WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=uLJlnTBgXRI

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: uLJlnTBgXRI):
- 00:00:00: Call to Order, Introductions, Congratulations, and Minutes Approval
- 00:01:02: ANR 2026-01: Request to Create Two New Parcels
- 00:02:44: Moving Case Site 2026-02 to Next on Agenda
- 00:03:02: Case Site 2026-02: Site Plan Waiver for Building Addition
- 00:05:01: Kevin Grindle Explains Addition and Waiver Requests
- 00:15:35: Public Comment: Ralph Paige on Dumpster and Parking
- 00:17:45: Closing Public Hearing and Planning Board Discussion
- 00:19:56: Approval of Traffic Study Waiver and Site Plan Review
- 00:21:56: Accepting Stormwater Comments and Site Plan Approval
- 00:23:21: Site Plan Review Amendment Request at 95 Shaker Road
- 00:24:26: Applicant Explains Third Story Addition and Parking
- 00:28:28: Rob's Traffic Concerns and Proposed Signage Condition
- 00:31:06: Discussing Parking Waiver and Building Design Plans
- 00:36:02: Public Comment: Ralph Paige Suggests Angled Parking Spaces
- 00:37:37: Closing Public Hearing and Conditions of Approval
- 00:38:11: Backflow Valve and Area Disturbance Approval
- 00:39:17: Site Plan Review Standards and Parking Waivers Approved
- 00:41:13: Condition Incorportating Angled Parking and Site Approval
- 00:45:58: New Business: Town Center District Ordinance Discussion
- 00:54:39: Planning Director to Study Town Center Examples
- 01:03:36: Happy Acres Subdivision Condition and Stormwater Issues
- 01:09:27: Reviewing Damaged Curbing and Blocked Storm Drains
- 01:14:50: Motion to Write Letter Regarding Damage
- 01:18:18: Director's Report: Upcoming Meetings, Special Permit, Study


Part: 1

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I am calling the Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 meeting of the Esau Meadow Planning Board to order. Uh those in attendance are >> Pete Munderson, Bill Fansa, >> Russell Denver, >> Cassandra Cher, >> uh Rob Wood, planner, directing, sorry,

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director of planning for what he was. >> So I think uh the very first thing I would like to do is to congratulate our planning director who recently got married. >> Thank you. Welcome to the club. May it be a long and fruitful marriage. Definitely will do. Thank you.

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>> Say something. >> Yes, you can. >> I'd like to be welcomed by our great grandson and March 15th. Congratulations. >> Great. >> Awesome. >> You have something to look forward to now. >> Have it for you, Pete. >> All right. First is approval of minutes

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of January 20, 2026. Do I have a Do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. Do >> I have a second? Second. >> Any discussion? None. All in favor say I. Hi. >> Uh, the first item, um, Cassie, do you

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want to act as clerk tonight? >> Um, approval not required, ANR 2026-01, request to create two new parcels at 101 Smith Avenue. Assessor's paral parcel ID 4A29

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10-102 located in the residency zoning district. Applicant Donor >> Orbo 69 Lennox Circle East Mass. Oh, no. TW. >> Okay. >> Anybody here for the petitioner? >> Uh, no, Mr. Chair, but they asked me to

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speak on their behalf for them. That's okay. >> Okay. >> So, uh, basically they're just taking an existing lot and splitting it into three separate lots along Smith Avenue. Uh, so as you can see on the screen here, I know it's a little bit hard, but um, you have one box here, a box in the middle,

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and a box up top. So these two boxes on the ends each have a road that butts them. So this one up here is Sus Avenue. This one down here is a road called >> Moyer Avenue. And then Smith is along the side here. Uh just from my initial

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review, all of them meet with the com uh regulations for the zoning districts that they're located in in terms of frontage and lot size. I don't anticipate or see any issues splitting the three properties as they are. >> Okay. >> Any questions, concerns?

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I have a motion to endorse the plan. >> So moved. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> That's turning it off and I hit the emergency button. Okay. Um, any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say I. >> I. >> Okay. So, um,

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>> I make a motion to move case site 2026-02 to next in the agenda. >> I'll second. >> Motion made and second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Would you please read the item? Uh case site 2026-02

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request for a site plan waiver to construct a 7,66 ft square addition to an existing manufacturing building with a requested waivers at 302 Benton Drive assessor's parcel ID 10-9-2 located in the industrial garden park

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zoning district applicant WF Young Inc. 302 Benton Drive, East Mass. >> Hi, good evening to uh open up. >> Okay, before a rendering of the proposed

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addition that's on its way in. So >> So I'm going to open the public hearing. >> Um all in favor say I. >> I. >> I. That's a later item. >> Mr. Chair, can I pass up the supplemental? >> Certainly. >> I believe I already gave us the

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applicant. It's just a comment from our uh public works department regarding storm water. >> Excellent. >> So, I'll hand that out right now. >> I do also have a size of this board for you if you didn't get it. >> There you go. Thank you.

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So, some plans for you guys don't already have them. Just start passing those down, I guess. Take one down. And then same thing with this. Take one. Pass it down.

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>> That's the rest. >> I'm sorry. Can you just move it fingers? There we go. What's the rest of the phrase down the rest? >> Yeah. >> All right. And you tell me, do I need to stay seated for the camera and the or

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can I stand next to >> Certainly stand. >> Excellent. >> Yeah. So, can you at least let us know who you are and who you're representing? >> Absolutely. >> All right. For the record, my name is Kevin Grindle, uh project manager with Barton and Judas. If I'm representing

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the applicant this evening, WF Young, uh with the site plan application for 302 Benton Drive, uh their facility that is uh is currently at at this address. So, uh, for you this evening is a 7,600

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ft building addition to the plan left or the west, uh, shown in an unfortunate color of pink from our plotter this evening, earlier this afternoon. Um, but you see the building addition to the left and the existing building addition in more of a brown color, excuse me, the

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existing building in the brown color uh, in the center of the plan. So, the existing building is a little over 13,000. It's 13,250 ft. And what we're looking to do is put a 7,600 foot building addition off the back of uh the existing office uh the

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existing building. Um the primary use of that space is for additional office office space and storage warehousing space that goes along with uh with their existing uses. um have experienced

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an excellent growth model here at the existing facility and really just responding accordingly. Uh looking to put this addition on the back of the site. Obviously on this plan you see the existing building and the gray colors the existing parking areas. Um this

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grass area to the to the west really the most logical location for building expansion obviously with the front yards and sideyard setbacks as shown accordingly. So what we're looking to do is ancillary to that building addition. Obviously conversation as far as green

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space, drainage, traffic and parking. Uh kind of the you know the typical conversation that we would be having with with planning boards on on a on an application such as this. Um what we're looking to do uh would be utilize the existing parking as it stands like I

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said in this gray tone. Um you see in the top left on that northwest side of the site um 13 parking spaces that we're identifying as proposed parking spaces at this time. Uh what we're looking to do is construct those parking spaces right now. And as I go through this

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application, this narrative, um there are also areas here that were cross-hatched in red, uh that we're looking for a proposed waiver on. And that's a conversation that we'd like to have with this board this evening. Um what we're looking to do is respond to a

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flexible work environment that WF Young affords their employees. Um right now with uh their existing employees, 40 current employees, 36 of them on site, 12 of them currently and permanently remote. Uh so on any given day in the

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current configuration, there is a dozen and a half cars on site and we've got 57 parking spaces currently. So kind of projecting that out with that with with that calculus. Uh we're looking at um you know in future to growing to 68

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employees 56 of those would be on site and the configuration we're we're proposing right now is a parking a buildout for 70 parking spaces. So those 70 parking spaces uh we feel you know we're very comfortable uh with saying

