I call a meeting of the planning board to order at uh 6:01 on February 25th the planning board meeting is being broadcast live and also being uh recorded um we will take up the
administrative items first um and the first item is approval not required of an Aon submission at 392 Sodom Road and the applicant has uh requested that this be this matter be
continued uh until they can um add some additional materials to the drawing um planner is there anything to add to that what would you like to your report thank you chairman um yes we were just going to say that this item is going to
be passed over as the applicant did file that extension to wave the 21-day anr review requirement um and that decision was filed with town clerk on 22425 so the development has been moved to the March 11th 2025 agenda no action is needed at this time so we don't need
a motion to continue it it'll just come up on March 11th yes sir okay um we have a few minutes to um um wait for the public hearing which is scheduled at
6:15 um which is a after the fact the revision to a subdivision that was approved many years ago um let's look at the assistant planner's report if you're ready yes
chairman um yes it's been about a little over a month month and a half here um for me the first priority is following up on some open cases um cases ranging back from this calendar year all the way to 2015 so I'm verifying remaining
balances held in Charities and identifying outstanding items and then once that's uh finished I'll be reaching out to these cases to ask for a status update so as you can see it's kind of a it's it's it's a robust list um
something interesting that is that the assistant planner is taking on um from an administrative standpoint is helping out with the ReUse of the old high school so on Friday February 14th I joined Town Administrator on a walkthrough of the old high school we met representatives from the school
system and the school committee sorry school committee and the long-term planning committee and we're working with Consultants from RGB architect which I believe have not worked with town before so as I said I'm assisting from an administrative standpoint with minutes coordinating agendas um meeting
everybody um it to be clear this is not a planning department project um and then this past Friday I toured the Council of Aging building with the RGB Architects um gave a tour of town hall Annex and toured Town Hall um and then this upcoming Friday I unfortunately had
to leave the initial High School walkthrough a little early so I'm meeting up with Kim ulette um the facilities director um to finish my tour and take a look at the cafeteria the gym Etc so that project uh you know I know that it's kind of been on the table for many years so we're hoping to actually
see some action out of this um it's been very interesting um uh chairman whiten and I actually attended a restoring our Marsh's webinar um last week it was kind of describing um how at risk the coastal marshes are
are here in um this state so the trustees of reservation of uh conservation and action hosted this webinar they are doing some remediation work um in the great Marsh on the NorthShore which stretches from Gloucester up to Salsbury um their goal is to restore the marsh sustaining
hydrology because salt marshes are actually an early storm water management system um here in this region so one method uh they're using salt marsh hay secured with twine to replenish Pete and to trap sediment and another um strategy that they're imp menting is run aing
which is creating an underground channel to drain surface water and so they've decided that they're already seeing restorative growth um with these uh projects and as my you know familiarity with Westport builds where can we implement this you know depending on where this study goes so yeah jini
were're both in on that um and then lastly inquiries and phone calls I've just been answering the phone taking the folks who come in um that's kind of ramping up as these weeks go on and it's really building my relationship with towns folks my relationship with the engineers that we work with the other Consultants so that's I think been
really helpful with building my understanding of how this structure works and getting my finger on the pulse of what's going on in Westport so I've been enjoying that my confidence is building um even today you know we had a little bit of a lively day some folks came in and chatted for an hour um so
that's I I'm enjoying that I'm learning a lot um and with each passing week I feel like you know I'm growing so it's been good understanding the structure here in the in West boat could be a very big task yes it's oldfashioned but
that's what draws me to it um in the old high school RS I know that these are um these are new Consultants that were hired out of the Town meetings vote Goa um one of the things that we should make
sure that happens is that the prior studies and all that because I think this is I don't know which attempt at at looking at using the old high school but it's but a lot of work has done before we should just make sure that that
whatever that work was done has been handed off and also I I I this was before you joined us but I I believe that um perhaps through serpent um they were
they were um coming in and and doing um this 3D U modeling inside the building so that you would actually have the room sizes and volumes and all of that I I don't know I I I don't know where that
stands but um I I think that was that was a possibility and was in the works before that would be I think okay mmid was um mmid was on the committee and I
think he had arrange for that okay so that's if if that exists that would be and and it exists in a Revit or some 3D modeling for them that would be enormously helpful to them I'll I'll look into that thank you yeah
the Consultants have said that they're not trying to recreate any of the studies already done cuz there's so many so they are definitely using that as a jumping off point so I'll bring this up to them just the pure uh you know data Gathering of yes
how big are the rooms and how wide of the card is and how many seats are in the cafeteria all of that stuff you know would be very helpful for yes yes thank you in all the U phone calls that have
come in have there been any people showing interest in the housing production plan not to my knowledge I haven't had anyone call I haven't observed Michael or nine taking a call where someone specifically talking about the housing production
plan because uh that is controversial in several parts of the state really controversial but so far no one's uh so to my knowledge it's a draft so would the public have knowledge that this draft is being
