HALIFAX- The planning commission held a very brief hearing on a subdivision application from Amanda Hiouas. The only abutter present was satisfied with the information presented, and the board scheduled its deliberative session to follow the regular meeting.

Adam Buursma gave the board an update on his plan to get a conditional use permit that would allow him to do retail sales at his Route 112 nursery. The board advised Buursma to proceed with a formal application.

The planners briefly reviewed the conditional use permit application submitted by Abbotts Glen for some changes in their site plan. Act 250 approval has been secured, but zoning administrator Rick Gay, who was out of town, has not yet signed off on the conditional use application. The board will wait for Gay’s signature before scheduling a hearing, but expect to hold the hearing well within the 60-day period.

No further progress was made on rewriting the town plan, but Linda Smith urged her fellow board members to ask the selectboard to commit up to $8,000 to the project. If the town’s application for a planning grant is successful, the money would not be needed. But if the state rejects the application, the board could be left with insufficient time to complete the new plan and hold all the necessary hearings. The current plan cannot be re-adopted a second time, and lack of a plan would affect the town’s eligibility for grants.

The board will try to schedule a meeting with selectboard members and a Windham Regional Commission staff member to discuss the issues before making any formal request for funds.