Okay. December 8th, 2025, I'm opening the Graanby Planning Board >> meeting. And first on our agenda, minutes from October 28th and November 24th. Do we have those? >> Yep. >> Yeah.
Good job. Oh god. Well, why don't we table these for now because >> we can't vote on them. >> Okay. >> At this point because you were at one, >> right? >> And you were at the other. So, >> okay. >> Sounds good. >> Let's wait until >> Yeah. I was not another member comes in.
>> Yep. >> Can I copy that, J? Thank you. Thank you. >> Correspondence. There's no You don't have anything, do you? Can >> Okay. I've got the decision here for 185 West State Street that I'm going to sign on behalf of the board.
>> Oh, hello. looking back to the minutes. >> Okay. Oh, I reviewed them. Chris, we're just reviewing these two minutes.
>> So, let's go with the October 28th first. Why make this the 28th you were here. >> Oh yeah, the 28th you were here. I probably November 28th. >> So I'll entertain a motion for the
October 28th. >> I can't remember. Oh yeah. Um, I'll make a motion to accept these minutes. >> We have a second. >> Second motion.
>> Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I I Okay. And I'll make a motion to approve the Monday, November 24th, 2025 meeting minutes.
>> We have a second. >> Chris was out too. >> Yeah, I was. >> Okay. So, we hit the table. >> The table that Okay. Okay. New business. Planning board will review the petition
of Sarah and Ryan Voyolin, Redfire Farm owner and applicant who seeks site plan approval for the construction of a farm market. The proposal is submitted under the section 6.3 site plan approval and the applicable provisions of section ex
section three use regulations section 3.2.2 2 farm business commercial greenhouse of the Gramby zoning bylaws. The project is located at 34 Carver Street identified on as assessor's map
6- C-4 in the in the residential single family units zoning district. Okay, we've all had a chance to review >> Yes. >> the plans. >> Yep.
>> Um this is not a hearing, but I will um take any comments from the public. >> Just raise your hand. >> Paper. Paper signing here. Yeah. >> I don't need the paper. >> You don't want to see who's going to order when they came?
>> No. Is this a done deal? Pardon >> me. Red fire. A done deal >> as far as >> getting approved cuz it's almost built. >> Correct. >> So, I don't know how that happened.
>> Yeah, I can't answer that either. We didn't we weren't presented with the site plan approval until after the fact. >> So, we've >> pardon me. How can they go to the town did not approve it? >> So, so the town did approve it. The
building inspector that was the current building inspector gave him permission to to get started and then we never received any information on it until formally until uh our last meeting. >> Yeah. >> I live at 47
Street. Who >> who am I who who are you by the way? >> Brian Aldridge. I live at 47 Garver Street. Okay. >> And I'm worried about traffic and the mess they're going to make.
>> Okay. Is there anybody else have any comment? >> Well, I'd like to hear from Sarah and Brian. >> They're they're on your list. >> Yep. We will >> name name and address >> here. Hi from uh Ferry Hill Road. How is
it that uh certain departments can know about the building going up and know of its plans at a previous date and yet this board doesn't. Um, I'm used to when I'm applying to a
company, a corporation, a city or anything, if I'm in touch with any wing of that city and making formal applications on anything, I would assume that that that organization knows about it. So, I think it's awfully strange
that you say you've never heard of this. >> Well, first of all, if you're questioning us on whether whether we have or we haven't, I take I take off uh offense to that. >> Why? because we didn't we didn't know anything about it until it was presented to us. Well, you shouldn't take offense
to Ben you didn't hear that's >> but nonetheless nonetheless this took place >> city people don't hear about what left hand >> I heard I heard I heard all that the first time the previous building inspector approved
the building permit a second building inspector came in after the fact and that's how we got notified >> oh wow so >> and it wasn't an official and it was not an official notific ification until we sat here as a board at our last meeting
two weeks ago. >> It has been previously approved by a previous building inspector of this town. >> Yep. Yes, it was. >> It was a >> The questions have to come to the board or any
>> any conversation has to be addressed to the board. I don't want this getting out of hand. Um Joan Grer, 20 bot ice. Um I am so excited that Ryan and Sarah have decided to continue farming in Randy after what
they've been through a flood, a drought, and a fire. My business was burned down twice in the 80s, and I know how hard it is to rebuild. I know the costs keep going up and up. We're in Graanby. We stayed in Graanby
because of Rainfire Farm, because of the healthy organic food because it's a it's a farming community. So, the fact that, you know, they have grown organic farm, they're they're known throughout the state as as top organic farmers and we
are lucky in grandeur to have them. And we feel, John and I feel that we're lucky because we both were very busy at at uh one stage in our lives where I wasn't we weren't cooking very much and we got
this chair and we would come home and say, "What's this?" Because we didn't know what kale was and we didn't know what rodney was. And we have learned to cook. Sarah always provides lots of great relief and it's really made a
difference in our lives and I think we're just so lucky to have them. So I hope that we can just you know I understand one building inspector and another building inspector aren't kind of communicating or something but can we
can we move this forward so that we can have this farm store open for next season? >> Sure. way in the back. >> Okay. I understand there supposed to be only 20 25 cars parked over there. >> Name and name and address, please.
>> Mary Albert. Um uh last meeting we were told 20 25 cars parked in that area and only that area. They're going to come down the sides of the street car in Chapi and have them sticking all out all over the place. Are they going to have 50 cars
over here? so that we can't get in and out of our driveway. Not only that, I live there. I live right next door. I don't have a problem with farmers. My grandparents were on Lion Street, right around the corner from me. My other uncle was there. I grew up there
playing, okay? I have nothing against them, but these people are slo. I'm sorry, but >> Well, let's let's let's watch the road because I'm not going to stand I'm not going to stand for that in this >> in this meeting. law. It's true, but they got a mess.
