Killington taps a new zoning administrator

Rutland Herald

February 12, 2019

By Keith Whitcomb Jr. Staff Writer

KILLINGTON — After several months searching, the town has chosen a new zoning administrator.

Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth said Monday that about two weeks ago, Preston Bristow was selected to fill the shoes of former Zoning Administrator Dick Horner, who retired after 29 years in the position.

Hagenbarth said the position is considered interim, though the Select Board isn’t actively searching for another candidate. Bristow was hired part-time, and remains the part-time zoning administrator and town administrator for the Town of Barnard.

Hagenbarth said that for a while now the roles of zoning administrator and health officer have been combined, but in searching for someone to replace Horner, the town decided to add town planner duties to the role.

“It’s quite exciting,” Bristow said Monday.

Bristow said he saw that Killington was searching for a new zoning administrator and planner in September when the ad for the job was first published. He didn’t apply since the ad wanted someone with a masters degree in planning, but then the Killington Select Board reached out to him to see if he wanted the job.

“The best jobs are the ones you don’t apply for,” Bristow said.

He said the scale of everything in Killington is larger than what he’s used to, but state laws are what they are, and so are the principles behind zoning bylaws, both of which he’s familiar with.

Bristow has lived in Woodstock since 1978, he said, and has worked in several towns.

“Still, for a lot of people, I’ll seem new,” he said.

He was hired Jan. 31 and asked to start immediately. Bristow said he’s fielded a few calls and plans to be fully engaged after Town Meeting Day. He’ll be available in Killington on Thursdays and Fridays and every second and fourth Wednesday. He’ll be serving in Barnard on days he’s not in Killington.

Lately, the town has been mulling over how to deal with online vacation house rentals. One dispute with a local property owner has found its way into Environmental Court, and the Select Board has decided to research some kind of registration process.

Bristow said he looks forward to being involved in that process and wants to help craft something that’s fair and workable for everyone. Property owners renting out to large groups through online services is a fairly new issue for Vermont communities, he said. Bristow said he also hopes to see Killington working more with the Rutland Regional Planning Commission.