Good evening everyone. Today is February 5th, 2026. The time is 6:00 p.m. and this is the Ausha Planning Board. This meeting is being recorded for future viewing on the town's YouTube page and we are on the
local cable channel. I don't know if we're live, but we're on there every now and again. Um, can I get a motion to open the planning board meeting? >> Can I make a motion to open this evening's second? >> Got a motion. We got a second. All in favor? Hi.
>> Hi. >> Hi. >> Uh, can we uh introduce ourselves, please? >> Victoria Alaro, Tom Planner, >> Peter Ga, member, Steve Luché, member. >> Mark France, chairman. >> Rick Ellis, vice chairman. >> Okay, we have a quorum tonight. Moving
right along. Uh, the minutes of the December 5th meeting, 2025. Victoria sent those out to us. Did everybody get a chance to look those over? If so, any questions, comments,
concerns, >> is it not in? >> I'm sorry, guys. I thought I put it in. >> I did read it online when she sent it. I didn't see any issues. So, it was So, it was >> I'm pretty sure it was in Yeah, I read it out.
>> Okay. I'm sorry. I'll have to figure that out. >> I don't know if I did or not. >> It's a big packet. I'm pretty >> Why don't we just to be on the safe side? Well, table >> I don't think I I read all of this stuff and I don't remember. >> Well, we'll take
>> Yeah, I read a lot of this stuff. So, I think I read >> it was only like one page. >> We'll put it on for the next one. lost it. >> Yeah, we did. >> Uh, next on the agenda is we have the first right of refusal 134 N lane, map
18, lot 45 and 45A. Uh, just to give a little bit of background. Uh first right of refusal is when uh someone has a piece of property under uh chapter whether it be agricultural or um farming or whatever
else to get a slight tax break. When somebody is uh taking out of chapter for whatever reason they could be selling or is different scenarios uh they have to come to the town for first right of refusal. We have the right to uh first
right to purchase the property uh for fair market value. Um Victoria, you want to give us a little background on this thing real quick? >> Yeah, absolutely. So the subject property is 134 N Lane, map 23, lot 1B. So, we received a letter addressed to
the planning board on January 14 along with a purchase and sale agreement with the intent to remove 134 Knives Lane from chapter 61B tax designation from the purchaser. So, just to give a little background on the property itself, it's approximately 7.9 acres in
size and does contain a single family home in the northeastern corner of the site. Um the property is not mapped as natural heritage endangered species um rare rare rare wildlife or rare species. So and there's no indication of any
wetlands on site based on mapping software. Um therefore the site appears to not have any significant ecological value. Um and additionally um this site borders a town designated priority development area. Um a few years back um
the town participated in with our with SRA regional planning agency designated uh priority development areas and priority protection areas. So this borders a priority development area. So it might be a good opportunity to see development there.
>> Thank you. >> Very good. They do have a signed purchase and sales agreement. So the owner is taking it out of chapter to for us to to be sold.
Questions gentlemen, this is I mean sorry to interrupt but this is basically just a formality. >> Uh uh it has to go through us. I think conservation might vote probably votes on it and then it goes to the board of selectment and then they have the final
say but they ask our opinion on it. Um, personally, my opinion, um, I like to see if they're large larger pieces of land without houses on them that are potentially up for sale. Um, I like to look into, you know, possibly looking
into those if it's something that would suit the town. Um, then, you know, we'd obviously look at it that way. When it comes to having a dwelling on it, the town, we don't want to be buying houses. So, uh, and then buying houses, cutting off the land, and selling the
house. We don't want to be getting, in my opinion, we don't want to be getting involved with that. That's what this one is. This one is a piece of land with a dwelling on it. Um, uh, I do feel that there are pieces of property that people try to sell um, for development that the town, you know, could, you know,
potentially look at for different potential reasons. But in my opinion, I don't think this is one of them. >> Questions? I agree. So I would entertain a motion to forego
the first right refusal for 134 nice lane. >> So moved. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Uh moving right along. Uh we're going to do a quick discussion and vote on the proposed fiscal 2027
budget. Um I know that the finance committee and um the select board and the town administrator and they're starting to look at all the
department's budgets. Um obviously they're asking for a level fund. Well, they're not really asking for >> Did you want me? >> Yes. Why don't you go ahead and >> Yeah. So, um, so I received a memo from Jamie Velasquez as the assistant
accountant assistant town administrator. Um, saying to start drafting our budgets, they did provide the template and they did say they did ask for us to provide two different requests they wanted. So, you'll see highlighted in blue is the fiscal 27 level funded
request. So that means even with contractual uh salary increases the budget needs to remain the same. So for that for that section I proposed um reducing part of the expense line items
and I did reallocate some of those funds to uh better showcase where they get used. Um I did not uh the only salary increase was what I currently make now um is a contract. So, I just put that
number in there cuz that's not uh the correct number for fiscal 26. Um, and then I left the uh senior clerk um salary line item at 4,675. So, that does right now that does get used for our recording clerk who does
the minutes. And then the they ask us to also do a regular departmental request for fiscal 27. And I did propose um the only change was proposing to restore the senior clerk position at the 19 and a
half hours. >> Thank you. >> So, as you all know, I've been advocating to get our um clerk back. Um we Victoria uh is a part-time planner.