>> Susan Knight 1932 Fairy Hill Road. My husband and I moved here also in large part because of Fred Fire Farm. I'm a retired uh whole food chef from New York City. I grew up in in South Hatley and and had farm family in Graanby. And um
when we saw the farm was here, when friends told us they were here and we started visiting it, we decided to retire here. We have a lovely expensive home, pay a lot of taxes, and I am so thrilled that we have something as stellar, as amazing as a Red Fire farm
in Graanby. I just want to give you a couple of of stats here. The farm reaches 7,000 people every week through CSA Farm Shares. We get fresh vegetables, organically grown all year long from them. Um, their farm shares go
out to 100 1,200 households in the town of Rambi, Montigue, Springfield, Northampton, Ammerst, Boston, Jamaica Plains, Cambridge, downtown Boston, Brighton, Watertown, and Newton. They teach people how to eat. If you go
online newsletter, you can always see that they have uh cooking classes always. So, they're helping teach us to eat better and more healthy. Uh they currently serve farmers markets in Springfield, Hampton, Wayland, and Ammeris for weekly fresh produce from
the main outdoor season. And then they go to Somerville, Wayland, Springfield, and Northampton in the winter providing yearround access to healthy foods. In addition, lowincome access to healthy foods through healthy incentives, the the HIPP program and the SNAP program.
The farm serves lowincome residents with fresh fruit via farmers markets, CSA, and a farm store. Very few farmers can make it anymore, as you know. They're folding their doors, and they need a store or a shop where people can come and pick things up. That's how they're
going to survive. Um, so they, let's see, at other market locations, including Grammy Farm Store, people do use their SNAP. 20 to 35% of their total sales come from SNAP. That's incredible for a farmer to be
able to say that. Um, they their sales represent probably about $60,000 a year come from SNAP alone. I think that's amazing. Redfire Farm also um partners with um lowinccome lowcost
shares and they can also buy they can just buy um what are called EBT eligible household shares. So that's a wonderful thing too. They also donate uh food about 50,000 pounds of fresh food to our food pantries. Think about it. In June,
Jul J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J June 1st, grants were stopped to the large food pantry in Chis the they lost $144,000 worth of food purchasing power from June 1st until August 1st. That's what the
administration did. They just stopped all these grants going to farms and to to uh food pantries. So where were they getting their food? you know, epological mansion. We worry about it being clean and safe. I'm at the farm constantly. I have never seen
any more than 10 cars except for the wonderful tomato festival which we all love. It brings people from all over the valley. Just like the garlic festival someplace, we have a festival here. We haven't been able to have it because the barn burnt down. They haven't been able to produce that for 2 years. This year
in New England, they won first prize and second prize for the best tomatoes in the state. I mean it's such an extraordinary place. But let me tell you a little bit more about the ecological management. These people cut our carbon footprint. They clean our water by the
way that they farm. Ecological management and land trans preserv preservation. Let me just read something that someone wrote about them. With 200 acres in rotation, they steward with certified organic management and resting land with carbon collecting cover crops
between seasons. Their farm has brought over 118 acres of land into permanent protection. I'm really going to fight this uh um from development and more to come. The farm maintains a very diverse crop mix
and creates habitat for wildlife. As an example, a 2-year study of birds and local farms showed how the farm sustains an especially wide mix of birds, including species facing precipitous decline in the northeast. With an
overall count of 70 different species and an astounding 528 individual birds observed, Redfire Farm was one of the most productive and remarkable study sites that I, this writer, has ever visited over the course of field
seasons. Both Mont and Graham locations hold surprising high diversity of abundance of birds. Nowhere else such as the that we see nowhere else such as the Song Sparrow, the Orchard or the Cliff Swallow, and the Louisiana Water Thrust that was by Elizabeth Brodsky from the
UMass Department of Environmental Conservation. I just think we have an incredible opportunity to support this farm and I certainly hope that our planning will will clear the way for them to continue to do the kind of work that they're doing. Thank you.
>> Anybody else wants to speak? >> Okay. So, let me let me just clarify before I take any more comments. Let me just clarify. We're not here tonight to determine whether or not the farm is going to be allowed. The farm is going to be allowed. It's it was um allowed by the building inspector code enforcement.
We're here for strictly a site plan approval. We're not here to determine whether or not the farm is going to be allowed. Um, at our last ju just to recap a little bit, at our last meeting, the board took uh
reviewed the plans. Um, and it was just it was just presented to us. So, we we've had a couple weeks to to uh digest what was what was provided to us by the by the owners, the owner's rep. Um, one
of the things that the the uh the board had issue with was one of the groundmounted signs. Um, and we >> ground mounted sign >> on the on the westerly side, I guess. Would it be >> mounted sign?
