[music] [music] [music] Good evening everyone. Today is July 2nd, 2026 and the time is 6 p.m. This is the Krishna Planning Board. This uh meeting is being recorded for
future viewing on the town's YouTube page and uh the town's uh local cable channel. Uh we have a quorum today. Can we introduce ourselves, please? >> Victoria Alro, town planner. >> Steve Buché, member. >> Mark France, chairman.
>> Brian Damps, member. Rick Ellis, vice chairman. >> Uh can I get a motion to open the planning board with me? >> So move. >> Motion to open the meeting. Second. >> All in favor? >> I I >> Thank you. >> Uh Victoria sent out the minutes to the
June 16th meeting. Uh Steve and Rick, you guys were not there. Uh technically, we don't really need a quorum to vote on this, do we? >> Uh you don't. The members can vote on the minutes even if they were absent.
But if you're not comfortable, we can wait till next meeting. Up to you. >> I'm okay with it. Um >> I'm okay. I read it. >> It was a very short meeting. Did anybody have any questions, comments, concerns?
>> No. I make a motion to accept the minutes of June 16th. >> I got a motion. Can I get a second? >> All right. A second. >> All in favor? >> I abstain. I was not there. >> Well, well done. All right. Moving right
along, discussions. We have a minor modification to 1094 Main Street, Clem Way, MAC 7, [clears throat] lot 15. The applicant is
Clemway Solar LLC, Rewild Renewables. The owner is Brookside Realy Trust. The representative is Bales and Thomas, Inc. The scope of the work is removing the battery energy source system. the BESS
and adjustments to the gravel road points of interconnection, the POI and access route and tree removal. If you could introduce yourself for a minute, please. Uh, good afternoon,
Zachary Farcus for the applicant. Nice to see you all again. As the chairman mentioned, I'm here requesting a minor modification for what is known as the Clemway Solar Project located at the intersection of Clemway and 1094 Main Street. I was in front of this board uh
from about this time last year through the end of the year, so about June 25 to December of 25. We went through extensive permitting um excuse me, extensive peer review with GAF um as well as a number of hearings here. Um the special permit and site plan review
were approved in December. Uh a couple conditions were placed upon the project. I was back in front of this board in March resolving those conditions in the first minor modification and we are about to put in our application for building permit and our contractors have
been going through the plans and doing their full construction set and they had a couple of items that they wanted um me to bring before this planning board as well as me bringing a couple project updates to you guys. Um, as the chairman said, the first one is the complete
removal of battery energy storage from this project. As we were permitting it, we were planning on it being what's called a smart project. SM A is the acronym for the Massachusetts Incentive Program. Um, we're not going to participate in that program for this project due to a number of decisions
internally that don't really matter to this board, but the result is the energy storage will be completely removed from the project. The net metering program that this is going to participate in does not require energy storage and because of some tight construction timelines we're not going to worry about
what is very very costly and long lead time equipment. So this will become a solar only project. Um the second item is on um we have ring roads around these three arrays. We and we had talked a lot when we were going through the permitting about me building in the 150
ft setback. Ultimately, you guys would not allow me to would not grant a waiver to move into that. At the time, we were really trying to close out the project, but now we're going to shrink those ring roads, just tighten them up around the project. Um, the result is going to be basically a a material reduction in
imperous surface, imported material, etc. Um, so a pretty simple a simple change that will only help the storm water work better. Um, all the roads have been kind of tested for um being circulated by construction vehicles. emergency vehicles. Nothing's changing
except the perimeter is just getting a little bit shorter. Uh the third update is we've progressed all of our construction activities with utility Eversource. Um they've selected a pole that's about 130 180 ft north of the pole that we
thought they were going to pick. It's still on our property. Um pretty simple change that instead of plugging in here, we're going to plug in there. Um so we just wanted to make sure those plans uh were updated properly. Um, and then finally at the old area we're going to interconnect. There's a couple bushy t
kind of trees. They're very small trees, but they may have to get cleared to get our construction vehicles in. Uh, the turn radi on one of those was a little bit tight for our temporary construction road. So ultimately those four items are going to show up on the building permit
application set and we just wanted to make sure we cleared them with the planning board first so that when it went through the approval loop and people were comparing the the approved permit set to the construction set um nothing jumped out that kind of shortcircuited the process a little bit.