Um there's a lot of ideas that she and I and this board have for the for this town. Uh there's lots of opportunities as far as grants and um
just state uh things that are uh opportunities that we can take advantage of as a town, but Victoria needs time to be able to research those um those funds, uh the grants. It's it's a
lot of work. and uh being part-time is uh right now she's doing the clerical work uh and really doesn't have the time to do what I think she should be doing. Her job is to make money for this town
and to save money for this town. Um to look for, you know, uh sewer extensions for this town. There's a lot of money out there, but we just need somebody that's out there looking for it, applying for it, and and and helping this town out. If we had a clerk back,
the same we had before, um not asking for any more, then the clerk could take care of the everyday emails, everyday uh eat back and forths with the engineers and the, you know, uh peer review
people. You know, there's just a lot of back and forth which are just time consuming that Victoria is doing now that I feel a clerk should be doing. And I'd love to see Victoria uh apply her
talents elsewhere to make money and save money for this town. As you recall, uh, this was taken away back at the 2025 >> 26 >> 25 spring meeting, wasn't it? >> Uh, 26.
>> Oh, 26. >> It wasn't after 26, but >> so that got taken away. And then um the the select board said that they were going to try to do something as far as us sharing a clerk with somebody. Um, and then we proposed I was going to
propose a warrant for the last fall meeting to, you know, cuz I wanted the clerk back cuz since the spring meeting, nothing had been done. Uh, I had come in front of the select board again requesting the funds for a clerk and they swore to me up and down and
sideways that they were going to be able to get somebody that we were going to share and we would still have some type of clerical. Uh that was back in September, October. September. >> Yeah.
>> Um and nothing has happened since then. Since September, October, we've had no clerical help. We've had um nothing. So, I know that the the select board's, you know, kneede in trying to find a new
town administrator, but that doesn't, you know, that still doesn't excuse the fact that we don't have any clerical whatsoever. So, I am reinstating the clerical uh salary for
fiscal 2027. Any questions, comments, concerns? I I agree with it. I agree. I think that um Victoria's time should be spent more doing what she should be doing and not doing
secretarial or clerk duties. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I I totally agree. Uh just in the short time that she's been here, she's, you know, presented to me a lot of different opportunities that this town has. Um she's, you know, right now she's
in the process of reaching out to Fair Haven to do joint uh ventures with Fair Haven. There's lots of things that can be done. This town is always struggling uh with taxes and you know the lack of um taxes and the burden falls on the
residents. You know, one of the things that we're working on and we're going to discuss here in a second is changing zoning. Uh there's a lot more that could be done and and uh Victoria and you two gentlemen going through the master plan. you see what the potential is and the
things that can come of uh the master plan and the commitments that you know we're we're looking to do for the master plan. That doesn't happen by itself. That needs to be implemented by somebody. It has to be organized by somebody. It has to be started and and overseen by somebody. And that somebody
is the town planner. And without her having the time to do that, this town just is stuck. and and then the residents keep bearing the burden uh and and no relief comes uh in the way of you
know again grants and taxes and whatnot. So uh and I've given I think I've given this board has given the select board ample time to try to figure this out to try to try to find something else
another avenue which I don't think there really is one. Uh if there was it would have been implemented by now. Um, and I and I honestly to be honest with you, I mean, we're asking for an additional $15,000. We're not asking for $50,000. We're not asking for $150,000. We're
asking for 15 to be put on top of the five or so that we have, you know, round numbers. >> What's the uh what's the the position? It's not full-time. >> No, it's 19 hours. It's have part-time clerk. Basically, what Haley used to do when she was here, our last clerk, which
is like four hours a day. Uh, perfect for a stay-at-home mom that brings her kid to work to school in the morning or dad that stays uh stays home during the day, picks up the child in the afternoon, they can put in four hours in the middle of the day. There's there's lots of opportunities for a lot of
people. Uh, and those four hours there's one there. Victoria is in the office for two days out of the week. This would this way there would be somebody in the office 5 days out of the week for four hours a day, give or take. Uh, you know, the schedule is very flexible. Uh but at least there would be more presence in
the planning board. Uh somebody comes knocking and asks any questions. At least there's somebody there. Right now the doors are closed three days out of the week. Uh which I would prefer not to. So uh I the clerical position would would would fulfill a lot. And again 15 grand. I'm not asking we're not asking