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that is uh far beyond what we need to account for this growth model and to handle this additional 7600 ft of building. But recognizing what the parking requirements are for the town. Um, we've identified what it would take

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uh to propose uh to propose the total 86 parking spaces that are that would be required based upon the building square footage per your regulation. And we're showing those in that red crosshatch both on the west side and then an infill on the interior and infill adjacent to

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the main entrance to say that if there was a time in the future that those would be necessary, we are blocking those off at this time, identifying those areas. uh but asking for that waiver at this present time. So we did not have to construct those as we have more than enough parking to uh satisfy

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um the employees that we currently have and will be having as far as uh you know once this building addition has been constructed. So along with that waiver kind of running hand inand subsequent to that is also a waiver on the traffic report requirement

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for the regulations. Um obviously very low trip generation as it currently stands and with that projected growth model again very low trip generation based upon this use in this building. Um so we would be looking at that waiver as well being noting of being noted as far

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as the uh the the existing and proposed employee count is is far below um what we would anticipate requiring a traffic report. And we're confident that the uh that the Benton Drive roadways and adjacent roadways are not going to be uh you know negatively impacted by um you

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know adding uh adding this building addition and and adding this staff to the uh to the neighborhood. So with that pivoting from the building and the parking, the next item of conversation would be drainage. Um, obviously there is an increase in impervious area based

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upon the 7,600 ft of building and roughly 2400 square ft of additional parking with this new parking up in those 13 new spaces up at that top left. So you'll see in this plan bottom left, so southwest and northwest, uh, there

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are small detention basins being shown. uh those basins are similar to what you would see along the frontage of WF Young's existing facility and also similar to the configuration of the basins that uh when I was last in front of this commission we were looking at

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the facility just north of us uh the new CHD facility here uh we utilize those this a similar detention basin configuration on this uh site to the north as well um taking advantage of nothing less than fantastic soils um you

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of these soils are draining um you know 4 feet an hour um well well beyond I'll say most soils I'll see on a daily basis. So taking advantage of very good sands and gravels of fairly deep groundwater. Um what we're looking to do

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is construct a basin on the southwest side uh that would handle all of the roof water uh both for attenuation of a 100red-year storm um retention of that storm as well as infiltration of that 100red-year storm. And not very often can I say that we're in a position to be infiltrating a 100red-year storm.

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Typically we're retaining it and sending it off site. So uh this basin on the southwest uh handles and infiltrates and attenuates the hundredyear coming off the building. Um and then this increase in in parking area is handled by a much smaller detention basin runoff basin um

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coming off that parking area along the proctoral line and that would be directed then back into swailes and then directed back into the existing uh drainage pattern within the site that's running along the existing basin and then being infiltrated through yard drains and a larger detention basin in

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the front. Um the expectation is that there's no water leaving this site, no water discharging off this site for 100ear storm. Everything is infiltrating. So keeping again that separate so that roof water is to the southwest and the minor parking lot

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water is within this basin that goes into the larger treatment train that's already existing on site. So you also see on this back uh again southwest corner um the large lawn area that's existing on site. Um, off the back of

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the existing building, there is a wooden pavilion structure uh a small outdoor gathering area uh that will be within the footprint of this proposed building. What we're looking to do is effectively shift that west, construct a similar uh similar pavilion structure uh off the

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back of the building. again taking advantage of a lawn area and privacy off of Benton Drive so that um employees and uh employees and vis visitors can take advantage of that lawn area and then some outdoor opportunities within that pavilion structure outside their main

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office complex. So again, a couple other minor items of uh you know, you know, I'll say uh kind of checklist through the through the regulations. Um recognizing the wooded buffer to the west um is existing. We're not looking to propose it. Uh there is

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no substantive clearing as part of this application. Um again, coming right off the back of the building, taking uh taking lawn area, but no uh no tree clearing. Uh we are proposing minor vegetation along the detention basin, continuing the theme of of uh of

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evergreen species along that southern border, continuing that up along the detention basin, provide um uh some screening opportunities from the basin. And again, just just aesthetic appeal based upon the building configuration. Um the parking is as as our narrative

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did indicate um there is an additional handicap space coming into the back of the building that we're proposing to access uh new sidewalk and pathway network to um what will be a new entrance on the back side of the of the addition. But aside from that,

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pedestrian traffic, pedestrian flow on the site does not change. um effectively just moving a sidewalk back as well as this as uh to uh to provide egress coming and going out of the out of the building addition. So um with that I will keep myself brief here. Um team

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from Associated Builders, team from WF Young and team from architectural eel is with me this evening. So uh with any hard-hitting questions I can pivot back to uh the experts that will have the answers for you. But I hope I've gone through the narrative and submission and

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and and uh and town requirements well for you and again here with any questions. So thank you all very much. >> Of course. Uh thank you for complimenting us thinking that we ask hard-hitting questions. >> Questions before I ask anyone else if

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they wish to address us. >> Well, you know how I feel about waiverss of parking area. >> Yeah, I do. >> All right. Uh, anyone, this a public hearing? Anyone else wish to be heard on this matter?

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Last one more time. Is anyone Yes, sir. Ralph Paige, 137P's Road. Um, former planning board uh chairman uh currently a town council member. Um, just a couple things that is hard to see from the

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picture. Uh, dumpster um for trash removal. Whereabouts is it located and is it fenced in? The existing dumpster is in the southwest corner of the site. It is fenced in and it will not be moved or altered based upon this application. >> Are you thinking that it's sufficient to

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handle um with the increased size of the building? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> It it only handles typical uh office wastes. Uh there is no no expectation that it would be need to be increased at this time. >> Um so just for full disclosure, I'm very

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familiar with the property. we used to maintain uh the condominium uh office condos right next door. Um I think the addition and all will work perfectly there. Um I do like the thought and I believe Marilyn could correct me. I

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think when they originally came in years ago um they asked for the same type of deal with the parking that they weren't going to need all the spaces so they left it as grass but it's dedicated in case in the future they have to. Um, and

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I think that's the big thing here is that they have the space for it. And if you leave it as green space, it's probably better than putting asphalt that's never used. Um, so I I would definitely be all for that. I think uh the layout and all looks great. Thank

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you. Do you want Yeah, I better I better sign in. >> Um, so uh I put that in your packet as a possible condition to consider. Um, and just when we get to that part, Russell, all the conditions for the permit right now in here, more more transparent,

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makes more sense to go through all of them. But yeah, I I have a proposed condition the board should consider is conditioning the parking. So, if there were reserved spots, if the board want to go down that route, it's wise to make that condition of the permit just in case. >> Thank you.

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>> Anyone else wish to be heard on this matter? >> Hearing none. Have a motion to close the public hearing. >> So moved. Second. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All right. Back to discussion. So I uh I

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am thrilled that WF Young wishes to expand here in Esau Meadow where they've been here for many years. They have a beautiful building. It's always immaculately maintained. I think they're a wonderful corporate citizen and I think whenever we can uh help you know

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this process along so that continue expand add employment to you know to a specific spot here in Nissan Meadow that's designated for that. I think it's a a home run. So but I agree. I mean I have no I understand Pete's hesitancy

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and and I understand it but and to Ralph's point it's dedicated. It's there if they need it in the future in the future. So, I mean, I'm glad that it's it's included in this with clear explanation. >> Yep. >> The thing that makes me kind of go soft

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on this is that it's green space. >> It's less unbalable uh car. So, >> right. >> So, you're an awful lot of >> softening up though. >> It's just a >> melting to me.

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Um it's just that in the past for restaurants and all that, we have not done this type of thing. Well, this is the second time >> this year that we've done it. >> Yep. >> And it doesn't just doesn't >> So I don't know if we'll do it for the next item before us, right? Uh but the

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fact that it's in an industrial zone, it's really a standalone building that's really not, you know, very close to other specific buildings in place and that we're kind of dedicating that space for future use. >> I I feel good about that.

