All right, call the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. on March 4th, 2026. Um, this is the planning board meeting. My name is Stephanie Slash. I'm the chair of planning board. To my right, I have Jimmy Tar, our alternate chair. To my left, I have John Jeffris. And joining
us virtually, I have Doug Finn. Doug, you need to state your Good thing we're not Oh, you're muted. >> Did you mute him? >> There we go. >> Sorry. Good morning. >> Yep. And the roll call for Doug Finn here. Yep.
Um and then we have uh Bella Jagger, our town planner. Um first item on the agenda as always is public forum. This is for people who are not a part of the um agenda tonight but would like to
bring something before the board. And it looks like we have someone in in the audience here. So, if you wouldn't mind just coming closer to the mic or sitting in the front row, that'd be great. And introducing yourself and you can stare at Doug here. >> Martin Liry, uh, 28 Chestnut Street in
Hatfield. Been a resident since 2000. And I have, uh, some plans for an addition I would like to put on my garage. These are the plans that I brought to the meeting in ' 06 when I added on my house from uh in apartment
for my mom and so I've added to that for my new plans. >> All right. And generally this is something that you know are you just coming to if it's something that's straightforward it would just go through the building inspector and go that way. You're coming to us just to ensure that
that's the right move. the the gentleman that I asked who was going to be doing the construction said I should go to the planning board first. >> Okay. >> Before he pulled the permit. >> Great. >> I also want to note that because it wasn't a part of our agenda, I don't want us to be necessarily deliberating
tonight because that's the way that we have to operate with this commonwealth laws. Um but we are happy to take a look. >> Okay. and and like work with Bella can work with you and after this meeting um to to like confirm okay
>> the next steps if that works. >> Yeah, >> sure. Can I clarifying questions? >> Go for it, Doug. >> So, uh two questions. Uh I'm looking at uh 28 Chestnut Street via Google Street View. I don't know if you're familiar with that. Um, but is the property
essentially the way I'm looking at it, essentially a uh looks like a single family house with a driveway going back towards a garage. The garage has some second story dormer windows with some solar panels on it. Does that sound right? >> That's that's the the apartment is on the the the house that's facing the
road. >> Yeah. >> The the the one that's further back. The apartment is on that and that's been there since ' 06. >> Okay. Are you looking to add another apartment? >> No. No. There's a garage in the back which was done in 2010 and then there's
going to be I would like another garage behind the existing rear garage. >> Expand the existing garage. One more bay second structure. >> Expand existing garage. >> Expand to the existing garage. Yes. >> Um is the garage going to be considered
habitable space? >> No. >> Will it have facilities for eating, sleeping, and bathing? >> No. Um, is there going to be some encroachment of a side or rear lot setback?
>> Uh, no. >> Is the property non-conforming in some other way? Like, do you not have enough area or do you not have enough frontage or something? >> No, not that I'm aware of. No. >> Uh, based on just the information I've heard, I'm not sure this requires action
by the planning board. Doug, I think I I think that Marty is here as a courtesy to the planning board before he gets a permit from the building inspector to give us an update on what he's trying to what he plans to
do over there. Um, and I think it's pretty much straightforward what he's trying to do considering the property that he has and the existing structures that are there. So this is pretty much a courtesy of the planning board to let us know what's what's in in happening.
>> I'm just I'm also want to be like also say that operating a business out of there. Yes. And is that has that been something and that's I'm curious the history of that on the parcel? >> Yeah. Been doing that since early 2000s.
Yep. That's just something that I would be think be wondering about >> the garage for the business use. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, that's probably why it were informed to come to us.
>> Yep. Yeah. I'd like to see at least a site plan review, I think, >> but uh I would refer to our planning assistant to look at the bylaw and find out exactly what might be appropriate in this case. >> Yeah. And like I said, I don't want us to spend like technically the part of
not you're not haven't been on not on the agenda. And so by doing so, we shouldn't really be like going too deep into the specifics >> right now. >> So I'm h I think >> asking that we do it tonight. I'm simply saying that >> I'm just reiterating that also for that for the potential applicant of of any
sort. So I think the next step would be thank you for sharing that. Dropping I think handing over the plans or a copy of the plans to the town planner would be the next step and she would work with you in the next within the next week on whatever the next steps would be. Okay. Does that make sense? >> Do you want CNL or
>> Sure. Yeah. If you have an extra otherwise we can just communicate. Um >> no this is by phone or email. This is the I did this in ' 06. This is the ex my was the original house. Yep. >> And I added this room and this here >> which there's an apartment up here which
was for my mom which is now my mother-in-law. >> Gotcha. >> And then you see I moved the deck over here because this was part of the original plan. >> This garage here is already there. That's the one that was built in 2010. >> This is the one I want to add. One more
bay >> in the back. And it's >> Yep. you know, all >> setbacks and everything are drawn out. Yep. >> I mean, as Doug said, it doesn't immediately seem to trigger. You have all the frontage you need. You have the lot area. Those are usually the things
that we look at, but um I can give this a closer look over the next week and then I can let you know if it's something that's that planning would need to approve or if it's just a building permit type of situation. >> And then do I just the contractor at that point would just get in touch with the building inspector? >> Exactly. To get the permit. Yeah. If
that's the next step. That's the step. Yeah. And then otherwise you would if they if it did require planning approval then you would get on an agenda for a future meeting and then >> yeah the fact that it's like business and like we would just need to look at the history of that piece of it in order
to see to be completely firm on what the next step would be. >> Um may I take down your contact or your email or your um phone number? Yeah. All right, we've have we have another
member of the public that has arrived for public forum. Thank you so much. >> Um address and phone number and >> email would be great if you if that's >> not a big email person. I very >> rarely on your phone. Yeah,
>> I know, right? Lovely. >> Thank you. Perfect. >> All right. Thanks for coming. We always appreciate visitors at this meeting. >> Great. All right, >> talk back to you soon. >> Yes, thank you. >> Next item on the agenda or is still well, we're not going to the next item.
We're still open for public forum. Excuse me. And if there's anyone else from the public that would like to speak of something that is not currently on our agenda, would love >> Hi. Um my name is Ian Modesto. Um, and I'm here uh because I have a uh question
concerning the uh um site special permit that was issued to um uh Straits Road LLC as part of a Canada's operation on Straits Road. >> Um the site plan was uh issued to a
company called Straits Road LLC. Um the sole member of that company, the sole owner of that company is this guy named Jared. I don't know who he is, but it's Jared. Um, the uh company is no longer registered with the
state of Massachusetts as a company. And I don't know how a site plan can be issued to a company that doesn't exist. >> Was it issued when they were a company? >> Yes. The company was formed in I have the copy of the from the SOC. Um the
company was formed in 2022 and was dissolved by the SOC in 2024. >> Number one, >> Yep. Um again, like >> Yeah, I'm Yeah, I'm just going to roll on here. So, >> so number two, the
company is made up of a single owner. This is the company that applied for the site permit here with the planning board. >> At the time of the application process, representation was made as multiple
owners of this company. This company has I have the full list of this owners of this company. It's a single owner. I'm concerned that those people were represented as owners of this company,
but they weren't. I it they definitely are not owners of the company on the state SOC website. Um, so I just that is just kind of Yeah, it's concerning. It's concerning that the town is issued a permit based on representation of a
certain company and that company isn't actually was rep was wasn't represented properly. Um, yeah. >> Again, not >> Yeah, I'm not I'm not I know I don't this isn't a discussion. I'm just presenting this as such. >> And yeah, just I know that like
generally in general when a special permit is issued. It's not it's it's about like the parcel, not necessarily about the Yeah. the people. >> The continues to exist even after it's sold potentially. So doesn't have to be attached to one entity.
>> Like the conditions of the permit >> was it transferred? >> What was what transferred? >> Was the company transferred? I mean there's no there's no >> I there's no trail at least with the state SOC which is corporate website and it's where I follow my black birch. Do
you know what I mean? Like I have to maintain my in order for me to maintain my license. have to maintain standing with the state SRC. >> It's just we're just saying the conditions of the permit are applied like basically forever to the
>> to the project >> to the property regardless regardless of who the special permit is issued to. >> That's right. Because things sell. So then sometimes the the new owner can inherit the conditions from the special permit that was issued to a previous owner. >> But the property hasn't sold.
>> Sure. It's just to say that >> we've and we've had again not knowing the specifics of this instance, we've also had like people who have purchased the new part parcel notice that >> oh we didn't the the previous applicant didn't have the right name of the business. So it's simple to amend that
on our end. Okay. The name change. >> I I didn't real Yeah, I didn't Yeah, I was just surprised to find that this this company doesn't really exist >> as a it's a basically a shell. >> And Doug, I you were going to chime in and say something as well. Yeah, I was going to reiterate what I think was already said that the special permit
runs with the land. >> So, if the special permit, and I'm looking back at records, the special permit was for uh cultivation of uh marijuana both outdoor and in green houses at 14A North Hatfield Road. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Which I assume is also backs up to
Straight Road, >> right? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Has that use commenced? I mean fence has been put up. >> Uh I mean the the the regulations as far as as far as a special permit u
substantial work has to start. They did file as Jimmy let me know. Uh they did file for a permit uh a building permit last week. >> Last week was too well I don't know when when is the date that the we'd have to look at the date the special permit was
awarded. >> The special permit was awarded on June 1st 2022. three years of that date. >> Yeah. And so that >> is expired and no longer has any effect. >> So then they would have to come back again. >> Why did the Yeah. So then so the
building inspector issued a permit a building permit for I mean I guess they could issue I guess the building inspector could issue a building permit >> and not allow the use, >> right? That regardless of the >> and the building. But if it's but if
it's pertaining to the site plan that's attached to the special permit that would be problematic. >> There is a existing site plan in the town hall. >> That site plan is attached to the special >> showing the property and the proposed
three buildings that they plan to build there. >> Right. But again like if we had issued a special permit they technically have to work do whatever the >> start within three years. >> I'm sorry. This gentleman just said that the permits expired. >> That would be if the date was June 1st,
2022, 2022. >> It is a significant word defined as significant. >> Yeah. No, I mean, >> that would be a question. Um, I thank you for bringing that to our attention as something that we would bring to the zoning enforcement officer who's also the building inspector. So, >> okay. All right. All right. I just
that's that's all I I mean I just know what I saw online. Also like knowing I imagine again not knowing like I imagine the cannabis control commission might have been part of the reason for the delay of the approval of some like can I but I don't know that the cannabis
control commission is involved in a lawsuit by the potential uh uh um uh property uh on another another situation in this town. So right now
they are in litigation with Norse Farms. >> We don't know because we don't know who the owner is of the as we're saying he I think we don't I don't know if we could speak to that Jimmy right now and if it's relevant to this particular thing.
