Um the and the stairways on the front um maybe it's actually another one. No, just those two. So you're not supposed to be making any rules that were more restrictive and would ask for those are so I I don't know that they I mean Lisa me looked at it but that doesn't mean it would be accepted but it doesn't mean it won't but I I feel like it's not great to put um a situation like we I I think we should be doing what the state asked to make these streamline and doable and so the only way someone can do it is like appeal and say you're you're making it more restrictive and that costs money and time to the average regular homeowner. So I I feel like we have to seriously say why are we asking I drove by houses night that don't right there's houses single family or maybe multif family homes that have stairs that aren't enclosed.
They're on the social media. They're at the basketball and the volleyball games as to what's going on. So, I do think we have the ability to push this out there. Yes, go ahead. Hi, this is Shannon and I just want to state that I was recently on a field trip with both of my kids riding the bus. And if you have never been on the bus um the bus, I would encourage you to ride on the bus because as a person of a short stature, um riding on the bus in the current buses is highly uncomfortable and we were sitting two to a seat as adults that are not quite yet hitting 52. And I can imagine having high school students or even middle school students traveling long distances in that type on the current buses that we um have for students. And so riding the bus for 45 to 50 minutes on that bus.
Right? That's a that's an expense we're asking people to do in um 7.4.3 that you wouldn't have with a single family. and we're expressly prohibited from doing it. Now again, Lisa me said fine. So it's up to somebody who doesn't want the expense and try to challenge and lawyers are expensive offense. Um so I think that we should try to clean this up and keep it streamlined in keeping with intent. Do not ask for anything you wouldn't be asking for a single vote. Yeah, I think in the bylaw I think they do allow for wanting the wanting the ADU to fit into the single family zoning district. So, um well, they there's a some quite a few dispensations for historic that you actually can make. don't currently have a historic they're considering. So we didn't go that angle and split this for the potential historic district.
Um I think that that's something that we really need to take into consideration. um especially for students that are coming from the Asante area being bus and riding the the buses for a long period of time. Thank you. Yeah, and like you mentioned, Kelly, I mean there were operational changes that had to be made for example with the Sante when it's people don't and and so you might not understand why is the bus sitting there. This is a a reality. The buses are breaking down. I mean I know Craig Craig experiences it overseeing transportation with on the daily and so that was kind of the stop gap. was like, "Okay, well, we'll put a bus there just in case," which has actually come into use more often than than than not. We and we did we tried multiple solutions. Some of some of the difficulty up there even became just the the construction, but as you know, some of that was the the element.
Um it's so it's pretty clear um about not making something. I mean that's that is in the wording if you go to the state website. Um yeah, I mean I think that's um you know it's kind of pretty extreme uh interpretation kind of of that. So I don't know. I think um I don't know you know Lisa me looked at this thought it was okay if the state crosses it out they cross it out I don't know what the Lisa's looking you know um you know um I mean no offense but Lisa and me had some wrong stuff last that's fine yeah I know I get to take a chance once in a while on something right I will say this though you know reviewing what other towns are looking to do right this is very streamlined. Our bylaw, proposed bylaw here is very streamlined and um in other bylaws in other communities that I've seen are very are much more restrictive when it comes to architectural design, how things back, interior stairways and so I think if I think these are probably on the the the least side of restrictive is anything but but so 7.3 what is 7.6.4.3 43.
But we had explored three or four different possibilities and it became a reality that because of when you have buses that, you know, that are that aging of a fleet, there is going to be problems where they're going to they're going to break down. Um and so when you have that many on the road too so plant and that was just a way to plant and be ready it's also difficult when it's hot the heat um and then some of our buses um when they do break the parts are very difficult to find just because the age. So not to rehash all of those pieces again but those were realities. You see the bus replacement piece on there, but decisions have been made recently even to try to make some some deci, you know, so we had to make some changes of what we're doing within transportation.
