All right. Good evening everyone. Call the meeting to order at 601 of the May 6, 2026 planning board meeting. Uh my name is Stephanie Slush. I'm the chair of the planning board. To my right, I have Jimmy Tar, our alternate chair. Far end
here, I have Doug Finn, and to my left, John Jeffress. And then we have our uh town planner, Bella Joerger. Um the first item on the agenda, as always, is public forum. This is for an opportunity for folks who are not on our agenda tonight. If they want to bring anything else to our attention or would
like to speak to the board, this is the opportunity to do so. Assuming you're on the agenda. Um, great. So, with that, we could close the public forum and then the first item on our agenda is approving our minutes and then we'll go to the just the board
items. Um, all right. So, first is looking at our minutes from March 4th and then our meetings from uh April 8th. Can't believe it's already May. >> No kidding. >> I have reviewed the minutes of March 4th and find them satisfactory and I will
make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Meeting minutes of March 3rd are approved. Now looking at
April 8th. >> Said it before, I'll say it again. I've reviewed the minutes of April 8th and find them to be satisfactory. So I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> I. All right. Minutes from April 8th are
approved. Thank you to Lori who completed those >> long. >> Um yes, very long. Uh item one on our agenda is a parch partial porch conversion at 40 Say that five times fast. At 45 West Street, parcel number
ID number 219-63-0. I'm assuming that's what you are here for. Yeah. All right. If you don't mind actually sitting in the seats in the front so the mic gets you if you don't mind introducing yourself and then explaining context and then Bella if you could explain like why this came to us
too as well. So, I'm Kelly Plots from Fair Street Builder. Who will be doing the porch partial porch conversion for? This is K Marsh. >> I'm K. Marsh. I own 45 West Street. >> And what's being proposed here is there's currently
>> a porch um that is existing on the property. >> Um it's attached to and but it's within >> 11 ft. >> It's within 11 ft of of the property line. And that's um outside of our
setback requirements. However, this is the part where I would like you to shine their >> However, it's a really good lead in. Um yeah, it's it's just what was flagged to us by the interim building inspector because um it technically is altering a
pre-existing non-conforming structure, which we have a section for in our zoning. Um and so our charge is to consider um make a determination basically or a finding um about whether increasing is it increasing the
non-conformity um and is it substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood to change half of the porch into a bathroom and it's not adding any additional square like it just is taking the same
>> um and it's just like us voting on this there Isn't there need to be some sort of like a butter thing or anything like that? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I wouldn't think so. >> Okay. Just to double check. >> Ask a few questions. >> Go for it. >> Great. Okay. It's probably best directed
to uh the folks, the the street folks. Um uh will the roof line change or more to the point the pitch or the height of the roof change? >> Roof is going to stay the same. >> Uh the porch is currently unheated and it'll be converted to heated space. Correct. >> Okay. Uh will the porch come out closer to the road? The footprint will stay
exactly the same. >> Footprint will stay exactly the same. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um >> there it is. We are not allowed to regulate the interior spaces of of residential structures. >> A building permit. >> Um and I recognize that on that property
the nonconformity is the proximity of the house to the edge of the public way. >> I have a house just like it though. I understand that. Um is the non-conformity also the lot width? I mean the frontage >> the the Yeah, the amount of frontage. Yeah, >> I think so.
>> Pretty >> lot frontage is 95 ft. The porch is 22 feet long. >> Okay. >> But it's not expanding the footprint. >> Yeah. I don't I don't No. Right. I So what's being proposed is not expanding the footprint of the house. It's not increasing the non-conformity. So I
would make a motion that we have determined that there is no expansion to the non-conformity and therefore no action on the part of the planning board is necessary. Second that. >> Any further discussion? >> Nope. >> I will say that I appreciate the building in the interim building inspector flagging it and being a little
more cautious than not just to make sure everything is above board. So, I appreciate that. And with that, all in favor? >> I great. >> Good luck to you. >> Have a great project. >> Thank you. >> It's a good idea. I like it. >> We love We love it when you come really
prepared with all your stuff and you don't buck any. Just looking to do something that's okay to do. >> Great. >> That's wonderful. >> Thank you again. >> You're welcome. >> All right. >> Easiest thing you'll do all week. >> Maybe the easiest thing we'll do all night.
>> Yeah, I could be. >> All right. Speaking of >> easy things preparing for town meeting. >> Yeah. >> Who did you produce this? >> I did. >> Very good work. I think that's great. >> So, one of the things we're going to be discussing, we've talked about um the town meeting we're going to be the
Warren article is around BES, which is battery they make it sound so like benign. I mean, not that it's not it is fairly benign, but best sounds so approachable. Um battery energy storage systems and so the I as we've talked about the last couple of meetings and we had our hearing on this is like how
complicated this could be for the public >> if they don't know the full background and the story. So, the idea was that we have a flyer >> flyer >> that we hand out um at to accompany the warrant articles. Um has this been approved by our town moderator? I think
there needs to be a step there. >> I have to submit it tomorrow after you approve it. >> Perfect. We are already thinking about it. Great. So, this is all in our packets for us to review and give any sort of feedback on ahead of printing them all for next week because town meeting is May 12th, Tuesday.
So, what day of the week is that? >> Next Tuesday, May 12th. >> We're having a meeting right after that. >> And then we have a meeting on the 13th. >> Okay. And does that does the meeting on the 13th uh have anything to do with the town meeting on the day before? >> No, it has to do with a permit. Okay. Special.
>> Okay. As long as we're not, you know, um operating backwards. >> Yes. >> The only suggestion I would make is to in the top bubble thing >> reference the article number if you can. >> Okay. Uh Mhm. the warrant article. >> The warrant article number. That's correct. Yeah,
>> that would be the only suggestion. >> Good idea. Love that. >> Um >> I also something the other thing why create best regulations make that a different color because that was one of the things we highlighted being like >> people need to realize if we don't adopt
it. >> Totally highlight that a bit. >> Bright red. >> Bright red. Absolutely. Bright bright red. >> Yeah. Like or like Yeah. The dark blue or the yellow or what? >> Um I also get distracted a little by the
star. Safety is regulated by fire building safety. >> The star or the little bubble itself. >> I don't like both. No, like it's the fact that it's singled out like that. Sure. Sure. >> I feel like it could just exist in the small farm or something in the same box. >> Okay. Okay. I don't know.
>> Other than that, >> not for nothing. >> Talk about sighting and design. Yeah. >> Wait, say that again. >> We're just talking about citing and design, not >> Totally. And I understand the point that you're making there, but it's also like >> puts undue emphasis, I feel like, on
highlighting this. Yeah. Yeah. So that last paragraph of the yellow bubble, >> yeah, >> that should be prefaced with a phrase, if we do not pass this regulation, >> battery energy storage proposals could
be approved at the state level >> on an expedited schedule without town input. Mhm. If we do not empathize or without a policy on bets or anything like this without this >> your vote >> regulates.
Love it. >> So it's a choose it or lose it kind of situation. >> Um and not for nothing. I learned a little bit also this weekend >> in the picture. Those three little boxes that are there, the guy standing next to those boxes. I >> know. >> What's that? >> She's like, are they not beds?
>> Are they not beds? >> Well, no they are. No, they are. And each one is uh based on the size 10 by 10 by >> 10 by 10 by eight. >> Sure. Yeah. >> Those are 250 KW batteries. >> Those are those are big. >> Yeah. >> Um for the the solar array that's up on
North Hatfield Road, they would only use one maybe two of those. >> Totally. >> To complement that array. We're not talking about >> So you're saying this is an AI generated image with no real comparability to reality. >> No. Is that AI generated? >> I don't know. >> Okay. knows.
