Planning Board Meeting July 3, 2025

001All right. Call this meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Uh, this meeting is be record being recorded by the planning board. If any other persons present are recording the meeting, you must notify the chairperson at this time. Public comment. If you wish to comment at some point during the meeting, please raise your hand and the request will be considered at the chair's discretion in accordance with the AG's open meeting law guidance to allow for as much public participation as time and circumstances permit. Okay. Roll call. Jeff Szer, vice chair, acting chair tonight. >> Tom Bledo, alternate and looking like voting member. >> Eric Yugi is alternate and darren member. >> Thank you. All right. First order of business is to approve the meeting minutes of June 5th. And I was not at that meeting, so

002I'll let you guys make that motion to approve. I'll second. >> Any discussion? >> I just had a couple of changes. Um I'm not sure the procedure for making the changes. Eric, can you make note of them or should I >> Yeah, you just pointed out I marked it down on the minutes and then Okay. >> Board votes as amended. >> All right. Um so first of all at the like the first line um George was the chair um not acting chairperson so >> these minutes were done by Victor I believe. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's why I was asking about the changes. Yeah. Um then also at the very bottom of page one, I believe I abstained from the vote um to approve the meet meeting minutes of May 1st because I wasn't actually

003attending, >> but we also had a conversation about that. >> Yeah, I think I still abstained, but I'm not positive >> that positive. >> If you watch it after the fact, you can approve it. Who who some of you said that? >> George did. >> Yeah, exactly. Seems so do you want to keep it as three 01 then you >> Yeah, that's correct. That's what I was suggesting. Although I have to double check. >> Um and then I think uh so it's labeled as an action item, but I believe the discussion of the conceptual subdivision plan at 75 Oakill Road, I think that was like a discussion item, not an action item. >> Yeah, it should have been. Um, and the I think the only action item was um the ANR endorsement which is labeled

004correctly. >> That's all I had. >> Good catches. >> Thank you for reviewing that. >> Got them all marked on. >> Is there a motion to approve as amended? >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I'll abstain. Thank you. Wasn't there. All right. On to discussion items. >> Uh so the first item, planning board discussion on supporting a new cooling corridors grant application. >> You want to start with this? We have folks, please. Thank you. >> Okay. I guess here. >> Hello, I'm Mary Chickland. This is Marggo Jones. We're both members of the tree committee. >> Uh about a half a year and a half ago, we came before you with a cooling corridor's proposal. Um which we were in favor of. And in fact, the city was awarded the money. Uh the work

005will start this fall. And just as a little pat on our back, we were told it was their favorite of all the proposals they received. So, and we were invited to put in a second round which seems promising to us. >> So, um I don't know if anybody's had a chance to review the document. >> Yeah. >> Should I quickly walk through it or how much information do you want? >> And I reviewed it >> for the public. I mean, >> yeah. Yeah. >> Just for the just for the record, I would give >> some time. That's good. >> Okay. So, keeping it quick, the project is uh to take place on Federal Street um between Stanley to the north and East Cleveland Street to the south. Um it is comprised of two elements. One

006is removing a a long strip about 180 foot strip of paved over tree belt. Paved over bricked over tree belt. It's been a project that's been long on our radar, but as a small nonprofit, we didn't have the ability to do that excavation. Um, so there's that element and then there's the planting of about 40 trees in that area. Um, Margaret, do you want to say a couple words about why that area is important? >> Right. Um, it is a entrance way into the city. It's a major uh thoroughfare for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. pedestrians are going to the high school, they're taking the bus, they're uh going to the recovery center at the old lump uh site. So, it's a very active street and it's ex it's just uh sprawl dead. I mean, it

007it has no >> no trees at all hardly. Um and and we're mainly uh working on the east side because that's in the designated um econom environmental justice. >> Oh, really? The just the east side. >> Yeah, there's a funny pocket that isn't. >> So, somebody rich must have lived on the west side. >> So, folks are Don't worry, people. It's from >> there's a lot of business donuts up to Londren. >> Yeah. Before Londren, >> well, we did plant a couple trees. Oh, yeah. Just a couple, right? like a four on the west side, but they they like to see that it's all within EJ and that's >> well this is the which is the EJ and which is the >> so yeah I'll speak to those so that so we did some analysis

008there it's definitely within a EA hotspot and also rated moderate to severe in terms of heat island effect it's less than um less than 10% tree cover and over 80% imperous surfaces. So, we feel like we have a very strong project proposal. Um the challenges were that on the east side of the of Federal Street, that's where the overhead utility lines are. So, we're limited to a lot of smaller staff trees, which is disappointing, but it's just a reality. There's always a west side there. >> Yeah. Yeah, we did do a few over on that side. And we also included the some of the side streets where we could squeeze in some shade trees as well. And it looks like some young trees been planted in recent years also on the the west side. >>

009Yes. Yeah, >> there is something growing over there. >> There's more greenery on the west side actually because it borders a park and >> y >> it would trees would really shorten the distance for people who live in that catchment area of Federal Street to walk downtown. And um I say that because my daughter was in an apartment for three months on Federal and Shadic >> and she was all excited moving to Greenfield thinking great I can walk everywhere. I can do this and she's like I feel less safe here than I did in DC where they were shooting every day in my neighborhood. She was that cuz anyway she said it's just desolate >> to do that walk and she said she wouldn't feel safe and it's amazing what trees and streetscapes do to