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>> Makes sense. >> Yeah. I mean, if this were in the right around the Rotary, I'd probably say no. >> Yeah. >> Or if it was a restaurant or something, >> but this is completely different, >> you know. So, >> okay. Good. >> All right. So, Rob, walk me through the

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>> Yeah, sure. So, I um if you go to the uh back, so page five of your uh permit application reports, there's a action item list under section 8. >> All right. You just have to go through each of those items. You have to do you could either do the waiverss in block or individually.

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So, someone make a and with respect to the traffic study, I I agree. >> It's a business use. It's not going to add. You're not bringing in uh tractor trailers to the site. You're not burdening that that whole intersection right there. So, I'm comfortable with

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that. So, can I get a motion to uh approve the requested waiverss for the parking and for the traffic study? >> So, move. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> All right. So the next would be for the

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uh approval of the standard site plan review uh items. >> How's that? >> Yes. >> Should we bring up the comments from Mark? >> Yeah, I'm going to get to that. >> Yep. So um you basically have to go through the findings that are taken out

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of nine. >> Item six. >> Item six, >> page four. >> Uh sorry, it's item >> five. >> Item five. So item six is your conditions, but usually the board would just review them and vote and block, but if you want to go through each one,

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that's your choice. So there are a number of uh findings uh with respect to section 450-9.7. I I've reviewed these. Hopefully others have as well. >> Yeah. >> So can I get a motion to approve? So move.

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>> Do I have a second? Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> Um so a condition that was brought forward by Mr. Burman from Department of Public

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Works says site rating, drainage and utilities, specifically storm water BMP plan shown on sheet number two of five is for 286 and not 302 Benton Drive. Please correct and resubmit.

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Um it says area of disturbance is less than 1 acre. The local storm water permit is not required for this proposed project with an area of disturbance of 27,300 square ft. Do I have a motion to accept this? >> So moved.

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>> Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. This will be a condition that will have to be added. >> It also said no comments on highway. Yeah, >> highway. Yeah. Um, so then I think we're here just to approval of the site plan with the

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conditions and the waiverss. >> Uh, did you approve the conditions? Sorry, did I miss the part? >> We did. >> Did you agree to add the condition regarding the parking situation? >> We did. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

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>> So, a motion to approve the site plan waiver with conditions and waiverss. >> So moved. Second. >> Any discussion? hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you. >> I'll reach out to the applicant person who's on charge of the open gov uh

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tomorrow. >> Yep. >> Excellent. Appreciate it, Rob. >> Next item, please. >> Okay. Site 2026-01 requests for an amendment to the site plan review of site 2025-06

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to construct a roughly 5,000 ft commercial/off building at 95 Shaker Road assessor's price ID 28-2-0 located in the industrial zoning district applicant Steven L Graham trustee of 21 Schillingford realy trust

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35 industrial drive sweet 1 metal mass oh no tweet evening. >> Making changes already pass. >> Okay. It's a little crazy. All right. Graham. Um

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original plan called for twostory building containing office space on the first and second floor. Uh and the building location was in the center of the lot essentially. Um

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changes now are we adding a third story and we're moving the building to the south end of the lot which would be the farthest away from the chapterine kitchens building. Um,

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>> so what is in that bu What is that building now? >> The L kitchen is building. >> Well, you said you're moving it or removing it. >> We're constructed. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. So, the new building is just further back. Set back in the property.

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>> Further to the south. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> To the south. >> Yep. Um we the reason for doing that is um it there a couple things that that changed.

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One is the groundwater storm catch basins now have all been put underground. The primary reason for doing that is we've increased the parking substantially from

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um I think it was 53 spaces originally. We're now up to 72 spaces. Um and moving it to the south puts the parking rather than on each side of the

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building. parking is now to the north of the building between the chapter lane kitchens building and the new building for Okay, we have third more parking and got the storm

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water buried which should make it a nicer lot. uh should should be nicer to look at. And um we have the third story. Third story um as the zoning requires

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now is commercial. If there's a mixed use bylaw that comes into place, then we have plans to uh turn it into four to six condiments

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in which case the parking requirement would drop. substantially. Parking requirement for the commercial space is 75 spaces. If um it's five spaces per thousand square ft,

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I think the zoning requires either four and a half or five. So, we're four and a half, we're above it. If it's five, we're slightly below it. Um, and

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we've also moved um we've got a nice spot for the dumpsters in the back of the building now that's in the south. And um and uh I think I just think it's a very very much improved

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for the whole project. parking have a um will be divided in half with some um plantings in between and there'll be oneway traffic in and out

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to Shaker. Okay. Anything else? That's it. Rob, do you want to just kind of let the public know kind of what was first and now what is here? What planning uh concerns you might have? >> Yeah, sure. >> Yeah.

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>> So, uh I for folks in the audience, I have the plans up there on the screen. So, u the existing or the proposed building is going to be on the left there. Uh and then you have two uh rows of parking. Um so, before the building was in the middle and parking was kind of surrounding it. Uh the applicant at

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the time had a two-story building with it was around 50 spaces like you said and then now they're proposing to shift the building to its current position on these plans and then add more parking uh getting up closer to where it's supposed to be. They're supposed to be at 75 um

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if all the uses in the building including the first floor uh proposed cafe restaurant is going to be there is 75. They're proposing 72. Um, and if he does residential on that top floor, it does bring the spaces down, but you

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can't really rely on that because that number might be different. So, short long story short is that he's three spaces short, but I I'm sure there's reasons for that which you could explain if the board brought that up um as a concern. Um,

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and the only concern I have, Mr. share is that um aside from everything looking good in the site plan, I just have concerns about the flow of traffic within the parking lot area, it looks like according to the plans, there's two ways going each way in and out on these

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two entrances here along Shaker Road. Um I even inserted this as a proposed condition to the permit. I think the site should be one way flow of traffic. Uh clearly marked signs uh just recommendation to the board for safety reasons. Those two curb cuts right there

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are pretty close to each other and I can anticipate during rush hour traffic that causing significant delays if folks were turning opposite directions. Oneway traffic on this site would ensure smoother inflow and outflow. Um it would

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probably make it easier for folks on Shaker Road making a left turn to not impact traffic because there's one spot where they're making a left versus two separate spots. And then having two spots where people go either way could really complicate that. >> Stephen, would you say it's gonna be one way? >> Yes.

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>> I thought so. >> Yes. The the drawing to fix it otherwise, but we'll make it one way. >> The building across the street is the same way. >> Yes. >> And I think the the condition that I I'm suggesting to the board, if you would consider it, is uh to include signage

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and to make sure the signage is installed so people don't confuse where to go. >> Right. So that's that's pretty much it. Everything else seems pretty straightforward to you, Mr. Chair. And this is an amendment hearing, so the applicant wasn't required to submit every single item up front, just items

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that are relevant to the amendment. Thank you. Okay. So, uh, you kind of set it up. So, let's talk about the proposed parking waiver. So essentially, and I agree with Rob, we shouldn't take

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potential future residential uses in that area into consideration because, as we'll talk later in our meeting, we're just going to start the process here at the planning board

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because there wasn't there were materials uh referred to us by the town council this past week or the week before on a draft bylaw for the town center, but essentially I think I met with Rob last week and we'd like to lay

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out a timeline, how we go about actually determining what we want it to look like, what the boundaries look like, what type of housing that would be allowed, the densities, the setbacks, the whole bit. And we get to that, you'll you'll hear more of our

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conversation. So essentially the waiver for the parking would be for three. Okay, >> Mr. Punderson, >> I can live with that. I think it's a great looking plan. >> Thank you. >> It's it is essential that people

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recognize where the in and out is. The building across the street is kind of like a surprise when you pull try to pull in. >> So I'd like to see signs that say, you know, one way do not enter instead of just the line painted on the on the pavement. So there's not a >> building. It's the

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>> office building. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> One I sit in once in a while. >> I is there >> and the hair. >> Oh, that's the next Oh, that's next door. >> Yours is >> ours is one way in. >> Yeah, yours is one way in. One way out. >> But it's kind of a surprise that the signage isn't really good. Yeah.