>> Yeah. Yes. So, um, again, we haven't discussed that that portion of it yet. And have we had any feedback from the chief, the police chief? >> I have a couple of comment letters here. >> Okay. All right. So, let let me finish some of the public and then we'll recap
on some of the other information. But this is strictly a site plan. It's already been approved. It's not it's it's it was handed off to us after the fact by the code enforcement officer who who said that they have a right to do this. >> Okay. So, with that with that being
said, I I'm still I'm still open for we're still open for comment. >> I thank you chair for that explanation. Uh, my name is Trevor Austinino, 38 Taylor Street in Grany. I'm a retired now as a retired state fire war from Andon County and I just like to speak on
the Boland's behalf whom I don't know but I've been admirers of their time and I've seen the work they do there. Um, at my capacity as a state fire warden, I traveled all over this country to go and uh deal with communities that were struck by wildfire, whether it burned
down, California, Alaska, Wyoming, etc. And when people had fires, the communities came together to support them. And I think this is a time when we need to come together and support a local family farm. As Mrs. Nightly had spoken the so many farms, small family
farms are being destroyed right now because of the tariffs they're dealing with, all the challenges, the cost, and these people are rising like phoenix's from the flame and that they they've come a far way. And I applaud them and I want to just tell them that this
community is here to support them. And I hope that we can all come together and support this effort. It's a small business. I can see small business people going to the farm red fire farm then traveling down to the wine house going to the Brandy Legion going to our
local uh community we need to build business that's one thing this this uh finance committee has said let's support this family and I taught you guys and we're here with you >> hi my name is Margaret Christie I'm the
special projects director at a nonprofit here in the valley called community involved in sustaining agriculture and you have really just spoken to the name of my organization. We work to strengthen farms all up and down the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts and to help communities
come together to work farms just as you said because farms grow food for us. We obviously need that. You spoke so eloquently to the um quality of the food that Ryan and Sarah grow. Um, but at the same time, farms can't survive without
the support of community. So, I think what you all are doing here is really important in coming together and expressing that support for a farm. And you've described and other people have described the um real strengths of Red Fire Farm. So I I don't want to belabor
that except to say this is a gem of a farm that you all are lucky enough to have here in Graanby and they are just extremely dedicated to growing a wide variety of products so that you can really you know you'll be able to go into the farm store and really do a lot
of your shopping because they grow a lot of fruits and vegetables. um they grow them really well as has already been said and they're really committed to food feeding their whole community and that is enormously important. Um as we
know we saw in this fall the threats to food security. We know how um many people are really struggling to pay their bills and figuring out ways to make really healthy, fresh, local, organic produce available to everybody is no tall order and also, you know,
takes or is a tall order and takes um community support. I also want to um speak to the the role of the building inspector and the decision the building inspector made because Massachusetts does have ruled a law that limits the
ability of towns to restrict agricultural activities including the sale of agricultural produce and Graanby has a right to farm by law. And so those things are really important. you need to obey the law, I think, in um making decisions about how much you can
restrict agricultural activities because the law is very clear on that in Massachusetts. I'm sure you all board members are very familiar with that um because that's part of your role, but other people might not know about that. So, that's I think, you know, important in making clear what you can and cannot do. So, I mostly want to say you're
really lucky to have red firearm here and um enjoy your vegetables. >> Can I just add something to this? Well, let me let me hear from somebody else. >> Uh Marie Bett, uh new logo. Um
I'm just I'm wondering when I first moved to Graby, I used to get all my food from Grand Fire. Um it it seems to me a barn burnt down. The barn is being built. Then I had a store. I'm not sure that there's a big
difference between what was there and what is going to being filled or has been built. My question is you indicated that there was an issue. You had a concern about the sign. I don't I didn't see the plans, you know, that's not my
perview. Is there a workable solution for the concern that you have about the sign? And is that the only thing that's holding out the approval process? >> No. No, that's not holding at all. And we haven't discussed any type of restrictions, if any, on that portion of
the site plan. >> I just wanted to address a concern that a a neighbor had because I think we're all really cognizant of how messy things were after the after the fire. And I I'm just got to tell you that I I cannot tell you how hard it is to watch um
Ryan's dad move these small buildings and watch Ryan and he and all the farm staff out there trying every day to display things as beautifully as possible to make the place look as nice as possible. And I I understand somebody's frustration when we live by a
fire. It's it's devastating. We had a we own a rental property in Springfield and the house next door burned down. It was we were so sad for tenants who were there and they complained how awful it was for a while and we didn't have patience. We kind of have to hang in with people when they have fires and I
just want to I don't know if they're still here but just say that you know they they work incredibly hard. I see it all the time. You can't be at the farm and not see how difficult it is what a struggle it is to get every day get that food out there looking beautiful and
delivering it to people. I I I just so admire their efforts and I I think that everybody really wants it to work in a clean and safe way. And I I'm sure that Sarah and Ryan have really heard this right now, too. In terms of cars, the only time I've seen cars on the road is
when we have a farm share pickup and it's a busy day. There might be one or two cars that can't make it into the old lot. Doesn't sound like it's going to be a problem on the new lot. And I just hope that when you consider the sign issue that it is visible for people driving by so that they will know that this is a
place where they can stop and shop. Not that it'll be dangerous but that it'll be that you'll work with them on visibility with their architect and and uh you know with them. Thank you. >> Okay. Do you would you like to present?
>> Yes. And I guess Sarah would like to speak first and sure. >> I'm going to sort of try to connect with >> um actually just realized I forgot the site plan. Do you have the drawing? >> I have.
>> Thank you. Would you feel okay? Yep. We want to move that one. Why don't you if you don't mind? it'll be easier for the folks at home to hear you. >> Okay. Well, I I did want to start with thank you for helping us get to this
point. Maybe you guys didn't have as much of a hand in it before, but it has been a lot of different steps to review all the things for the town and um to make the building possible at all.