So um here to talk to you guys about those four items. The fifth one is um some additional tree clearing. It's uh requesting permission to clear about 20, probably less, white pines that are all in a direct row just south of our
project's eastern most array. Um we finished tree clearing and site prep on our project already. And what was kind of unknown or we were unaware of at the time of permitting is that there's another solar project right next to us on the exact
parcel. When they permitted their project with this board, they left a what I think is a 20 foot setback off the property line. And of course, if you clear up to a property line and then leave a 20 foot setback, you have a very thin row of trees. So, I I took a couple pictures for you guys, but I count about
20 trees. Um I our contractor, and I agree with them, I feels pretty sure that these trees are going to get blown down. Now, there's no windbreak on either side of this thin stand of white pine. and the contractor is just worried about equipment damage or potentially
contractor injury if uh folks are out there building all all spring and summer of the uh coming year. So, or excuse me, I should say fall of this coming year. So, um we just wanted to make it make sure we cleared with the board that we could take those extra 20 trees. Um so,
I'll stop there. Um we detailed all this in a letter dated June 11th, which looks like you guys all have in front of you, but um happy to take any any kind of questions. Well, why don't we attack these one at a time? Let's start with the first one that you asked of us.
>> Sure. >> So, battery energy storage. At the time, we designed two very large equipment pads and now we're just going to have three very small equipment pads that'll house only the inverters and the transformers. There's no more big
shipping container sized batteries. So the net change is uh number one because I know how concerned we all are about storm water on these sites and in this town. It's a net reduction of imperous surface from 5,500 square ft to 3,700
square ft. So almost cut you know call it down by 40% or so. Um >> and not to interrupt but that's is that three pads? Is there one on each? >> There'll be one one small pad on each array now really big ones. Oh, come down to two bigger ones.
>> There were two very large ones that were about 2500 ft each. Now they're smaller about three smaller ones. >> That give you some more panels in it all. >> Not really. Not really. We still have kind of the setbacks and whatnot, but um
you know when we when we string these at this level, they're in strings of 27. So you kind of have to have multiples of 27. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Yeah. I was just looking at them again. I didn't know if they were they were >> Yeah. Everything's always shifting around cuz when we design at the permit
stage, we use kind of an indicative model. That's basically a sheet of plywood and then you get the exact spec on the model that that the module that you purchase and you dial those in. And so the building permit set visually always looks very similar, but if you counted the modules, it was always a
little bit different. Any other questions on the battery storage, gentlemen? >> No. >> All right, moving on to the next one, the gravel road. >> Yep. [snorts] So, very similar. Um, as I
said, we are trying till the very last minute with you guys to get panels in the what I would call the kind of dead area inside that 150 foot setback in the new bylaw. Um, we took it up to the very last meeting in December. Um, and so what that left was basically 150 ft of
space between our last module and the ring roads. And so for u for those ring roads, we're just tightening them up a little bit so there's less wasted space in between the last module and the road. >> We're not changing anything to the storm
water. All the storm water uh features are exactly the same and unchanged. We only just move the road from this area to that area closer to the hill. >> Width of the road. >> Everything's the exact same >> around everything's the same except from out here that's a little bit closer. >> Yeah. So it it nets in a uh
>> all the space right there like move that down because you get all this open space. >> Same thing here because we made them over 150. >> So the rooms y
>> So it's it's not a huge number. You can see it's about 300 linear feet is what we our engineers wrote down here. 4,900 square ft, 226 cubic yards. I mean, it's it's a lot of material. Um, so it'll save us a little bit of money and from a
storm water standpoint, it's going to reduce the service. >> Yeah, less disturbances. >> Okay. Any questions on that, gentlemen? >> I don't think there's any issue here. >> Shouldn't have any issues with that, right?