>> Okay. So what Okay. All right. >> Um with that >> Okay. >> Is there anything else that you would like to bring before the board? just yeah that was yeah I just saw that online I was like what wh what what's going on there's a permit there's a company here that's yeah
>> the other thing too is like we have in one instance since I've been on the board you can condition to a particular owner um but the def default deacto what we is normally is you you condition any sort of it goes to the parcel and it's not necessarily who owns it so that
point I don't but the second point we will look into >> can I ask a general question about oversight of the site plan. So who is involved with the oversight of the site plan? So the site plan is >> the building enforcement officer who is also the building inspector. >> Okay. So I would So that Okay. All
right. So that any discrepancies with regards to that I bring up with the building inspector. >> Right. That's the building. >> You're saying if like it's not being constructed as planned or something like this. Well, the site plan for this project actually has um as part of the application has several subsections
dealing with property ownership and tiers of business ownership um that haven't been fulfilled yet. In other words, there's there I mean again this was this was done in 2022. >> Um the the application uh says that you
know they wanted to get this application done quickly to basically get plants in the ground. Um, and here we are in 2026. Um, regardless, there are two subsections that deal with that the Straits Road LLC would be purchasing the
property and they never have. Um, so I just I I I don't know if I come here with that qual or do I go to the building inspector with that quam because that doesn't seem like a building inspector kind of thing. So >> yeah, the zoning enforcement officer is
>> enforcing zoning. So we like Yeah, we are the ones that we don't enforce our own bylaws. It's the way our It's pretty typical in other communities as well that you have a zoning enforcement officer or someone of the sort who's responsible for enforcing what the
decisions that we make as a body. >> Got it. Got it. >> But I think it's valuable for you to come here because this is how the public is made aware of certain things. >> Okay. >> In bringing So >> concerns to us helps shed light to the public as well if they might have a concern a similar concern on that particular project. So I appreciate you
coming to us. >> I have a question. >> Are you against this project? Do you have a problem with this project? >> Uh I mean yeah I mean it might it kind of Yeah. I think it could ne possibly negatively impact my business. >> Yeah.
>> How so? >> Odor. >> Yeah. >> All these things were brought up when we the permit was >> Yeah. No, I understand. I We can't rehash the permit. I'm not I'm not here to do that. I mean, my my opinion is my opinion and I'm not if they have a site permit and they're okay to work, I they're fine to do it. I can't say
anything about it. I'm not going to be fine. >> But if there's problems with the permit, it like with the site plan now, do you know what I mean? Expired in two years and or do you know what I mean? I I I I guess it it holds the property. So what
happens when you're telling me that if there's a transfer of the property? Let's assume that the property is transferred. The the per the application the special permit stays with the new owner of a property. >> Um can I >> basically transferred?
>> Can I interject something here? >> Yeah. >> The property is listed as owned by a different entity. Yes. >> Then >> so the ownership of the property has not changed. >> Correct. >> Ownership of the property has not changed. is still owned by Mr. James Motika and his wife.
>> Sure. Yeah. >> So, the the ownership of the property is existing as the property is existing as a lease, I believe. >> Yeah. That's what's stipulated, but but like I said, they they anticipated purchasing it in short order and it's mentioned actually twice in the uh site
plan uh in the uh special permit. Um yeah, the it's it's actually section A and section N of the site plan. But my concern is so when who when the property is transferred you >> mean when it sells >> when it sells that that special permit
is transferred to the new property owner. >> It just stays with the property itself. >> Okay. >> It's not really transferred. It just the conditions exist for the project that is on that physical site and then the new owner is responsible for
>> keeping up those conditions and abiding by the conditions that go with that site. Okay. >> Kind of just inherit the conditions when you buy it, if that makes sense. >> Okay. >> Is >> anything else you want to say, Doug? Sorry. I >> Yes. Stephanie, can I request through
you to Bella uh to look up the decision document for that special permit and forward it to me at her convenience? Not right now. Whenever. >> Yep. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Sounds good. Um, anything else on your end, Ian?
How is the so the zoning I I actually I have another question because I'm I'm I am concerned about the special permit and communication for the town to the to the people who applied for this special permit. >> Who maintains communication with the people who filed for the special permit? like
is it it's the zoning officer and they contact like how does that actually >> once the special permit is issued um the building inspector who's also the zoning enforcement officer here um he issues the building permit um for them
to begin the project but before issuing the the building permit he would make sure that the conditions of the special permit were satisfied so it's like they would come before the planning board with the site plan we look over it and approve it according to our standards and then they are issued their special
permit and they can begin the project. Um often there are conditions like for before the building begins or whatever and the building enforcement make sure that they've satisfied like the planning conditions before they are given the building >> certificate or sometimes before they're given the certificate of occupancy
>> at the end. >> And what about modifications to a site plan? >> They would come back to us. >> It would come back to us you guys. Mhm. >> Um, okay. Sorry. Um, >> it has to be there's like, you know, sub there's like wording. It has to be like substantial enough. So, like that,
right? It's there's like some wording in there. >> Check the amount of construction that they've done. >> If No, no, no. >> Oh, for the modification. >> The modification was like, oh, we're just shifting this a few feet here or there and it's not going to come in like that wouldn't necessarily come to us. But if like they would there would have to be it would be at the judgment
probably of the building inspector um in determining whether come back to us >> sure to adjust. >> So I'm just concerned because the site plan states >> um it basically it has as part of the site plan it has the hoop houses and it has um an office uh trailer and it's got
um a couple freezers. But then on that same site plan, you guys can pull up if you want, it actually has a propo uh future septic system. So I I I don't know what that means. When I see that on a site plan, it says
proposed septic system. I I think of as a house. If building a contractor came in here and says, I'm proposing a septic system without a house. I don't know what that means. It means you're building a house. Yet there's nothing on the site plan.
The site plan was approved with a septic system. A proposed a proposed future septic system yet. >> I didn't see that on today. It's on there. I have it. >> I didn't see that today when I was in the in the >> It has a proposed septic system on the
site. >> You don't only use a septic system for a residence though, right? But there's nothing. There's nothing here that needs a septic system. >> Okay. They have trailer on there like office trail >> but there's nothing >> there's nothing there. >> Yeah, there's no >> there's absolutely nothing there but a
fence. >> Yeah. Well, I'm talking about the plant the piece of paper. I'm talking about that plans that I saw today in the office of in the town hall was for three buildings. One is a hoop house, two are green houses. I didn't see anything for
a septic system. >> Let me finish. I didn't see anything for a septic system or a house or anything else. All I saw today on their application was for three buildings to proc grow and process marijuana. There
was no proposed house or septic system or anything else. >> And I I think it goes to like we all haven't had a chance to look at this. This hasn't on family agenda. >> I get it. I get it. I get it. I totally understand that. Um but but I mean it's right. Do you want to come by the office during my office hours and tell me what
your concern is? >> Sure. Okay. I'd be happy to do that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. Okay. So, I don't want to waste any more of your time. That's what I'm saying. I'm just kind of rambling. I know. You guys got work to >> kind of dig into it. I can look up what we have. >> I thank you for your time. I didn't I didn't want to >> No, you're good. >> Like I said, we welcome people coming to
getting involved. So, I appreciate that. >> Then I can pull like what we have and we can look at it if you want to. >> Sorry. >> I'm the planner. I work just across the hall. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. >> Tuesday, and Thursday. >> Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. But not tomorrow. >> Tomorrow. >> Tomorrow.
>> Tomorrow. I'm in a conference. >> Oh, not tomorrow. >> Okay. Monday. Tuesday next week. Thank you. All right. >> Sounds good. >> Yeah. Thanks, >> See you soon. >> With that. >> Anybody else on the phone? Any other
>> any other callers? No. Okay. Um, now we >> Anyone else in the room other than the planning board and John? >> Nope, it's just us. >> Nope. >> Okay, public hearing. >> Yes, >> public hearing. >> Time for the public hearing. All right, I'm gonna move you over here, Doug. And
Jeez, you're heavy. No, I'm just kidding. >> Okay. Hey, >> my wrist is starting to hurt from holding that. Okay. Um I am going to open the public hearing then for the um
the town the warrant agenda warrant article we are uh considering um to update our zoning bylaws. Uh as always I'm going to read the notice for the public hearing and then um we're going to have
um the pro Vela is going to go over a presentation that she'll share. Then we'll ask if anybody from the public if they happen to show up by then if there's any proponents or opponents um then we will ask questions um any follow-up questions we have and then
make a determination on whether we would like to move forward in with a and in moving forward it would be or continuing the hearing um and also deciding if we are going to recommend this oop stay neutral on it or not recommend this uh
to at the town meeting warrant uh article for the Maytown meeting. All right. So, reading the public notice, the planning board will conduct a public hearing on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at 6:15 p.m. in Town Hall, 59 Main Street, Hatfield, Mass to consider amendment of
the Hatfield zoning bylaws to include proposed regulations of battery en battery energy storage systems in parenthesis best and parenthesis. proposed amendment to the zoning bylaws is on file at the town clerk's office and available for public
inspection during town clerk's regular business hours. All right, and now we will pass it off to Bella who's made this wonderful presentation for the public. Hopefully there are folks who are ready to dive in either watching live or after the fact.
