mr. Dalessio said he would remind those people since they’ve had months to complete the work. In the same section he also wanted it emphasized that already the entire town of Walpole has high speed broadband available to anyone who wants it.

Mr. Perron suggested adding summer band concerts to the list of things happening in the Town Square section of Historic, Cultural and Recreational Resource. Ms. Murphy will do the Natural Features section.

What happens now? Jeff Miller said that he wanted all members to go over the drafts of the most recently written sections to find any errors or to add information. These will be discussed at the July Planning Board meeting and all suggestions or information added sent to Lisa Murphy. In a few months she will have totally completed all sections of the Master Plan document. When it is complete there will be a public hearing for the public to weigh in with their comments and suggestions.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilou Blaine

Secretary