on the web. >> We'll go I I get that, but I just didn't know. >> Yeah, we're going to go to them next. >> They need to go. Yep, that's cool. You know, >> as fast as we're going to do. >> Planning and conservation are obviously both reviewing building permit sets. So,
that's why I'm trying to preview this with you guys. Yep. >> Before you open it up and say, this doesn't look the same. >> Okay. Number three, the POI. So, the POI was originally right at the intersection of Clem's Way and Main Street. There's a whole bunch of wires there. Um, the
existing three-phase on Main Street, the single phase that runs up Clem's Way that serves the community there. Um, that pole just has too much gear on it. The the utility just was uncomfortable from a safety standpoint of putting it there. So, they moved it north one pole. Um, and it's still on our property. And
the the power will now run just right in between the uh our land owners work yard. And there's a there's an old family right there. Barn and the two family. Yep. >> So it'll be behind all the all the mobile homes. >> Exactly. Yeah. No no change to the
wiring in the array. It's just at the very end up on Main Street. Instead of interconnecting here, we're interconnecting over here. Gota >> questions, anybody? Okay. Number four is related to this. Uh we
were interconnecting right at the base of um of Clem's Way intersection, I should say, of Clemens Way and Main Street. We had to clear a bunch of trees to get the wires in there. Um we're going to change around exactly what we're clearing. We're still going to use that path for construction access, but without any wires. We could clear less
trees, but it pushes us over a little bit. There's a couple bushes that we need to take there. So, um, if you look at the second sheet, you'll see right in here is this kind of small area of tree clearing kind of bushes, low growth trees that we're just
going to take out right there. And that's a temporary access road just so we can minimize the disturbance to all the folks along Clem's Way. Um, the only reason we're going to really have to use Clem's Way for construction is the building of the eastern most array.
This uh kind of closer access will be for the middle and the western arrays. Gota >> temporary access right very late. >> And this is more along the line of like scrub brush bushes, not 30 foot pine.
Yeah, I remember being out there and seeing that. And then the last item is the uh very thin stand of pine trees that um we took some we took some nice pictures of, but um just a little bit unfortunate that I
was unaware of it at the time of permitting or we would have we would have dealt with it then. But when you get on site and you see this strip of trees, it's pretty obvious that we want to take them down safely before mother nature takes care of it for us. >> Yeah. Know the pictures that you provided are pretty clear.
>> Excellent. Yeah. There's obviously no screening happening from those trees. So, >> it's [laughter] Yeah, I mean that like we said that you can your color version is better than mine. You can see the existing solar project. They built that in about 3 months. It's a really small project. I was in front of this board in March
talking about you know the spillway adjustment that you guys asked me to make and then um the tree fund payment. We wanted to solidify the exact number and at that time I wasn't that was not like that and so I had come back our contractors were doing their prep and they said what is there's another solar
project next to us and you couldn't really see it until our trees came down and then you saw this strip of trees just standing there. >> Yeah. I I like I said I I I walk both sites and um you access one site from one from Clem's um from Clem's Way there
from Clem's Way. Then you access the other site. I don't know if either of you guys were out on the site visit for 1052, correct? That's 1052, I think. Right. >> Yes, I was there. >> Yeah. And uh you you access that one through Cushing Lane,
>> right? And when you're out there and it's all wooded, it's really hard to tell how close you are from one to the other. So, um, yeah, I mean, in my opinion, that those are more of a
uh hazard than they are any type of screening or and there's no actual houses near there, so it's really not screening anybody. If you look at this map that they have here, that one is actually like
right here. Yeah. >> So, there's like nobody else out there to to to even visually see this. Um, obviously if that was built when they came in front of us, it would have been a little bit of a different story at the time, but since it wasn't built and we
didn't know exactly what it was going to look like, then we couldn't, you know, >> it always looks different in real life it does on paper. >> Yeah, [laughter] absolutely. Yeah. And and like I said, you can be out there and walk it, >> but until it's actually been cleared,
it's um it's very different. [clears throat] >> Yep. >> Yeah. I don't have a problem with that. and not not those trees. [laughter] >> Uh, regarding all five of these, does anybody have any other comments, questions, concerns?