for a boatload. It's $15,000. That's it. >> You don't have to sell me on it. I mean, >> the uh I mean to to have a planner working uh half half time just on clerical work
makes no sense at all to me at all. I mean, it's total waste of of human resources. And like you said, if if we want to do things in this town to try and encourage nonresidential development, then
we we've got to have somebody to spearhead that >> and and to put together the work ahead of time. I mean, you see this this uh handout she gave us. Look at the look at the chart of allowed uses. I mean the there's we that's going to take some
time to go through decide what uses we want to allow what use what uses we don't want to allow and things like coverage lot size and all this other stuff it it it takes some time to figure that out and it takes some time to put a
package together I mean this this wasn't done by a clerical worker in the town of art >> no it wasn't no >> so And and obviously we're all we don't all have I have kind of a
part-time job, but we all have jobs. We all have other lives. And it's an unpaid position for the members to to expect one of the members to pick up and spend hours and hours on on a package like
this is is not practical, >> you know. >> Exactly. >> Exactly. So that's the only thing that we're asking for is the funds to um so with that with the clarif going back to the
request from 2026. There's a uh u $7,500 uh difference lower than what was requested in 2026. Um like a shot down. I mean, is that number
of 21,150 going to cover um Yes. >> of Clark? That's >> Yeah, I can speak to that number from fiscal 26. So, where's the So, you see where it says budget for fiscal year 25? It's like two
tabs to the left. They had funded a researcher line item for $8,500. >> Okay. Um, so our department request rolled that into the clerical position so we could try to request more hours
than what we were getting. >> Okay. >> So that was the ask for that. So now we're just proposing or I'm proposing to restore it back to what we had the 19 12 nonbenefited position. Right. Very good. >> Any other questions?
Okay. Uh, I'd entertain a vote uh vote to um agree to propose this new budget to fin. >> I'll make a motion that we propose this
new budget uh to fin. >> Second. Ala I >> I >> moved. So we're going to move with the uh department request fiscal 2027. All right,
moving right along. This is a continued discussion on amending the business village district. So you know we almost just about every meeting in the last six months we've been discussing this. Um, we're looking to change the zoning from
here, this intersection here on Main Street all the way out to Lake Street uh to make it a uh mixed use uh commercial style uh zoning by right.
Um right now there is some commercial on that on that in that area, but it's grandfathered in from years ago. And right now, if you wanted to go in and do something commercial in that area, it would be very difficult. You'd have to get special permits, and we don't have
very many bylaws uh governing that. So, at the moment, we we're looking at uh turning that portion of Main Street from center of town here to Lake Street as a mixed use. if somebody wanted to come in
and buy, you know, put in a storefront, uh, three three storefronts or four, whatever would allow with apartments above. Um, that's what we're looking. Now, the discussion today and the discussion that we kind of left
off on the last time is um the uses allowed uses of those uh lots. So, Victoria found this, which is um from the town of Norton.
Um and it's their bylaw, which I think the best way to, you know, is to look at other people's and piggyback on on all the work that they've done. Uh there's a lot here. I haven't gone through every
single one. Um if you go three pages further, four pages further to uh one 175 six I think it is. There's also uh
maximum lot coverage and maximum height and maximum, you know, how many stories they're allowed. So they have that on here, which I think is something we should have as well. uh how high you can go and what the maximum um
percentage of lot covered by the building. Um so there's a lot here uh to digest. I mean, we can go down the list if you'd like, or we can, you know, what I think would be a more time consuming method is for all of us
to take this back and and basically grab a highlighter and and and and highlight. I like I think this is a good idea, good idea, good idea. Whoa. Not I don't I disagree with this one or I disagree with that one. And then, you know, it's easier to go through the one or two that
people disagree over than to go over the 15 or 20 that are agreed upon. Unless you guys >> I I absolutely I mean go through it. And now when I'm just so that I'm clear,
I thought when we had originally talked about it, there was zoning for like this the central area that went up to approximately uh nice lane, right? And uh that we were
talking about the not nice lane uh >> Lake Street. Lake Street. Well, from Lake Street up to Leonard to well, Lake Street, Leonard, and then the next the next street up uh you know, but not the central area. Are we talking
about trying to revise the central areas uh zoning also like coverage allowed uses and stuff like that or just >> main? I think it would. >> What do you mean by central? This area district >> down south main.