and I worked some in town government as a volunteer in my hometown and I understand how much effort people put in and I really appreciate it. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Um and we are very glad to be at this point in the building process where
there's actually something coming back to life after the fire and um all of the efforts that our community has put together to recover at this point. Um it's very heartening. Um, and we, you know, we're hoping to be
able to explain the project today with Rey, our architect, um, to answer questions if people have them, and address any concerns from our neighbors. Um, and we're happy to meet with folks also outside of this meeting from for
our neighbors who have any concerns or questions um, to talk about them and if there's things that we can help with, glad to help. Um, so yeah, in in Graanby we, you know, Susan talked a little bit about what we
do, but we're we're growing overall like 200 acres. We do 100 acres of crops each year and rest a lot of the land. And we feed estimated about 7,000 people per week with fresh produce. And in Grand B
um we have about 300 households that come every week and get fresh food. So >> currently >> yes mic turned on >> I don't know >> just
>> I'll do my best to talk louder. Okay. Um so it has been a long road for us and a lot of extra work on top of farming to pull this whole plan together and so much effort from Rey and and our other helpers. Um, and essentially we are just
trying to replace what we lost in the fire, which is the place where we sell our produce, where we welcome families to come out for activities on the farm, for pick your own in the fields, um, and to host our community supported agricultural pickups. Um, and all of
that is very vital to the viability of our farm. We've seen, you know, much less sales since the fire at the farm store and we really hope that the new building will bring us to, you know, a better place financially, too. Um, and
that will help us to be able to continue feeding people, the many people that we feed throughout the whole state. So, we appreciate your review and are happy to answer questions and help as we can. >> Thank you. Hello again. Hi. Uh thank you for the
opportunity to let us uh present this project and have an open discussion about the approval issues. Um so just to give a little bit about more background to this project. Um, you probably probably read
in the newspaper how the loss of the original barn was an over million dollar loss for Redf Fire Farm. And um, part of what got the project maybe going a little further ahead of people than they expected was that they were able to get
a an agg mass agricultural grant, but it was time delimited. And so, uh, we we talked with the town, we talked with the building inspector at the time and we realized that the approval process for the market would probably take longer
than the funding would be available. So, we are under the danger of having uh a good substantial portion of the budget p the funding pulled if we didn't get the project going. So uh just to explain um
what we did was uh be the uh farmers are allowed to propose buildings uh bar barn structures by right. Um that portion does not necessarily need to go through an approval process. So we applied for
what's basically a shell permit to let them put up begin putting up the structure itself with the understanding that then we would go through the approval process for a farm farm business market which then would trigger things like the conservation commission
review the uh uh the board of health review uh and all the and the planning board review. So, um I apologize for our lateness in getting to the planning board review. We we have been trying to we have emailed
you since July, but I think most of our correspondence was I was in regular contact with uh Commissioner Quinnland to to understand what what issues uh we should bring before you. um the uh uh
the uh you know so so there has been engagement in the process. I I don't want to sound like we never reached out. Um and it wasn't it's actually not quite clear from the zoning bylaw. Uh I mean we are
not we're allowed allowed a farm business is allowed by right in the residential zone and is not required to do a special permit but we recognize that there's still a site plan review process especially for the parking and
the signage. And we were under the understanding that we needed in advance of coming to the planning board the reviews from the conservation commission the uh review from the board of health for the septic system uh we actually had
to go to DP because uh the in order to have a market building that can prepare some of the foods we had to go to public water system. So we had to go to D for approval for that. uh and then also uh
for to the uh Massachusetts uh Department of Agriculture for permission for the septic. So there are many steps involved and it actually has taken about 8 months to get to this point. So uh but we didn't want to come prematurely
before the board uh for because uh we want we were under the understanding that we're supposed to get all these approvals before then. So um so the the project uh was uh permitted to go forward in February
and believe me we did not expect to be here in December. This is finally reaching this stage. So um so that that kind of explains I hope that gives some explanation for the timeline. Um, and also I guess I just wanted to respond a little bit to the comment about the the
the uh farm farm maybe not having some attractive aspects or whatever. I mean, right to farm does outline the fact that farms aren't necessarily just, you know, pretty pretty fields that you just can look at, but that they're active places of work and some of that work is not
going to be the most aesthetic or least smelly or whatever. I mean, that that's a farm is a farm. And also that, you know, in in terms of the life of a farm business, as some people have pointed out already, the the ability to sell and
be a market and have cars coming out to to get your stuff. You know, we all have cars. So, we know that if we want to go someplace, the parking lot is going to fill up. So, these are all aspects that are really vital to a farm business. And indeed um you know we we I went through
some steps to uh with Commissioner Quinland to assure him that this is indeed a farm business and it is so it is have that um definition under the zoning bylaw. So um so just uh to get to
the site plan. So the aspects so just to explain a little bit to the public street is running along here and many of you are neighbors. So you already know
that the uh you know the existing old farmhouse which is there um there's a 2 acres sort of exclusion and then about the 44 acre APR that's all kind of all over this area. Um so we're bringing in
a new driveway that's quite close to the old one. The old one is actually right here with two two outlets. We're closing actually closing one just to make one outlet. And then uh this is brought in here as a 25 car parking lot which actually is kind of shielded by the
house and allowed vegetation from view to the street. Obviously we'll see some cars here because actually a lot of business wants to show some cars being there. Uh, and then this is the new farm structure that's that's um, you know,
under construction. Over here is where the deliveries would would go back behind. So, this is almost completely out of view from the road for their trucks to move in. Um, trash and recycling would be kept to that side of the building. Um, there'll be out here a
very low mound. It's almost level with the street when it's done of the septic field. Sebast enables them to prepare food and uh you know expand on their their able ability to market their product. Um there's a well over here
which is just on the edge of the wetlands and is allowed as a zone one clearance for a public water supply that took about three months to get approved. We have the stone uh rainwater gardens around the edge to make sure that the
water filtration is the water's coming off garage. So um this also in the report out the poster report is we've been uh worked with the the the fire chief for the turning radiuses for fire
trucks that's been cleared and also we did a traffic study. So the peak traffic um load is considered 40 40 cars on a on a weekend day which is almost a negligible kind of impact even if you
thought about doubling that. I mean you probably everyone who lives here knows how how well traffic this road is. So it's really within the easily within the kind of thousand of activity that you
already see on the road. Um I you know certainly lucky that the kind of country road is actually quite active in this area. So the the potential customers is potential customers is great. So in
terms of the signage um so this is another aspect that the zoning bylaw outlines fairly clearly although I think with buildings that are commercial in a rural area I think you have some discretion about what you can allow. Uh they would like to do a sign
that was very much like what they had on their old farm, which is a a kind of cutout logo uh in black that will be erased standing standing off about an inch and a half from the building um to
to reflect that historic marker for them. And then at the road a kind of a sign with their you know the logo that they use for most of their commercial activity this red fire farm sign um that