>> That's like a whole bunch more capacity than those panels can hold. 10 feet is what? >> We don't we don't know how many more sets of panels they have. >> And also, they don't need to just be for energy that's generated on the site. >> The panels, you mean >> the the batteries?
>> The batteries could be just parked on a lot. Yeah. >> Stored, >> right? Which is what we're basically that is kind of what we're preventing with our bylaw. A giant thing. Now there's no incentive for someone to do that unless they already have a solar array somewhere else. >> Yep. Right. Like if if the state all all
of a sudden decides to say to a fossil fuel company, you need to diversify or something, then they could do that. Anyway, that's why we're c that's why we're covering our bases and putting the policy. >> But legitimately, batteries on their own, there's no f fiscal incentive to doing it because we don't have a
structured or a tiered uh electricity cost system in the state yet. electricity at 6:00 a.m. and at 10:00 a.m. and at 400 p.m. and at 9:00 p.m. and at 3:30 in the morning all cost the same per kilowatt hour. >> It's when the electricity it's when the energy company starts to vary do peak
demand pricing that's when these systems standalone systems will become >> and does do the battery systems need to be directly next to the solar structure? >> No. And how would the energy from the
solar structure get to the batteries? >> Wires >> virtually. >> So if somebody wanted to put in the solar panels a half a mile away from the batteries, >> y >> they could do that if they were to run cables >> or they were connected to the grid. >> They just need to connect to the grid. Okay.
>> So you can like have the solar panels on this field >> and batteries on this field, but as long as it connects to the grid, you can pass the power. Okay. >> From one thing to the other. >> Okay. That's called net metering. That's basically what you would do.
>> So, this is one of those things that I'm nervous about us getting in the weeds with questions like this at town meeting when we'll be like, >> "Yeah." >> Yeah. So, the key >> have a good blanket answer. >> Yeah. >> The key takeaways are really that simple. If we're if we don't do this
now, the state's going to take control of it and we won't have any choice. >> Got to pivot back to We just got to say it over and over. keep control of these types of systems and have fields >> and create a modic control, >> right? Not like in >> Yeah. >> insert ourselves into complete control
of everybody's project, but right now we don't have the slightest feather. And actually that was like part of my rationale for this little standout bubble about safety which may be distracting but it's mostly that I don't want to have to answer a bunch of questions or be seen as the planning board as like also regulating anything
to do with like battery safety fire suppression >> completely derail the meeting like these are unsafe >> because it's like we don't have any they will pass through all the building code and fire code inspections before we ever see it and it's just to do with >> this is kind that bubble is kind of
supposed to be around the bubble, the section above. >> Uh, >> right. >> It is, but I see why it's confusing. >> You can keep the star and keep that sentence. Just move it into a bubble. >> Into the bubble. Yeah, I like that. Totally. >> Um, so Andrew asked if he asked what we
were doing for like any kind of presentation at town meeting. He was like, "Maybe you should just say 2 minutes worth of stuff." >> I think that seems fine. I think the less complicated the better, probably. >> Right. So what what what could happen is usually someone will be like
>> can someone from the planning board get up here and talk about this and then we'll get up but sometimes they there won't be >> right sure >> and we'll get >> just right I mean you've seen the thing you know >> somebody there'll be questions someone will come up and say whether they're
intelligent or not is is neither here nor there >> literally I'm just gonna reiterate I won't like read this but I'm gonna I'm not gonna like venture far from >> absolutely We should use whatever we have this >> as our stand at at the town meeting.
This is this is the information that we would pres we would like to present to the town and the town's people about what is coming because it is coming and we'd like to protect certain parts of the town from overdevelopment of this kind of thing but still allow it in its
proper place. >> Right. So, and I think if we keep our standard good >> answer, >> if we keep our stand as simple as possible, then the obscure questions will have no place. >> Totally. I agree. >> Although I think the obscure obscure
questions might still arise just >> just because I've seen I've seen 40 town meetings. >> Yeah. >> So, if that happens, just reject the premise of the question. If somebody says, "Well, I understand that the battery systems that are in containers have automatic fire suppression. Can you
talk about that?" Actually, no. >> Right. >> No, I don't want to get into the weeds in that because we wouldn't be here all night. >> Exactly. >> Right. >> Y and we're asking for is a structure that will allow us to oversee and regulate these things locally. >> Right. >> But that's the problem is that's the moderator. So the whole thing is in
theory >> the person who are giving comments are giving comments to the moderator and then it's like kind of our job to respond. So hopefully the moderator can >> Yeah, we got to pre-load Bobby on this. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Like this one can't get along. >> And just redirect back to like we don't do safety. That all gets done before we touch it at all. This is
>> the only thing that I could see a legitimate question that isn't really covered here is like >> well what is this banning me allow from putting a battery on my property I own? Whether it be a small house or a big commercial property? The answer is no.
But it's is it is it in here that is >> but define very small it's like >> if you want me to better define small scale um I could say residential scale but it's not residential. I think we said we allowed it to >> but small scale three Tesla batteries >> right >> three Tesla home energy batteries
>> but I think we said we >> put on a house they're what eight eight meg or eight kilowatt hours each or something like that. >> I'm pretty sure what we passed also this is a good uh would allow you to have battery storage. Mhm. >> for the whatever that stay if it stays
on the property. Yeah. And that doesn't have to come to us which could conceivably be large like Rockway Smith or CNS could be very large system but then >> so that's kind of where I'm saying like that >> do we have any control over somebody doing that on their own private property even if it's a business
>> that's bullet the answer is yes that's above the um above the thresholds isn't it? Don't we have a threshold for that? >> There's different like things are triggered by different thing. We have that one. We have a definition of accessory that is unique to best which is like if it's under a certain size and >> and behind the meter.
>> Exactly. So there's So anything that's accessory you can absolutely have which is like the Tesla batteries >> and under a certain size. >> Exactly. >> And that certain size is is that 250 >> 250 >> certainly three Tesla four Tesla batteries will be unregulable by
>> those three boxes that are sitting there. Each one of those represents 250 kW. >> So if Brockway Smith wants to put one of those next to their canopy, parking area, solar array, they'll be able to do it behind the meter and that's that's storing and and allowing them to use that energy. >> Right.