>> Sorry, John. >> And thank you to John Novak for helping support. Thank you very much. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so we are proposing a model zoning bylaw. Uh, well, we're proposing a zoning bylaw
addition to regulate BES. Um, and this presentation is going to walk us through what BES really is, why we're talking about it now, why there's any urgency at all around this, what planning's tools are to regulate BES, um, how this proposed bylaw that we are, um,
considering bringing to town meeting functions, and then we're going to dig into a little bit of the specifics around the standards proposed in this bylaw for best developments, and then we can discuss the bylaw itself. Um, battery energy storage systems uh store
energy that is harvested by renewable sources like solar and wind farms so that energy can flow in low supply periods um like at night or on cloudy days. It stabilizes um the energy flow from renewables. Um, it can range in
size from something about the size of an electric car battery to a field of shipping containers you may have seen with midsize bests providing energy backup for residences, small business parks, things like college campuses. Um, and then it can stabilize, you know,
your personal um energy supply at your house um local energy supply and regional, but people worry about the safety of best for valid reasons. um between like 2017 to 2022, there were some sort of famous battery fires around the country at best um installation
sites. Since then, I've been told and read that safety around BES has radically improved. The fire safety training and protocols have improved. But what we're kind of asking with this regulation is um where in town can we
manage even a 1% risk of failure thermal runaway which is what battery energy storage systems can experience. So um >> are you going to talk about what thermal runway is? >> I shall. Yeah. Yeah. It's when it's when heat from one overheated battery travels
to another one and can cause a fire. Um and battery fires are hard to put out. They last a long time and they require different fire suppression techniques than a regular fire. Um, and there's concerns about like the chemicals you have to use to put the fires out or if you use water, it's like a lot a lot a lot of water. Um, the alternative is
that they just let the fire burn. Um, if there isn't enough water supply or if chemicals are not allowed in that area and then you know there's pollution. So, it's like these are the concerns >> all to try to not for clean energy. >> Um,
talking about these disasters and clean energy in the same mouthful. >> Exactly. It's hard to uh Why are we talking about it now? So, in July 2026, the state will begin to expedite the permitting of larger BEST installations through what's called consolidated permits.
To be clear, these are not ignoring local laws, but if you don't have any local laws for best, then it will just move that much more quickly. They are doing this basically to um help speed this along um because a lot of times
local planning um meeting schedules and capacity can cause delays for these developments. So the state is just going to issue one big permit that includes planning electric, fire, building, all of that. And so you want to have zoning in place so that they can take that into account when they do that. Um and we
don't have any zoning regulations for best as do most towns like us. Um, we cannot, because this is often people's first question, we can't issue a townwide moratorium on any scale of BES. We can't do it townwide and we can't
say, you know, we only allow smallcale Bess, nothing big. We can't do that. To help us to craft this regulation, the state has provided us with a model zoning bylaw that we have modified um we're allowed to modify to fit our community and its goals. And this annual
town meeting is our opportunity to put those regulations in place before July when they start doing these consolidated permits. Um >> just just to reiterate like >> we if we do not pass something at town meeting >> then
the state when they put the together their I'm just underlining this. the state when they put together their like comprehensive permit or whatever they're calling it for July that it'll be enacted in July. If we do not have anything put in place, that is like the rule of law and we don't have we lose
our ability to like have our own local control and local decision points. The even though there's some restrictions from the state of what we can put in there, we lose all of that if we do not pass something at town meeting, right? We could do it next town meeting or in a special town meeting,
but then we would have risk between July and whenever we were able to do. >> Seems like expos we're not going to be able to protect ourselves from something that we categorically would not allow. >> Right. Right. So, another reason to talk
about it is that um this area has a lot of large flat undeveloped land which would be excellent sighting for a large bus installation. Um and recent uh recently you may have seen headlines. It's been all over the gazette. There have been nearby municipalities like
Hatfield that have experienced um sort of no way of permitting these things and a lot of public push back when best proposals came in before the planning board um had put any regulations in place. So we want to avoid that from happening um prevent that from happening. So okay, what are the tools
that the planning board has to regulate best? It's zoning. Um, we can not regulate any size or scale of best that does not have land use impacts because that is our charge. Um, zoning only regulates things that actually impact the land. That can include visual
impacts. So, if it's large enough to have kind of a visual impact on the neighborhood, we can regulate that. But if it's something that's like the size of like a water heater you would have in your house, that is too small for planning to regulate. Just like we don't regulate anything else that's like your
oil tank or anything like that. So, um, per state law, um, we cannot ban best from the majority of the town's land area. So, we can't confine it to certain parcels or zones. Somebody might ask, why don't we just allow it in industrial only? And that's because industrial in
our town doesn't make up enough of the land area for it to satisfy the requirements of the state and specifically the Dober amendment. >> They say the majority, but they don't actually have they don't give you like a >> 50 number, >> right? They just it has to go through like ag scrutiny and if they get the
sense that you're trying to do something to de facto kind of ban it from the majority they they don't tell you like 51. Um we can >> not case law on that particular >> I'm sure there's much juristprudence on the matter. Um based on the state issued guidance which came with the model
bylaw. That's what's in blue in the document we'll be looking at. Um, zoning can ban bests from zones that exist for the stated purpose of protecting public health and safety, which would for us include drinking water supply and riverfront protection zones. Um, and then just a note so that everyone
understands before any best development reaches the planning board, the developer has to first uh meet federal, state, local, fire, electric, building, and environmental requirements. Can >> I ask a question? >> Yes, of course. >> So, rivers are out. about the Mill River
and where it trans travels through our town along a whole bunch of open land. >> We have to decide if that's out. Those are >> That's a decision that we get to make. >> Yep. >> She's given that. Okay. >> Top lines first. >> Um
>> so what does this bylaw do? It establishes clear land sighting and development standards for best at all scales. It regulates community impact which includes for us visual traffic, noise, smells, and environmental impact beyond what D already regulates. So D
like doesn't allow best of a certain size within like the smallest waterhed around drinking water supply. This expands that to our entire drinking water protection district. Um it's been adapted from the state's model by law. Um it closely follows the guidance to try to meet the attorney general's
standards because it has to go through the AG at the end of the year. And the goal is to try to create rigorous development standards for best that don't appear to be blocking clean energy development from occurring in Hatfield, which is the requirement of the do amendment. Okay. The bylaw provides a
tier structure for permitting best of different sizes. Gives us a table of uses separate from our existing table of uses um that will tell us where and through what permitting or approval processes Hatfield could allow different sizes of best by zone. Um, it has
rigorous application and ongoing site management requirements for best developers and it has strengthened environmental protections for our natural resources including farmland soils and drinking water. >> Hold on, go back. Um, are you when you talk about >> the proposed bylaw, are you talking
about our bylaw that we're going to be putting to town meeting or the model bylaw that the state has >> the Yeah, the proposed uh amended version of the model that we >> town meeting. Exactly. >> Exactly. >> Um, yeah. And then over here you see
what I'm calling a possible tier one best installation. What's a little bit tricky about these tiers, um, I'll get to that in a second. We are able to establish, um, we're sort of able to fine-tune the model bylaw that we were given, it gave us three tiers. We are
allowed to fine-tune that tier structure um, and use it to apply permitting rules to different sizes of vests. We've in this model in this proposal sorry in this proposed bylaw we've created five tiers instead of three which allows Hatfield to control the sighting uh more
precisely. Um the there's basically everything from tier one which is typical residential small commercial size wall-mounted cabinet scale. Um everything up to an acre or more of shipping containers um is
separated into five tiers and then permitted um increasingly strictly as it gets larger and larger. What I was going to say about the reason this says a possible tier three best installation is because what I've learned from trying to research what these things look like
visually is that the capacity of the battery doesn't necessarily predict how large the enclosure is because every product is a little bit different from different manufacturers. So what you can sort of say is like okay like probably if it's this capacity it's
going to be in multiple containers and that creates a certain kind of visual impact for us and we might want to regulate it in this way. Um so the planning board has several levels of review and approval at its disposal. We're using byite which would allow
small residential scale best in every zone. Site plan review would allow best um in certain zones but with strict performance standards. Special permit permits best in certain zones but allows the planning board to deny the permit if strict performance standards are not met
and not permitted would ban best in certain zones to protect public health and safety. >> So just going back again to underline like that is >> from easiest quote unquote easiest way to not like hardest slash not permitted. >> Right. Exactly. Yeah. And we do have to
reiterate there is we can deny it using special permit um which is protected by master law if the performance standards that we lay out in this proposed bylaw can't be met by the proposed development. Um for instance to the left
here we have uh something that would fit into pos like tier one for us that would be by right because it really has no land use impact something this small it's like the size of a Tesla charger on someone's house. Um, we'll get to the tiers when we look at the actual bylaw
itself. And then, um, safety asurances that are in the by the proposed bylaw. Um, fire, electric, and building codes, like I said, address equipment safety before we ever see a best proposal. But the bylaw um sets additional site safety
standards by requiring the developer to provide to the planning board an operation and maintenance plan, an emergency response plan, which if we want can include a communications plan for nearby residences if there's an emergency, limitations on PAS chemicals
used in fire suppression. Um demonstrated 110% containment capacity for any liquid hazardous materials. and then a decommissioning plan for when they're gonna break this thing down and possibly take it away and establishment
of a decommissioning fund. >> Um, it also ties into the Hatfield design guidelines handbook. It asks potential developers to align the development to the extent possible with everything that we took
time to lay out in those for commercial development, which includes um downturn lighting, unlit signage, evergreen vegetative screening. Um we could ask for a color treatment for the equipment if we think that, you know, it could look better in a neutral shade of green or something like this. It doesn't have
to be a glaring white. Um the Hatfield design guidelines handbook also prioritizes the preservation of working farmland wherever possible. Uh large trees ask the developer to respect existing grades and natural landscape wherever they can. And then um this
bylaw also allows the planning board to require full visual renderings of a proposed project through special permit. So for instance, this is an example of a visual rendering that a consultant did um of a best project. You can barely even see, but it looks like they
required them to paint this best dark green. >> Mhm. >> And then come up with a 10-year vegetation screening plan. So, we could ask for something like this if we wanted to see something that blends in better with the landscape um through a special permit. And then it has enhanced
environmental protections. Um the D already regulates best impacts on certain natural resources, but this one establishes further environmental protections specific to Hfield. It limits clearing and grading to the minimum necessary area for safe construction and operation of the best.