>> Yeah. >> I just want to make sure. >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. >> Does doesn't it does the I I haven't looked at the map in years, but the there is some more permissive zoning that extends up Middle Road to a point
and then it turns to single family residential. As I recall, >> there's a lot business commercial road. I'm I'm thinking, well, you go up to where the new Mini Mart is. I mean, that wasn't single family residential zoning
there. So, at some point, the single family residential zoning starts on Main Street. And I thought that was the portion of of uh Main Street that we were talking about reszoning. They're down wherever that break was down to uh
Lake Street. Yes. No. The Mini Mark gas station you talking about? >> No. No. The one. The new one. >> The new one. I'm sorry. I'm looking the wrong way. Yeah. This one over here. >> New England Farms. >> New England. Yes. The New England Farms. New >> England Farms. Yeah. Yeah. That was That's not in a single family
residential district, is it? >> No, that's the business village. >> Yeah. >> So, the business village district goes up to a point. I don't remember where that is. >> Oh, that's the street you were talking about where it stops. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. I don't
know the name, but I know >> that street where it's or Village Avenue where it stops. >> Oh, I see. I'm following you. >> I can follow. >> No, I'm just when I go through this list, >> I should have brought in. >> Yeah. But when I go through this when I'm looking at this list, I'm looking at
there's going to be some things that are make more sense where it's really densely popular or really densely developed. Now, that kind of development probably wouldn't make sense for the more rural section of Main Street. >> Right. >> That's all. >> Follow what you think.
>> So, I'm I'm also looking at when I see allowed uses, it looks like VC and VCC are primarily the uses types of uses that we're going to be looking at. Uh, >> correct. Yeah. So, I mean, I would I would say let's go
take some time, get in your favorite chair and start looking at some of these uses that are allowed in the VC zone or the VCC zone and start picking them out. >> Agreed. >> Or or throwing them out. Picking them out or throwing them out.
>> I agreed. and and what and and like Victoria had said, Norton, as you can see, has 1 2 3 4 5 6 seven different districts. You know, they have R80, R60, R40, VC, VCC, C, and I. We can kind of
do the same thing. You know what I mean? We can hypothetically, let's just say we do VC from intersection to >> Sure. >> so and so. >> Yep. which is you can allow this and
then when you go from so and so to lake which gets even more rural you can only allow this. I mean there are different things cuz the closer you get to towner it can be the further away from town the more spacious it could be. >> Yeah. All I'm doing is I'm trying not to
have to look at every single use because there's a lot of these uses that you know that they don't even make any sense. >> Yeah. Yeah. We're not looking government buildings use. No. I mean >> I I mean, you know, to be honest with you, too. I mean, if you wanted to look at a smaller lot size on that section of
of Main Street, you know, that's a possibility, too. You know, instead of the 60,000 square foot lots. >> Well, yeah, that's definitely part of it, too. Like I said, go over a couple of pages and it'll show you, you know, uh the building and covered. Yeah, this
one doesn't say outside, but yes, you're absolutely right. We were talking about that earlier. I definitely think that if you have a lot that is 30,000 square feet, whatever, can't put a house on it. But we should allow a small little 3D
storefront or with apartments above and you know, if they, you know, if it meets parking and all that, we should allow it if it's less than 60,000 ft. I totally agree. Yeah. Because if it can't be sold, and we were again discussing this previously, if it can't be sold for a residential lot because it's less than
60,000 square feet, then they should have the ability to do something with it. >> Yep. I mean, when I when I went up and down that section of Main Street, what I saw was different kinds of businesses, not a lot of them. I mean, everything from machine shops to abandoned farms
and and stuff in between, including a couple buildings that I don't even really know what they are, to tell you the truth. If >> if you were to guess, how many square feet would you say that uh Scuttlebutts and Rochelle is sitting on? >> Oh god, not much. I don't know, maybe 15
to 20,000 square feet. >> All right. So, let's just say on the high side, 20,000 foot. So, let's just say Scuttlebuds and No Shells is on a thousand a 20,000 square foot lot, but you have two businesses on that lot. >> You know what I mean? You have a liquor store and you have a restaurant. That's what we should be looking at is if there
we should be zoning this to where from here to Main Street, if you got 20,000 foot lot, obviously way too small for a house, but somebody can throw a liquor store or restaurant or whatever and have a septic in and meet all the requirements. Mhm.
