Town of Bennington
                      Planning Commission
                    Wednesday, May 11, 2005
                           7:00 p.m.
           Bennington Fire Facility, 126 River Street
                   Assembly Room, 3rd Floor 
                   Bennington, Vermont 05201
                            MINUTES
                                   
Present:  Barry Horst - Chair, Charles Copp, Mike McDonnough, Bob Burgess
Also Present   Dan Monks - Zoning Administrator, Claude DeLucia, Anita Bellin, Trevor Driver,                John A. Austin, Charles Dewey, Sandra Lemieux, Bob Eastman, Cassandra                Barbeau, Brenda Lettre, Lodie Colvin, Al Ray, Ralph Prouty, Bob Matteson, Lisa                Higgins, Phyllis Bird, Cynthia Locklin, Tordis Ilg Isselhardt, Karl Isselhardt,                Robin Andrew, Judy Murphy, Candace Cuthbert, Judy Griffin, James Foster,                Chris Parker, Dennis Brooks, Jim Whitman, Dot Blodgett, Pat Becker, Doug                Moffit, Jim Wilkinson, Selina Milchen, Cindy Sapone Lapone, Dave E, Sharyn                Brush, Peter Lawrence, John Dostal, David Young, Bert Lane, Robin, Barbara                MacIntyre, Mike Bethel 
Meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.
Barry Horst, Planning Commission chair explained that this was the Planning Commission's Public Hearing regarding the revised Large Scale Retail Bylaw.  He also explained that the proposal may be changed by the Planning Commission before it was submitted to the Select Board and that the Select Board would hold its own public hearing(s).
The following people spoke at the meeting:
Anita Bellin - She believes that 115,000 sq.ft. proposed cap is too big.  She supports an impact study.
Trevor Driver - Opposes impact study and cap.
John Austin - Opposes impact study and cap.
Bob Eastman - Currently spends money outside of Bennington.
Bob Matteson - Opposes cap, does not agree that developer should pay for impact study. 
Lodie Colvin - Supports a 90,000 sq.ft. cap and an impact study that would be triggered at 50,000 sq.ft.
Karl Isselhardt - He read a statement from the Citizens for a Greater Bennington supporting a 90,000 sq.ft. cap and a community impact study for all stores over 30,000 sq.ft.
Judy Murphy - Supports a 90,000 sq.ft. cap and a community impact study for all stores over 30,000 sq.ft.
Doug Moffit - Does not support cap - not sure about impact study.
Cindy Sapone - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study for stores over 30,000 sq.ft.
David Young - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study requirement.
Bert Lane - Does not support cap or impact study.
Robin Andrew - Supports 90,00 sq.ft. cap and impact study.
Barbara Mcyntire - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study.
David Emerick - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study.
David Buckley - Does not support cap or impact study paid for by developer.
Eleanor Twardy - Does not support cap.
Mary Lou Chicote - Supports cap and impact study.
Johan Spivak - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study for stores over 30,000 sq.ft. 
Selma Michlen - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study.
Mike Bethel - Opposes cap and impact study.
Jim Wilkenson - Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study for stores over 30,000 sq.ft
Cynthia Lockland, Supports 90,000 sq.ft. cap and impact study for stores over 30,000 sq.ft.
Sue Beal - Supports cap and impact study.
Jon Dostal, pointed to Business Week article at Big Box stores are waning and "Lifestyle Centers" are on the rise.
     
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted
Daniel W. Monks
Planning Director
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