Um, this part of school, it requires protection and conservation of native on-site soils via a soils management plan. Um, it asks that they map out in certain situations prime farmland soils and other NRCS designated soils and not remove them from the site if at all
possible or not remove them from Hatfield if they have to remove them from the site. Um it requires additional safety and emergency coordination measures for any bests proposed in a sensitive area. And then um if
environmental disturbance is unavoidable, we can require onetoone environmental mitigation for um any bests proposed on previously undeveloped land. So it would try to direct them toward developed land if at all possible. And then ultimately it's worth
mentioning that this could be a desirable type of development for Hatfield if all of these regulations can be met. Some upsides could be um it does contribute to the tax base in a positive way. Doesn't really add to traffic a lot. Um these are off best and solar are
often leases. So it can leave farmland intact for later use. It can add to um a farm's bottom line and help sustain that farm into the next generation. um and ultimately it can stabilize energy costs for u an individual or the region. So
those are some positives if we can >> Can I ask a question here? >> Yes, please. >> Would this um affect the town's electric bill per se? >> That's a great question. >> You know, not not my bill or your bill, but the town's bill for all its
facilities. Um, I think if we had even if Hatfield didn't have a large bus, maybe I think the implication is if there was a large BES in like Hadley that served the region and it could stabilize regional energy. >> I don't think we could promise I think the only way we could 100% do that is if
there's like a community packed or something like that >> with a best project or if it was municipally owned or the municipal the municipality had a stake in the best system. I think that's the only way we could say yes. I'm sure you know I think it's the idea is that
>> make everyone's electric bills better like we that hasn't been the case but >> no yeah I think the idea is that like maybe what the goal of the 2024 climate act is is that ultimately if we have enough of these regionally energy will be stabilized in like a long-term way and then costs will go down. So it's
like in theory but I think this is it's up until 2050 is the goal of the 2024 climate plan. So >> so until then everything's going up. >> Yeah. >> Good question. So, okay. So, I've put on this last slide the zoning map for us to reference
if we need to. Um, the key is illeible, but uh you can see up here we have drinking water protection. Um, that's also here is a vertical striping and then riverfront protection is >> see what your mouse is. >> The mouse. Okay. Um, >> sorry.
>> Can you see the map? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. The notable we kind of know what the rest of the zones are. We have we have rural residential, outlying residential, uh, and then we have industrial down the middle. The green is agg. Um, and then the riverfront
protection is I think Kyle put in like it's like angled striping right along the Connecticut. And then the drinking water protection zones are that vertical blue striping up at the top and then down at the bottom to the left of 91.
>> Okay. And then we have our table of uses, proposed table of uses to the left. And then at the top we have the tiers so that when it says the table of views is tier one, you can kind of like look over and see what size we're talking about and what they might look like.
>> I don't I just want to say one quick question. I know Doug, you have a time restraint, do you? I just want to make sure. Do we have any more slides? >> That's the end of the presentation. Yeah. >> All right. I want to o quickly just say open it the floor up for it. Put members of the There's no members of the public
here, but I do want to say like if anybody was here that would like to speak in support of this. >> This is the time. >> Anyone here that would like to speak against this project? Okay. Can we do we want to have a motion to close the public hearing and delivery or do we want to have a more deliberate?
Do we want to keep it open um and delivery? I don't know how to do that. But anyway, >> I'll move to close the public hearing just to close it out. >> I second. >> Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I >> All right. Uh the public hearing portion
of is closed at I don't know what time it is. Do I need to know what time? >> 650. >> 650. Sure. >> Um all right. Now to board discussion. And I know like I said I know Doug has time restraint. So you all mind if he speaks first or gives initial feedback? >> I just have one clarification question I have through you. Um, Madam Chair to uh
Isabella, >> in the bylaw, is there a restriction on placing any battery energy storage system within 100 ft of a wetland? >> Well, the concom handles that, >> right?
>> But it does in the site plan review and all the materials that are required for the site plan review. One aspect is um providing mapping of any wetland um on the property and then a date of when the last wetland delineation was conducted. So I mean in theory the concom would
catch that but then if they didn't go to the concom first we could see that there's a wetland on the property and we could send them over there. >> Right. Okay. So the reason I ask is be and it's following up with a comment that uh or the question that Jimmy asked earlier. Um the Bill River which runs
through the center of town. It is a fairly low area as that river meanders about and it rises up on both the north and the south shores quite a distance away. According to the map that I was looking at the entire area inside that bowl is wetland which means that a 100
feet away from the edge of that would be the buffer to the wetland which means no battery system would likely be permitted in that area. So, I mean, we'd have to really draw out that area and understand where that that wetland area is to be able to understand the area where we're
not going to allow a battery system. >> You're talking about tiers two through >> Are you talking about tiers two through five or all? >> Um, well, frankly, it applies to any structure. >> You're not going to build any structure within 100 feet of a wetland or a wooded
wetland or any area within, I suspect within that bowl of the the Mill River. So, I'm just responding to that. That's >> John. Here's a caveat though. My house is on Prospect Street. >> Sure.
>> And it has a designated wetlands between my house and the street. >> Sure. >> So, we might run into that problem lots of other places that there are low-lying wetland areas that are adjacent to properties that might be okay.
Uh if I would suspect that the area in front of your particular house is a vernal pool, not necessarily a designated wetland, is it? Is it delineated as a wetland? >> Yeah. >> So if you go to expand your house forward towards that wetland, you're going to need conservation commission approval, right?
>> I can't. It's not I would need part of the deal when I bought my property is that I can't do that >> because that wetland is a des that is designated wetland even though it was created by my next door neighbor >> long before I bought the property.
>> Fair enough. And so I would suspect that if somebody wanted to put a battery energy storage system anywhere in that area, they would be denied. >> So would I be denied to have one on my house that's within 100 ft of the wetlands? Yours would probably be tier one if it was for your house and we allow that.
>> Okay. Okay. Yeah. I'm just because there's other houses that are adjacent to the Mill River and to other wetlands in town that might be susceptible to the same situation I'm talking about. >> So yeah, let's look at what we would what we would look what we would allow
here. So it says like I'm looking specifically at the river and the drinking water. Those are the two columns on the left, the DWP, the RFP. So we would allow a tier one which in my mind is like house >> right >> self-s serving whatever is on the
property essentially like a lower use. >> Uh tier two would be site plan review. So like yes, but they have to meet some conditions, >> right? >> And that is for like the size of a generatorish. >> Mhm. >> Tier three would be site plan or special
permit, excuse me. >> And tier three is like a few containers on a concrete pad. So like, >> right, a few shipping containers, right? >> Mhm. with the option to deny >> allowed for four and five would be the
bigger like 10 shipping containers. It's a giant standalone thing, >> right? To support the grid. Exactly. >> So, the the reason I bring this up is because the Mill River meanders through the the uh side of Dwight Street.
>> Yep. You can see that line on the map here, right? >> Yep. All up there. >> Right. So, that's all wetlands that are out. Okay. >> Doug, do you have any questions? I know you have to get going. Do you have any further comments? >> Uh, I would like to just make one comment that first of all, thank you very much to Isabella for doing all the
work. She did some seriously heavy lifting on this and I'm very impressed with what she's been able to come up with. Second, I uh I apologize for not being able to to be there to take a vote to move it forward to the uh select board for inclusion on the next warrant, but if I were there, I would vote in
favor of it. Um I have found out that the from a recent DOER presentation they have said that the state is imposing an October 30th deadline for towns to adopt a bylaw not December 30th. So we I think
this is our one shot to get something in place to make sure that west that uh Hatfield has a say in where battery energy storage systems are placed. Absolutely. Um, but I I mean even if the bylaw isn't perfect, it at least is the foot in the door that we need to have.
