New Castle Supervisor Susan Carpenter is kicking off what will be a complex intiative to update the town's master plan, which sets the standard for zoning regulations and land use.

Meeting Tuesday night at a Planning Board work session, Carpenter asked its members to start reviewing the 1989 plan and offer recommedations as to what parts should be prioritized.

“This is the best body in town to look at the goals that we would like,” said Carpenter, who was the planning board chair before her election as supervisor.

Carpenter described how several items in the master plan (officially called the town development plan) need to be updated, given changes in regulations for things such as wetlands and interest in green buildings. She also described how there have many a number of changes in parcel use over the past two decades, including formerly potentialy commercial properties going off the tax rolls and changes of status for properties that were eyed for open space.

Updating the town development plan also coincides with other major land use projects be considered, Carpenter explained, including a future hamlet plan for downtown Millwood and the addition of a sustainabilty plan to the broader plan.

A planning board review, explained Carpenter, would include looking at existing zoning regulations and both hamlets.

“It’s certainly called for,” said Richard Brownell, the planning board's new chair.

Over the coming weeks, planning board members plan on reviewing the town development plan to look at key items and outline how to set up a process for the plan, based on the conclusions that board members drew in their response to Carpenter's request.

Carpenter is also looking for community input, feedback from other town-appointed boards and from the town's existing consultants. Board member Gerard Curran told her that it would be important to get feedback feedback, including from the west side of town.

"Absolutely," Carpenter replied. "We can’t do rezoning for our hamlets without having the people who use the hamlets."

The planning board may hold a series of work sessions to tackle the process, while Carpenter offered to stop by when she's available.

Carpenter left an open-ended timeline for their feedback, leaving it up to the members to decide based on their schedules.