>> That's what we're what we should be looking at doing. That's I think is the biggest thing because if it is a 60,000 foot lot, then >> somebody's probably going to put a house on it and they should be able to put a house on it. From from what I saw when I went when I went up and down the street,
what I wanted to do was stop and take a picture, you know, and make a notation of what the business was along there. And if there was some open land, uh, make that notation, too. But I did forget how much traffic has increased over the years and I didn't want to get
rearended. So I've got to either do that with my wife or Victoria or somebody so that I don't get in an accident. But what what I saw was, you know, a good many of the lots already have houses on
them. There are a few places where there's more room to do other things. Not many. Like the old uh the apple orchard uh up on the top of the hill. Uh Peters on one side.
That's a that's a bigger site there. There are a couple of others like that. And and but mostly this house is on most of the front lots already. Uh so when you when
we start looking at this uh it it that whole shared use and limitation by coverage and parking ability. I mean when I look at Rochelle's and Scuttlebutts or whatever they call it
now the anyway the Scuttlebutts building uh there's nothing wrong with something that size. They do have a little bit of a parking issue. not going to argue. >> No. And and that's a reason to have parking requirements especially for
non-commercial uses because that way you don't get something that's got a real high uh parking space requirement, right? I mean things like an accountant's office, you know, as part of your home, you know, I mean maybe there's one or two extra parking spaces
you might need, but that's minor. Whether it's that it's, you know, some people open dentist offices out of people's houses there, you know, there's dog grooming. I keep going back to dog grooming, but there's different things that can be done. You know, t-shirts do you have?
>> He gets groomed a lot, too. >> But, uh, that's what I think our main goal here is, is to to if we have smaller mods. So, let's all go through these things with that in mind >> idea in mind, >> you know, and obviously, you know,
industrial zoning, we're not talking about industrial zoning there. And I don't think we're really talking about traditional commercial zoning either. Uh I mean, Norton's got some areas that truly are commercial areas. Uh they've got a road system. People drive through
there regularly. Uh it it's >> I don't I don't see a big, you know, industrial park going off of Main Street. That's not what I think. Our purpose is we don't have the land for it. I just think that our purpose here
is to encourage somebody to open up a small and they can have an apartment above. They can live there and still have a small business below regardless of what it is. and you know um not have to fall to the standards of a 60,000t
lot. If it's a small you know lot and you know obviously everything depends on what it is um for parking and for septic and all that that all has different criteria. Um but yeah that's I think what from what we're looking at excuse
me between here and Lake Street. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't I don't see any reason why not to to look at something like that. >> So now you have homework. Okay. You have homework. Get the highlight. >> Yeah, we all have homework now. >> We all have homework. I want everybody, you know,
>> I mean I mean we keep saying, you know, 60,000 foot lots. I mean, I mean, for for residential, but um you know, I'm not opposed to reducing that size in the process, especially along Main Street itself. You know, again, we're talking
mixeduse, commercial, whatever you want to refer to it as. um the depth of that is um of that area. Is it going to be 300 ft 400 ft from >> That's a question that we need to answer as well >> that we need to that we need to take a
look at as far as the depth goes. >> Right now it's Sorry, Right now it's 300 ft. Correct. >> Yeah. >> And that's coming down through here. So I mean it's that's kind of like within the village district itself, you know, uh which we got a lot smaller lots than
we have elsewhere. I mean we basically we got two different size lots. We got a 10,000 foot lot in town and we got a 60,000 foot lot in town. Um I think I think lot size is um should be considered um um and you know in itself you know and part of this we we keep
talking Main Street I mean to to to to Lake Street um and I think if we're going to look at this I think we should be looking at Balls Corner to Knives Lane as well because that's a pretty wide stretch of road on middle road
right there. Um, we already have hemp going in over there. >> Um, and I think it would complement what's already going on. >> I couldn't agree with you more. I just think we should take little bites of the apple. And if we can take this little bite and we can get this bite of the apple to get past, then we can take a
few more bites of that apple with the same concept uh with Middle Road and even extending it past Lake. If you want go to go to the town >> So here's part of my thought of that. Okay. um is we're obviously it's we're doing
this master plan. Um seeking grants is going to be part of it and a lot of our woes are going to be about infrastructure. >> Okay. Um, and my thought is if we can reszone Middle Road in that area, very
easy to put sewage on it and basically potentially open us up. We got land now that is um it's that we could possibly do something with as far as getting a grant potentially for to expand sewer because
we're we're going to have it reszone for us to to grab sewer and drag it all the way out to Lake Street is just not even going to happen. >> It's not going to happen in in the near future. >> Yeah. At this point, I'm just I'm thinking of things that we can do that's
going to accelerate what we're trying to the development aspect of it, you know, and what what is the um the more practical >> thing to do in the moment, >> you know what I mean? And continue with with all this. I'm not opposed going all the way out to Lake Street with with
mixed use. That's not what I'm getting at. It's just that I think that we also should be focusing on areas that are could be readily developed. >> Mhm. Um and that to me is one of them, >> you know, going going up over there. So it's just a just >> middle to nine