Um, and we can always make changes a little bit later on if there's imperfections here or there. So, I would certainly encourage support of getting this in front of town meeting voters. >> And that's all I have to say. >> Thank you. The main thing that I would like to discuss is the accessory use piece. Um, I think that's the part that I still have an outstanding question on,
but for the most part, like feel really confident in what Ella's put together, too. Um, so regardless, the attorney is only going to be look looking at this one time. So, we're going to take this information. Belle is going to work on any sort of extra feedback that comes from the rest of this meeting. And either way, we're going to be voting
next meeting regardless on on um the language approval. So, >> thank you, Dad. >> Thank you very much. I apologize for leaving early. So, that's great. Thanks, Doug. >> Bye, Doug. Let us turn to the accessory use question because it's actually it's
like one of the most pivotal parts of this. >> Thank you for accommodating that you. >> So the accessory use um let's see where to go first. >> The first place to look is in the definition section because I have
created a definition of accessory use that is specific to best. So it's called the first page. Um, a best installation shall be considered and this is because we have a definition of accessory use elsewhere in our bylaw and this is designed to direct all like all best
needs to be categorized under this definition of accessory use. So a best installation shall be considered an accessory use only when it meets all the following criteria. The best is secondary and incidential to the lawful primary use of the premises and serves the same lot. The best is building
integrated and we can talk about that in a second. Um the best is behind the meter and the best is classified as tier one under this section. So it has to be under 250 kilowatt hours um to count as accessory. This basically confines it to only small
scale residential. And if you look at what um I was a little concerned about the building integrated bit because building integrated usually means it's inside the house. So I in the building integrated definition which is on page five.
>> Look at you. >> I said that it could be um installed within a building or physically attached to and supported by the building or structure that the best will serve. >> Your example slide. It's outside but >> attached to the wall. >> I think creates
>> I appreciate that. And if we're only allowing tier one I don't know if >> if we're only allowing access tier one system as an accessory use. M I don't know if I feel strongly about that. I can see why some people would be like, I want it to be standalone because
it's if that 1% chance it's going to cause my house to turn up to turn up in flames. I want to set it 15 yards away from my house. I don't know if that's logistically possible, but I think what would happen
on here is it would just go through site plan review instead of no review. >> Okay? Because what's happening here is like with this chart, it says accessory is best is allowed everywhere by right. That just means that it just goes to the
building inspector, right? But if it doesn't me if it doesn't meet those criteria for accessory and they're like I do want to put it 10 ft away from the house then they could come to us propose what they're talking about if somehow they've come up with like a tiny little
structure that's like really far from the house and we feel like it doesn't really warrant site planer view we could probably decide that but it just gets automatically pushed into site planer view and then we can also so the list of things that are required for site plan view I would love to look at just so
that you have a sense of what that entails. Um it is on does that answer your question? >> Mhm. Okay. We would just be able to look at it in that case I think.
So then on page 11 bottom of page 11 it starts with the required documents for site plan review. Um, it's a long list, but it does say on page 15 that the site
plan review authority may wave document requirements as it deems appropriate at the request of the applicant. So if >> hold on what section can you go slow down a little sec >> on page 15 that's like kind of the end of the cycle interview requirements list
>> and it says that because this is such a hefty list and there are a few different sizes of best that are included in the cycle review required category. We can wave things that don't really make sense. Well, this is saying we can wave what documents. >> Exactly.
>> Rather than we can wave what segments of the bylaw they can need to adhere to. >> Right. So like in this list of things they have to supply if we were like it doesn't make sense to require a soils map for your project because it's so small. We could wave that based on
>> and it would be at I like that you put at the request of the applicant so it's not on us like kind of being like >> come up with >> it could be perceived as oh well you said you didn't need this one for that we need the applicant to come forward and have >> her example though you know Joe citizen says I want it off the building.
>> Mhm. >> How does this help him? because we get let him out of some documents. But can we let him out of following the letter of the law which says it has to be building integrated? >> Um doesn't have to be building
integrated necessarily to exist. >> I was going to ask it >> to be accessory to accessory. It does. >> So you got you you have to >> then you just Yeah. Then you just have to do a interview. >> Okay. So this can't be the group one cannot be adjacent to the
prop to the house >> and be accessory, >> right? >> It has to be on. >> It would have or if if it if someone wanted to request it not on or attached to the property, it would be a site plan, >> which makes sense. >> Okay. But it could happen. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's exactly. Okay. >> That's a good clarifying though.
>> Exactly. Like tier one can exist. something that's 250 kwatt hours can exist without being accessory if it's like not attached to the house or inside the house >> but it will cause a cycle >> right >> if it's detached it's detached >> um that seems right >> that's doable that's fine
>> okay okay >> that's definitely true >> you mean if that's how they actually work >> yeah or that's how it all works >> right yeah which is what when I run this by the attorney I'm going to try to ask him as carefully as possible to
crossch checkck with what the state's requiring. Make sure that our proposed bylaw like checks all the boxes that are like in the guidelines that are provided here. Um, and then is there anything else I really wanted you to see?
It goes on like page 17, it talks about like operations and maintenance, emergency response, stuff like this, setbacks. Um maybe we could glance at on page 18 I created basically three sort of standard setbacks because
we have this insane huge setbacks chart in our zoning. I didn't want to recreate that whole thing. So I created three standard setbacks and then I said where it's stricter whichever is stricter should be followed. So if the one in our zoning bylaw is stricter that's the one they should observe.
>> Yep. Um, and then I said anytime that basically a residential zone abuts a non-residentidential zone, um, the rear front side and rear step back should not be less than 50 ft. Um, if you ever have two different zones
of budding >> resident Yeah. residential >> kind of mimics our setback a little bit, >> right? Yep. >> Exactly. Without like reprinting that entire chart in here. Um, and then it says for best years two
through five, we may require increased setbacks supported by written findings where necessary to address planning concerns. >> Are these So, I'm just curious, the setbacks that you put here, are they the essentially the same thing as the table? >> They're basically Yeah, I kind of took
like ours very look at the table. >> Um, maybe that's something that the e-code whatever will recommend. >> Yeah, maybe. But I I did have a reason. I can't remember what it was now. I think I looked at all >> about the sideyard depth, but what about
the others? >> You're only matching one >> one side. >> What about my others? >> Both side yards. >> Um yeah, I did have a whole rationale. I don't remember what it was. It was weeks ago, but I think this was like the best
average of what we came up with in our other table. >> Um and then let's see. Of course, it has to comply with fire setbacks for access. And then, yeah, it gets tied into our design
standards. Where else do we go from here? Um, the natural resource protection section I was talking about, that's like something I put in whole cloth. That's on page 23. It is like the only place in any Hatfield law that would have soil
protection. >> Wait, say that again. Page 23 is the environmental um natural resource protection section. This is where we require that they um do absolutely
the minimum of soil disturbance. Um this would be the only place in any Hatfield law that we have native soil protection regulations. >> This is something that we should consider. I think it's something I'm already getting ahead of myself, but thinking about the presentation or like topline information that we would say at
town meeting like agreed this should be like and we would like to do more of this in the future. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. This is a crack in the door. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um it basically says uh you know they need to they need to minimize any clearing or grading and then when they do have to clear or grade um because
they've provided us with a map of like prime farmland soil with the site with both review processes. Um if with the special permit they have to also present like an alternatives analysis which we can get to at the end but if we can see any alternative to them disturbing prime farmland soil we
can ask them to do that and then if they can't avoid it they have to basically remove the soil separate it out by soil tier and then keep it from eroding try to reuse the soil on the site if possible and then if they can't do that it says in here that they are not able
to remove that soil from the town of Hatfield, so they can't sell it to a nursery. Um, and then 6.9.5 says that if any type of environmental disturbance that is unavoidable and we find that it's a
problem, they can there are compensatory environmental mitigation fees that they can pay. >> Fancy >> indeed. And then um yeah, at the back, let's see on page 27 actually decommissioning is kind of
interesting. So if it's abandoned for what does it say? This is from the model itself. The owner or operator >> months >> 12 months. So if it's abandoned, if it's considered abandoned, they have to remove it.
>> Um and they have to remediate the site. >> Um and they have to provide money like upfront. Actually, that's on page 27. the decommissioning fund, they have to provide the municipality in cash, bond, letter of credit, escrow or something
else um assurityity to cover the cost of removal um in the event that they have to remove it. Um and then the last thing also on page 27 at the bottom is special permit. So special permit would it refers them to our other special permit section of like
general procedures and then they have to submit everything that the site plan review required plus the following. So we have at the very bottom of the page visual renderings of the project um alternatives analysis which would be reasonable alternative locations
configurations and layouts for the best installation and then they have to say why you know this is the best option. uh community impact statement, which would be a written assessment of the project's anticipated impacts on land uses, traffic, visual character, noise, blah blah blah, and if there are uh
anticipated community benefits, and then an environmental impact statement. >> Um, and these are the things that if they couldn't meet these standards, we could deny. >> Great. >> That's it. That's that's our guy. our 29
page. >> It'll be shorter fortunately because they're gonna take out all these boxes but >> but still talking about wanting to create speech streamlined stuff but also >> I know >> comprehensive. Um, I am curious if this
has been like, you know, we're we're asking these like nuanced questions about this. The person that would have to be enforcing this, like have we run it by our zoning enforcement officer for >> understanding feedback questions? >> Um, no.
>> Okay. I would like us to do that before the next meeting. Yeah. Um and similarly when we have a special permit >> hearing we're supposed to notify different boards and committees I think because this is like a little different. >> Um it I don't know if we notify them or
not but that's something else I would like us to make sure we like >> talk to the fire department. Is this reasonable? >> There's like a list of um boards that are supposed to provide feedback to us. So that would be great. >> Yeah. My question is,
is this all information that the public that's going to be asking questions at the town meeting >> is going to understand? Is a Is this We're understanding because we've been looking at this for a while. Somebody that's going to come to the town meeting, and I've been going to 40 years
of town meetings here. Somebody is going to have questions >> about understanding what we're talking about here >> and how it applies specifically to them or their father or their property or their uncle or whatever. There's just stuff that I've seen in 40 years of town
meetings that somebody's going to have questions that >> um that are caused by them not understanding the information. So, are we putting out the information clearly enough for
even somebody that's skeptical about this project to understand or at least be able to ask questions and have an answer to them? >> Well, are so for a town meeting would we be doing like a little presentation or like how much?