itself was about 10 square ft and then they like the ability to add the the announcement the corn is available or flowers and what have you. So that's kind of the sign that we like to see sitting here and feedback from the
property line. uh you know good good visibility good visibility without obstruction. Um and then we originally thought that maybe we could put a sign on the old house that maybe that that was drawing a
little bit too much attention. Uh we'd like to propose instead which I I emailed you this morning the be about an 8t tall sign. This is about 24 square feet um that we'd like to place maybe
somewhere towards the west view. So, as most of you know on Carver, you sort of go down fairly straight run for quite a while and then suddenly that starts to curve. And so without calling too much attention to itself, we thought it'd be nice to be
able to at least see that kind of at the end of the road part and very much uh not only for advertisement but certainly for safety because then I think as people turn, you know, if they only saw that sign at the first instant, they might miss that turn. So that'll give
people a little bit more preparation for the presence of the store. Uh over on this side, you know, you have that logo from the gable. So, we hope that they'll see that and and you know, they say, "What is that?" And then they'll see the sign
where we are. Any questions? >> I like that sign placement much better. >> Yes. >> Any questions from the board? >> Lighting on the sign. >> Lighting on the sign. So, um, we'd like to put a little bit of inroin lighting
towards that towards that roadway fixture. Um, whether you allow us to do that, I don't know. Um, you know, they they they're mostly operational during daylight hours, daylight hours in the winter. So, uh, you know, maybe you can
provide us some guidance on that. We're not quite sure what we'd be to do with that. >> And then lighting in the parking lot. in parking lots. So again, the same thing. They'll have u you know they'll have some building lights to light. We're trying to keep it a fairly low level of
light. There's concerns that we should have more light. We can certainly entertain that. But you know, generally if it's felt that maybe the building there didn't seem to be any particular stipulation for parking and lighting in
this area. Not sure if that's thought to be a plus or minus in terms of >> And then how many cars the previous business how many um cars did that >> um I don't know be
that similar >> it's about the same I think but >> yeah we we our engineer pulled the data from sort of like okay this percentage is a greenhouse business percentage is kind of a market business and what are
the kind the typical standards. >> Okay, thank you. Okay, you have some comments from uh some departments. >> Yes. Um we have three uh comments here. Um, one from
the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. Um, to the Grammy Planning Board. Dear members of the board, thank you for the opportunity to provide written comments regarding Redf Fire Farms request to operate a farm store at 34 Commer Street. Redf Fire Farm is one of the region's most established
agricultural businesses with a long record of responsible land stewardship and reliable service to the local community. The proposed use of the new barn as a farm store is entirely consistent with normal agricultural commerce in Massachusetts. On farm
retail, onfarm retail sales are core component of how commercial farms maintain economic stability and meet consumer demand for local food. The elements containing the application, customer access, seasonal traffic patterns, product flow, signage, and parking are customary for farm stores
across the state. Approving this use will align the building with its intended purpose and provide clarity for both the town and pond going into the next growing season. Supporting active farmland is in the town's long-term interest. Farm stores help keep agricultural land and production,
support local employment, and give residents dependable access to fresh Massachusetts grown food. Allowing this use helps preserve the agricultural character of Brandy while strengthening one of its significant local businesses. For these reasons, I respectfully encourage the board to approve gratify
farms application. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Karen Schwald, the executive director of Massachusetts Farmation. That's one um letter. This one is from the town of Branby Highway. Can you
speak up? >> Sure. This one is from the town of Brandy Highway Department. As requested, the highway department has reviewed the plans for the above project. The results of this review and any comments are listed below. Um the comments um potential areas of concern that should
be addressed by the applicant traffic comments. New driveway enters on a horizontal curve. Adequate sight lines must be maintained for traffic safety. No roadside signs. Temporary banners or vegetation should be placed along the road in areas that could adversely impact sight distances for vehicles
entering and exiting the driveway. That's reviewed by David D. Roger Highway Super. And the third letter is from the Graby Police Department. Upon review of the plan submitted by Redfire Farm, I had a couple of concerns. First is traffic. That curve on Carver Street has been the
site of many bad accidents over the years. My concerns are the number of vehicles coming in and out of the property dependent on the time of day and frequency of the vehicles coming and going. Is it possible to have the entrance and exit on Carver Street on the straightaway as it head toward heads
towards Lion Street? I would also request the driveway has the most visibility available, meaning no signs or vegetations near the driveway entrance. Secondly, I have a concern with one entry and exit if there there is an emergency on the property and respond to get to areas on the property,
especially the second parking area. I believe there should be a second entrance cut in into the property in the event of an emergency. That way, responders can access that area quickly. Customers should not be able to use both driveways to access the store because this will cause more traffic issues. How
wide is the driveway going into the parking areas? Can this handle traffic going into in two directions? Kevin Brady Chief. >> So again, this has all been designed and built prior to us being able to to review the
plans ahead of time. And had that been done, you know, some of these concerns probably could have been much easily addressed than prior prior to it, but we can't go back. It's
there. Um, the orientation of the building's already in place. The entrance is in place. It's it's it's too late for us to go back. And I understand the reasons why you you sped up the process with the with the uh code enforcement
for for funding and so on and so forth. Um, as far as uh the two letters from both DPW and the and the um the police chief, I I share their concerns to make sure that the the ground mounted sign that we
requested, not on the building, that everything sits back appropriately. So, it's so when you're pulling in or out, it's not blocking. Um, giving this a quick look. I'm not an
engineer, but um if it was all possible to address the chief's >> Mhm. >> concerns about one entrance in and out or Yeah. one one curb cut in and out with it with with two entrances or uh an
entrance and an exit. Would it be possible that on the back parking lot >> that right here could explore? >> Yeah. Yeah, there I mean with that >> like right here I guess. Um
so that's one possible solution. I just wanted to address the fact that we did have a swept analysis. So we know that a fire truck that's 38 ft long, come in, turn around and get back out. So uh it would it would sort of do this, do this, do that. And and of course the
requirements of the fire trucks is that it cannot be in the lane of you know it can't go any over any parking spaces or anything like that. So that's clear. I think that would be the same for an emergency any kind of emergency vehicle. Um the the roadway is designed to to you
know the requirement of two-lane traffic. So it's not too nar it meets all the standards that are required for to traffic in two directions. So in that sense, I hope that responds to some of his concerns. Uh maybe you can speak
with a fire chief who, you know, I went through over this in detail. Um it's possible we have an outlook here but I think we felt that maybe it might actually create more confusion than less to have a second entrance square. Um yeah so um I mean I think from terms of
visibility as you come down here again you see that first sign there's a kind of clear shot to then that sign without obstructing the the driveway from the ingredients here. It's far back enough uh it's back from the pro it's required to be back 10 ft from the property line
which means the mall is about 20 ft back from the actual road itself. Um and coming this way it's it's actually because of the curve of the road it's actually pretty pretty visible. >> Ray, what if we did what if there was
like hard pathing? I know um asphalt in a driveway could be pretty expensive, but um what about extending with hard pack just in case of emergency? I know other um farms have done that.