>> I I would the only the only thing that I would say is it would be nice to get a set of drawings that were stamped construction. >> That's that's what's coming. Well, I just >> Oh, I Yeah, >> before
before the end of this or certainly within the next month or two, you know, it it would uh that way at least when somebody from the town goes out there, >> uh we know what was supposed to be built. >> Yeah. So, my my hope is for this evening that the board could make a motion to
identify these as minor changes, not major changes, so we don't have to go back through a full public hearing process. can approve them and then direct me to update the plan set for you guys so that Victoria has a a fully updated plan set on record. That's kind of the three-step process. We'll get you
that plan set next week likely just so you can have your files will be fully updated and then I would say just chasing that maybe a week later will be our full building permit application set. the, you know, the 100page IKEA how to build a solar. >> Yeah. Like I said, when when you get the plans ready for construction, uh we
would at least like to have a copy of those plans here. >> Yes, sir. >> And then we don't get into a situation like we did with another one where they changed things at the entrance and just did it. >> [laughter] >> Well, that's I mean that's why that's
why we're here cuz you guys probably wouldn't pick this stuff up on the building permit and it would have been we're just trying to make sure that anything even that rises to the level of like h we should probably tell someone that we're doing that. So >> yeah. No, I and I'll say it for the record, you know, dealing with you and
your company has been probably one of the more seamless uh companies to deal with and you especially uh have been very forward and upfront with changes and everything that you've asked. So, uh nothing but good things to say about you
and your company. Um gentlemen, I'll take a motion to uh agree that these are minor modifications. >> I'm I would say let's uh let's go with a motion to accept these changes as
presented as minor modifications to the plan. >> I have a motion. Can I get a second? >> Second that. >> All in favor? >> I I >> Thank you. >> Thank you guys. All right. >> I'll be in front of the conservation commission two weeks from now. I think the 22nd sounds right in my head where I'm going to go go through the same
conversation with them and then we'll get updated plan sets that reflect like cuz these the two exhibits are kind of like exhibits. So, we want to work them into the full plan set so that you have it all on record and then >> we'll be going in construction pretty soon. >> Yeah. Yeah. Looks like you guys are
pretty close to it. Um just a slight reminder to try to get some seed down um prior to the winter. uh or preferably the end of fall to see if we can get some some grass growing before the winter hits. >> Yeah.
>> Thank you guys. Have a great app. >> Um just a reminder, when you submit your building permit application that I won't be able to sign off on it unless I get a check for >> Okay, great. Out of curiosity, how's your interconnection process going with
permitting for with our with Eversource? >> Great. Today we're we're [laughter] it's been six years. We we got the interconnection approval 6 years ago on all these projects. That's why you're seeing a lot of them start getting to be built. But basically, it took two and a
half years for the interconnections on all these southeastern mass projects to get studied. They did them in three or four groups. Marian, Fair Haven is one group. Plymouth County is another group. Cape is another one. New Bedford's another one. But basically, they finally got through them after two and a half years. Then the Department of Public
Utilities gave them four years to complete their upgrades. So that 4-year period ends right around Labor Day this year for all the Mary and [clears throat] Fair Haven group and it ends right around June for the Plymouth County group. So all these projects that have been waiting for years and years
and years because we don't want to build a project that can't interconnect. Right now we finally have the capacity on the line. So now we're going to build them and plug them in. So that's that's why they're all going. But >> it's going great now that everything's built. But it's been it's been a long long wait.
>> Thank you guys. Have a great fourth. You >> okay? Moving right along. Uh this is a discussion in a vote on adopting the 2026 master plan. Uh I'm going to hand it over to Victoria
to give us a little background. >> Thank you. Um yes. So I sent out the final draft of the master plan to you guys. Um so this is kind of a culmination of almost two years worth of work for from our master plan committee
um which consisted of several members. We met about once a month and we had an open house at the beginning of the project um for the members and for the public to kind of kick it off. We had several public outreach events during the two-year span and then we just had
our final um outreach event at the libraryies concert series last week and we passed out um pamphlets of our goals and strategies um to residents that were there um and spoke to them about the plan and the efforts that that we did. Um so
ultimately I'll kind of just go over our big picture goals. Um, so with regard to land use, the main theme was to modernize the town's zoning bylaws to meet the priorities for economic growth and housing development. So some of our
action items would be to do like zoning recontification, which we had spoken about previously, reconcile splitzoned lots, which are lots that have two or more zones on their that cross their property lines. um and to develop design guidelines for certain districts to
enhance a small town feel. So, some of our housing goals was were focused on diversifying the town's housing stock to meet the needs of our community. This can include things like expanding the residential district, residential village district, I'm sorry.