created uh uh I don't know we've talked about it here I see we have certainly talked about it and um you know I I I don't know that if it's I don't even know if it's been because that wasn't done under offices
but um whether or not copies of the draft or in the library or something like that okay not to my knowledge Michael and I were reviewing the draft actually together I think it's still within sured it's it's very early for me we've read
it similar question on the uh updated uh uh zoning plans for uh accessory Welling units have the have there been calls about that or anything one person called
about applying for an st Str permit for their Adu but then they actually hadn't even acquired the property yet so that's the only one I've received regarding this yeah this new Adu legislation the byright legislation um and I'm trying to think if
Michael if he do it's it's it's a one-off you know that conversation's done in one or two minutes because we're that'll be a town meeting uh warant article this year to bring our by law in conformance with the state's
requirements yeah yeah so you we we try our best to get information out for public discussion and everything and uh but I guess it's human nature that people uh don't take those opportunities
until town meeting rolls around and then everyone's oh my God we didn't have to talk about what is this all about why do you bring this up at the last minute so okay we still we still have a few minutes uh perhaps we uh if if the members have
had a chance to the yeah so the minutes on uh on January 14th uh we passed these right and and we're just amending them yes just these are the revisions and it's just one
revision marked in red uh which is to delete that motion on uh page two so uh I've looked at that and so I would move that we approve the minutes of
January 14th uh with uh as amended by uh deleting the motion on page two second all in favor I I and
um uh I've read the uh minutes of the 28th and again I really like the way these minutes have been uh reconfigured they're very clear and
complete and I think accurate uh so I would move approval of the minutes of January 28th 2025 second all in favor I I
probably didn't take long enough to discuss all that a minutes we we've got the we got a minute two here and and uh I had mentioned to nine earlier that that the minutes are um are
really quite quite extraordinary and very well done and almost not exactly burbaum but as as close to burbaum as uh as you can get
and and we' this is I I get to see quite a few Town agency minutes and very few look as good as this very few none that I can think
of we've got uh uh climate resilience uh committee coming up on Thursday March 6th at 5:00 and um I just point out that um
what we hope in in that meeting is that uh we have um Jeff Canton who unfortunately not going to be there on the on the 6th has been putting together um a draft of how all the subcommittee
reports um have um been developed by their subcommittee chairs in their own way and Jeff is going to has come up with a way to try and bring them together so they they would be a single
report from the single committee uh that can be handed to the select board but we've also um met with um four professors at uh UMass Dartmouth uh who
might who have said that they're interested in helping us um uh get into some depth in the uh areas we're looking at and so uh I think we want to explain that to the full committee how how we
think that partnership between the uh climate resilience committee and UMass Dartmouth might work uh to to be U uh for the benefit of uh both the uh town of Westport but
also uh to to UMass Dartmouth an educational institution as far as we all know the town of Westport is still the only town that has other than the city of New B that has a resilience effort going on
and which uh I think just like the town of Westport is the only town that has an offshore wind advisory right uh which speaks to the leadership of of Westport uh and so um uh we want to say this is
how we see this going I think it'll be uh a Westport resilience report kind of aimed at at one level uh and then uh a companion report by uh
UMass dment that will be a deeper dive into areas um and um then we'll see if we can get depending on how many people attend on March 6th a feedback from the climate resilience committee and whether
they think that's the right direction or or whatnot but at any rate that's uh what we're hoping to do on the sixth the um one of the things that that the town
really a lot of the the functions of the town are really carried out a citizen volunteer basis including my my colleagues here on the planning board and um and and while we all get to serve on
multiple committees when it when it becomes time to produce really something professional looking that we can um work on the the volunteer system sort of breaks down
that is you know to to have publication skills and graphic skills and computer skills and have all of those those things so that you can produce a a high quality report we we we all know what it looks like but it's not all of us
sitting in front of our laptops trying to make it happen so the idea of teaming with with UMass uh that brings those sort of skills is really something that's that's a a very strong idea uh thank you for that update John
and um it's now 6:15 um why don't you uh D why don't you fill on the the status of this this is a a a revision of an act of the fact
subdivision revision so this was an a subdivision that was approved under rural rural residential Lane configuration for a gravel roadway surface and the the project is is under
development and nearing development and they pav the road without coming back and asking for a modification so this is after the fact request to have the
board approve a revision of the approved subdivision to allow a pave surface so why don't you tell us where they are in the application and what they would like to have happen yes thank you um and just for reference my name pronounced via not
Dia so thank you for providing the summary the applicant is applying for an after Thea subdivision modification approval for Paving Kayla's way um as stated the previous plan was approved in 2002 for a private gravel roadway so continuing on to the staff review I'm
going to highlight the outstanding items just because the plan previously was approved so just what deviated due to this Paving of this gravel roadway so section two with the minimum width of the street right of way shall
be as shown in table a of the appendix so the applicant was originally approved for a 12T gravel roadway and they've now resurfaced with a 10ft bituminous concrete roadway um the next section will be section 5b2 roadways shall be constructed for