>> No, on the other side. Yeah. To create a secondary exit. I mean, it wouldn't have to be a named secondary exit for the business, but just for in case of emergency. Um, like I said, I know >> the existing exit, the historical
driveway is over there. It already exists. >> Okay. >> So, I mean, the problem is if it is left open like that, it will confuse customers. Somehow we have to make it like it can still be there. Maybe we can have a gate. I don't know. But we don't
want I don't think we want customers being confused about where to enter and exit. And if we just leave it wide open, it'll and that's that's more difficult because it it it's it's an acute angle to the road. So visibility coming out of
that driveway isn't super easy. I know cuz I drive the tractor there all the time. Um but where we've chosen to put the new exit is a complete right angle in both directions. And the visibility should be very good. You know, you can
see the traffic in both directions there, which is in my opinion, it's really the safest place in the whole stretch that that could be located. >> We could maybe meet with the police chief and sort of walk the site. >> Well, again, I don't I you can do that
if you'd like. I I don't know if what I suggested or what we just discussed is better or worse. It it was just a to me it looked like it was an easy way of cutting in a >> a separate driveway or entrance, but I'm
not saying it's better or worse. I just >> Yeah, we'll take a >> um So, you've got 25 parking places here. Does that include employee parking or are you going to
park them off off off in the back fields or somewhere on the other side? >> Well, it's it's the number is based on uh the requirements to meet parking that include employees. So, okay, it's based on >> Okay.
I would say if we are busy, we do have options where we could park employees further back. I don't field space essentially. >> So I I'm not going to speak for the board, but my guess is we're going to we're going to say that there can't be any on street parking, especially on
that on that curry. So if it gets busy or whatever, you're going to have to have an like events. You're going to have to have some I I think you guys do that anyway, don't you? When you have your events, you you park them elsewhere and you and you and you bring them in. >> Yeah. I think if we were going to, you
know, I don't know if we're ever going to do events of the scale that we once did with the the one day tomato festival, but if we do events that are going to overflow the parking lot, our plan would be to build a um a section into our rotation where we grow the
crops that would be in in sod, you know, grass so that we could have parking, overflow parking in that section. We probably rotate that around different land over time, but we rebuilt into our >> into our field space.
>> Okay. Okay. What was you you had a a comment about the sign? >> Yeah. So, um I think as the board knows and I think you mentioned it, um the sign bylaw is quite interesting. I think
that's one of the reasons why the town is going to update going back um where this particular business is located which isn't a residential single unit zone um it does not speak to the type of building however it states that in that
specific zone all residential zones one non-illuminated residential name plate sign situated within the property line that that seems to apply to a residential Um, so that's not applicable even though it states that there's one that's only
one is allowed and not exceeding more than one square foot area. Um, and then one non flashing non-illuminated temporary sign related to the lease or sale of the same lot. to that is
notable. One non flashing non-illuminated wall or freestanding sign identifying a school, church, public park or other subject permitted use located no less than 10 ft from any street or property line and not exceeding 10 square ft in area on any
one side that might be applicable based on it is a permitted use within this zone. So 10 ft. It's not necessarily what's being presented in the plan. And then no freestanding sign shall be erected closer than 10 ft and in front
or side lot which is pretty typical with regards to that. So that's one kind of thing to consider with regards to these signs. Um the presentation of two signs within the same lot. That's also not
typically permitted. There is a special permit process by which the planning board can issue a special permit to allow for that. Um when there is what is that that's under just does uh
pre-existing non-conforming play into this at all? >> See they had the signages there before? >> Thanks. >> Probably larger. But >> but we could issue I mean if
>> I think it's you don't we can discuss I guess making a special permit if we right >> well this is not you would that would need to be separate >> oh separate >> yeah and I don't know if we want to do that
>> yeah this is so this over here this is a 10 foot that area. >> Yes, instrument is not huge either because they're maybe dead science and I think they're allowed to do the same as a separate piece of my understanding.
This one is about therapy which is what the commercial I guess is allowed in commercial zones that we weren't sure quite what applies here. So we rely on you to make determination but we do feel
safe signage needs to be on that side. >> So again I'm not a traffic engineer but I think the signage coming from both directions. I think having some signage they actually make people aware it's there and it's
probably going to slow traffic down. My guess is with the activity there, people are going to uh slow down around that corner. >> I'm also okay if they wanted I mean it's up to you. I mean, we can discuss it, but I'm also okay if they wanted to
illuminate the sign. >> Well, so there's a difference between illumination and then uh a lit sign, right? So, ground lit signs, >> ground signs, >> ground ground lit signs are are uh allowed. >> Yeah. >> Illuminated signs like a fluorescent
sign, stuff like that. >> But anyway, >> it's it's just one of the the crazy things that's in our biolog right now that we're we're looking at. >> I didn't forget to point out there's a couple signage lights on the gable and logo.