>> middle. Yeah. From Yeah. From Paul's lane. >> Uh we already got crewman things. We got headdresses. We've got, you know, whatever else is out on out on that stretch already, right? It it's stuff that we've already >> um that's there. you know, Mike, you
know, why why should we just inhibit anybody else from doing anything in that area at the moment at the same time? I think it's just >> I agree. I think something to consider too is when we're making the zone, what wherever we end up putting it, we don't want people our residents first time
hearing about it at town meeting. Um, so I think we should do, you know, if we have ideas about doing it on multiple roads, like maybe we should think about doing some outreach and trying to connect with residents and seeing if that's something they would like to see and then that will sort of I mean, you
never know what town meeting, but that'll sort sort of help give us a better direction as to whether or not there's there's an appetite for that at this time. Yeah. >> So that might be helpful, too. Just something to think about as we move through the process. >> I agree.
So, if I'm clear, you want to take a bigger bite of this apple than what they right now. >> You think we should? >> Sort of. Yeah. I mean, or do we, you know, um, take it from here
to Hamlet Street on the first bite and take go from Ball's Corner over down the N lane. But I mean if you if but whatever we're going to do I mean to go from here to Lake Street's probably not going to be that much more. I mean all it all it is going to be if whatever we
decide to for lot size and setbacks is going to apply pretty much everywhere um um to to do this. I I'm not sure if it's that much more of an undertaking um to add that to add that little bit >> other than what's going to happen two
miles a mile and a half worth of road >> at town. It's town meeting is a fickle thing. We know that >> and and you know I don't have the answer as to whether it's better to do it section by section
and only potentially offend a few people or to pick a whole bunch of places and offend a lot of people and you you won't get >> I think you might I think part of the people that might get offended are the people from the north >> you know
>> because they because they've already got large apostles of property There's still farmland up there. Um there's there's a lot of lot of things and that's again that's kind of what I'm thinking about. Middle middle road is is already somewhat
quasi commercial the way it's set up right now with white with >> the old Whites Farm Dairy property is is actually an ideal one to look at different uses and and an easier place to do things. And they've got sore up there too,
>> you know, on top of that. Yeah, it's private. It's private right there. >> They've got a tie into New Bedford. >> Yeah. >> You There's a pumping station. You've got a few buildings that are on it. >> Yes. And as part of the solar array
project, >> we there's an easement. >> Correct. And they have to relocate >> relocate relocate a portion of it. That's correct. >> We just talked about that this morning. It's fresh on the on the brain. But yeah, >> but anyway, you know, so I mean that's that's the other part of this too. Even just going along Main Street is, you
know, you've got a couple of larger parcels that are just basically not defunct farms, but lightly used farms that are big parcels that, you know, there's the potential to to do something there. >> Yeah. >> Or to have something other than another
single family subdivision which costs the town tax-wise. Look, I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm game for whatever the board decides. If we feel we want to take a >> Yeah. Let's let's just look at the allowed uses and go from there. And then later on, you'll have to decide how much
how big of an apple you want to >> Yeah. How big of a bite we're going to take out of that apple. >> And and when I said offended people, that's probably a poor choice of words. I'm not a good word person. Uh, we all know what happens here anytime something
new happens next door. >> Yeah, that's probably totally correct way. >> I totally agree. Everybody wants Everybody wants it, but they don't want it >> in their house in their backyard. I understand. Uh but uh and that's why I
don't think what we're proposing here is really going to take away from anybody who has property. Uh I don't think I think if anything it just enhances what people have that they if somebody owns a 20,000 foot lot and I'm going back to
like ro shells. If somebody owns a little piece of 20 foot,000 ft, they really can't do anything with it anyways. It's just it's a it's a it's just >> Oh, no. No. they're not doing it. So that would actually benefit those people if there are in harmony there are that would benefit those people to be able to
do something with a piece of land that otherwise they couldn't do anything with >> that's where I want to go. Uh and and if and if somebody does have, you know, a larger piece of land and they come to us and say, "Hey, instead of putting residents in residential houses in
there, I want to put, you know, a small little, you know, storefront or whatever. >> It's there. >> That that's what I would like to do. Uh and and that would benefit people, not um uh hinder people." So, no, the the point of this is not to upset people
uh and have them, no, I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't think anything that we're going to propose is going to, you know, it's it's not an industrial park. There's not going to be massive traffic. There's not going to be, you know, this big disruption to the town's infrastructure. You know, this is just these are little
things that we're trying to add that will give, you know, instead of a penny here, it's 10 cents here. Instead of a penny there, it's 15 cents there. Right. And we got and you know when I when I said that to him actually should go all the way out to Ruck Weld cuz Rup weld is
the last end of water >> of town water. That's where our town >> Okay. Is that is that where it ends? >> I didn't know exact was it Campanelli that was there back in the day. >> Yep. >> The original pit and that >> So they actually had do they have town water?