>> Yeah. Exactly. >> So, that's more of where I can see a question or like you're preventing me from doing this or you >> That's what it's always about, right? >> Is the question, right? Right. Right. Or you don't want your neighbor to do it. So the maybe the easier way to respond to this is this is intended to review
and regulate uh uh m >> big ones medium >> not not just big ones but I mean to say uh uh facilities that are have the sole purpose of generating and storing energy. They're not intended to regulate batteries that would be in connection to
another use whether it's residential, commercial, industrial on the lot. >> Yeah. But if if the only thing you're doing is solar panels and batteries, that's to turn around and sell sell the electricity >> vendors of electricity. >> Yes. Totally. >> So So I I think that we need to make it
very clear that we do not this that this does not uh allow or disallow per se vendors from doing that. >> Doesn't doesn't allow it or disallow it. It allows the town to have a hand in how those things are >> different. Absolutely. So I mean and
that should come with the idea and the words that >> we are not trying to prohibit this but we are just trying to look out for the town so that it doesn't become a runaway electrical outlet. I think number two >> so to speak >> proposed dialogue do number two requiring planning board oversight and
permitting for mediumlarge best developments is like kind of gets to that but >> yeah in the simplest possible terms that kind of is the idea >> right or like yeah phrasing it in a way that's like >> right so we need to be sure that the way
we present this is as simplified as possible because there will be 20% of the people have absolutely no idea what we're talking about literally no idea this awesome handout. >> No idea. Even with the handout, they have no idea. >> Question, read the handout and
reformulate your >> no idea what we're going to be talking about. And yeah, >> put it then maybe put it in terms that they might understand. Um, in any situation where you might where you or your neighbor or a business might install an emergency backup generator,
if they use a battery energy system for that same purpose, they will continue to have the right to do that without interference from the planning board. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> We prefer the term oversight rather than interference. the term
>> without without needing to have a review by the plane. However you want. >> Yep. Yep. >> Like overlording like this is Overwatch. >> Yeah. planning for it. >> I I I see I I worry that somebody would
think that we are trying to overregulate this situation locally as opposed to we need to explain that this situation is already overregulated by the state and we are just trying to make the best information possible for our own
community. article in Awam of people crying like screaming like >> there was like a front page article of what happened in Awam with people like crying and screaming that I can't believe they did this to this giant football field full of >> what happened I didn't hear >> they put in a giant BSS without people
there are like >> losing their minds about this is going to happen here right >> were you not to wisely >> absolutely >> try the beginning of regulating >> right well >> we could just bring that front page if we could get a copy I mean The article is Springfield.
>> But yeah, was it was it the Republican? >> Scary. Yeah. It's like >> I don't know. I can't remember. But it was right. It was >> It was a couple months before we started talking about this. And once this came up, I'm like, yeah, I >> Yeah. >> I'm not one for fearongering. And And there's a lot of details that
>> one could say are reasons why that wouldn't happen in Hadfield. But >> but doesn't mean that it can't. >> We don't have anything to pre prevent it. >> Yeah. We don't have anything to prevent it. and the state pushing. >> So you could talk about the situation in Awam where they were they moved right in and that was it and there was nothing
the town could do because they weren't prepared. You could talk about Westfield where they almost put in 150 megawatt battery force. >> Yep. Yep. Last minute. >> The last minute they got shut down and Westfield didn't have lot laws in place. So there was nothing they could do to prevent it. >> So So how did it get shut down? Public
opinion. >> Vendor pulled out. >> Vendor pulled out. >> Realized that he was going to be totally unpopular or was not going to work financially. I don't know the specifics, but the project got pulled right. >> Interesting. >> Yeah, you could just like Google Bess and Gazette and they'll be probably
>> There's been a lie of them all in there. >> Really? >> Lori always puts them on my desk. Yeah, it's like there was the Southampton one. >> There was a farmer who wanted to lease part of his land for best. There was like a lot of push back to that even though it was like a way to sustain his family farm the lease. Yeah. So
>> this kind of the end of the framing of like the presentation I did for planning and for select word was just like this can integrate well into like a farming community if there's like a lease structure and it it doesn't have to be like it's just you want to regulate the way it appears in the community and what it >> otherwise literally there's no rules,
>> right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Behind the meter use is a great thing. So, somebody needs to explain at the town meeting exactly what behind the meter means because 90% of the people out there that are going to be listening
to this have no idea what you mean when you say behind the meter. >> Maybe we should just avoid saying behind the meter in general because it took me forever to even figure out what it meant. It was like confusing. >> It's like what meter? >> I have solar panels on my garage. I use all the electricity I generate in my
home. It never goes out to the right. understand that really well. >> But not everybody's going to understand that cuz not everybody has solar panels on their house. Okay. I'm trying to to talk to the people that are least informed. Yeah.
>> About all this that are going to have maybe the most obscure questions about this based on no information whatsoever, but fear. >> And and I have been to 40 town meetings. I have literally been to 40 last year
39. I missed last year's because I was laid up. >> Um I've been to almost 40 town meetings and there is invariably somebody's going to come up with a question like this based on um no information and fear
>> or yeah the recent gazer article they read about. >> Yeah. Absolutely. you know what whatever the motivation people if they don't understand I think especially with an older population are going to be wary of this and there going to be a certain amount of people that want to try to
take advantage of that and of people's lack of knowledge about it and try to push this through. So, I mean, I think we have a delicate balance here of trying to deal with people who live in town that want to know what's being done to us, so to speak, so to speak, or
people that know what's happening and are willing to utilize the technology and have some type of control over how they utilize it. And and when I say that, I don't mean they shouldn't use it for their houses, shouldn't use it for
whatever, but we need to be aware that some company is going to want to come in here and see all of our open land that's not protected by waterways and say, "I will give you x number of dollars to lease me your 200 acre field to do
this." And the farmer or whoever is going to say, "That sounds like a win-win situation to me. I you know I don't have to do anything but collect the money. >> So we need to address those type of concerns and how that concern may be
very real in our town with a bunch of open space that we have. >> I do that your point does bring up something that is missing from the fire that I don't know if it gets to you in the weeds. The fact that we are not allowing them in groundwater or water protect water areas.
>> Make it simpler. We can try. >> Awam had one of these things go in because they didn't have rules in place to to regulate them. Westfield almost had one of these things go in because they didn't have rules to regulate them. These rules are not being proposed to allow these things. >> These rules are being put in place to
allow us to regulate. >> Well, that's why I highlighted in the yellow. Yeah. >> That we're not >> creating we're they're already allowed. Basically, we're like regulating something that would already be allowed >> and then the state is going to make them even more prevalent potentially. more
>> come July, right? Totally. Yeah. >> Um third third bubble down. Why create best regulations? >> Mhm. >> It says Massachusetts requires communities to allow >> um
Massachusetts is incentivizing clean energy development. Um, I want to say something. I'm I'm Don't write this down. I want to say something along the lines of >> new state laws now require us
>> to approve solar and best systems. >> Mhm. Otherwise, >> most cases. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Because they're not just incentivizing. It's like we can't ban it. >> Yes. If we do not adopt local zoning regulations by July of 26,
>> by July >> Mhm. Mhm. >> the town's ability to regulate these systems will be severely limited. >> It says limited. What is the limit? Are we lying there? uh as of July 1st 2026 if we don't if we
have not adopted a uh the consolidated permitting model then a developer regardless of the size of the system can decide can self opt to go to the state board to have their project considered in which case the state will come back
>> we have any ability to guide it or we have limit >> we will then have even more severely limited ability to help guide that limited too It's not or it's none. We won't have any limited implies we have. If we have none, then limited is wrong. >> Yeah, I agree with you.
>> And the state's opinion will sort of be an overlord over what over what we could possibly limit or control or at least have a say in. >> Yep. >> If we wanted to lean full into scare, I'm just have no ability. >> It's not it's not a scarastic tactic. If
it's true, I'm >> not saying it. It's a scare tactic to say. I'm just saying that if we do have some type of control over what happens in our town, we need to be proactive about defining what that is and how we
can use that to both um promote and protect the people in in our town. I guess the only ability we would have would be like our commercial development guide like that design guidelines that affect commercial developments but that would be >> guidelines
>> right >> not enforceable >> anyone can find that be like it says guidelines right on the cover page >> a friendly >> yeah exactly >> make it look more antiquequy or >> field warn board over that best system
reclaimed >> I think so I think That's where we are right now. We got some guidelines. >> I do think simpler is better for any kind of presentation. >> So yeah, less words. I agree with like why create a best regulation? >> Make it less >> because we have to short and sweet.