010change that perception. >> Yeah. And so this grant is >> perception. >> This grant to for uh there would be no uh requirement for the city to do any of the work. The grant would pay for the excavation of the hardscape, the remediation or replacement of the soil, the seeding of the tree belts and the planting of the trees. Um the only >> watering >> the watering is also paid for under the contract. >> You're doing that for two years. That's fantastic. >> Well, if you have to stay on top of it, >> that's been a challenge for our small and for the and for DEW is to keep up with water >> and turn it off. So that's a huge >> who does the water >> the cont the contractor. So in the case

011of the the uh project that's starting this fall Ammeris Nursery was hired. They're both a grower and a landscaper. So they'll be doing both the installation and then the return weekly watering. >> Yeah. A lot of times they put those I don't know what you call them. >> Water bags. Thank you. And they just come fill them up once a week. >> Any questions? This isn't relevant to this, but what what are you working on now? What's the next proposal for? >> But we're just wrapping up a DCR proposal, which uh was just a modest it was about $12,000, but it paid for a lot of technical assistance training for us to run our nursery better. So, that's been a really positive thing. >> But for you said that um they're allowing there's an invitation

012to >> That's this one. Yeah, >> that is. Yeah. Yeah. And I also want to point out that it will be a demonstration project for the town for the city to show that tree belts are public and they are not to be paved over and not to be curbcut free or >> turned into curb cuts like they have been on some projects. So we really >> want to raise the awareness. And that was one of my questions like what's the origin of the tree belt being paved over? Is that being done unlawfully by private owners or um do you know you don't know? >> I didn't look into the history of this particular tree the one on the cover uh that shows the crumbling you know >> brick and pavement. >> Um that used there

013clearly used to be tree wells there and what happened to them I don't know. And I also don't know just in general how it works that a a business owner can choose to just eradic eliminate, >> you know, the whole thing. But that's a conversation for another day. But I think Marggo's point about this being like a demonstration or a first step to covering some of those bases is a good point. >> What caliber trees? What size? >> Uh 2 in I think. >> Yeah. I think there's a bit of a history of the city yielding to utility companies in the past. That isn't necessarily the case anymore, but I bet at some point our company wanted those trees to go away and maybe they just did it >> or the gas company >> or

014the gas or both. Yeah. >> And also depending on the businesses how their parking is, it's much easier to have, you know, one curb cut at each end of the property and the whole thing is just drive in wherever you want, park, >> right? snow removal. Yeah, there's lots of arguments for it, but >> doesn't mean it's right. >> No. >> And I think when there isn't a change of use, there isn't much oversight of site plans, >> right? >> So maybe that's something we could all talk about >> future because belt should be for sure. It should >> it should be. >> So you don't need approval. This is the discretion. >> Uh yes, we do approve. support. Well, I'll make a motion to approve or support. >> I'll second >> favor. >> Did

015Did we need to finish formal for Eric and I to vote? >> You I think you have to officially make us >> Okay. Do I have to make them voting members officially or is that just done by default? Um, I mean it's obvious that that happened, but it'd be better if you made a public statement that you're elevating members. >> So, because we're missing some folks from the regular slate. >> Well, why don't we move that to the beginning of the agenda? >> Made motion. >> Well, yeah, I'm going to be moving his last statement first and >> Eric will be voting members and I said that 10 minutes ago. I'll make a motion to um endorse approve. What's the >> Support. >> Yeah. Enthusiastically perhaps. >> Absolutely. >> Those schooling corridors grant an application

016by the tree committee with enthusiasm. >> But before you leave >> because this came up in our discussion in our last meeting when we were looking at the action steps or implement implementation. Yeah. a action step for the revised um master plan. And there was there's a lot of the first section is about trees and tree canopy, but there's one thing that um I wanted to add was getting doing something that incentivizes getting the public to be stewards. So along this corridor, for example, if somebody wanted somebody who's on federal federal street and wants to plant some trees and because there's a lot of residential properties going up the street, they want to plant some trees. Is there any way we could incentivize that by does the city have a tree they could offer? >>

017We do. We have we have a tree nursery. Greenfield Tree Committee has a tree nursery and we offer free trees to residents. We plant them for them. So all they have to do is water them. >> Great. So >> they just sign up. >> Part of the part of the the line that I'm proposing to change didn't is to add promote that program because a lot of people don't know about it and really promote to the point where anywhere in Greenfield you can as a homeowner the city will help you plant a tree as long as you take care of it for two years. >> Is there a waiting list and kind of a shortage or is it take a long while to get the tree or short time? >> We're we're getting caught up.