What is the justification? When I drove here today, just from my house getting here and saw houses that had stairways not enclosed going up to their second and so it just seems bizarre that we're pushing something more restrictive. I would say that it is against maintaining the single family character of neighborhoods containing ADUs which is in 7.6.1. So that would be my argument. Even though we currently Yeah. Yeah. And how do you feel about how they look? Does it add to the character of the town? I think that it's kind of making I mean housing and affordability is kind of the primary thing, right? That's why that law, right? It is the primary thing. So that's why we have all of these things allowing ADUs by right. But we also don't allow as many ADUs as you want by right. You know, we don't um allow them to be bigger than a certain size.
um you know by talking about lengthening the you know and that was a governing board you know decision to you know to lengthen the um the distance for you know for riding a bus and and all you know and looking at some of those things when you when you do that um you know that's that's not ideal I mean obviously though that uh we have to find ways to to save money in order to be able to to purchase um a few more buses um and to that point too I mean we We've also started to look at, you know, is there a cheaper model bus? Maybe it holds a few less kids, you know, one that we buy out there that maybe is is not as expensive. We we've tried to to research every avenue of what the the best solution will be because I think all of us would agree that the district is the length and the far the the distance of our schools uh of making sure to provide transportation.
So there's there's definitely restrictions on them already that aren't on single family house. So, um, you know, we took out we stripped everything else out of there, you know, but I think my concern is, um, that, uh, that one way of doing this would be to, um, take your third floor, make it into an ADU. Great. Great. If you can do that, but I don't think you can do it at the expense of the neighborhood. you know, I think there needs to be there, you know, there's some consideration about the best way to add an ADU to your property. So, um so that that's where I'm coming from on this. I I would even have a stipulation on there unless um with the stair unless um reviewed by the planning board. I don't know if we can do that. Um uh so um yeah, so it might not be that we can't do that.
We don't have a bus bay up north to to to do that. So, they're all coming from one spot and and we have to be able to reach those kids. So, that's another example. But we did as as Mary Dell said is we worked with each director to in some ways and that was a task we were asked to do. Um it was back in the right after the bond about November December. Yeah. uh right after the bond failed is that we went through and we said, "Okay, bare bones, which ones are absolutely you would put at the top of the list that we would do and trying to shrink the amount." Um, but every one of them, facilities, even in that one, we went through all of it. We still land we still kept landing on no matter what, even if I take off that 20 million, we still kept landing close to 28 because there was new stuff that kept getting added.
So if we otherwise we leave it in as is you know we technic I mean I don't think we want to because that's not in keeping but we actually could ask for site plan review of that's allowed but I'm I'm not asking but I'm saying we could um the other thing I I think I don't quite understand um why the setbacks got absent from here. I know there was the setbacks about smaller lots but I'm not Um, I'm wondering if we want to consider just I think we had I think it got written out. It just said it had to meet the setbacks, right? Yeah. I think that got written out on this version. Yeah, the the one with the smaller lots. No, I think we had something that it had to meet setbacks anyway. Like are just standard. We're trying to keep it simple and I think that got taken out of this version.
And uh but we did try to do some of that to see if you can bring that that number down, but you are going to cut something else out or push what you're doing is you're kicking the can farther down the road. And we recognize that. I mean, we saw that just based on those needs, but but that is ultimately, you know, as a committee, you you know, you can decide on what amount you want to bring forward. I mean, that's something that, you know, you want to recommend. Um, but we're going to always as from our st our seats is we're going to do everything we can to make sure that it's it's it's done responsibly and efficiently. Um, and do the best we can for kids. Sorry, I don't want to hog the mic, but Kelly, I want to I So, my day job here with the district, I in charge of facilities and enrichment program.
I see. Yeah, there was language that said the ADU shall be fully located within the dimensional setbacks of the Sonian district and then it went to this we have to add that first sentence back in that's a good catch. Okay. And number two. Yep. Yeah. Because you know what's funny and Albero can explain a little bit better is that the state rolled out their final regulations on Febru on January 26th of 2025 and then on the 20 on the 31st they issued another set of final regulations. The change was they deleted this 10,000 square foot um uh this the second sentence here says except that a detached uh ADU located on the lot which is 10,000 ft or less may have a side rear set back of 5T. So I think adding that you are correct Kate to add that first that first that first sentence back in Yeah, I don't think that's a big ask with the with the stairs.