Um and other zoning changes to diversify housing types because right now we really only allow by right a single family home. Um, so there was some discussion about duplexes and things like that. Um, work with property owners to reconcile vacant or underutilized
properties. So that's another way to kind of get housing revitalized, right, without adding um additional additional homes. So, we have um maintain and expand the town's affordable housing stock, revitalize Maine and South Main Street
to encourage walkability, placemaking, and small business development. This was centered around our economic development goals. So, we have some action items such as creating a neighborhood friendly business district from Middle Road to Leonard Street, which is something the
board has been talking about recently. Focusing economic development to remaining areas in town that are suitable for mixeduse commercial and industrial growth. Again, a lot of these themes are are things we've heard from residents um and things we've heard from
the board and other departments as well. So moving into cultural resources, we have preserve a Kushman's historic properties and expand the public's knowledge of their importance. Um, so this could be done through the library, COA, and school department to sort of have that educational campaign and
researching funding opportunities for events like the Apple Peach Festival operations and how we can improve that. We have protect and promote a Kushnet's rural, cultural, scenic, and historic qualities and assets. And then we have um moving on to
services and facil and feel free to interrupt me if you have any questions. Um moving on to services and facilities, we have enhanced services and support an efficient and fiscally responsible government. So this includes updating critical infrastructure on roads um with
planned improvements, completing utility work, and making sure we're we're fully staffed and functional. We also have replace, modernize, and improve aging town buildings. So, one of the goals here was to pursue development of an ADA self-evaluation and transition
plan. Um, which we did apply for and grant this year. So, hopefully we get it. I'm waiting to hear back. So, moving on. Um for transportation circulation we have complete com key transportation projects that improve
circulation safety and appearance. So this could be things like um pursuing the complete streets funding program to support these improvements to make our streets safer. Um lobbying for the construction of the bypass road to provide frontage on town
owned land in the industrial district um was a priority of the master plan committee. Provide more bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities in key areas in town. So this came up um probably because of
like the south coast bike way. Um so we want to make sure we are an al alternate route through the south coast bike way. Um, so we want to make sure we're connecting to that um, regional plan and that was basically the crux of it in
a brief sense, but I know it's a almost 200page documents. So, um, it's a lot of good information in there and there go obviously goes into more detail about our process and how we how we came to these conclusion and there's more details for each of those goals as well. There's even examples of what we call
case studies where other towns may have done something similar. So, we kind of have someone we can go to and see how their process went and model after. >> Very good. Very good. Um, first off, let me start off by saying that the master
plan is kind of like a a road map that you know the planning board, the town and all the departments kind of go by. Nothing's set in stone. nothing's, you know, got to be done, guaranteed to be done. Uh, but definitely a road map. Uh,
let me preface it and and start off by saying that I want to thank all the volunteers for the master plan committee. Uh, Steve was on the master plan committee. Uh, Pete, our other uh, Pete Gampa also on the master plan committee. I'd like to thank uh,
Selecman Gaspar. Um at the time he wasn't selectman but now he is selectman. Ryan Rosendi uh also um and there's you know two or three other residents uh that took time out of their private personal life for free to to
help and help the town work with the town work with with uh with Victoria. Special thanks to Victoria for organizing and uh you know arranging all the meetings, all the uh connections with us and with Serpent and all the
other committees that were involved uh with getting this done. Again, this was a 2-year very long process. Uh and I think I've been watching from the background. I've been watching the meetings and I've been observing from
the background. I think it went very very well. Um I think it was really good for small town. I think we had very good participation from our residents. Um and and again I just you know everybody's
life is very busy. Uh I again from personally I'd like to thank the committee and Victoria for um getting this done. So again, thank you very much. >> And the U surf obviously they were paid
for a grant to get this to assist us. I think they did a great job with assisting >> um and guiding us through the whole process. >> Good. Very good. Um we're obviously not going to read the 200page [laughter]
uh master plan here tonight. Uh it is available online. [singing] Um, we're going to post it if you do wish to read it and uh and go through it. Uh, but at the moment, I would like
to vote uh to uh accept the master plan as written. I'll make that motion to uh accept the master plan as with some edits that um I think did see on the side that Victoria made some grammatic error. Uh
>> I did see those. Well, well, >> they made those changes and sent it back. Yes. >> Oh, okay. [laughter] >> Yes, I I did read every page twice. >> Sure you did. Yeah. >> Uh we have a motion second. Yeah, we
have a second. All in favor? >> I I. >> And again, thank you very much. >> Moving right along, we are to discuss and vote on adopting the 2026 open space and recreation plan. At the moment, we
are not ready to present that plan. There's still a little bit more that Victoria would like to finish up. So we are going to uh push that off to one of our future meetings. Next is discussion and vote on
recommending an adoption of the 2026 water resource management strategy WRMS. Also with that one not 100% complete. We will push that off. Uh Victoria still has a few minor details to uh touch up
on those and we'll we'll um go over those at a future meeting and vote to approve those. Next is a discussion and take action relative to upcoming grant and technical assistant uh assistance opportunities.