>> So, generally what happens? Well, we can provide slides. I would recommend we take a look at these slides and just provide them as a handout. We can have handouts if they're approved by the town clerk, I believe, and the town moderator, I believe. >> Have to give input or like approve any sort of handouts. But if they're rated
to warn articles, I'm sure they would. >> Sure. >> Um, what generally happens is sometimes you're surprised and nobody wants to ask any questions about it and it go right through. >> Um, but then usually there is at le I I would be prepared to have at least some sort of like brief overview even if it's
just like a synopsis of the slide. >> Yeah. You really can have as much time as you want, but usually our warrant articles are at the end of the town warrant, so people are like ready to get out of there, right? I wouldn't want to do like this entire presentation. My thought was if there was time for a presentation, I would come up with a entirely
>> sort of not entirely different one, but just aimed just simpler and like messaged differently kind of. This is really supposed to be a breakdown of the entire bylaw because I knew that we wouldn't be reading it line for line. So, this is just like what the bylaw does. But if it's for the public in that
context and it's at the end and people are going to be tired and they want a breakdown, I would frame it differently. I think shoot for like a five minute thing. And then >> I think having a work a handout like a double-sided piece of paper or like a couple page like slide situation.
>> Yeah. Um, and this is like us getting ahead of ourselves a little bit on that, but likeant I think it's important because >> I think it's important to be prepared for those questions to come up and those people who are not familiar with what we're talking about all of a sudden they're freaking out. >> Exactly.
>> You know, this thing's going to go in the field behind my house and what what am I going to do about it when it explodes? I mean, that's a question that I would honestly expect to hear >> at this time. Yeah. Well, it's a lot of new information at once because you're like, there's this scary thing, but like we're regulating it, but like we can't
regulate it too much. But like >> Yeah. And again, it goes back to my whole like if I were to pick all the things that we would be spending time and energy on ahead of town meeting. No, >> it would not be a frankly unfunded mandate from the Commonwealth to be focusing on this. It would be on things
to move our comprehensive plan ahead, which I've said before. And so it's kind of I also think you know that should be a version of that should be part of messaging like we have to do this or agree is like >> or they're gonna do it. >> That's the line you walk. It's like hey it sounds confusing
>> if we don't it's going to get real bad. >> Exactly. >> I think I think that would be a message that people will understand especially in the climate we're in right now where things are being done to you so to speak that you have no control over. And I don't mean personally, but I mean yeah, politically and and and environmentally.
Um, so I think it really be important for us to be prepared >> for that kind of situation to come up. >> Yeah. And it's a fine line because I don't want to like scare people about this too much, but and I so that's why I want to mention some of the positives at the end about like it can be a good form of development if you be criticized for
also leaning too heavily on one side of bit or other. Like >> the whole point of us is to try to mitigate some of like those really serious concerns and that we've seen crop up in the gazette and stuff too from the community and trying to >> put them on this regulate this
>> and it's hard because I don't I mean really understanding these on any kind of technical level is very difficult >> and I think it's been a huge burden for planning boards everywhere. I mean, people with no planning staff are trying to do this, you know. So, it's like we have done our best and we're going to try to we're going to run it through
town council and hopefully this passes muster with a but >> you know. >> So, I guess that's my next question then. So, >> assuming we're all like on board with this layout, first of all, I really appreciate you breaking it out into three tier, five tiers instead of three
tiers. The model by had three tiers and like >> that didn't make sense breaking it out. So, I appreciate you doing the due diligence and research into determining like where you think those thresh thresholds should be. >> Um, and amongst all the other work I
plus one to everything that Doug said about you taking the time and energy to really dig into this um because it is not sexy or fun, >> but super necessary. So, I appreciate it. It's green. >> Green in as in energy and new to all of
us. So true. >> Um, >> so now you're like an expert. So assuming that we agree on this, the next steps would then be accepting all of the No, not accepting all the revisions, but sending something
to council town council. >> Um, but before >> we could even do that tonight if we are all like, "Yeah, we agree." >> Potentially >> do what? >> Approve sending it to town council. Approve. >> I feel like that would make sense
because then I can bring it back to you. The only in I would like to get ensure that we did ask those boards that were that we asked for >> if there's like an interput like extra considerations
>> that they would like us to look at like >> like you mentioned like >> oh yeah fire safety training for these things like yeah like is our our is our fire department trained for like a tier one or I mean not tier one tier five is what I meant. Now, I have I did email
the fire chief and ask him if he had any comments on it and he does not. Um, but we've talked in the department heads meetings and he's like super aware of these trainware that okay, I just want to make sure this isn't going to be surprising. So, >> totally. I also talked to Tony who's the water superintendent about this
extensively and um he's aware of like we talked about like that's why I've been coordinating with weight because we share a drinking water protection zone with weight. So I wanted to know like how they were permitting theirs up thereing their water. >> They are. >> Where did you get to with Whley? Are they >> We've been So they had their public
hearing for this last Tuesday. They have a bylaw. They tried to write one earlier actually last year without the guidance and so they're like amending the one that they had from before. >> Okay. >> Um and they sent it to us Tuesday maybe and I haven't been able to read over it
in detail yet, but I did really like I just wanted to show you this. They sent a letter to their to their um town council for review and I think I'm going to do something similar to this where I ask Can you see my screen? Yeah.
>> Yeah. This is we can just literally skim but they sent him um a request for review feedback on the amendment proposal and then they asked him to review like all these different things. So consistency with this is clean energy sighting um and related state law 22 225
blah blah blah that's clean energy sighting. Um and then they you know wrote out any concerns that they had about like we want to make sure that this works. So like I'm going to say like do you have any reason to think that this five tier structure is going to be a problem or um do you have any
reason to think that defining accessory this way is a problem? Things like that. Um, and then yeah, they just ask basically ultimately confirm that it's consistent with 4DA. Um, can you confirm that it's internally
consistent? >> Um, and I liked concern that there aren't standards that may be deemed vague, arbitrary, or lacking sufficient nexus to legitimate health and safety objectives. So, >> I will probably send our attorney something like this so that the feedback
is kind of guided and addresses any anxieties that I may have about the changes that I >> That's a great I think it I mean it's always I again I always say like I wish we were more connected with our neighbor planning boards of similar size because >> you learn best practices like oh how do
you write this decision? How do you >> exactly >> approach and engage with your attorney like this? I'm glad that you found that helpful. And I think one of the things that we also need to be aware of is that somebody's going to come say, "Well, why isn't doing it like this? South Deerfield isn't doing it like this.
Hadley isn't doing it like this. Why are you doing it like this?" >> Because we're preemptive, right? >> As opposed to trying to catch up and and fill in the blanks where we had blanks, right? Where they had blanks when they were writing this before all the stuff came out from the state. >> Totally. Yeah. They were just >> So, so I mean, we're going to get that
question. >> You know, I'm just trying to play the devil's advocate here. things that people are going to say and there is one person I know in town that no doubt will have at least five comments about this at town meeting at least. >> Yep.
>> So I think that would be okay. So I think at next town meeting if we can if you have like draft materials for us so as to we can talk about how we're going to approach town meeting at the next if I have town meeting materials. >> Yes. Yeah. Or I guess we could even do that in May meeting because we have a
May meeting before town meeting. It's a constant refrain is this is good stuff. How do we PowerPoint this? How do we make it clear five sentences max? >> I know elevator pitch has very difficult
something to >> say. Yeah. So is it possible for us to make some of this information easily readable and available before town meeting? So it would be the onus responsibility for say the information's
at the town hall. If you have a question go pick up the information as opposed as opposed to them saying right well you see no one showed up here. So if if we protect ourselves by saying the printed information is sitting at the town hall because somebody's going to say well I didn't know about all this. Well you
didn't come to the planning board meeting. No you didn't know about this. But if the if we put out there that the information is readily available in print form, you don't have to be computer savvy at the town hall. After you do is go pick up a couple pieces of paper and read what we're what we're
talking about so that when you come to the town meeting, you're more informed about what we're talking about as opposed to, you know, >> and come to Bella's office hours. >> Yeah. Right. Absolutely. >> I can put together I mean there's going to be like a handout for town meeting. Not tomorrow. There's a handout for town
meeting anyway. I'll just put it together earlier and we can have it in the office. It'll be like one or two sides of information and >> that'll help. Also, I'm Andrew asked me to present about something to the select board on Tuesday and he suggested I present about this also. So, I'm going
to be talking to them about it on Tuesday. >> It's a good practice. >> Be helpful. Yeah, totally. I'm not going to do this whole presentation for them. I'll just do like a verbal version, but explaining to them why we're >> why it's important to do this. >> Yeah, exactly. And is it it's presenting the warrant articles or something different?