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>> You know, the the do not enter is like >> kind of like not really You really can't see it. No, you can't. I was just there yesterday. I went, "Oh, wait a second." >> Kind of like Rockies. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, something like that >> where people don't that way. >> Okay.

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>> But I think this plan is way better than the other plan. This is a real substantial plan >> and the three spaces to me doesn't bother me. >> Okay. >> The other what what was it request last night? 16 or 10 or you asking that last night? It was a lot. >> Yeah.

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>> And and it's just not fair to other applicants that we hold, you know, their heels to the fire, so to speak. say you've got to have 10, you got to have 12, >> but a few spaces, it's not a, you know, it's >> it's different than a full restaurant

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>> where we park in the neighbor's place or down the street or things like that. So, >> and dumpster dumpster plan is much better. >> Also, um, Mr. Chair, I forgot to put action item to approve that waiver for

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the parking. Uh, so that's my mistake. Well, just just you'll have to remember to do that. >> That part just got married. It' be the first of many. >> What bothered me last time, Steve? Steve, what bothered me last time was that you owned the property that you

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could have put the spaces on, and like I said, it was a lot to swallow. I was definitely against it. >> I understand. >> Okay. >> I I I like this plan a lot better, too. >> Well, it it looks great. >> Yeah. I mean, looks like a real, you know, complex. Three stories going to be

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a big building, but that's what's allowed. That's what's what is allowed. So, >> and so if I read the narrative correctly, so it appears you're going to have the deli on the first floor. The bank that was going to be on the first floor is now going to be on the second floor. >> Correct.

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>> Are they going to have a retail operation? >> Well, the bank has downsized their space requirement substantially from 5,000 square ft. about 1,300 square feet. >> Wow. >> And they are a commercial bike only.

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>> Okay. >> So there's no um no traffic. >> Not a lot of traffic. Uh and um you know and it it's free goes as as I mentioned it's going in on the first

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floor and and their parking requirement is a function of how many seats they have inside and outside and and so I've given you the worst case plus their

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employee count. I I think we'll when all is said and done, we'll probably be under that requirement once they finalize their seat count. This is definitely an improvement. No. >> Yeah, I agree.

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>> Thank you. >> Hey, it is a public hearing. If anyone else would like to come forward to be heard on this matter, please step forward. I'll ask again. There's >> Come on, come on, Mr. Paige. >> I love coming in here.

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Um >> again, Ralph Paige, 137P's Road. Um same as before. Um if this is going to be a oneway in basically a circular path, my only suggestion, and I suggest this on

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every single one that comes in front of the planning board or anywhere, is to angle the parking spaces so that it encourages people when they're in >> back up and go the correct direction. If you make all the spaces at 90 degrees,

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they go the wrong way. They know they came in there and you have that. Now, the nice thing, um, it looks like the plan was designed for a two-way. And I believe if you do one way, uh, the requirements are a little bit narrower.

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I may be wrong. Um, but it would only make sense if traffic's only going one way that you don't need the 24 feet or whatever it is in the middle. Um, but other than that, I think the plan looks great. I think the fact that he's

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increased uh the parking spaces um brought it up to almost exactly what we need. And again, you're not going to know for sure until the business actually goes in and those could change a little bit. Everything else looked great to me.

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Thank you. Good luck. Obviously been to Cabela's nomfort. Oh yeah. >> Anyone else like to be heard on this matter? Please come forward. >> Hearing none. Do I have a motion to close the public hearing? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none.

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>> All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> All right. Back to the main matter. So why don't we just quickly address the concerns of Mr. Burman from the Department of Public Works. Um he says the install backflow valve on private

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property shown on P WGC-6 rev A. Um, replace CBD 3140 with slotted top frame and great shaker road with mass DOT 2* 2 with 2 in square frames and

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great rebuild block structure at CBD 3140. Area of disturbance is 1 acre or greater requires local storm water permit to be submitted to DPW. Seal any cold joint seams with cracked

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seal pavement tie-ins on Shaker Road. So we always usually add these as conditions. So I do have a a motion to uh require these as a condition. So move. >> So I second. Any discussion? Hearing

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none. All in favor say I. I. >> So on the waiver for the parking requirement, do I have a motion? to >> to approve the waiver. >> So move. Do I have a second? >> Second. Second. Y

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>> uh any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? You're looking perplexed, Rob. >> That's fine. I'm just uh space to make I'm listening. Sorry. >> Okay. Um no discussion. All in favor say I. >> I. >> That passes. Uh, we need to approve the findings made

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for the site plan review standards that are listed in >> they're upside down. >> Starting at little upside down, but >> that's okay. >> I apologize for the formatting. I guess it wasn't proper. >> Don't worry about it.

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>> Print it correctly. >> We got it. >> So, what page are we starting on? >> Did you get It's in there. Oh yes, it's item five. All the bindings required for site plan review. Do have a

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motion to u approve. So move. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Um then the conditions on the permit besides the one from DPW and the waiver.

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And I'd like to add I think Mr. Paige actually makes sense on the angled parking. >> Yeah. Don't be surprised. But um I see where it says that in our bylaws. I I know it says 90° encourage, but there's other areas that talk about

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60 and 45°, but I'm not seeing where specifically it requires that for oneway drives. >> Yeah. Just the psychology of it though, it does it leads you in >> its in that direction. >> When you're trying to back up out of a square space, a 90 degree space, it's a

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lot different. >> Mhm. I mean, I think the current Frigo's lot now is angled. >> Is angled. And >> so it it encourages you to go around the building because it's one way in, one way out. So, we're just going to continue that, which I'm in favor of, by the way, as long as there's proper signage.

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>> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, so that and let's talk about the signage. And so, you're you're can you read it to the record the language you wanted on the signage? >> Yes. So, it's one condition about the flow of traffic on the whole site. Uh so

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obviously this is included within the other conditions. Um >> okay so the one that's highlighted is the condition that I'm proposing that's outside the normal uh standard conditions. So the condition reads the flow of traffic on the site shall be one way in order to help mitigate traffic

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congestion on Shaker Road. Each curb each curbcut entrance/exit on Shaker Road shall be one way only. Appropriate signage shall be installed to facilitate the safe one-way vehicular circulation on site. And I feel like if the board wanted to include having the

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angled park right here, you want to put that in this. >> Yeah, put that there. Yeah, >> Rob, also if you look diagram, >> the end cap for the parking spaces since the spaces will be, you know, angled. Should that something be done right here,

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right here, right here? Cuz if you have an angle, it's going to create, you know, an odd odd odd uh shaped parking space. See what I'm saying? >> Uh yeah, I do. And it's really up to the board cuz I if you're making them reorient the parking lot. So So if the

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parking spaces are going to be angled, that's going to require them to adjust some of those islands there. >> See what I'm saying? >> The whole thing gets reconfigured. >> Exactly. So you might you might want to see that update. So that's going to require probably another >> talk about these Steve after >> the fact

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>> right here. Right here. Going to be angled. >> I think the whole just change change that radius a little bit. >> Mhm. because otherwise you have a space that goes like this, you know, >> right? Clear that space. >> It's actually a waste of space for you. >> You have two options here. You could

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either condition that they um make the change after the approval or where the board decides or you could have them come back at a future meeting to review it with the board. I mean, it's whatever you want to do, but there is going to have to if you're doing the angled parking spaces, they are going to have to reconfigure some stuff on the site a