So, I basically rent the facilities. So, I was very aware I got the phone call about that. We're having an adverse effect now because the district grew so fast and these needs, these things that are happening with just daily maintenance, repairs, putting a new roof on your house, that kind of stuff. The district is the same and we all know living in Arizona that the build it's hard. You know, the weather's hard on it. Um, countryside is one of them. Chiller cooler units very, very specific. Okay. I'm in conversations. I've actually have a meeting Tuesday with the city and all of their directors and stuff to meet over here because we're looking at options because they have a building that they use at that facility, a gym that's attached to it. And because of the AC issues and stuff and how things are going right now, I'm meeting on a regular with this.
It's just saying don't put it on front. Don't come have it coming out of front window. It can be on the sides, you know, and and and unless otherwise required by applicable provisions of the state building code. So like if if there's no other way to do it, say, you know, the the building code would still say you have to have a second means egress. And so, you know, I I think that's just a barely asking for something. I agree. I concur. You know, yeah. So, it's just a you know, I don't think it's a it's a small I think it's a small ask for what this bylaw is. Um, and I think especially in relation to other communities bylaw regulations about ADUs and and I think it also it goes back to the intent of of 7.6 61, right, is to maintain a single family uh character of the neighborhoods.
I'm actually contemplating and we're looking at possibly having to shut that down, which directly affects not just Daizard, but now the community because of the issues and the lack or the AC units. Will it continue to work because they're shutting itself down by design um because of the power failures and stuff which sets off fire alarms that causes fire departments to respond and so they're you're seeing an adverse effect because this bond didn't pass. This is not we're not this is not a smoke screen. This is these are legit needs for what we need. I know you guys know this, but there's people watching on camera. I want them to hear this stuff. So, we're now having to make these tough decisions. We've done a good job. And uh lately, Dr. Croto, how many how many A-rated schools do we have? 18 out of what?
And I think I think the residents of Ashland in single family houses would would support that clause uh more than anything, you know, as this gets uh you know, put on to the state to all our communities through the through the housing bill. So, I think it's a I think it's a I think it's I think it's I think I think Ashton should keep it in. I can go either way. I think we're trying to do we're trying to revisit. I think it's good as is. I can But I think also if you keep it in and if it it doesn't pass the the sniff test by the AG's office, have them red flag it. But I think yeah, I think you got to keep it in to meet that purpose. Um because look every and I think the other thing is it's Ashland is is a majority a single family community you know and you want to keep that character feel about I can see this is also something at town meeting the way town meeting works that you could there could be a motion to eliminate number three would there not there could be on town meeting floor you could edit I mean, you could eliminate, but you couldn't not add, right?
24. 18. And we're an A-rated district. Correct. Everybody wants that. Everybody wants to live in an A-rated school district and live near these A-rated schools. Phenomenal. And I believe I heard at a meeting that we had recently, no C-rated schools. Correct. That is correct. So that that task alone right there deserves applause from the community. All we're asking for is just a little bit of support. Okay, I know it sound 20, but when these numbers when Midell goes over how much it's going to affect your tax rate, your personal pocket, that kind of stuff, it's such a small investment when you look at the bigger picture of what this district means to your community. There's people that use our facilities that don't even go to Daart. They don't attend our schools, but they rent them. They want their gyms. They want the fields. They want all the things that go with it.
You know, and and so I think if it's if it's if it's that big of a discussion point, open it up for a public hearing and then I mean, you know, go to the public hearing with it in and then go to town meeting floor and if there's amendment on town meeting floor, take it take it take that angle. I mean, generally, I think we did a pretty good job of stripping out and clean, which is what the intent and I think makes the sense want to believe in it provide potential provide housing. So I you want you want no just leave it alone. I got we need all the edits I sent today and the one tonight though. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think we took we took those were great edits. No, it was great to to incorporate those. Yeah. So we'll put the deleted.
Well, that has to be upkeep. And we're at a point now where we're looking at shutting some things down because we can't because we can't we don't have what we need to pay for that. And it has nothing to do with us being fiscally irresponsible, just the opposite. But these hard decisions are having to make. And there's there's there there's an effect off of that. So, there's more. And we could literally go on all night. And I know we don't have that kind of time, but I just wanted to share some personal insight of things that are happening right now that directly affect what happens because when it gets hot during the summer, all my gyms are bu booked almost seven days a week. They're booked, but we're going to have to start shutting them down if we can't fix these air conditioning units and things like this.