>> We have to. Yeah, >> because we have to. Well, we have to. >> Right. And I think people >> to protect the town. We have to. >> When you start getting into any type of technical anything, >> people lose interest really quickly because they don't know what you're talking about. Do you know how well
weeds grow in the soil here in Anfield? And you do not want to get into the weeds. It'll just >> be 30 minutes. >> 30 minutes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, I don't really want to like do a massive overhaul of this. Is it generally what you like?
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Actually, I I agree with the tweaking on the why create them. Make it a little more like >> a little more punchy. Yep. >> And a different color. >> And then highlight if we don't pass this in the yellow box. >> Yep. And then I can add a line about environmental protections probably to
the dark blue box that exists already if you think I should. >> Um the light blue box I would almost make it more personal. Uh the bottom right corner >> um what if I have slash want >> a best system at my home
>> and then simplify it. Uh generally home uh scale battery storage systems will not be affected. Mhm. See, I was trying to write >> to be allowed as an accessory to your home. >> Y >> I was trying to write it so that it addressed both people that might want them and people that are afraid of
someone else having one, which is why >> Well, that's a hard cell. >> I think that's >> very important. >> It is like what? >> Right. >> So are you too. >> Yeah. Well, I think if people don't know
what this is about and their neighbors going to put one of this in, they're going to be like, "What's going on over there?" And and and how is this affect us? And and and and and just and that would be how they go. The and and with
lots of different questions that >> simplicity could answer ahead of the time. So you want me to disregard that portion of concerns and just talk about you're allowed to have them. >> So strike that bottom right corner altogether. Is that
what you're saying? >> That's not what I'm saying though. >> Okay. I missed what you're saying then. Sorry. >> I I I we just need to be able to convey and we may and it may be a question about what this is that we would be able to convey that if no one asks the
question then we don't have to worry. >> Which question? The question is, how does this affect me? >> Oh, >> how does this affect me? How does this affect my neighborhood? What's going to happen to my house with the next door neighbor doing this? You know, there's going to be those kind of questions that
we're going to have to field in some way. So, if we feel them ahead of time with saying it, this is this is not we're not trying to scare anybody. We're just trying to make people aware of what's going on. So, do you think I should change that bottom box or No,
>> I understand what you're trying to do with trying to like because people Yeah. >> I mean, I can change it to be more of a positive angle and only address, you know, if you have or want one like this
won't limit you. >> So, again, by state law, >> there's no may there. >> Best is allowed. best is allowed on your property or your property is I think in the flood plane and I think that
>> right clarifies everything >> even then I mean if you're in the flood plane >> doesn't mean you can't hang a battery side of your house >> I don't want to say it is allowed if we have all these like zoning restrictions about it right typically >> fair and you can't speak to like everyone right every single parcel so I
it's very likely that it's allowed >> is probably allowed can't change >> um And theoretically, we may not we may not get very many questions about this. Um, >> could happen >> other than can I do this at my house?
>> I mean, I think that may be the most prevalent question we get. We're probably not going to get that many big business owners that come to our town meeting with the concerns about wanting to do this, especially because they can't vote in their town meeting. They have to sit up in the in this in the
jeep seats. >> In the cheap seats. They do they have to sit up in the bleachers and cannot do cannot participate in this. They can observe but they can't participate. So they can't they can't jump down out of the bleachers and say wait a minute I
have a factory. I want to put in a 75 billion kilowatt hour thing to run all my machines and all my everything and then make a little money on selling the power also. >> Great. You run out of time. >> Sounds fantastic. You know what the tax revenue on that's going to be? That's
perfect. >> So, yep. Changes to the bottom right box. >> I think it is allowed is would be great. Not maybe. >> Well, but it's not each thing is circumstantial like right like if I'm in the flood plane and I'm my neighbor is a
commercial property and it might be regulated. >> Bloody hell. Sure. >> Right. I think keeping it like the way it is is fine. >> Okay. >> And people if they want to get specific they can ask. I think having in our back pocket though, which I will have ready, but like exactly what we're being when we like because it's intentionally vague
like >> right in short. >> I mean, not vague intentionally, but it's we're not getting into the weeds, but I'm can imagine someone would be like, "But what does this look like or what does this look like that's a fair question and like this picture, what is that and regulated like what would that would need to do in order to get there?"
Like something like that. Having a couple of the question, >> yeah, >> the tears or whatever spelled out a little bit in her back pocket. Yeah, >> blue box bottom right is the intention of that second sentence to differentiate between residential
battery storage systems and larger commercial for-profit energy developers. >> Yeah, the bottom right box. >> Same bottom right. How does this affect your property require? >> Yeah, this bylaw would require the developers he's talking about. So >> if a larger scale
>> sure >> something this bylaw would >> this bylaw aims to regulate largecale installations. >> Mhm. and would allow the town to reduce to to >> request
>> permit or not request it would make >> could depending if well that's the other thing by law is large scale installations and would allow the town to reasonably regulate >> their neighbors their construction and use >> which actually it's straight out of the
>> should I take out >> examples like >> like EG setback screening >> if I can fit. Okay. Yeah, maybe like one or two of them. Yeah, I feel like people want to know. I mean, but that could also be a thing that somebody could say verbally like if people are like what do you
mean? >> What are the types of >> what is reasonably regulated mean? >> Right. Totally question. >> Big government. They ask >> reasonably regulated is the difference between having a sodium vapor flood light 100 feet over a parking lot
shining like a beacon >> and really >> sodium vapor that's bright that's bright light bright light >> the hot you can cook with >> great thank you all of this >> I mean I also have a new like a nitpicky
thing but you al I would think the >> on what does hotfield zoning currently allow how you made that second bullet the second paragraph its own thing. I would just smush it with the first. >> All right. Smush it. >> Wait, which where >> projects that meet? >> Projects that meet building a fire
requirement. Can we move forward? I just say add it to that. Just don't make it its own separate thing and just put it before >> and could move forward. >> Okay. >> So, Hatfield zoning is not exclusive. >> That's what I am understanding. Yeah.
What do you mean exclusive? >> Like if you don't mention something, >> if it's not specifically mentioned as being allowed, then it's automatically forboten. >> That's what I have been led to understand. Yeah. >> Automatically allowed. >> Soically, the zoning bylaw does not
mention a uh a water park with a water slide. Does that mean it's automatically allowed? >> I think that's the premise of this whole >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Then there's that's a problem with the zoning bylaw. Well, that's like when someone came in to say like they wanted the tattoo shop. We had to try to like
square find a table of use. This isn't defined there. So, I'm good. >> Yeah. Right. So, we had to kind of roll the best spot to slot that in. >> Would we have like would it have to say somewhere in the bylaw this like this bylaw is exclusive or not exclusive?
Because I in MGL they say that if you don't mention things >> you can't regulate them. >> Right. I thought that at the beginning of the table of use there's some phrase which says that um no uses in Hatfield shall be allowed except for those mentioned in the table of use. >> I don't think so
>> if that's not there then wow then why bother having the table. >> I feel like we had this conversation a while ago and that is true. There is no >> Yeah. >> Wow. Okay. >> Yeah. That's a scary but also but because of that we've kind of limited ourselves like we haven't doggy daycare
right >> or tattoo shop like what are those technically >> it's because our table of use needs more work which leads me back to >> hopefully an update from a planner >> lots to tell you about this and >> and more
>> other topics tableist there is no such >> phrase is fine with the proposed changes >> one question >> who's talking at the town meeting. >> I'm going to get up initially and say that basically this >> definitely makes the big bucks, but if she needs you're up.