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little bit. >> I like to see that. I like to see it. I like to see it. >> Yeah. >> So, we can do an initial approval tonight dependent upon >> a revised parking

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um plan. >> Showing the space of showing the angle. >> Showing the angle. >> That's if the board's okay with me reviewing on your behalf afterwards because if you approve it tonight, that means you close the hearing. >> That's okay. >> So, if the board wants to review it instead, that's your choice. Okay. Also,

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I think that should be a separate condition. >> Um, where at the end we insert that uh the parking has to be angled as such. I don't know if you want to do the 45 or the 60. Um, it seems like the 60 might

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be more practical. >> 45. Yeah, 60 is a lot. >> So, you think the 45? >> 45. I think 45 will work. >> Okay. So, 45 degree. They'll have to amend the site plans and then present that to me afterwards for me to say, "Okay, you can >> I'm good." >> Okay, good. >> I think that that by changing the end

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caps of the park, it's going to be better for him. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, I think um so the condition that I read to you >> was was included in the conditions that we >> Okay. So I think uh just as suggestion

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to the board, we should incor incorporate the parking angle. >> Okay. >> As a separate condition, >> separate. >> Okay. >> Separate motion. >> All right. Who's going to make that motion? >> So moved. >> No, you have to put something on. You

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>> got to put something on. I move that we change the parking spaces to angle 45° angle spaces and we require um a visual of that and showing the end caps being changed to 45° also >> to be approved by the planning director. >> Yes.

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>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Okay. And now on the overall site plan approval uh as amended uh motion to accept to

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approve all the conditions. >> All the conditions. Yep. >> So move second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I set. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Please shout tomorrow.

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>> Okay. Next on our agenda. So, new business. So, um I think everybody received a copy of uh an email from Connor O'Shea. >> Yes.

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>> So, that was an initial um draft ordinance on the center district. Um they essentially have sent it back to the planning board to kind of um give us the draft say on it.

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>> Well to to actually have us draft a uh draft it. >> Yeah. Um, so I don't know if one of the two town counselors or both want to come forward, but um, they've had a number of town council has had a number of discussions in a number of presentations

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even beyond the one that we met with the town council on. Um they from my observation from watching the meetings um they were unable to come to a definitive um conclusion on what the

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bylaw should look like. So they've referred a d can I call it a draft bylaw to the planning board for further action. I get that correct? >> Close. So, uh, Jim, um,

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>> counselor, yes, had, um, had looked at, you know, the different plans that came in front of us, and the thought was is the council just kept saying, "No, we don't like it. No, we don't like it. No, we don't like it." Without ever putting into words,

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what we felt the council could get behind. And so Jim took it upon himself to start listing things that he thought we should see in the center that as a council we could get behind. And

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we didn't craft per se a bylaw. We crafted an outline of things that we think we can get behind and to give it to the planning board so the planning board can look at it and say, "Okay, you know, now we understand the path that they want to go in. We like this. We

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like that." and craft a actual uh zoning bylaw for it. >> And just with full transparency, uh I was up in Portland, Maine on work when he called me on this and asked if I would review his draft, sent it to me

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and I gave him my thoughts on it. But my thoughts pretty much mirrored all of our kind of discussions on on the issue. So, I then met with Rob on Thursday of last week

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>> and I had some thoughts that I'd love to get from all of you. So, I mean, this has been out there now for two years, >> at least full two years. Um, and that we really kind of need to lay out a timeline

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on developing a bylaw that would incorporate the thoughts from the town council, but also from our thoughts and from guidance from our planner. Um, and to do that, um, and take into some considerations what some town counselors have

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mentioned. So, like Ralph specifically said, we should have a meeting with some developers and see what actually what they would think that they could actually put up in the town center, what would sell, you know, how do they make money if they were to develop any type

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of housing and what type of housing? Um, I suggested to Rob that he undertake a little research project to find four or five similar communities to Islam Meadow like probably within a 50 mile radius

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and say, have there been some town centers that have succeeded in reinventing itself or reinvigorating itself that has the walkability that everybody talks about, the small shops that people might want to visit? Were

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there was there any housing part of all of this? What type of housing was all part of this? Um, and just to let us know so that we might personally visit and you know and we might invite, I

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don't know, an official from that town who some of the redevelopment or maybe even the developer who put up the housing and why did they choose that type of housing versus something else. But always considering this is an East Long Meadow project and we don't have to

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go and say they were successful so we're going to take everything they did. No, we don't we don't need to do that. We have to make it we have to make it ours. You know >> metal project that has a rotary. >> Yeah. >> Correct. >> And it has playing fields in the middle of town. >> Yep. >> And it has pension basal. That's why it's metal.

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>> Yep. Yep. >> Um >> and it's a fairly small piece of property. >> Oh, that's the other thing. And also that I want to discuss what we think the boundary should be for this is essentially almost an overlay you know

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and you're putting it over a certain parcel. I mean I think from what I heard from everybody is they believe that we should we should not have industrial uses going forward boundaries that we agree >> we that we agree.

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>> Okay. Um, so you know, just my initial thoughts, I was thinking go down to Tomorrow Carpet, you know, and then you've got a couple of auto repair places that if they ever went out of business, those are perfect small machine shop, you know, operations. But

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to me, it kind of felt like tomorrow Carpet and then across the street is Shaker Bowl and then the next building down >> No, Fazio is coming the other way. >> Yeah, is retail. Yeah, that's, you know, and then you have houses, >> right?

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>> You know, so, you know, that's just, but this is stuff I don't want to talk about tonight, but I want to talk about >> do you like the idea of setting a timeline to say we need to try to have this done by a certain date, much like we did on

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330 just street. 3 months we will be done. And we all worked to get to that point. >> Six months. >> The short answer is yes. >> Okay. Six months. >> I was thinking >> I was six months. >> Is that too much time? Council has little time.

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>> Nobody. They They can't answer. >> So, we're two years in. So, six months. >> What's six more months? >> It's worth the time. >> Yeah, it is. >> It's worth the time. >> We've got to get it We've got to get it right. >> Right. >> Let's Let's do our due diligence and get it right. >> And I think what happened was, you know,

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initially, if I may speak, the council focused more on looking at the zoning. We were mostly concerned about the industrial zoning and and trying to perhaps um create some different uses within the town center that would be compatible um but not necessarily a

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thrust for a lot of housing. And then somehow we ended up going down that path and um it became very clear that every we were trying to put all our apples in one basket and it just within the area that we were working on and it just

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didn't seem like it would fly with no impact studies. We we didn't even know that 15 to 20 acre uh units per acre would work. And so um but we wanted to do something. So that's why you have a

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document before you. Um we realize it was done by basically three of us, but the council approved it. Um and so we'd like to see something come out of it. And I guess the other thing we could I

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mean after we all do this research and really kind of look at things. I mean if there is not the property available to actually put up appropriate housing whatever we define is appropriate to be allowed in the

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zone. Do we then say okay let's forget that and what other uses would enhance the viability of the rotary? I think I think we need to look at everything all the options. >> Yeah. I was I once thought of business

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condos where you can have a residential, you know, unit within that business condo. So, it's a live work kind of concept. They're close to the little shops. They don't add a lot of traffic. >> That's that's my point. It's the traffic. The insertion of two or 300 cars at the center of Vlaw metal every

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day. >> I mean, you look at school school dismissal time. It's it's not good. or just a busy day trying to get around the road. I mean, we get around it because we live here, but you know, people that are coming in >> Yeah. >> could be a definite problem. >> All right. 6 months.