>> Yep. See them? Jingles. Okay. Any other comment from the >> Yeah, I >> public you mind? >> Not at all. Sorry I'm asking. >> Gary McNary, I'm uh 39 Carver, probably
if not the most impacted neighbor, one of the most impacted literally across the street. I don't have an issue with being there. I do care what Chief O Grady said that I've been there 28ish years,
multiple accidents, called 911 way more than I really want. Please address the traffic uh situation. See, nobody goes 30 mph on that curve. Nobody. So, you know, maybe >> I mean, I think it's
I think that we would appreciate it if any measures can be taken to help calm the traffic that is in that area. I mean, I think the split where Chapie and Carver Street, you know, Carver splits off and becomes Chickabye Street is is
probably as big or, you know, a bigger traffic concern in that curve than our driveway is going to be because that again you have a a really funny angle of that road going into the curb. >> Yeah. If you're coming off if you're coming off a car trying to get on Chapie, it's really hard to see. And we
struggle with this all the time with our tractors and farm vehicles and You have to pull way way out in the road to see. >> It's dangerous. >> Yeah. You know, if we want to, you know, the town wants to help address like maybe the way that that is >> that intersection is should be
>> the big yellow line. >> Yeah. >> Needs to be brighter. It was perfect cuz we used to have a ton of accidents. So, this is for the chief or whoever can get that. In fact, the big yellow lines um nearly eliminated accidents for a knock on something. Nearly eliminated
accidents for quite some time. So just >> more upkeep than that. >> We call it the mega stripe. >> I I you know where I live, right? I >> I think so. >> Way dear. >> Yeah. >> Farm. Uh second to address the board,
but uh the existing house I don't know why. Is anything happening with the existing house? Is there that a part of the plan? >> Yeah. Well, so we struggled on whether to keep the house or demolish the house and um decided eventually to keep the
house because it's structurally sound even though it needs a lot of work to be revised or you know to become a living livable structure. Once again, when we purchased the property, it was in really bad shape. Um so our intention over time
is to fix it up, paint it, make it look better. Um, you know, the whole property was in pretty bad shape when we got it and we have like very limited financial resources. So, how quickly we can get to some of these projects. I'm not sure, but
>> it's falling apart on it. >> Yeah, I mean, I agree. You know, I don't either, but if I can, you know, as soon as we can figure out how to address it, we hope to we hope to make that, you know, a useful structure once again. >> All right. >> Uh, John Weiss from 25. Um, just a
question. I don't know if anyone knows the answer yet, but might be worth looking into. Does the existence at a dangerous center uh on a dangerous street like that, the existence of a popular destination store actually mitigate
lower speed and calm the traffic? >> Do we know that? >> No, I don't know. I don't think we know that. But it might be >> historically I've seen it where it's happened. >> This might be a calming effect though the problem is at the intersection but this might be a calming effect in and of
itself. >> I would agree with you. >> Anybody else? >> Yeah. Well, in terms of the mega strike, I mean, if there is like if it is going to be redone, if we could actually build a break in the mega strike that helps
indicate to the traffic where the turn is into our parking area, I think that would help people understand that there's a turn there. So, I think I don't know who to talk to about that, but if
>> it's not us. >> Yeah, exactly. But we can bring it to somebody's attention for sure. >> Okay. >> Did you analyze doing ballards at all like on that corner?
>> No. >> Like as far as anything to prevent vehicles from driving straight into the property at night or anything to keep cars from not parking on the street? Has there ever been an incident like
someone? >> Well, if I'm not mistaken, there's a there's a a town ordinance about on street parking and you can park on the side of the street, but you have to be off the off the road. >> Yeah. >> Um >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean, nobody, as far as I
know, has run into the house or almost run into the house in the time that I've owned it or been leasing that property, but it does seem like a potential risk for that property. So, you know, I I think we may want to situate some boulders as part of the landscaping. Um,
is kind of would be my thinking. Yeah. Can I ask a question? What's the process of this appointment? We all have to talk very soon. >> Correct. >> How long does that take? >> It could take a couple minutes or we could decide to deliberate and uh get
some more feedback from the police chief and the uh DPW. It's up to the board. >> And also I wonder if you could introduce yourself. >> Sure. I'm the chair. Jim Trump Troky. >> I'm the secretary. Nita Abbott. >> What?
>> Nita Abbott. I'm just a member of the board. >> Okay. Melissa St. Germaine Martell. Vice Chair. >> I'm the treasurer. Name's Chris Jarrett. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. >> Oh, yeah. Who are you?
>> My name is Kamina. I am the with the planning board's consultant. I I'm with the planning planning commission. I've been with the board now for about six years. >> Grant pays dues for that. >> Yeah, >> I already spoke. I just had a comment
regarding that second access. Would a like a baller gate type of situation satisfied? cuz I know working with the state, you know, we had keys to get in other access when it's needed and that may mitigate where it's not open for
traffic coming on in but you know the police or fire can have an active camera key and go on in or these folks at the department can do it. I'm just thinking >> Ken you want to read his comments again the chief's comments again?
>> Sure. Excuse me. 64. >> Upon review of the plan submitted by Redfire Farm um versus traffic, the curb on Carver Street has been the site of many bad accidents over the years. My concerns of the number of vehicles
coming in and out of the property dependent on the time of day and frequency of vehicles coming and going. Is it possible to have the entrance and exit on Carver Street on the straightaway as it heads towards Lion Street? I would also request the driveway have the most visibility
available, meaning no signs or vegetation near the driveway entrance. Secondly, I have a concern with one entry and exit if there is an emergency on the property and responders need to get to the areas on the property, especially the second park area. I
believe there should be a second entrance cut into the property in the event of an emergency. That way, respond responders can access that area quickly. Customers should not be able to use both driveways to access the store because this will cause more traffic issues. How
wide is the driveway going to going into the parking areas? Can this handle traffic going in two directions? Okay. So, to address the the the entrance closer to the uh Lion Street
side of of the building there, we can't because of the uh the septic system. Leechfield is there and more than likely there'll probably be some sort of a raised system. So, we we wouldn't be able to do that. I also think that would probably block
your view heading down Carver Street from that way. >> Yeah. Well, and also it's our field, so we we wouldn't want to lose it. you know, we need that growing space and we and even if we wanted to give up that growing space, we would have to petition
the APR program for permission to make it into a parking lot, which they may or may not grant for this purpose, but I would want to ask them because we need that acreage for growing things. Okay, we have you have to leave.
>> I have to leave at 6:45. >> We're at what? >> 64. >> 642. >> 6:42. >> So, um, any any more comments from the public before we we deliberate here?