the full length of all streets in the subdivision the center line of such roadway shall coincide with the center line of the streets right of way unless a variance is specifically authorized by the planning board the minimum width of roadways between curb lines shall be as shown in table a so the roadway had
already been constructed and curbing wasn't required on the originally approved plan number three in this section all roadways shall be brought to a finished grade as shown on the profiles of the definitive plan and shall be constructed and provided with a surface in accordance with the then current standard specifications of the
planning board curbing shall be constructed in accordance with the oh pardon to protect the adjacent land from erosion by the elements or encroachment by Vehicles so as stated the roadway was paved with bituminous concrete but originally approved for gravel just wanted to highlight that no sub
substantial changes to the grade were observed um number six in this uh Section 5 in x 5 in reinforced concrete or Granite bounds not less than 3 fet in length shall be set on the exterior Street lines at all angle points at the beginning and end of all curves and at
all intersections such bounds shall be set with their tops um 0 to 4 in above the proposed finished surface grade depending on location and shall conform to the then current standard specifications of the planning board so the bounds have not been included in the as build number eight street name signs
designed and installed in accordance with the planning board and Highway Department shall be provided the street sign wasn't installed um the technical Review Committee did not provide any comments but the Consulting engineer has a few findings that the proposed Kaya's way
sign um be placed on utility poll 157 as it is not currently there um that the asil plan does not show the concrete bounds or drill holes that were installed as indicated on the approved plans additionally a reg a letter from the a registered professional land surveer stating that The Monuments were
set in accordance with the approved plans is a condition of approval number three the asilt plan was not stamped by registered professional land surveyor um let's see in addition um
planning staff recommends um two waivers uh a waiver from the subdivision bylaw Section 5 D2 that the volume of storm water discharged for the 10-year 24-hour design storm shall not increase as from predevelopment conditions and that the applicant is uh oh sorry that planning
staff requests a waiver from subdivision bylaw Section 5 D7 that post-development drainage not out letting into Wetlands or existing drainage shall be designed so that Peak runoff and stream flows in a 25 and 100-year frequency storm shall be no greater than 80% of the rate prior
to development so looking for a 20% reduction um per mbl's uh review Brian Dunn and Tracy dwarte they um identified a 14% reduction opposed to a 20% um so a motion to approve both
waivers is needed in addition to a motion to approve the modification with the following conditions conditions being that the applicant shall complete and submit a request to Res to release the restrictive covenant Covenant after the road sign is installed and that the
applicable monuments are installed to be verified by the Consulting engineer that the final asilt shall be stamped by a registered professional land surveyor in the state of Massachusetts um per town of Westport subdivision bylaws section 2d1 and section 2D2 the board requires that the
applicant pay fees consisting of the reasonable costs incurred for the employment of outside Consultants engaged to assist in the review of the application including cost associated with the asil plan subsequent additional deposits by the applicant will be required if expenditures exceed the amount of the initial deposit and number
four that they add the waivers to the cover sheet of the plan question is it they use concrete bounds Gran I think it's uh I believe it's granite or concrete y just cuz you had said Gran I
see I'm sure as long as The Monuments is set but um granite or concrete is does has the applicant received these reports and your comments the MBL report yes they've responded to the mbl's report actually
and I can go over those comments um yes if you had seen um the applicant says it so the applicant responded to mbl's comments but um I not to my knowledge I don't I don't think they've seen the staff review
I'll have to check my email um my my question is aimed at should we act on this tonight or should we give them the reports and have them do the work and then come back in and
we'll approve it when when the work is done do you mind giving me a second to think about that I I'd be want to suggest that that um WEA on just because of the owner in this been in town for a long time second
or third hour he barded this way he's trying to purchase another house in town yes I'm inclined to agree with Manny I feel like we've been having a lot of correspondence with this applicant so I think he L the S
yeah I feel and I'm looking at K's engineer and I remember when K engineer buy it that way gotcha um well I'm
um I I would entertain a motion to approve it with the conditions I I'm not sure how that how that helps the um the applicant um other than they know that we would
Pro it but um I think you'll get on it looks pretty nice out there a second are you making a motion man you want me to make motion oh the chair's not I'll I I'll move that we uh
I approve this um revision the subdivision with the with the the four uh conditions that uh uh Dia read uh the four uh sample conditions of
approval second all in favor I I chairman um Town planner was also looking for a motion to approve both the waivers requested is um that's something the board can entertain tonight as
well uh I would entertain the motion and yes well I'm not sure that I uh was my motion uh to approve both waivers uh contingent on the um uh four sample
conditions is that one motion yeah yeah I think that can be one motion that's one motion understood so it's the the approval has been approval of the waiters or W approve the subdivision modification of the plan
entitled definitive uh subdivision plan of Jake's estate uh located in Westport Massachusetts at one KES way with the two waivers subject to the four conditions of approval that you read
into the record so that's uh the vote we just took yeah is is affirmed by that yeah thank you is there a a motion to adjourn is there any
business second all in favor We Stand adjourn