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>> Six months. >> Six months. >> What else would you like our planning director to look at? >> I I mean, examples. Yeah, I agree with that. Something that was, you know, the more the marrier. I mean, you can sit here and plow through them and see, >> pick and choose. I mean we'll get

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>> if we go way back there was a discussion to allow residential uses on like uh not the first floor but multiple floors above >> you know very common in u cities very

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common in European communities uh I've seen that in some some communities across New England you know that was an interesting concept and somehow that just kind of found its way into the circular basket, but you know, we can look at see if that's viable. >> Yeah.

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>> I would I would also like to see um owner occupied >> rather than just rentals. Encourage owner occupied. Encourage owner occupied. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, for Rob, what else you

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want to add? Uh >> did I pretty much say what our meeting was on Thursday? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Basically and I think a lot of it's doing research and seeing what other communities have done. Then you also had discuss holding some um engagement

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meetings >> with developers for developers >> during one of the uh playing board meetings coming up. And then the first meeting >> where we're actually going to take a deeper dive I guess was agreed Russell to be the next meeting of the playing board on the 21st y of April. Um and you

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also had discussed taking the draft framework given by uh the council and formatting it into a way that would insert itself into the bylaw >> to the bylaw. >> But that's pretty much it. And I think you know make that the living document

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and then kind of use that to to work on over time during this process. >> I was encouraged to hear Steve Graham say >> for his third floor condos. >> Yeah. Yeah. So that >> well he's trying to he's looking ahead too. He knows he knows this is out there. >> But multif family is also a pretty broad

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term. So it includes rentals, ownership. It just it really depends on like the space available for them. >> Yeah, >> that's kind of what the term is the type of unit you're going to have. So I think you know there's definitely a lot of things that could be studied here. I think there's a lot of things that

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should be considered because it's such a big impactful district. So having those conversations while we're developing this would probably be the best move for the board and don't do any public hearings until the very end when you Right. >> Yeah. Right. Because we'll get jammed up with that. Exactly.

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>> Yep. >> Yeah. >> I think I think it's good direction and uh good encouragement from the board. So that'll prompt me to start doing my own work and stuff. >> So you kind of like the process. >> Yeah. I just don't know what we can say and not say to show president or bias in

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certain cases. So >> hold the powder. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Just let's see >> until we gather more information and facts and stuff like that. >> We're still at the infancy of this again. >> But I I have always said

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I want to do what's right for the entire town. >> Agree with that. >> Right. not for one individual or one >> group. It's for the entire what's in the best fit >> for the entire time. >> Also, I do want to say one last thing

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too. I think that >> I think um you know we also have to keep in mind current economic situations, current climates for development. >> Oh yeah. >> Housing needs, business needs, just everything in general with each other. And in order to make districts that are

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mixed use work, you have to understand the economies and what developers can make work from a financial standpoint. And I think that's why having that conversation with developers is going to be so important to ensure this district is is a success or it's a district that

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might be hard to build anything in. So, I guess over the next six months, which I'm going to have a big timeline on my office wall now and October this year, um I guess having a clear goal in mind would be a good idea. So, just think

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about some things you think would be beneficial for the center outside of this meeting versus things that you think are going to be detriment. I've already heard some of them come out during this conversation. I think our meeting on the 21st, Russell, from what it sounds like a lot of it's going to be focused on this when I create that

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reformatted version of the framework so you guys have a copy to look at and start taking your notes on and stuff. So also it would be great you could a week before the meeting send us a list of topics that you would like to address to

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keep it moving along so that we get those list of items and we can start thinking about it and be prepared and not just come that night and oh okay >> open a document. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We uh definitely do that.

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>> All right. I know we have another item. Happy acres. >> If it if I may, if at any time just reach out. I'm sure we could set something up with the council and uh like I said, if you want us brainstorm

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amongst all of us, we can do that too. So, >> I do think one when I was watching the meeting, one of those meetings, Paige came up with a very interesting concept. So you had I think a kind of like a was it accessory dwelling village. >> Oh

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>> any cluster housing. >> Cluster housing. >> Right. Right. >> There actually is I long long time ago when I even more interested in zoning than I do now. >> Uh Sunderland is one of the first places in the state that did two cluster housing developments. And cluster

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housing is you put the houses very close together and then you've got gigantic land all around it. >> Upton village. >> Yeah. >> Village. Exactly. >> Yeah. >> How about that? >> Well, I've been there a couple times. >> Thank you. Really? Yeah. It's very cool, isn't it? >> My friend lived there for a long time.

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>> Very cool. So, >> so with that, I think the thought process was to limit the size of those houses that are clustered together. >> Yeah. Yeah. obviously >> and that way there it becomes more affordable and um like I said I I know I

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know part of the thought process is how do we make some of our housing more affordable solution may not be stuff everything in the middle of the town. It may be, hey, have some of these outlying areas where we have beginner houses and we can

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encourage those to go in in order to keep our center. And again, it may be a combination of both or whatever. And that's why I'm saying I think we should have everything on the table, everything open and and think broad for the whole town. Um, and I think the the amazing

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thing here is we can come up with the absolute best plan, but we don't own all the property in the center. Yeah. >> So, we can create the ability to do it, >> but if the owners choose not to do it, whether it's finances or whatever, it just

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>> That's right. >> doesn't happen. So, >> do you have in your mind owner occupied? >> I like owner occupied. Um I mean >> I don't I I don't know I don't know if you can legally enforce that. >> Fortunately not. It's a

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>> Yeah, >> we can encourage it but I don't think we can. >> That's the problem. >> We can't we can't statement before. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I think there's also some big uh just to give you some homework to look into before the next meeting in terms of like natural trends especially in New

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England from what I've seen and from folks I've talked to across my six years in the profession uh just from many developers I've met it seems the shift in the push is less away from low density development to higher density

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residential commercial is not as prominent as it once was. There's some really big societal trends and truths you have to keep in mind when creating a bot like this. >> Yeah. >> Because if you have those trends and truths that were true 20 years ago back when commercial development was way more

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successful, then it's not going to work. >> I'm just going to be very blunt with you guys. I think you have to look at trends that are beneficial to this bylaw and to the town. Or else the bylaw is just not going to work with developers. >> Yeah, that's why I want to meet with them. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's good instinct on your

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part, too. Good instinct on your part, too. >> Once in a while, a blind chestnut or a blind squirrel can find a chestnut. >> You're right. >> You're right. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> You want to You can stay and listen to our discussion on Happy Acres.

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>> All right, Rob. The floor is yours. >> All right. And I'll show some Rob. >> Yeah. >> Do you have um a definitive a picture of the downtown and the area marked off? Yeah. >> I'd like to see that. I can um provide it in the meeting packet for the next

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meeting or do you want it earlier than that? >> I'd like it earlier than that and grab one >> a week before with everything else. >> The so the initial one that came out of the center town district committee, you know, it was essentially the Rotary, but

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it went all the way down Shaker to Chestnut, I think, was the one we're probably looking at. >> Yeah. It included like the Rotary area, the business and properties around it, including the uh the center square and I think it went down the Shaker all the way to Chestnut like

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>> I think because most of that district is industrial >> zone industrial even though almost none of those properties are industrial properties, >> right? >> Um but yeah, I can include that when I send you your weekly email reminder about the stuff to think about, including the district boundaries. When

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you go down Shaker Road >> and you get past Danny Bureau's building by the pizza shop >> and it's all spate buildings. >> Yeah. >> There's no room behind them, is there? >> Not really. >> I don't think so. >> Not much. >> Not much. Not billable. The railroad

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used to go through there. >> Why would that be included? >> You got where contest used to be. What street is that? You know, you got the veterinarian hospital. Is that Bond Street? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. There's some >> back there. There's back there. >> There's also wetlands back there. >> Yeah, that's true.