>> They brought they brought the water. They needed the water. They brought it they brought it down and that's what I was told as far as I know. They that's as far that's that's what that's where it stops >> when I was on a board of public works. We looped >> middle uh Mendle Road, Perry Hill Road
back over the main street. We created that loop because again the water dead ended. There was no pressure. The water was dead ending over what on the far end of Men Road. M >> so all that is all got town potentially got town you know you got access to town water and the town water goes out as far
as rep well goes you know and it's not like you can't open a restaurant without having a not having but with owning just having a well but it's not quite as practical basically >> it makes it a lot easier to you know you start getting into the state regulations for public water
supplies and it it can be more difficult to site a well when you've got anything other than a single family residential use. >> Um that was the
uh the daycare center on Lake Street right near >> y >> right near right near Maine. uh she had a lot of trouble getting a permit for a well there because it's considered a public water supply
>> and she finally got it. But it it was one of the last pieces of the puzzle that had to be uh solved before the place opened up. >> Again, why we need a clerk so a planner can look for
water extensions and you know benefiting the town. Absolutely. Does the Does the town have a a map that shows not just the whole bunch of assessors maps, but do they have one
that's more manageable that we could when we have this discussion about the allowed uses? Just look at the lots that are along Main Street from from uh you know from the center. Are we supposed to have something like that with I haven't
had a chance to look at the master plan yet, but we had talked about having um a map drawn. I think they were almost in a process of doing that, identifying uh properties that are protected already under conservation or um some sort of trust because it's it's that map is very
deceiving >> um what you see right now. You get these large parcels of property and you can't do anything with them because they're already lock they're already locked up in a trust of sorts. And and that's part but you know what that's part of the planning exercise too. >> Yes. >> Is to get the available maps and just
take a highlighter and those properties that aren't going will never be developed for whatever reason. Mark them up. All of this is out. We're only talking about these. Yeah. You know, we had discussed trying to get um
a map with all of the townowned properties as well cuz the town does own some properties. I don't know if it's one. I don't know if it's 100. I don't know if it's one acre or I don't know if it's 100 acre. I don't know what they have, but I know the town owns property, >> right? And we still got, you know, and
you've got Buzzes Bay Coalition property. You have a cushion at behavior >> and that's a big chunk they now acquired in town basically Keith's basically they acquired all this property. If you have a a map of that section of town that's
like a foot and a half by 2 ft or something like that and you just sit down with your highlighter and you you start crossing off the areas that you know aren't developable and and when you're talking about a reasonzoning now these are the parcels that we're talking
about and 60% of them are already single family lots right now. you know, is there something that we can do to make those lots more uh amendable for uh businesses, >> you know, along with the house?
>> Uh you know, >> yeah, if somebody wants to put a put a put a small manufacturing shop up, we have those already in town. I mean, you drive that's not across from Brookside, you've got a machine shop across the street.