>> Um, and then Bella can follow up if there's any like more technical things. And then also if we you think that if you would like to add and get up and say your thing like Jimmy, if you want to say like >> knock it off already like I welcome that attitude. I would only want to try to
>> we each have a part to play. >> Put people my age at ease. >> Yeah, you're welcome to get >> about how this is going to impact them, how it's going to impact their neighborhood just so they're not afraid of it. People are going to be afraid of this. People my age that are uninformed
are going to be afraid of this. >> Yep. So yeah, totally feel free to come up after you want to talk. I don't know. opinion of last resort. >> Yep. >> Right. >> And and if we're getting no resistance or no questions, then we don't need to
do half of the stuff we're planning as contingencies. It's a first rule of testifying in a court. Only answer the question. Don't volunteer. >> No. Right. Absolutely. >> Nobody's asking questions. Thank you. The witness is excused. >> Right. >> Again, our planning board warrant I haven't seen the warrant the town the
warrant yet, but generally our planning board warrant articles are at the end. So people are usually ready to get >> want any discussion. >> Okay. So much to tell you. I'm going to try to run through it. >> Okay. >> We also have you next week too. So feel free if
>> lucky. >> And also I imagine we might have be around a little bit next because it's a special hearing. Is there anything else on the agenda for next week? >> That's it. >> Um okay. The first thing there's a sheet in I think behind your handout >> that says Pioner Valley Planning Commission. >> Okay. So Hatfield was chosen
>> in a good way. >> Yeah. Okay. >> By PBPC to be a pilot community along with Southwick for the creation of a farmland preservation plan. >> What does that mean to make for us? >> It's right here. >> It's all here on this sheet. Um it's
through MDAR grant funding and this is a direct result of us having a farmland chapter in our 2040 plan. And they chose us as the rural example and Southbook as the more suburban example. And so, um, a PVPC rep who is the new person to
replace Kyle Finel, um, is handling this piece, her name is Laura Bandara, and she came to the last comprehensive plan implementation committee meeting and did like a little presentation about what this um, >> plan will involve and what the process will involve. >> Great. >> It's going to be working directly with
the AD commission. They're not meeting that often during the big season, but then it's going to start in the fall. There needs to be a steering committee which can be people from a couple relevant boards but also people from the a community just local and if you have anybody you want to nominate for the steering committee that would be great.
Um I will be there um representing planning and staff and so >> and probably conservation too >> and conservation. Um it's really exciting. It's going to generate the plan. There's going to be community engagement sessions. um they want to
help us to create a response strategy for right of first refusal land acquisitions and also deal with like where to put the funding for that and how to have like a quicker trigger on purchasing land that's in 61A. And then they're going to generate some kind of tool for us that we can use as a
prioritization tool for what land what land needs to be used for like permanent agricultural conservation or for housing or other types of development for maintaining forestry whatever. And so it'll go well with our housing production plan. Yes.
>> Okay. So that's >> what I'm thinking too of >> Yeah. >> the timing that that map will be created, the timing that we're going to have a consultant coming in and maybe recommending zoning or map changes. >> So we'd have >> I'm just thinking about the timing of the housing production plan. All of that
will hopefully all come together and help support all of that work. It's all kind of happening at once, which obviously that >> how do you what's the best way to kind of link all that together and sequence it? Um, if we did have like >> I'll get more into the housing
production plan thing, but if we did have PVPC as the consultant for that, then they would also be working on this simultaneously and it would be like quite integrated, but also it might be nice to have a different >> voice in the mix. So, >> um, this is exciting. We should be
proud. This is like a big piece of the comprehensive plan and we were like chosen for this grant because we did a formula chapter so that's great. Um, yay. The Okay, so the housing production plan there is a warrant article. >> Wait, are we pivoting to a different art a different update?
>> Yes, I am. Okay. Any questions on the farmland protection plan? >> I mean this is so this is new. This is like a pilot thing >> and I think it's fantastic that we got chosen. >> I know. you know, and I think >> it seems to be through
>> your effort a lot. >> That's very kind. Also, all the 2040 work that went into I mean, the fact that you got that chapter at all and the fact that we're one of the only towns to have one is really minding to me. >> One of the only towns in the state to
have a farming chapter in our comprehensive plan, >> the master plan really >> old. Um I think we were the second. >> Okay, good. >> Yeah. >> Yep. And because of that, yeah, so just so to reiterate a farmland protection plan, the plan will basically say like
lay out a plan for like prioritizing parcels, how to determine whether this town should step in to purchase those parcels, setting up the me internal mechanisms to do so in a way that's >> can be quick and compete with the market.
>> Yeah. Doing um of course lots of like what are priority soils to conserve both locally and regionally. Um and like what are all the different you know obviously if housing is a equally important priority in all these different ways like I think they will be making recommendations about that as well based
on what the priority farmland pieces are to conserve and like what might be best for housing that kind of thing. And this make this feels nice in that it's setting up the criteria that we need. So, it's not based on vibes and people can't come around and be like, "Oh,
you're helping out this person landowner and it's like actually no, it meets these set of criteria and this is why we're purchasing this. It's not because of any personal relationship or >> and we want this to apply to everybody in town." >> Right. Right. Exactly. >> You know.
>> Yeah. Cool. Um and we had Steve Chumpsis from CPC and from open space come to that meeting and he had a lot of really great um thoughts about farming community and about like how CPC and different funding could be allocated. So I think and then just going forward like
having more things like that at the comprehensive plan implementation coding meetings will be helpful because it really helps to focus those meetings around a topic and um inviting folks that might be specifically well-versed
on that topic was helpful too. So were you thinking something Doug? >> N okay >> I 10 or 12 different thoughts in my head but >> doesn't affect that. Okay. >> No, I mean they're they're all about this. I don't mean to say I'm just drifting. I mean, but
>> one example, the the whole concept of uh somebody proposes to take their land out of chapter 61A, the town just decides on the right of first refusal, they have 45 days to consider that. If the town says we then, you know, where we want this
land, okay, we notify them. We now have 180 days to sign a a purchase and sale, which gives us more than enough time to appropriate money to go to have a special town meeting to allow the town to buy that land. Uh or we assign that to another vendor, another person. Um
there's there's plenty of time that in the case of the right of first refusal, the action has to be taken quickly, right? Select board, >> right? >> But talking about the uh consumer protection act, no >> community protection act. >> Yeah. CPA funding. Right. What we need
to do is make sure that there's enough money so that if someone is, you know, proposing to sell that seven acres for 400,000 so it can be developed, >> right? >> We need to step in and be able to match that offer as quick as possible. >> And then the life board can also point to this tool and say like >> this has been recommended to us as a
high quality farming parcel. This is an objective decision based on this study >> and the and the urgency that pops up. Right. Instead of being a little more proactive. Exactly. And then and then once the town secures the land, then they can put the the CR on it and then resell it to someone else who's going to farm it and
>> or lease it out to >> or lease it. >> Exactly. Yeah, totally. Whatever. >> It's going to give us a lot of pieces like that. It's exciting. >> So, the idea is that this would just simply codify those kinds of procedures. Exactly. Sounds great to me. >> Agreed. Agreed. >> Cool. Yay. Um and so, so nothing really
on us. This is just an FYI and if we're interested in serving on that committee in the fall and it's going to kick up in the fall. >> Totally. And you can also come like since they'll be sort of reporting a bit to the comprehensive plan implementation committee if you ever want to attend one of those meetings. You're already there, but if you
>> I think it'd be worthwhile sharing what like forwarding the invite to us because I don't even know when those meetings are or whatever. Like >> Yeah. >> And I have been having a lot of trouble this entire spring getting to those meetings because the Wednesday nights are conflicting with the finance committee meetings in >> Westpecially town meeting time.