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>> And then a big hill. >> A big hill. >> Yeah. And I think, you know, we can also use um just my experience permitting a lot of this stuff and reviewing it like what trends I've noticed to consider. So, say for example, dimensional

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setbacks or lot coverage or whatever. A lot of those properties in that district are very undersized. Most of them are less than a half acre on average. So, if you want to make redevelopment possible, that's something to consider as well. Like, is your zoning going to be

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prohibitive a potential redevelopment? I can tell you right now, a lot of businesses coming to the center are going to look for existing spaces cuz that's easier for them, that's cheaper. Or if a developer is coming in, they could do first floor commercial. But you remember uh I don't know if you were present for the presentation from BHB

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showing the um the renderings, but they do mention that it's very common to see vacant storefronts in a lot of different communities throughout the state. >> He mentioned he lived in Cambridge and he sees vacant storefronts pretty often there even. >> So, you know, do you want a bunch of

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vacant storefronts or do you not? Do you want a bunch of housing or do you not? What's a good middle ground? These are all very real things to take into consideration and just visualize yourselves what you would want to see in this downtown area. >> I I envision that mostly on the west side of Shaker Road

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>> behind the plane fields, Maple Court, the whole area behind there. That's the way I look at in my mind, which would be a great place to develop. When you go on to the east side, >> there's really nothing behind those buildings other than little bit of land and then Prospect Street. >> So if you're driving towards the Rotary that east, correct? Uh, if you're coming

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away from the Rotary, >> if you're going down Shakes on Shaker Road, right hand side. >> Okay. >> All that space, >> you got the detention basin, retention bases, wherever it is, people court. Yeah. Then you got Steve's Place and that the land that goes up to Nwood Drive

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>> and the walking trail. >> That's that's how I picture it. >> Yeah. >> Something that's >> more easily to develop than the other side of the road, which has building building and really nothing behind them. up then up the hills is Bronspect Street. Yeah.

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>> Y and also there's talk of walkability, you know, in order to encourage walkability, in order to encourage parking lots that might go over property boundaries. So multiple buildings owners can use parking. I mean, there's certain zoning implications you have to consider as well with that. And a lot of that

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type of development, usually there's flexibility in design. So flexibility in regards to say if you require this much parking, can you share with your neighbor just to make the site look better? You want the building to always be a certain distance back from the

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street so you can have like a little plaza or walking area. These are things we're going to talk about obviously during this whole process. There's so many moving parts here. >> I'm just introducing this to you guys now so you can understand how complex this is going to be for you. >> Oh, when this whole thing came up, I

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thought, "Yeah, Maple C's going to get redeveloped. be wonderful. Some shops go along like this with a little bit of owner occupied housing and that's the end of it. That ste the railroad station >> and all that. How >> about closing off Maple Court making it >> I drive every day twice a day. Don't

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take that away from me. >> It's not about you. You know >> it is. >> That's a good relief valve for the rotary. >> No, it's definitely a good relation. I just want to say this before we we end this segment, but there's um I've had six high school students reach out to me about uh like a civics class, this

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project they're working on. Six different students from the same class reach out to me asking for advice on what to do and stuff. And one student wanted to design the rotary area where the part on Shaker Road where it meets the Rotary down to Maple Court. Make that like pedestrian only walking way.

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>> Oh lord. >> And then circulate traffic all around Maple Court. Make Maple Court like a bigger road. >> Oh. Yeah, >> I know. I was like, >> I don't know about that. >> I give I give him kudos for the creativity. >> Yeah, >> they haven't lived here as long as some of us.

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>> Okay, >> happy acres. >> Happy Acres. Thank you. >> Let me just screen share so I can uh give you a better slideshow perspective of what we've been seeing. Happy Acres. So, just to give some background, this has been a constant issue even before we

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had the winter as of recent. So Happy Acres, as you know, is owned by one developer who has sold several lots to different developers. So there's at least four or five different developers who are building houses there that we know of. So the one thing the plane

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board's required to do under the subdivision rules and regulations is to make sure the roadway conditions and the storm water are maintained at all times and in working order. There's evidence that a lot of storm water um drains have

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sediment that are just clogging up every which way on the road. Road condition is not in the greatest at the moment. There's been a lot of cheap patchwork that's already degrading the road even further. There's damage and evidence that curbing is just getting destroyed. We understand that there's a lot of

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heavy vehicles that come and go from these sites, but even in front of houses that look like they're already almost done. The curbing is still pretty bad and it doesn't seem like there's good coordination between these individual lot owners versus the subdivision owner

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overall. So, I know we had discussed this at the last meeting to do uh a letter to them on behalf of the board saying that you have to correct these issues or else we're going to potentially reopen the subdivision hearing, which you have the right to do. You actually could open the hearing if

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you want to. Has to be appropriately advertised obviously as per the regulations under state law, but you could still do that. And I'm going to go through some of these pictures. You already have them in your packet. Um, just so Ralph and Marilyn can see >> audience. >> But if we were to open

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>> Yep. >> or bring them back in. What are our you know what does that >> what authority do we have? >> You could technically revoke it from and they can't sell any of the other lots there. I could confirm that with Jesse, but you do have some teeth here to get

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them to comply with us. And I'm I'm definitely going to talk to Jesse tomorrow about what the plan board could legally do. >> Okay. But I know a good jumping off point would be to send them a letter and just say, "Hey, we notice all these compliance issues. Here's evidence of this included in this letter. Um, please

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fix them by this date or else further actions can be taken. I'm going to talk to Jesse about what that could be, but this is the second time now. We told them through email the first time >> to to fix all these issues, and they have not done that at all." >> Okay. And there's also evidence that

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individual developers are also >> poking holes in their silt sacks for erosion control. >> Just >> terrible idea. >> And it's draining water with sediment into the storm drains causing damage. >> Did they reach out to you after the email?

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>> No, we haven't heard from them at all. >> Have you heard any owner complaints? We've had complaints to DPW from property owners >> about the status of the road, about um I think it started with sidewalks not being cleared, which you technically

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can't enforce, but then that led to a further conversation about oh these storm drains are all clogged with rocks and silt. That's not good. And that kind of prompted this site visit that myself, well, I wasn't present because I was actually out sick last during this, but

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um Alex Conservation was there. Uh Will Cahillain, the soon to be departing building commissioner. And >> I know and uh Felix from DPW was there as well. He's the water and sewer guy. We just kind of noticed, well, they noticed and I looked at the photos

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afterwards that it's just not in the greatest shape at all. The roadway looks pretty bad. And if you don't mind, Mr. Sure. I'm actually going to go through a few of these. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Just to show for the record. As you can see here, there's significant damage to this curbing here. I know they're probably having large vehicles come and

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go, but maintenance is not in the greatest order. >> Some of these pictures are just >> So, do they have a certain period of time to have a completed project? >> No. Uh because they started doing any work, they're within compliance. We

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don't have a deadline to complete the whole thing either, at least in the conditions of the subdivision. >> And we certainly have not accepted streets. >> You have not such >> bad condition. >> Yeah, they still have a performance guarantee for the site. >> Yeah, >> like the covenant's been released, so they're starting to build left and

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right. They have to extend the deadline for the performance bond or else they can't really do much else building itself. >> And how much is the performance bond? >> I don't remember the exact amount, but it's it's sufficient. Yeah, >> DBW recommend the number and how much

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maintenance and construction was still needed, including the laying down of top coat and probably recurbing and some sidewalk work. >> But even their catch bases on the property are overgrown. They're not in the best working condition, which is

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also under your purview cuz you have to make sure the detention areas aren't overgrown so they can appropriately drain the water into the water table. So, this this is this is a storm drain right here. You can see they there's evidence of silt going into it, but

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there's another photo of one that looks way worse. This one right here. >> And it's just clear that like all that is just gravel and debris. And there's even a a wood block here. I'm assuming that didn't come from the tree itself. >> So, it must have came from somewhere else more man-made. Um, but yeah, I

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think I think the conditions are appalling. I I think myself and the folks who went on the site visit all agree that further action is definitely going to be warranted here. >> Oh, I think it's time. >> I think you as the board in order to do anything moving forward, you have to

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author Oh, look at this one, too. They uh did a a cold patch, it's called, >> of that damaged part of the road, and it's looking pretty bad. It's already crumbling >> and that's problematic. So, you as the board would have to authorize me to write another letter on your behalf um

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that I would then send to them. I'm going to do first class certified mail to the owner of the subdivision. Uh just so there's proof that it was delivered to somebody. I'm going to copy in their attorney, Josh Lavine, who I still know very well. Um and then the realtor with Weblas Carpool. Everybody's going to be

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roped into this. There's going to be evidenceation just so nothing is left under the radar. There's no, "Oh, you didn't actually send that to us. Yes, we did. Here's the proof." And I think it we should look at and address all these different issues just so they can at least do something.