>> Yeah. You know, uh I I would uh challenge you to think about what a neighbor is going to think about a machine shop moving in next door, but uh that's >> it's not I mean you got Leo Coons is up the other end. I mean you got you know what I mean? They're already there. Hottings with you know again this
stuff's already in place already. >> That that traditionally the north end of town. >> Yeah. It was a lot of contractors that ran their business out of their house. Not not all of them, but a lot of them. >> A lot of them. >> And and you know, there's a few there's
a few buildings out there on a few bigger lots that I don't know what the history of them is. You know, whether they date back to the the whaling times, you know, I mean, there's a couple of larger houses that cost somebody a lot of money, I don't know, 100 years ago or
80 years ago or stuff. and and those are attached to larger lots in some cases. And and that's another part of the inventory that needs to be done is, you know, that way you can look at, well, we've got these three larger parcels
that have got a house associated with it right now. What kinds of things on this chart look like they might work there? >> You know, >> I'd ask try to reach out to Serpent. And I know they're doing a lot of work with
this town now >> uh with the master plans. If there's any kind of maps they can create or if they are creating that can help us out. >> Anything right now would help >> because we've had that conversation how deceiving uh what looks available is no. >> Absolutely.
>> Yeah. I mean, but but that's the classic way to do something like this. >> Absolutely. is you inventory what's available and then you look at allowed uses and coverages and parking and and that's the basic decision process on
>> how to tackle sewing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, we have homework. Um and we'll uh again this will this has been an ongoing discussion. This will continue to be an ongoing discussion. It's uh there's a lot of pieces to this puzzle
and until we get it down, we'll keep discussing. Um if there's ever anybody watching out there that is got any questions, comments, concerns, please uh email or call the planning board and um let us know your comments, questions,
concerns or opinions uh about uh what we're trying to do. Um and that would be helpful for us as well. Gentlemen, uh nothing else has come in to the planning board office in the last uh 48 hours. Our next meeting is
Thursday, February 19th. Anything else anybody would like to discuss before we uh make a motion? I the the only I'm I'm trying I'm trying to figure out a way to get some kind of a map here for a reasonable amount of money. I mean, I
can go online to MassGis, what used to be Oliver. Yeah. And you know, they've got all the pieces together. I do not have a way to print out something like that other than on my 8 1/2 by 11 printer.
>> Yeah. Uh it it it it wouldn't take much for any one of these consultants, I don't know what we've got available internally, >> to just basically take the assessor's lots and plunk it on uh you know a foot
and a half by two foot plan overall with all the different parcels. Just just that and a highlighter Yeah. >> would do right. And conservation conservation's got did a lot of that back several years ago. They they basically mapped out
>> areas that basically wet already that we that we know about that that are there without >> there's a lot of stuff out there that could be easily put together and in to go back to what we talked about first. That's what our planner should be
working on is stuff like that, not minutes and, you know, clerical things and manning the phone and all that stuff. And uh not that this is something that she's got to do, but she knows the
where the resources are that I do not. >> Absolutely. And and even if we've got to somehow God talk about uh 4 or 500 bucks to have a consultant do like a mini map for us. I mean that would do wonders to advance
this discussion. >> Absolutely. Serpent did create several maps um throughout the master plan process that I think could be helpful. So I'll ask for just the PDFs of those because they're embedded in the plan so they won't print well. So, I'll ask for those. And we do have a plotter at the
office. So, I can print a full size. I'm happy to print them ahead of the meeting if you wanted to pick them up and take them home. And, you know, >> can we get them on PDF? We can utilize that. Can't we while we're while we're in the meeting? >> PDF is fine as long as it's a little bit bigger. But if we just got to have an 8
1/2 by 11 and you've got a whole section of >> of Main Street from 8 >> from uh not N Lane, Hamlin Street all the way down to Lake Street. like pulling teeth just because I can't even cuz it's like >> trying to deal with >> a nice big piece of
>> I can get some full size ones. >> Okay. >> We be able to project it out if we're having conversations. We should be able to utilize that TV, right? >> Yeah. Just to to view or to >> to view to view for us while we're here instead everybody looking at these individual maps. >> Well, yeah.
>> I mean, we got a king we'll have a king-size map up there that we can we can take a look at. >> Absolutely. I I'm I'm paper guy. I'm not elect paper and I want to be able to >> I think it's helpful as well if it's a a Zoom meeting so we're sharing
>> Absolutely. I was about to say >> what we're looking at so people who are watching can see what part of town we're looking at. >> Yeah. No, I totally totally agree with you on that one. We could definitely put it on as a as a zoom so other people can be watching cuz this camera or whatever
camera that's recording us now can't get everything at the same time. So if you want to go while you're presenting put something on there and Yeah. And whatever maps come up. Yeah. >> Good. We got a plan. >> We got a plan. We got a motion. >> We do.
>> Well, I guess motion to adjurnn. >> A second. All in favor? Bye. >> Thank you. Good night.