>> Okay. Thank you. >> What's everybody's thought? My my take on it is again the chief the the police chief has some concerns, but you know the old the old saying the horse is out of the barn. It's already designed. It's built. The front entrance
is here. Septic system design's over there. >> Yeah. >> I don't know as if there's anything that can be I mean my comment about putting a extending the driveway there. I don't know if that'll make it again uh
more problematic. And to put a gate there doesn't really address if they if they need to get in in an emergency, >> right? >> And if they did, my guess is this is all, >> you know, flat land, they could drive right over it anyway,
>> unless you keep it an unlocked gate. down just parallel. >> Well, again, unlock gate would would you wouldn't be able to control people going out that way or coming in that way, >> right? They can just do what Dickinson's does. Just put a rope and to send him
alive. >> No one's going to drive through that. >> Well, I guess I'm I don't want to get into re-engineering this even with the chief's comments. Um maybe in the future have them consider a
hard pack to address that. But as of right now, the site plan as it sits Yeah, I'm in I'm in favor of approving it as is. Yeah. Uh >> any of the conditions that I'd like to see put on it is to make sure that there's no vegetation to the comments
from the both >> DPW and the chief to make sure that this is uh there's good clear lines of sight as far as possible. No signage, no vegetation, >> no banners, you know. Yep.
>> Within 10 ft. Was there a comment from the fire? I know you said you spoke with the fire chief, but was there was there any there was no comment. Okay. So then he he takes no issue with it. >> Typically that's what when we send letters out if we don't get a response
and they we take it as a no issue. You know, again, I I think, you know, if if if there's enough parking places there for the day-to-day operation, I'm in favor of approving it as as
presented, >> including the signage. >> Yeah, >> as presented. That's that's my take on it. I don't know if anybody else has any other opinions or wants any other input on it or conditions placed.
>> I don't think that's fair sign input on the residential side taking it off the building. >> Well, they obviously listened to us at the last meeting, so that was >> okay. >> I'm going to recuse myself to close
proximity. >> Okay. Okay. >> So noted. >> Okay. >> I will entertain a motion. >> So I will make a motion to approve the site plan as presented. Um the only
additions that I would like to add is no vegetation, no banners um along that along the cover street. >> And I'll second that. >> And you want to add something? They they informally just create that condition. I
think as the chair mentioned with regards to the comments from the highway department, no roadside signs, temporary banners or vegetation should be placed along the road in areas that adversely impact sight distances for vehicles entering and exiting the driveway. >> Perfect.
>> That perfect. >> Okay. >> Any further comment? >> All in favor? I >> I motion carries. Sequins approved. Good luck. >> Good. >> Thank you.
>> Oh, you live down there? Where do you live? >> Oh, >> yeah. So where the picture is taken in the So this so we don't close. >> Yeah, it was my pulled in to see the snow.
We're >> still doing business. like really hard work from a lot of you. So, >> thank you. >> Hey, hey, folks. Folks, >> folks, we're we're still conducting business here. So,
>> sorry. >> Mine. >> Thank you. appreciate the volunteer efforts. >> What do you got for us? Ken, >> so Mr. chair only that I have um is that
the board seemed the last meeting I said at least electronics the section in we can have a further conversation about the totality of their own regulations as the board has been looking at it um for a future date in addition to that um the
the item regarding states definitive subdivision plan um I was talking with the chair this excuse this evening I was wondering if the board hears in January 5th and we're going to create the agenda item for that. It's the first
Monday of December. >> That'd be our next meeting. >> We're trying I mean if that's if that's >> it's better than coming in December. Okay. Sure. >> Yeah. There's no meeting in December but but we have to legally advertise this because this is the last session or it's a public hearing. So, so I was called
today by um the applicant >> and they're trying to get it done before the 5th because all their engineers, everybody's gone. >> I'm pretty right. >> So, it probably should have I don't know if it was them that delayed it or it was us. So, we still wouldn't be able to
based on it would be the 22nd, but at the last meeting, we decided against the 22nd. And I don't know who would be a who would have been available for that Monday of Christmas cuz that would be in your typical meeting. >> So, let's let's if we're good on the 5th.
>> Yeah. >> We're going to need a it's going to take four for quum. >> Correct. So, that's going to require a near full board. >> Um, so we'll set that meeting for we'll work on the public hearing. um noticed in that. Um the last item is the zoning
bylaw project. So obviously the board knows that's happening right now. Um I because of all of the transitions within our my department PBPC um I have not yet finished what I wanted to do with regards to your zoning
diagnostic. It's the it's complete but I wanted to add the appendices um to the back and that's the only last thought that I have. Um I will definitely turn that around by the end of the week. Um but the bulk of the report is there. It's going to be what is the baseline
for the work for the zoning project. There is a kickoff meeting um that has been scheduled for uh next Wednesday, December 17th, uh here from 10:00 to 11:30. 10:00 in the morning to 11:30.
There's a kickoff just describing the project and the process. Um, and obviously we'll keep you apprised of what happens during that meeting. If the chair, you know, also attends that, that's up to him. Um, but we'll definitely keep you
apprised of what that process uh is. Um, and yeah, and that will include all of the members of that commission in addition to having a meeting separately one- on-one with the building uh inspector zoning enforcement officer as I typically do during these processes
because they see the zoning every day. Um, so I usually work with the committee or the planning board depending on the town in addition to the building department because they likely have a version of the zoning bylaw has lots of circles and red marks um just like you
might that I definitely do um would know. So the next um the board will receive the actual report, but we can put that on the agenda for the first meeting in January um after your public hearing to just describe that, talk
about it. Um and hopefully you might you might come with comments to that meeting on the 5th. Um but look forward to talking to the board regarding that. Um that's all I have with regards to
Okay. So, that'll be important that we get a full a full board for that for that hearing. So, if somebody can't make it, please. >> Yeah. >> I'll work with um Kathy Leonard tomorrow to to post that and then share that with
the board. So, the board has, you know, the three >> Yes. It's got to go out to budget. >> Yeah. And Yeah. So, it needs to go to do all of that, but really it was making sure that the newspaper timeline was appropriate. >> All right. Anybody else have anything?
>> I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjourn the meeting. >> Second. >> I'll second it. >> Any further discussion? All in favor? I thank you.