Um this is something that I have spoken on uh frequently um and I think is um an [clears throat] area that I would like this board specifically Victoria to work more on.
Uh we were granted um funding for a clerk at the last town meeting. So, we will be getting a little bit of help here for Victoria uh in the way of a part-time clerk, which is what we had we what we had previously a year or so ago.
So, um we're going to start the uh we're going to uh advertise for the clerk soon and then hopefully get Victoria some help. In that time, that is what I would like Victoria and this board to concentrate on is grants. Trying to get
as many grants as we can. that obviously work and benefit this town. Um, and that's again in our future uh things that I'd like Victoria to work on. With that being said, I want to let Victoria talk a little bit about a couple that
will be coming up and we need to vote to recommend these grants to the select board because they have to approve just about everything that we apply for. So, I'm going to let Victoria discuss those a little bit. Yeah, thank you. Um, so
the first opportunity that's available is the SNEP network technical assistance. Um, so this actually is really storm water focused. Um, so a lot of, you know, planning focused projects that can improve, you know, our our storm water
and and runoff and things like that. Um, actually Matapo received technical te technical assistance this past fiscal year. So, it's been great working with the Snap Network and our consultant through the Snap Network is Serpent as well. So, it's great to be working with them again on something and not poison
it. But, um, so this program um, sorry, I lost my train of thought. Um so one of the high priorities in the master plan as you know there's quite a few of them but um creating an open space residential design or sometimes called conservation subdivision um was
deemed a high priority in the OSRP and in the master plan. So that is an eligible project under that program to create that by line. And essentially what that is in for anyone who's unfamiliar is instead of a regular conventional subdivision where you know
they kind of clear more of the land and have these larger lots. It encourages the houses to be a little more close together and preserve more open space. Typically that comes along with a deed restriction or a conservation restriction to make sure that's
preserved in perpetuity. This was something that was heavily discussed in the master plan um as well and through our committee. Um so that was sort of the idea I had. I do want to touch base with DPW. I know our director's on vacation um just to see if there's any other pressing storm water
needs maybe more related to like infrastructure rather than zoning. Um that way maybe we can address those first if there's something more immediate. >> Very good. >> Any questions? No, I think that's something that even you, Steve, have uh you and I have
discussed and you have brought up about uh you know, putting houses or developments closer together to keep more of an open space area if we you know, and again, something we're going to look into as a board in the near future is going to be, you know, a bylaw
for maybe condominiums, which we don't have, or you know, uh even, you know, the cluster uh building if we can get same same idea. >> Same idea. So getting that so the houses are closer together and instead of having them all spread out and not
having any land left over, maybe putting them a little bit closer together and having some open uh land um that's accessible to those developments. So yes, this is definitely something that we've been discussing, you know, in the past and I personally think it would be
a great help if we can get any type of assistance helping us get to that point. Sure. >> And that that goes back to my college days in ancient times. That was that was a thing on in the planning classes was
Yeah. creating developments like that. >> Really? >> It's a it's it's a matter of getting somebody to build it and then somebody who's willing to buy it. >> Right. Right. Right. Right. >> Um that's a it it requires a little different in mindset of potential
buyers. >> Mhm. >> Right. you know, right? >> You're you're >> you try to put some amenities in there that everybody can use like more space so that for passive or even active
recreation. >> Um that's the only way you're going to get people to buy. >> Well, changed since you've been in college. [laughter] >> I know. I know. I've forgotten everything that I learned back then. That was decades ago. [laughter] Those
brains hills are gone. >> Um and next, uh Victoria, you want to talk a little bit about the complete streets funding program? >> Yes. So, um you might recall that we just finished up our complete streets prioritization plan that we did receive