>> It's just describing the issue. >> Yeah. And that we where we are in the process and that we'll be >> we already sent them a draft but that we'll be sending them another >> This is also like again like for example like public forum people come in and talk to us. I think it's good that you in your capacity is going in front of
the select board another avenue another opportunity for the public to exactly see this if they don't watch our meetings they can watch their meeting board meeting or whatever and I can refer people at that meeting to like this presentation if they want like a denser breakdown of the thing but I'll just describe like you know why now
what's happening and >> so my point is we need to be preemptively prepared >> yep >> for questions that are not as logical as we think they should be Sure. Sure. >> But they need to be answered in in a polite and technical way that people can
understand as opposed to >> you know it's plain and simple. Why don't you understand? They can't do that. People there's a lot of older people in this town. They're not going to understand a lot of this stuff. So, we need to find a way to preemptively make it aware that the that here's the
the nuts and bolts of this >> and if you're really seriously interested, the information is readily available to go into further depth on this before the town meeting. So, we don't have to do this and have it get it tabled at town meeting saying we don't know yet, so we want to table this for
for whatever reason. Exactly. >> Um, and that could happen. I've seen it happen at town meetings >> with important stuff. So the other piece what I'm getting at is >> the town needs to be made aware that if we don't do this, it's going to be done
to us, >> right? >> So we are doing this for ourselves so that somebody else is not going to do this to us in a way that doesn't fit with our town. >> Totally. Absolutely. You know, and I think that's very important for older people to know. Agree
>> that, you know, you have a say in this now. You won't have a say in it if we don't do it do anything about it. >> I would I give you full authority, Jimmy, on the town meeting floor. If it goes back and forth, you got to get up and say just you got to say that. >> I'd be glad to. I don't have a problem with that. I
>> So, but we need to make the information available for them to come get. I'm not saying we should send out letters to everybody in the town. I'll make handouts, >> you know, handout at the town hall. All I can do is go there and pick it up and read about it. >> Yep. That's what I'll do. >> Yep. And I mean,
>> and to your point too, like it's just always been a struggle of >> people like this, it's all set up in a way for people to engage into it before it gets to town. Exactly. Right. Right. >> But people don't Yeah.
>> And you don't want to say, "Well, where were you?" >> You know, they get insulted if you say, "Where were you?" Well, I didn't know anything about it. Well, they you know, >> it goes back to it came up a lot and actually in the compreh the Hatfield 2040 comprehensive plan conversations like >> there used to be a town crier like you
know like there was one way there were three te like three television channels that everybody watched the same news like that isn't a thing anymore. So like how do we get that information out? >> Um we have like page but not everybody's on. >> She's got some hours to town cry. We'll get her a bill. >> I can cry.
>> Get her a bill. You stand in front of the corner store. Everybody's getting their coffee. hear ye >> crossing the marketing meeting. >> I put them up on telephone polls, right? Well, see that's the whole thing is like everybody there's not like a community h
like community hub like there has been in generations past and so >> um people really if they want to get the information really have to opt in, right? >> So, um appreciate those that do and I I understand those that don't. I have young kids like I'm, you know.
>> Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But um yeah, I it's it's a constant struggle, >> right? And and you know, we've been talking about this for a while. Yeah. >> And I sometimes struggle to follow >> where where where the bouncing ball is going. >> Absolutely. >> You know, and so and we've been working
on this for months to expect somebody to anticipate not expect anticipate somebody to have questions that seem, you know, nonsensical to us are very real to them. >> Totally. So we cannot answer those questions in a demeaning manner. No,
>> like why didn't you pick up the information? Well, that's not the answer that we want to give them. The we want to give them is here is what this is all about in a concise form and um please consider it. >> Right. Exactly.
>> Yep. Especially when you know people's emotions are heightened over something or >> absolutely there and and also at town meeting when it goes long >> people are afraid. >> Not afraid, they're afraid. Their their sense of paying attention is very afraid
and all they want to do is get through the town meeting and say yes or no and get out of there. >> You know, especially around 10 o'clock at night. >> Oh my god, >> the blood sugar. >> They're talking about batteries at 10 o'clock at night. I swear to God, >> they should have snacks. >> They should. Um, yeah. All right. How are we feeling about this?
>> I'm I'm for it. >> I am for it, too. Do we want to I mean, is we can we vote with three people? Do we need a supermajority? I always never know with that when it comes to this. >> If not, we can vote on it again next meeting. >> Yeah. I guess would the vote be because
approving what we're doing now is taking this version to town council and then I guess you could vote later to take the version the town council has approved to the selection. >> So I would make a motion that we take our information to the town council for
his approval or or redactions and then present that >> for a vote at the planning board >> meeting the next meeting >> and then we can vote in April whether we are going to vote to to recommend it. >> Stay neutral or not recommend. >> Second that.
>> Okay. >> I'd second that. Jim, >> any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I I >> thanks Bella. >> Three out of five votes. >> So, I had just a administrative question. >> Yeah. >> We had Doug on the phone. >> Yep.
>> He's an attendee. I know he had to leave before we had a vote, but if he was just on the phone on the mic in a public meeting, he's here, right? Like he can vote. Um, he would have to acknowledge that he watched the rest of the recording if >> so he's out for tonight. But like, you know, when I was on vacation and I was
on the phone, I was ending my butt wasn't here, but like >> Yep. He would just need to like that he watched the rest of our discussion or whatever. Um, >> yeah. >> All right. >> Great work. Go ahead. Great. >> We're thankful you're here.
>> That's an awesome idea. Wow, that's a lot. >> Related to that, I would like to move to the next item on the agenda. the board discussions and updates. Before you pivot, I would like to talk about something briefly. So, um, >> as every year like the as the chair, you're asked to like submit your budget
request and I've requested for more hours for Bella >> and I have that finance committee meeting next week. So, I will be there if anyone else would like to go and share their support andor just plus like send an email to >> where
>> it I was told Monday the 9th 6ish. I think it depends on like what else is on their agenda and I can I will confirm and I can forward that to you. >> This is what meeting? >> This is with finance committee finance. They really have >> I think select board two or no it's just
fine. Anyway, they basically like ask you to if you're asking for an increase in your budget, which we are because it would be adding additional hours for this role. >> Um they basically just have you come in and like pitch your case as to like why and like just have a discussion. They're doing their due diligence as they should when any department is increasing its
budget like wanting to dig a little bit more as to why. Um, I provided a very like top level letter as to like why we should, but like having >> us there. It's not necessarily saying we would use all that money that they'd authorize or like Bella would use all
those hours, but it gives us the ability to use those hours um if we need them and if she needs them. >> Right. >> Yeah. So, I right now what are your hours or like what are your 24 a week 24 hours a week right now? I think I requested for like the same amount I've
requested every year, which I feel like an extra another five hours, another five hours. So, >> um eventually I would love for us to get to 40 hours a week. Some of the money comes from our budget, some of my money comes from concom budget, and some of the money in the past has come from
>> um community preservation act funding. >> Yeah. So, just to name that, I would welcome any of my fellow members to come and support me. Um, again, it's not necessarily about like, woohoo, we love Bella, but we love having this role >> totally support the board. Um, and it's
a little bit about, but it's more about >> and I would certainly play the age card for the reason to have more time you here >> because I'm 76 years old. The lot of population in this town are my age. So
the better way we can the better we can prepare for people to understand what we're doing and that's where your expertise comes in is prepare preparing information so that people like me that are older that don't know a lot of this
stuff will be able to understand what we're talking about right away. >> Totally. And and I think that would be >> I will be at that meeting and I that will be my card to play as 76 year old person in this town and I'm not that far from the median age mean age in this
town. >> I mean it's it's changing because people are dying. >> You know that's the bottom line is sometimes that's the only way change happens is attrition. >> Wow. >> I love the bottom line. the turnover as they say.
>> I watched I watched it at planning at at town meetings. >> Yeah, >> I watched it at town meetings that there was a section of the population that came >> with real attitude and real not
understanding what was going on and came drunk also. >> Yeah. >> Literally. Literally. And stood up and stood up and stood up and stood up and talked six times about the same thing. Mhm. >> So I mean that's a card that we need to
play that that older people need more information that you can provide so that we can do our job better. >> Totally. Yeah. And my whole thing is like, you know, I'm always concerned about the fact without this role, and this is something that Bob Wagner, the former chair, has like he was the one
that started asking for, he asked for like two years for funding for for this role, and then I asked for two years, and we finally got funding for the role like three or four years after we originally requested this, and it was for a measily like five hours a week or something for Janelle. Yeah. >> Um,
>> but regardless, like I appreciate the that. Um, but my my one of my main reasons is we are all just elected people >> essentially like we get paid a small stipen and have like these pretty consequential decisions like we could
get sued frankly like on what we decide on and so like to me >> but you know like if it's reduces liability Bella's I think at least um Bella in the role has paid for herself in the number of amount of grant money that she's secured like there's just so
many reasons why just having someone in this role is super helpful and like the fact that you support Concom, you have an eye in you're like at department meetings and stuff, it's like >> helps ah put me at ease and lets me sleep a little bit better at night. >> I I agree. Especially and I I'm a prime
example. I I just I'm a prime example that I get more from you than just the facts, ma'am. Just I hear that. And this is my quote for that town meeting. It's ever watched Dragnet, the old Dragnet
show. >> Yes. >> Many Dragnet reruns. >> Just the facts. And that was how that show went. The facts, ma'am. Just the facts. >> And so I think that that as we present
this, presenting the facts uh in a in an understandable way for people that don't necessarily want to understand it or don't know how to understand it, will get it. >> Exactly. That's the point. >> And the other thing we need to do when we present this is that >> if we don't do this, it's going to be done to us, right?