>> Yes. So I I need to talk with Andrew about finding a different day and time >> or whatever. But >> that makes sense. >> Or I need to step away and someone else has to step up to it. So >> we will talk about reorganizing as a board in general after elections. So um
in our June meeting that's some in general we can also I also was told and said of it >> that our representation at the CPC >> Yeah. Um has was inconsistent and so just >> you don't need to. >> Yeah. Yep. Or the fall that um worry
about it. Yeah. >> Moving right along. We had just been talking about how the housing production plan fits in with all this. I did apply for a grant through Eco Onetop for Growth, which is the new One Stop for Growth >> um grant cycle. It has to do with especially things that are focused
around climate, which like I tied all of our housing needs into climate, which is easy to do. Um, but the CPC has also approved $40,000 of funding to cover a housing production plan, which will be on the warrant. >> Oh, >> yes.
>> So, we have both. So, >> we have the backup of the eco thing just in case that doesn't come through, but they decided that it was of urgent enough priority to approve that funding. So, that's going to be on the warrant article >> or the warrant article. Yeah. Right.
>> Wait, I'm sorry. You said the PVPC approved it. Oh, the CPC. Oh, got it. Got it. Okay, great. Perfect. >> Steve was a big advocate for that. That's fantastic. Yeah. >> Um, then the zoning rewrite RFP has been posted. The deadline is May 15th. We got
an application today from UMass Ammerst Center for Resilient Metro Regions, which is a division of their landscape architecture and regional planning department. And they have like a huge portfolio of um doing planning documents for um specifically Pioneer Valley
>> UMass Ammer >> communities. Yeah. Really? >> They're LAR. >> Yeah, they have a huge >> Mhm. So they >> would it be like grad students and stuff supporting this work? Probably >> I guess so. Yeah, they do a big like economic development and land's planning plan. They have a lot. So cool. Well,
but what will happen is when we get the applications, we'll need one or two of you to review the applicants with me and Andrew and then ideally we would have somebody by the end of June that we could >> Do we need to >> those out of meeting? Probably. We
should probably approve >> approve the like is it our job to choose? Is it Andrew? >> Well, we would meet with the applicants. I don't know if it I don't think it would be at a meeting and review the proposals and then decide based on the criteria that we
>> but it's a it's a request for a proposal. So, is Andrew the procurement? >> That's what I'm Yeah. So, it's Andrew. So, we I'm just saying there's we don't need to like formally wait to do something on a meeting. >> Just want to weigh in on it, >> right? And he wants us to on a little committee of interviewing them. Cool. Great. Okay. Cool. The two of you.
>> Perfect. Okay. Um, Ecode 360 is underway. >> It's happening. >> What's underway? >> That thing. It's um we hired a consultant that is going through all of our general bylaws and the zoning bylaw >> and they're um >> digitizing
>> formatting, digitizing, making it all searchable, >> simplifying it, and then they're also doing a basic uh legal review so that they're, you know, they're figuring out if there's anything in there that's like glaringly in conflict with master law. And um it's like quite affordable. And
after that it's a basically a subscription where you pay every year and if you update so when we get our zoning update we give it to Eco3 and then they put it into the formatting machine for us and then the whole thing is like really really easy to navigate um and matches the format of like a
bunch of other communities. So it becomes like >> it's all available online. It talks about blah blah blah. You see this other section that section is clickable like hyperlink to another >> search for the word kitchen and find everything modernization of our
>> which is also a that's also a um comprehensive plan kind of goal really and it's sort of the first step of making our zoning like more usable. So that would be they're going to have they're in the discovery phase and they'll have updates for us in the fall and then they should be done and ready
for us to sort of approve the formatting piece at 2027 town meeting. >> Cool. >> Which will line up well with our zoning rewrite schedule >> that essentially is going to be to strike the existing zoning bylaw of the town of Hatfield and adopt this entire new zoning by now which you then spend
the next 20 minutes saying it's really the same thing. It's just in a different order. It literally says the same thing. It's just looks different. >> Made more bulleted lists. >> Yes. >> Yeah. It's good that we have that piece first so that nobody, you know, we can genuinely say like none of our content
changes have occurred at all yet. Those are later >> unless something comes up that we do have to change, but it wouldn't be like a and we're going to redo the whole thing also. >> Right. Totally. >> Um that's going to happen likely in 2028 or like
>> right the vote. Yeah, exactly. get the vote because we would have I guess the recommendations from the rewrite at the end of by the end of 2027 we have to use those funds >> the calendar year >> 28 I think it's I think it's >> calendar year yeah it was like kind of a long grant cycle
>> fair enough >> yep okay there's another warrant article I'll tell you about which would be to create an affordable housing trust >> uh which um we have support right now from Mass Housing Authority in the form
of this woman named Chel who if we were to adopt um a state statute and form this committee it would >> Can you take a step back? What is Yeah. Like >> what is the committee? What is the >> What is Yeah. >> So it's a committee that um would be
able they would be trained by our person from Mass Housing Authority to review um applications for affordable housing which are quite complicated. Um it would give this committee that we would be forming by adopting this statute um the
ability to actually understand like the state law around affordable housing and then that's what the trust is basically. It's the committee and then it is an account where you would be able to vote to move money into probably out of CPA funding that's already bookmarked for
it. Um and then that trust, the group would have the ability to then review proposals and move the money that had been allocated for housing quickly and efficiently to um affordable housing proposals. And the way that it's currently set up, someone applying for
CPC funding to for a housing, they have to wait through the >> and it has to go through CPC and they don't have it's like a lot for them to go through these like potentially very dense applications that have a lot of like legal requirements around affordable. >> So yeah,
>> who would be applying and what would the money be used for? >> Who would be applying >> to this affordable housing trust? What applications would they >> developers would be applying? So, this would be to help construct affordable housing. >> They want to build housing that qualifies as affordable and it's a huge paper chase.