um about $38,000 in technical assistance um from Mass to create that plan. Right now, it's been submitted to them, so we're waiting for approval. Um, but as long as we get get that approval, we're able to apply for the next cycle of grant funding. So, we could apply for
construction or a design project. Um, so there's quite a few options to pick from. I think potentially maybe doing something on Main Street um would be a good project just because of our plans and in kind of in the pipeline for South Main Street. So, just kind of continuing
with the connectivity um is probably a good idea. But again, that's something I'd want to double check with DPW on just to see if they have any other planned improvements somewhere else that they could use the funding for. Um, yeah, but I don't know if anyone has any specific questions or any specific
projects they want. >> Were Were there any It was a huge document. >> Yes. Were there any projects that really stood out as desirable to do, you know, in in in that in that report >> in terms of like from feedback we heard
from residents or >> are just what would be what would be a good thing to do? I mean, for safety, you know, especially um >> yeah, I do I do think Main Street especially. I think that's a place where a lot of people walk and bike, at least
that I see. Um, so just improving those sidewalks and and pedestrian facilities, I think would be really helpful, especially having the connectivity from New Bedford and then hopefully um when we do South Main Street into Fair Haven, you know, so I think that would be helpful.
>> Agreed. Agreed. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. So again, basically this is just we're going to just take a quick vote just so we know that everybody's on board, but this is just something that we're going to have Victoria look into and pursue.
And I'm hoping these are the first of many that I'd like for her to pursue. Uh she and I had a discussion earlier today. Um, I'm I'm of the I'm of the mindset that if we throw 10 things at
the select board, hopefully two or three of them will get through, [laughter] you know what I mean? Uh, and and they have their reasonings for for for everything. You know what I mean? No, not commenting on that. But I I just feel that if they're good for the town and they can save us money and and help
us out without any kind of obligation to the state, uh I just I'd like to just pursue as many as we possibly can and then, you know, throw them at the select board and and and see how many we can get uh them to agree on and approve and move forward on.
>> Yeah, sure. I mean, anything like that is a positive. AB: >> Absolutely. Yeah. whatever, you know, few pennies we can get from the state to help us out is always uh helpful. Um, and again, a new year starting here with
the town and this board in Victoria. Now, with a little bit of help, we're going to again, we're going to continue to look at the zoning for uh Main Street. We're going to uh we're going to dive deeper into our solar bylaw because
there's a few things that we need to add and change and tweak in our solar bylaw. Um again, uh Steve had brought up, you know, we have nothing really for condominiums in this town. It's something that I think we should look into. Uh so yeah, I mean, granted, I'm
saying a lot of things. I'm saying everything's [laughter] completed. I've got a long list, >> but there are just things that are on our radar to help um the residents of this town. And again, uh there's been a
lot of talk that, you know, commercial really doesn't make a big dent in uh our uh financial income difficulties that this town has. But 20 bucks isn't going to solve your
problem, but it helps. You know what I mean? So, if I if we can with the zoning changes that we do, we can save, you know, a couple of bucks for this for the town here, couple of bucks here, it's not going to totally, you know, empty, you know, fill everybody's pockets. Uh, but whatever this board can do, uh, to
help out, uh, the residents with a few tweaks here and there, uh, I'm sure everything will be welcome. So >> yeah, it's I mean, you know, a big part of it is just making the um um it's things for the the town itself, the
the town residents, uh anything that can make things a little bit more comfortable and feel like they're getting something absolutely for the tax dollar at the end end of the day. I mean, right now we're paying the bills and, you know, educating kids and what else can we get for um >> um >> more services in the town? the services,
all of it, you know, that that we're getting here. And um >> in recreation wise, everything I mean, it's just it's there. Um whatever we can present to run up the flag pole and you know, see what we can do, it's there. I mean,
