The Planning Commission (PC) meets on Thursday, August 22nd @ 6:30 p.m. You can attend in person at 81 Main Street, 1st Floor Conference Room, or via Zoom, here is the link: https://essexvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2415/files
August 8th Agenda items include a final hearing for a 9-lot residential subdivision located at 60 Colonel Page Road; and a conceptual discussion for a 5,000 s.f. +/- commercial building at 50 Gauthier Drive (this lot had a previous PC approval, however it expired.)
As many of you are aware, the State is looking at sites in owns in Essex to place a secured Women's Rehabilitation Center. The locations are on 212 Colchester Road (split zones Industrial & Residential – this is on the same lot as the park and ride next to the landfill) and 285 River Road (Industrial Zone) This request would require a change to the Zoning Regulations, which will require a few workshops and public hearings before the Planning Commission. If the PC approves the amendments, the document moves to the Selectboard for its public hearing(s). You will note that this is not being presented as a Women's Prison, rather a Women's correctional and reentry (Rehabilitation) Center. The PC, staff and public need to know and understand much more than what we viewed at the August 8th meeting.
The correctional facility has not yet been scheduled to return for more discussion. We are looking for a larger venue to accommodate a larger crowd than the conference room at 81 Main can handle and will schedule the next meeting with the state no earlier than of the of normally scheduled PC meetings in October.
We hope that folks will wait until the next meeting where public comments will be taken. However, know that every PC meeting has an Agenda item 'Public to be Heard'. This allows for a person to make comments on any topic that is not already on the Agenda. You can put forth your comments and/or questions, however there will be no answers or discussion under this format. If any member of the public attends and speaks at this time, we will collect all the questions/comments and will present them to the state when they are scheduled to come back to the PC for more discussions. Also, please feel free to send your questions via email to the Director of Community Development, Katherine Sonnick, ksonnick@essex.org. This way we can better prepare for the next meeting on the facility. We ask that you keep in mind we all still need to hear and learn much more from the State.
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