>> And we're not talking about a one-off situation with one person, >> right? >> We're talking about develop developers per >> somebody takes 12 acres and puts 36 units of affordable housing on 12 acres >> and they need money for the layout of the road or the development of the utility connections or the the design,
they could come to the AHD, get that, >> right? But there's a lot of other tools that this committee could use. So like you could help with down payment assistance for like a low to moderate income family. There's like a lot of different flexible tools that the town
would receive training in. Um and so >> you mean the town to receive training in the >> committee would receive training. >> Who makes up the committee generally is like >> it would be a select board member. Um, and then I forget who else needs to be on it, but somebody from select board
would be on it and have like that degree of like financial oversight. Um, and then there's like three other people. >> I'm curious like are there mechanisms like you know there's mass general law or like like is there like for site plan review like I'm just thinking about
these types of piece pieces of it. >> Is there ways to be like no we're not going to spend the money on this because like I'm just saying hypothetically what if someone's on the board? This is a hard cell. I imagine this is a hard cell because it's got affordable housing. >> I don't know. But I'm curious. I think there'll need to be a lot of explaining because like I'm curious about like
>> if there's some like let's say there's someone on the board who's just like I hate affordable housing and I'm going to be on this trust board and I say deny everything. Is that possible? >> Um it would be a >> sure. Yeah. Possible for to get that
kind of voice on a on a border committee, but that's why you >> have multiple people >> have multiple people on the border committee, right? Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Just wondering. Yeah. I'm just curious if you know like the with site interview you like have to kind of say yes if they tick all the boxes. Is that like a similar situation with >> I would I would say no. It's still
discretionary. >> Okay. That's all. >> You know it depends on your funding and yeah depends on what other >> incentives are changing. Incentives are changing over time. They're going to get more and more you know >> requests. Yeah. And I think like one thing that we'll I mean Andrew is going
to present about this, but basically this would just create the group and then allow them to receive training over the next year and no money would be moved into their account until we voted on it at annual town meeting 2027 after which point they had already been trained up and like were well verssed in
how to >> and and they disperse funds. Yeah. >> I assume that trust would also set up and establish their own procedures. >> Yes. So we don't want to review applications received all year. This is our window or this we have two windows per year and that kind >> there's like a statute that they adopt
and then it has like as you're saying like the process in it. >> Yeah. >> Um >> is there like um I mean it is this the way communities are going? Do a lot of communities have this >> is also a recommendation of the comprehensive plan because um many
reasons. It allows you to move this funding more efficiently. It takes the pressure off of CPC. Um, it gives you like a much better technical understanding of these complex things. Um, great. Yeah. >> And not for nothing, it's a it's a public body, so there's public record of
what they do and how they do it. So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. And you know, we're think you were talking about like you just came said like public housing or affordable housing like >> it's just if they applied for monies, they still need to be regulated for the most by us unless it's a comprehensive
permit and D. So, >> things like that. >> Yep. >> Um, but like you're saying, there's other things besides just like a developer that could request money. >> There's a lot of tools. Yeah. >> Down payment assistance. >> That's what Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. We can only hope that >> that people come looking.
>> People might be like more allergic to certain ideas of affordable housing, but then when you tell them like, oh, there's like 10 other ways that you can both keep housing affordable here, make housing affordable, build more, but that's only one option. Like people might be >> someone who's below a certain income threshold and they need to have their chimney replaced.
>> Things like this. >> They could get a zero interest >> efficiency updates that >> you know. Exactly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I think that's great. >> Or make it accessible or whatever. Yeah. Yes. Exactly. Yeah. >> So that's good. So that's a Warren article. >> Cool. >> Also a goal of the comprehensive plan. Hooray.
>> Sounds great. >> Are you presenting on that? Explaining what that is. >> Andrew is presenting on it. But we did just make a video on it for that's going to be on the website for town. >> Cool. Um and then Hadley, we've kind of been like working with Hadley on things lately, which is nice. We're doing the
ditch um project. We shared the grant for that. Um we were the >> another comprehensive plan. We can't we just like checking things out. >> I know. It's great actually. Yeah, that the ditch thing is actually the mapping is done and there's like a proposed second piece of that that >> and the purpose for that was because
>> um it it's sort of like part of hazard mitigation too because when the ditches um filled with sediment over time and are not able to be maintained um which is dredged basically um it can cause flooding of fields of crops and it's like a big crop
>> basement septic backups suggested that hire a consultant to do this like major ditch mapping project which is mapping out ditches that been there for hundreds of years. Some of them >> they've done that, haven't they? >> And they we so we were the spearheading community and um applying for that grant
and we did it with Hadley. >> Yeah. >> And the um team went around and they mapped everything out over the winter. They just wrapped it up and they're like there was like 55 miles more ditches than we were anticipating. So they're already proposing like a they're applying. They're leading the grant application which is nice. We're just
like the padliest now. Um yes. So so they're proposing a second mapping phase and then also um an implementation phase which would be where they make recommendations about like which ones to dredge which includes like culvert assessments in some cases because like you wouldn't want to dredge out a whole
ditch network if the culvert is like not right sized >> and flood that culvert. So there's like a lot of it's like a townwide >> and this was something that the far like when we had farming listening farmer listening sessions as part of the comprehensive plan. This is like one of the the big things that they brought up
that like wouldn't necessarily come across our desks sitting at town hall, right? So, it was actually really great that we're doing something that they requested in right away. Yeah, totally. >> Um, so we've been working with Hadley and they invited us. Um, next Wednesday
there is is it next Wednesday? Yeah, there is our meeting >> silver Yeah, there's a silver jackets um event at the Hadley um probably the senior center um where the Silver Jackets are going to be leading a workshop on floodplane messaging. >> Can you explain what the Silver Jackets
are? >> I don't know what they are. >> Oh, I'm pretty sure this is like the thing. >> This is like the Red Hat ladies or something? >> It's very I know. >> It's something pretty cool and if I'm remembering correctly, this is something Julia Frisbee was super excited about from our comprehensive >> jackets. Yeah.
>> I just Googled silver jackets and all these jackets came up which is not >> You're going to be getting ads for silver clothes for the next six months. >> Is it Army Corps? >> Yeah. Something. Yeah. Yeah. >> Oh. >> Um for water resources for the US Army. The Silver Jackets, an inter agency team
that facilitates collaborative solutions to state flood risk priorities, >> which is great. >> Silver Jackets name. Yeah. So they're leading a workshop in Hadley on messaging around flood plane risk which is really great because it's difficult to message around flood plane risk and
next yeah >> town meeting we are supposed to adopt the new FEMA flood plane maps which we're not single-handedly in charge of like messaging around that but that is >> is that a next town meeting? um or you mean next 2027 is when the compliance
period ends for adopting those maps. >> And if we don't adopt them, what happen? We don't get FEMA aid anymore. >> Yeah. Nobody's >> Okay. So, the con of passing the FEMA maps is that your flood insurance rates like you might now be in a flood plane when you weren't before, which is going
to be a bummer for some people >> and very and going to happen for people because the flood >> called a um so that's the con. That's why people wouldn't want to pass them. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. You might be in an area where you're like required to buy insurance. >> Um but the thing is if you don't adopt
the map, like you would have to buy flood insurance anyway, but you'd have to buy like market rate flood insurance and if you adopt it, then you can buy like government rate flood insurance. So, >> okay. >> Anyway, but if we don't adopt it >> and then there's a natural disaster. FEMA's not coming to our help, >> right? That's the idea. >> Even like they haven't in the past 20
years. >> Yeah. Blue state. >> Yeah. But that's it is contentious because people are like, "Well, what if we just don't adopt the maps? Like, can we not raise our insurance rates?" And it's like, it's not really that simple. >> It seems like if we don't adopt the map,
then we're um >> rolling the dice. >> You're rolling the dice at their mercy. >> You can look at a crow and call it an eagle, but that don't make it sol. Right. >> So true. >> If it's a flood plane, it's a flood plane. Period. And the maps are trying to recognize that fact.
