BY DEBBIE PAGE

Town Planner Andrew Ventresca introduced new Associate Planner Alexa Drumm, who has been on the job about one month, to the Troutman Planning and Zoning Board during its August meeting.

Drumm, originally from Massena, N.Y., received her master’s degree in Geospatial Applications from Cornell University and earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is also a certified associate in project management.

The board learned that longtime board member and vice chair Karen Van Vliet is moving to another part of the county and must resign her seat. After expressing appreciation for her service and insight, the board voted to name Barry General as the board’s vice chair.

Van Vliet asked the board to listen to and remember the people they represent and to support the community’s vision for Troutman. As an advisory board, the board’s role is to represent that vision and to be the voice of the people, she said.

In its only business of the meeting, the board unanimously recommended a text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance to allow a zero side setback in highway business zoning districts.

The request, made by Matt Grant of Jordan-Grant and Associates, will make the HB district consistent with the neighborhood commercial district, which allows properties or units to be parceled out and sold as individual units in attached shopping centers.

The HB setback remains 25 feet for parcels adjacent to a residential district.

The next Planning and ZoningBoard meeting is September 23 at 6 p.m.