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And it's up to you how long you want to give them from date of receipt of the letter. If you want to do 30 days, your choice. >> It's been going on 30 days. >> 30 days. Okay. >> It's been going on long enough. >> So 30 days from the date that they receive it, I think, is fair. It has to

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take time for them to get there. We'll have proof of that because once we get the slip returned to us, >> yeah, >> it's going to show the date they received in the mail. >> So, that's pretty much it, Mr. Chair. I don't know if you guys have any questions for me or if you're free to sell on that. >> So, pretty cut and dry. So, the

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the end responsibility will be on. >> Yes. The owner of the sub. >> So, the owner will have to have some sort of uh contact with the various builders that are there. >> Yep. and put some sort of pressure on them to adhere to keeping the property clean, neat,

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>> fix, >> not breaking curbs, fix it. >> Not Yeah. Not letting debris be in the street or washed away from their property. >> The road is their property. >> What's that? >> The road is their property. >> I know. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I'm what I'm saying is the contractors have to abide by certain rules. Yeah.

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>> And maybe there's not enough silt fences, whatever. >> You know, if they got water in there and they can't work, well, then they can't work. But they can't, you know, take the silk fence down and let the stuff in the storm drain into it. >> And they've they've actually cut the material in the storm drain. >> That's what the building commissioner

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says. And he says that he's going to reach out to those properties individually and say, "Fix your storm water mitigation, your erosion controls, fix all that stuff." And I think Felix is also going to reach out to each of them about clogging up the storm drain. Um, and Alex from conservation even said

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some of the stuff is draining into the resource areas for for wetlands. And then their detention basins falls under concom as well. So he's gonna have the commission reach out to them too. So there there's like four different areas where these guys are going to get noticed from the town. I think the

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>> board one contractor's going to go it's him, not me. >> Oh, of course. >> Probably. >> But you know what? >> But we also went there before any of the stuff's being sent out anyways. So, whoever is the perpetrator, it's going to be pretty obvious who it is because

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there's holes in their soap bags and a trail of mud coming from their property. So, I I think the whole thing is just kind of a to speak freely and bluntly, a chaotic mess at the moment with everything that's going on there. >> So, yeah. And you guys do have to take a

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formal vote to authorize me to draft that letter on your behalf. >> Motion. So moved. >> Second. All in >> favor say I. I. Thank you. >> All right. Director's report upcoming meetings. I will not be here on May

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19th. >> It's good to know. Uh so I had to actually leave this whole list and dates because we haven't met in a while. >> Um >> four months, three months. >> It's like uh since January 20th, >> but there's no meeting on June 2nd. Is

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that correct? >> That's the election. >> Election. >> That's correct. Thank you for the reminder. So that's election day at least for town election. >> Town election, right? >> And um Wow, Russell, you get another two weeks off. >> Yep. The summer time. Yeah. Um just want

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to give you guys a heads up. There is an upcoming hearing. The advertisement hasn't gone out yet because it's going to go out on Friday. Um but there is going to be a special permit hearing on May 5th for 55 White Avenue, the former, I believe, Stacy's Cleaners. Uh there's going to be a proposed restaurant cafe

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type use going in there. >> Really? Yep. Good luck. Yeah, no kidding. >> They actually per per the number of tables they have and the parking lot count, they actually made the zoning work in that regard. It's going to be a smaller place. >> Be small. >> They're they're anticipating a lot of walking traffic. >> Kind of. What kind of restaurant?

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>> I think it's like a takeout sandwich shop or something like that. >> Yeah. >> Hot table. >> Oh, >> hot table. There you go. >> It's not a hot table. It's a light hot table. >> Hot. Yeah. Panini type thing. But it's not like it's like an In-N-Out type place. >> Okay. So, it works for the zoning, >> but this this that's contaminated still,

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right? >> I'm not sure. >> They're working on it. >> Yeah, >> they were working. >> There there's a well right there on the left when you go in the parking lot on the left. >> Yeah, >> I'm sure that we can look up the status of any environmental impact assessments online, but I'm not sure of any at the

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moment. So, I could ask the owner when they come before the board. Um, but yeah, that's coming up on the 5th of May. Just a few uh last minute updates on some projects that have been going on. So the comprehensive zoning study, we are expecting our final deliverables

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from our consultant Paris plan group by the end of the week. We're hoping to get it on to the town council's next meeting agenda if possible for their review, but right now we're still trying to figure out those final details with them. We were awarded $25,000

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from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation Services to updates our open space and recreation plan, which expires October of this year. The reason why that's important is because we have to have this plan active in order to be eligible for park grant funds, which helps a lot of different conservation

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recreation types of projects, including a lot of projects that Donna is trying to do in the recck department. So, it's very important that we have this plan active and going. We're going to work with Pioneer Valley on doing this update because they did our first one for us. And the open space plant update is not as long of a process as doing the plan

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from scratch. >> I was involved in a plan from scratch and that was two years of my life that I'll never get back. Oh, that was painful. >> So, we're we're thinking I'm going to be working pretty closely with with them on this. We're working with Mimi Kaplan from Pioneer Valley. Um >> and to Donna's point, a lot of the stuff

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she's tried has come before community preservation. Just doesn't fit. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and >> and you know, they've tightened their tightened the criteria >> substantially in the past couple of years. >> They have. And I believe overhead power lines now disqualifies you from getting funding. >> Does.

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>> It's problematic, but I understand where they're coming from. >> Oh, yeah. >> Um, and yeah, we're going to do another probably two or three committee meetings. It's type of meeting where initially you ask what's going to happen like what are your goals, fears, and worries. Here's a draft and then here's

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the final product. There might be an additional meeting, but we have to discuss that with Pioneer Valley before we sign a contract with them. >> Not going to be as extensive, but you know, this one won't be >> it won't be as bad. And, you know, 25,000 was sufficient for them. It is a reimbursement grant, which means that we

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have to request funds as we get invoiced. And we're also proposing a I think it was like a 10% uh inind match of staff time. So it'll be hours that I spend and my staff spends on doing work for this and then money that we put up

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for different public outreach events. We had to document all that stuff. But they gave us money and we can't say no to money for types of projects. >> Um then lastly, we actually just talked about it. Mixed juice follow discussion. You all pretty much know what's happening with that. April 21st is the

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first meeting where we're going to talk more about it. I'm going to have a draft uh formatted for you and I'm going to send everything on this topic to you a week beforehand. >> Good. >> Including list of topics to discuss. That's pretty much all I had. Thank you. >> I won't be here August 4th either.

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>> August in Alaska. >> August 4th. >> You say August 4th, Pete. Okay. I'll write that down. >> All right. Uh no other business. A motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All >> in favor say I. Fire.