>> Exactly. No, you know, forget my quasi, you know. >> No, but that's what it is. >> Folks each charm here, but I mean that's >> the bottom line of what's going on. >> Yep. For sure. >> Land changes, land topography changes, and flood planes change. >> Yep. >> And it's why we have such great soil,
actually. >> Yeah. I mean, >> evidence of land changing is exists all throughout this now. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I think it's great that they're doing this because that is we talked about this maybe like four or five months ago about having to kind of like talk people through this and explain. And so, I'm looking forward to what they
say about messaging about floodplane stuff. Um, and wait, when is that? Is that during the day or is it at night? Is it the evening? Is it at our meeting? >> It's during the day. >> 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday. So, I will go to that. Um, yep. And then the last
thing is that PBPC has reached out to us about there being grant funding available for updating our hazard mitigation plan. There's a meeting with them about that tomorrow. >> Hazard mitigation. >> Yeah, >> natural hazard mitigation plan. >> Natural hazard or >> natural hazard
>> or not? Best hazard. >> We have so many. I know there's so I forget how old ours is. Maybe is that something I'm trying that's kind of like what Bob Flity has chaired in the past. I'm proud to say like he was a
part of that or is it generally >> um Yeah, it's reducing like municipal um facilities vulnerability to hazards. It's like fairly >> yeah narrowly >> if I remember from the comprehensive plan that's okay. But having one that's
updated just like anything gives you access to other things and whatever. >> Oh, there's one more fun uh detail which is that we're going to have an intern over the summer, an office intern who is from the University of Chapel Hill. He
reached out to Andrew who's getting a master's in public administration and he was like, I'm desperate to come to Hatfield. >> Why? because he's very interest his like fiance I think is from this region and he's interested in going into municipal um public administration. He's getting a masters in it.
>> You say he's from Chapel Hill. >> He is at in school in Chapel Hill. Um I think he's like from the northeast and then I think his fiance is going to be in this region anyway and he's interested in um like the dynamics of a town like Hatfield and so he like sort of applied to see if we had any interest
in an intern. And so he's going to be here for a few months and he's interested in helping us create especially like communications plans like >> like if we need a newsletter like tools that we could kind of >> if he could help us get them in place that we could then use going forward
without it being like a lot of friction. Um and then also he was interested in helping to create trackable benchmarks for the comprehensive plan implementation study which everyone wants. >> Yeah. >> His name is Jake West and he will be at town meeting. >> Nice. >> Yeah. What's his name?
>> Jake West. >> Jake West. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. All good news. >> Jake West. >> Cool. >> Sounds like an action adventure hero. >> I know it does. >> Interesting description. >> Super cool. Sounds like there's a lot going on. When do we find out about the OneTop for Growth Eco OneTop for Growth?
>> July. Okay. Yeah. >> And if we end up getting it, then we can give money back to CBC. >> Totally. And I think I'm now blanking on how much I applied for through that. I can't remember if it's 30 or 50, but we could also probably if we needed to supplement from the CPC money if we got
both. >> Um, but yes, or return the CPC money if we >> just Yeah. >> Yeah. Cool. >> Totally. >> There's so much going on. There is so exciting. >> I was just going to say I need to applaud you for your ability to write grants and to seek grant funding and to manage about these other 10 or 12
different projects. >> No kidding. >> Part-time. Incredibly part. >> How the hell do you do it? I don't know. But >> fortunately, it all ties together in so many ways. Makes it a little easier. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. There is a lot happening and I feel like
we don't always get to talk about like the big picture stuff, but >> great. >> Imagine if we had a newsletter to share all this great stuff. >> Yeah. Right. >> I feel like people should know. I would be like I would be totally down if you were like >> you know, okay, this department submit your up to 150 word update or whatever
quarterly. >> Yeah. Exactly. Can't be that hard. >> Two things that work well in West Hampton. We've got a website which is a lot of people know how to add information to it. So folks add posts. Oh, great. So those are like news items, but we also have it so it's set up that once a week anybody who signs up for the
newsletter gets a simple email that just lists anything new, any new news item, any new agenda, any new minutes that blast. >> So yeah, exactly. It's very it's literally it's a real short email. It's just links to the new information. >> That's cool. >> Check with Andrew. Check with the website hosting and see if that's
possible. We did just get an updated website, right? >> So, if it's possible for them to do a >> a weekly email of anything new from the website. >> I like that. >> That would be a great I mean, that's a great newsletter option. >> Totally. It really lowers the threshold
of like we don't all have to prepare some big piece. >> You post the agenda to the website. Guess what? It's on the newsletter. >> I love that. >> Yeah. >> We'll talk to Jake West about it. >> There you go. >> I'd also be interested in Mr. for JQU West getting um uh I know we've talked about this
allowing for permit or special permit applications online. >> Ahuh. We should also talk to Lori about this because she's been all over permit. >> I have a feeling that Mr. Jake West is never going to be referred to as anything >> Mr. Jake. >> It's going to be It's not going to be Jake or Mr. It's going to be Jake West.
Oh, hello. >> Too good. >> Yeah, it's just too good. >> There you go. Modify that if he so chooses. Please call me. Please call me Mr. West or call me Jake or call me, you know, don't call me late for dinner, though. >> Mr. West, watches this meeting.
>> I hope he does, too. >> He seems to know a lot about us already. He did a lot of research. >> He needs to understand that there's a certain degree of humor that needs to be part needs to be part of every one of these meetings that we cannot take ourselves so seriously that, you know, a
laugh is is out of line. >> That's right. No, I agree. I agree. All right. with that. Anything else? >> Okay, that is it. Woohoo. All right. Special permit application next week. >> Yes. For 18 that around.
>> I would really like to Victoria. >> All right. Okay. Okay. >> Um >> Yes. >> Excuse me. Have we heard anything back from um what's his name? Uh Everline's son. They're uh >> Oh.
>> Oh god. What's what's >> he wants to build a multi- family place up on on Elm Street on >> Bartlett? >> Bartlett, Michael Bartlett. >> He is working on the well he has an article at town
meeting first of all for CPC funding so that he can enter into the steps of like hiring an like an architect getting an attorney to help him with the very complicated >> right >> affordable housing application process. Okay.
>> Which our CPC navigated this year, but they said it's >> still percolating. >> Very much so. Yeah. Really? >> Well, we hadn't heard anything from him in a while, and I I did not want him to be walking away. >> No. No. >> Just because it's too hard. >> Totally. I don't think that he is. I
think he's just he's had to >> um he's done a lot of like trainings through different um available mass housing programs and stuff like this, but there's really only so much you can do before you get into it. and he has to kind of just like hire people who know what's up, right? So, that's what he's doing.
>> Cool. Yeah. What was your >> I have no idea. Oh, no. I Sorry. Yes. The application that we're going to be reviewing next week. I really want to take a deep look at that and I'm just trying to figure out when I can do it. >> I may wind up just coming early before the meeting next week. >> Sure. >> Because I think that's going to be the
only time I can do it. >> If you want to come early, just let me know. If you want to come at like 5, I can figure at 5. We can have the plan. >> Really dig into it. Next week's a single issue meeting for the Victorian same time. >> The there was some issue with the posting of the gazette and so they had
to repost it which is why we had to push the meeting back. It was supposed to be tonight. >> Stupid question. When's town meeting? >> Next Tuesday. So the next two nights or two nights next weekuesday. >> I get to see your beautiful face. >> All right. >> Planning board meeting in West Hampton on Monday. >> Hell yeah.
>> Town meeting here Tuesday. Ling board meeting on Wednesday. >> Talk about the 12th. And then town elections the following Tuesday the 19th where Doug's on the ballot. >> Wednesday's town. >> We're watch on the Doug's on the ballot. Yeah. >> I think he's probably running out of time. >> I think they tried to push it a little
bit for like childcare reasons. >> All right. Anyone else? >> I make a motion we adjourn. >> I just want to say our next scheduled meeting is next Wednesday, May 13th, and the following one after that is June 3rd. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion? >> I'll second the motion
>> or second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> Meeting adjourned at 7:14 on May 6, 2026. >> Thank you, John.