>> And people understand that they don't like things done to them. They like to make decisions and do them themselves. >> So that's our job for the town is for us to make the decisions and do this to pre prevent the state from doing it to us or the government from doing it to us. >> Exactly. you know, and I think that's
that's a real um important piece of people at the town meeting understanding what we do. >> Yeah, I like the handouts idea. I will put that together before >> keep it going. >> Any other updates from you? >> Uh,
not really. Well, okay. Kind of kind of. Um, yeah. So, we talked about this last time a bit, but I think we didn't we had a hearing in the middle of our conversation, so we had to sort of cut our conversation short. We need to
>> This is related to um 12 and 18 Elm. Alejandro, the owner, called me last week and I told him we would talk about this at this meeting. Um we had asked him to >> That's the big Victorian. >> Yes.
um he wants to sell the house basically by itself um not with the land. It's like a condo strategy that he has. And then he would sell it to a developer to um transform the interior into
condominiums. I think he wants six. Um, and our question has been and his question has been um, can that be done in the zone that it's in um, through like by defining it as a pre-existing non-conforming use um, or not? And so he
came before us a month or two ago and we told him to please get his attorney to write up his interpretation of why that should be allowed through our zoning and then we would relay that to our attorney. that would stop us from kind of interpreting what he's saying and what you know and so we did do that and
his attorney sent us this letter um which I will give you each a copy for reference um his attorney basically says that um the
single family residence predates Hatfield zoning bylaws and is thus a legal pre-existing non-conforming use in the IND industrial district. Um he talks about how it was combined in 2023 with the adjacent lot and then um
a remaining question that we had was whether or not um the house could be thought of as accessory to the industrial use that's on the lot now. Um, Lori found the history of all of the
zone changes on the lot, like when it was actually changed to industrial. Um, which I will give you here because that was one of Doug's questions. Um, ultimately, we gave this letter to our attorney. He agreed with Alejandro's attorney's take. He said that he
believes that we can proceed um through the special permit process that we have um under section 3.4.3 4.3 of the zoning where if we deem as the planning board that this different non-conforming use wouldn't cause more detriment to the neighborhood than the
existing non-conforming use that we could permit it through a special permit. So it would still require a full special permit process to review his proposal. But our attorney believes that that is permissible under our zoning. Um and per what we told him, those were the
requirements for what we would consider moving forward. So yeah, >> that seemed if if our attorney agrees, I feel comfortable with a special permit because then it means it notifies the butters. There's still an opportunity if >> people have opinions.
>> Yeah. And if for us to really, you know, it is a historic property to put, you know, >> it's in the town's interest to keep that building, but to keep it looking, >> everyone's gonna say, well, they like >> I think it's a good thing if people start breaking things up into more res.
>> I agree. >> I think this is just a good thing all together. You don't want to tear them down. And right now, they can't do anything with it. And the way that the state's been pushing more housing, more housing, I think like >> right that's an that's an asset in this >> for the people that property has had a lot
>> a lot. I mean when I first came here the Hatfield Club was open. I don't know if you guys know anything about that. >> Hotel. >> Yeah. Hotel. And if you were tall enough to get a drink, you could drink there. >> That was about it. >> And it was he had buffets there, Smorgesburg type buffets for $3 a
person. >> Oh. And it was, you know, the food was okay. Not great. Not It was edible. No one got sick, but it was about the drinking. >> It was about the drinking. >> It was about the drinking. For him to have that permit, he had to >> stop eating drunk. >> He had Right. He had to serve food to be
able to have the permit to do the alcohol. >> Yeah. There's a lot research into all the different um zone changes and like they maybe proposed certain businesses that didn't end up happening and that's on there, I think. complex property and >> yeah I think to yeah that's where I was
going to say it's like you talking about how all the stuff happened on we've have had our runaround with this property like the entire time I've been on the board so this has been >> a headache property frankly for us and a lot of it has to do in my in my opinion and I would not going to speak for the
board in saying this but because it's been incorrectly zoned >> frankly and doesn't match the characteristics of the neighborhood and has created >> come to roost when you do this this is what we're dealing with >> Yep. and uh you know all of the problem parcels that we've had have come from similar circumstances anyway.
>> So the bottom line is this an asset to the town to to approve the situation there to make it make six more housing units in town and not allow the profit margin for the developer to be part of
the question or part of the discussion. Does it matter how much he's money he's going to make or not make or lose or win on it? Is is this a good thing for the town >> and fits within and does it affect and especially with um Michael Bartlett's thing that he wants to propose across the street
>> basically across the street. >> I mean so we're talking about an area in town that's looking to produce 12 new h about 12 new housing opportunities. >> Neighbors will >> you know 12 doesn't sound like a lot but in this town 12 is significant. >> Making for sure. >> Yeah. I'm curious, Bella, if if and when
this route we go this route and so I don't want to like deliberate on this, but like >> if it's a special permit, like are there ways we could carrot them towards whom? So the other piece of this is and sorry I'm trying I'm speaking of myself. Yes. Is there way to give a carrot to at least having a unit be affordable
>> is one question I have. The second question I have is around it's my understanding based on how he's come before the board is that he wants to get this approved and then go to a developer, right? So like because it makes it more attractive to a permit to
a to a developer if >> all the ducks are already in a row and the project's already approved. >> It's expensive to get a plan. So he doesn't want to spend that money without with us saying no, >> right? And like as someone who would want to purchase the property like >> it's a tricky thing. How do we any kind of incentives?
>> You got to know that you can do what you want to do, right? >> Before before you put out a million dollars or whatever the dollar number is, >> right? And I think that's why he would ask for up to six units but maybe it wouldn't be six units would they have to come back before us. So those are questions that I think we should have concrete answers to when and if he
engages in that process because like what if we approve up like six units like is can we is there language that we can say up to six unit we want them to come back if >> no more than six. I'm just those are just things that I'm going to be that I'm thinking about because this is such
this is a unique circumstance and going back to >> the public forum comment we had today about how it doesn't matter who purchases the property it's about the conditions falling remain with the parcel or the initial >> if it's a special permit review we can say can't you say >> yeah there things we can condition
>> affordable or >> I don't so that's something I don't know a question >> can can we suggest in some way that at least one or two of these potential units be listed as affordable housing. >> I think
>> and that to be determined by the housing market in town. >> I think suggests good for nothing. >> Yeah, suggest it. Our only do what we can do >> mechanism for that is giving people a density bonus, >> right? >> But I don't have that and I don't think we have that ability maybe in our bylaws
to do so. I think that we do, but anyway, that's something to look at. Yeah, because >> or like we could we would forgive XYZ thing if they Yeah. did that. Um and another thing is like even saying like you could apply for CPA funding to
support housing like some of this project if they were to keep one of them affordable, right? >> So Michael Bartlett has done that that >> right. So that's something that this person should do, >> right? He's done the due diligence about it before and he has the information and
the answers to that question. So anybody that's looking to do something similar across the street should be held responsible for the same due diligence of coming up with all the right information ahead of time and knowing that it's okay to do this that there's a market for it. You know,
>> the problem though, Jimmy, is that we don't it's more of like a carrot as opposed to baked in. So like I understand you're saying Mike did the due diligence. Mike is really invested in this town here. I we don't know who's going to come in and buy this parcel and it's much easier not to give a crap
frankly about any of these things and just develop it for the top dollar. So if there's any way we could have any sort of mechanisms to try to get the outcome that would be the best for the town right >> um in a special permit granting piece that's something I would just want us to think about. Yeah. Going into this
process >> and I think it would be really important to clarify that we're doing this for the best for the town not the planning board. >> Well and like if Alejandro has been um has been open to working with us and based on his projects in the past, but he's not the one doing that. >> Right. That's the thing. We don't know
who's going to be doing the project. >> Yeah. >> Or if anybody's even going to accept the project, >> correct? All right. Those will just be things I'm thinking about. So, I can tell him go ahead that we Yeah. That per our attorney's
response to his attorney, we can pursue the special permit pathway. Yep. for 3.4.3. Yeah. Okay. He'll be happy. >> So, I'd imagine that would happen in the next couple of months. >> I think he has I mean he already has the I think plans with broker design group and all that stuff laid out. So, >> there just might be because it's again a
complicated nuanced situation. There might be like a continuation or it might take a couple meetings or something. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And this would clearly involve publics and public input. >> Correct. >> This spot is split off. We did split that just that hunk off.
>> No, we have split. >> He wanted to split off just the acre. >> Oh, we tried and then we had to undo >> frontage split and then it got recombined again. >> We had to undo split >> because it was something that our planning board in the past should have never approved. So like there's a lot of
like there's a deep history there. Not >> not at a fault of his. Part of it is fault of us. Part of it is fault of previous own like there's a lot there. Right. Right. Right. >> Probably because they didn't have a plan on staff. >> So it'll be pretty intricate. This special permit will be pretty intricate. It'll be a reszone.
>> It won't be a resone especially. >> He's gonna have to split the lot. >> No, he will not. He's going to condify the house. So, he's only going to sell just the house. So, like the >> like you know >> the easement, right? The easement to the condo. >> That part is Yeah, that's not us. >> There's like two a condo within a condo
involved somehow. There's condos inside of the house which is also a condo >> unless unless they develop it as apartments. He >> keeps talking about two condo. Yeah. Anyway, >> I don't know. >> They'll have to pitch it to us. >> Yeah. Exactly. exactly which he partially did but didn't go the full way
because he didn't want didn't know >> yeah the right way to do it. >> The last thing is that the um eco onetop for growth grant applications are due on March 30th. So we will be applying through that for um funding for the housing production plan
>> which we've also asked CPC for in case Andrew asks them for that as a backup I think. Okay. since this is a competitive grant >> and have we put out the RFP for you know for we and we need to get on that the RFP for the um consultant to look at our
table of use or all of our bylaws and our map >> which we drafted at the end of the year last year but I just feel yeah I mean Andrew's got a lot going on it's gearing up for so yeah I'll nudge him again on that >> and I think that we're um headed to a
situation in town where people are going to be interested in doing things in this town because there's land available. >> You know, whether it's for this purpose or that purpose or any purpose, I think Hatfield presents a very desirable place for people to do things. Uh especially
with its proximity to 91 and Springfield, >> you know, it's only 20 minutes down the road. >> Yeah, so true. And also that map though you showed us that there are also strong severe constraints with the wetlands and so it actually like concentrates and puts more pressure on the land that is
developable. >> Right. Right. >> Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. >> All right. Anything else? That's it. >> I make a motion we adjourn. >> Um our next scheduled meeting will be April 1st. >> I second a motion.
>> Uh any further discussion? All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> We are adjourned at 7:48 p.m.