>> as I walk my dog every day, I'm saying that's one thing we'll lack in this town, too, is we don't have a uh dog >> a dog park. Oh, damn it. >> My wife and I talk about that. She's like, "Hey, don't you know anybody who works for the dog? >> [laughter] >> However, Dama did a, you know, did a big
due diligence out there. >> Yeah. >> And it's a my brother comes from Freetown, goes into Damoth and uses the park over there. But >> um they uh managed to start their own um >> advocacy for for a park and they did some fundraising and they managed to get
get some money >> um out of the whole thing to get that park done because it was pretty pretty entailed. I mean, >> you you would think it would be okay with a little bit of land care and put a fence up. >> No, they put drainage in. They put everything in, you know, um underneath
it, you know, underneath there, >> um to collect all the obviously the all the runoff and the dog and everything, you know, they pick everything up and >> um you know, and they set up is a it's in a pretty secluded spot. Um however, it's uh >> like I said, as I walk my dog, I see you
walk your dog. It'd be nice to go someplace, you know, is to uh take the dog and absolutely, >> you know, you can let him off the leash. I mean, you know, >> and you know, and in speaking about the the developments where the houses are closer and there's more open space,
that's one thing that you can incorporate into a development like that >> is to set aside an area, >> you know, with a fence. >> Yep. you know, the which is small dollars compared to the money spent on the actual housing
>> and that way the residents have a place to go let their dogs run, >> you know. So, I mean that that that's one of the things one of the types of things that can make that kind of project a little more palatable and desirable.
>> Yeah, that's agreed. Agreed. Okay. With that being said, can we take a quick vote so we can have Victoria pursue these two uh grant and technical assistant opportunities? >> Can I just >> please >> just if the motion can be to recommend
to the select board that we can apply for them? >> Motion is can we recommend to the select board that we can apply for them? >> Yep. So moved. Let's let's do it. >> Got a motion. We got a second. All in favor?
>> I Okay, unanimous. Run with it. >> Thank you. >> You got to start somewhere. [laughter] You really do. You know, [clears throat] >> you do. You really do. And this is just, like I said, I'm open just the beginning. Uh I've asked with Glory to just keep her eyes open for whatever else we can, you know, uh re throw to
the select board and uh and see what we can get approved. >> You know, and this is this is not really a discussion point, just something to consider. What I've really been trying to think of a way to encourage
maybe not big retail or service development, but to make it a little easier for somebody that wants the dog grooming place, >> you know, uh to do that, >> you know, and generate a few more tax
dollars that way, but not have to go through that site plan review process, you know, which is incredible. incredibly expensive to go through and there are ways to limit the size of the project within the zoning. So that you
know small things that want need like six or eight parking spaces or something like that, you know, are are a lot easier to do and less costly. And that's one way you can try to attract smaller users because not everybody's got a a a
bankroll to support six years worth of permitting y, you know, to to do a project. Absolutely. >> So are you so you're suggesting to almost look at the site plan review thresholds? >> Uh I think I just that would be one part of it. I mean again when I as I drive up
and down Main Street and I see virtually every lot is built on, you know, the in order to quote encourage some non-s single family residential development, uh make it a little easier to do small projects like that.
>> Okay. And uh it it may not amount to anything, but it's if you're trying to get smaller users, smaller users typically don't have the bankroll >> to to go through an expensive lengthy process. >> Agreed. Agreed. >> That's all.
>> Okay. Well, that was that. Uh then we've had nothing come in in the last uh 48 hours. The next uh planning board meeting will be Thursday, July 16th. Okay. >> Is there anything else that anybody
would like to discuss before we adjourn? >> And that's the the 16th. This is the one that you're not going to be around for, right? Okay. I'll just >> try to make it clear up here. >> Yep. >> Turn the memory on and all this stuff. [laughter]
>> Can I get a motion? >> Motion to close the meeting. >> Second. >> All in favor? All right. Thank you. Good night. [music] [music]