018Yeah, we've we've planted about 60 trees so far this year and we're about to do another 20 or so and then we'll be almost caught up. And about two years ago, we uh started coordinating with DPW. So, if DPW gets a request, we are now sharing the uh administrative person with DPW share we we shared a Google sheet with them. So we were both inputting information into the same sheet because what was happening in the past is people would call in and three years later you know they it would it was just not coordinated. So now it's well coordinated >> and it's also as somebody new to town it's hard to find that information >> and I I actively looked because I worked in other did a project in Holio where I put all these

019trees as part of the thing and they just happened to have received one of the grants for heat islands >> from DCR and so it was easy to get a fantastic assortment of 12 trees but here I I couldn't find it. >> Okay. I mean now I'm I'm a more knowledgeable of how things work in green field but it should be very easy for anybody. >> The tree tomato is you can just plant them in a tree belt because that's public land. So it's a combination of planting in the tree belt and then also planting in people's on their property too. >> You can't just plant anywhere else. It's got to be outside of the rideway and you want to have you want to encourage the right tree and >> the tree belt is the

020rightway. >> Yeah, >> it's public land. You're considering the rideway. The tree belt is in the rightway. >> Public property >> because I was told you have to be within your outside of the rideway and on private property. >> That's not the tree belt. >> That's your priority. >> The right way of >> right. Well, that's what I'm just trying to clarify. I because I was >> 15 feet on either side and that 15t either side of the pavement is the treatment. >> Yeah. Typically the sidewalk. >> Okay. Okay. >> Stripped part of the rideway, >> but it's part of the right of the Okay. I Yeah, I was told right away edgeto edge rightway is for I didn't know that. >> Not the tree belt. >> No, it's for either one. >> It's for

021either >> it's within 20 ft of a sidewalk or where there's no sidewalk within a road. >> So that there still is a public benefit. So we're not planting trees in people's backyards. >> And we're also not planting little dinky flowering trees where there's a place for a shade tree. So if somebody really wants the little flowering tree, >> we'll say, "Yeah, put in the back." >> Somebody on the tree committee said, "We're not in the landscaping business." So >> yeah, that makes sense. >> Yeah, >> we do need >> and we don't we keep away from intersections. You keep >> back >> keep line of. >> So was that a approval? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And I think your question >> Well, no, we had the approval. question was after that post approval.

022It was just a side >> because >> we added a little comment to that but another >> thank you. Thank you for making that happen to the >> success letter. George can sign it Monday. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. Athena said she'd follow up with you. >> By the way, I also want to compliment you on the comments they made to your proposal that it was their favorite. That's just for me another star in Greenfield's hat about how we're so innovative and we are are just doing amazing things in Greenfield. I I was we're trying to talk to so with the business community about how amazing Greenfield is because all these things nobody knows about. We got to toot our horn a little bit more. >> Mary was Mary's daughter. We're trying to >> Mr.

023If you could take out of order, if you're willing to take it out of order the C and move it up before B. Uh, I meant to do that in the agenda. The individuals here. Yeah, >> might be a longer discussion on master. >> We were just talking about that. So, no problem. We'll move you guys. Yeah, we'll swap the order. So, we'll jump right to planning board discussion on a potential zoning amendment to allow animal kennels or hospitals by special permit in the limited commercial zoning district. >> Start off with a quick explanation why this individual is interested in Cherry Rum Plaza and starting a animal hospital business in that location. >> Um, and that is uh in the limited commercial zone at Cherry Rum Plaza. >> That's all the way just south of

024um Route 2. So, >> across 489 um Burks Road. So the last um like the last parcel before route two >> and so right now >> behind Denny's across from the school >> actually right now animal the use category in the zoning ordinances is animal kennel/an animal hospitals. She's interested in the animal hospital not kennel new always law uh makes it so that we can't regulate kennels anymore except through the city clerk's office. So, this would be an amendment to allow animal hospitals by special permit in the limited commercial zoning district. And I asked her to come here to explain her request and see if the board's willing to initiate such a voting amendment change. >> So, my name is Stephanie Vasser. I am a veterinarian. I grew up in Greenfield. Um, my whole family

025did. My mom still lives at the top of Main Street. That's where my kids are right now. Um my brother also lives um down on Cole Rain Road, so we've been here a long time. I currently live in Shelurn and I run um an ecoin only practice called Brick Health Ecoin and Veterinary Service. So I'm an ambulatory ecoin specialist right now. Um we're in year 10. I started it in 2015. grew from being solo to now having four employees and another veterinarian that works with me and we do about a hour radius around and we're the only ecoin specialty clinic in the area. Um, with that I, um, am now entering kind of my second decade and was trying to scale my business and I found that I've kind of built it on my personality

026and me showing up and I'm want to figure out a different way um, to kind of how can I use be a veterinarian but a little bit differently. Um, and also throughout my time as an ecomind vet, I get multiple texts and questions about people's dogs and cats and they can't get into their veterinarians because over the last 20 years there's been a transition from emergency services being provided by the general practitioner um, if you think James Harriet or Dr. Paul on TV where they do all of the animals um, to now having their on call provided by the emergency clinics and our main emergency clinic is the one in South Deerfield. Um there's also one down in um West Springfield and that those are the two main emergency services for all the way up

027um to Albany, Manchester, New Hampshire and um Burlington. So even people in southern Vermont and New Hampshire do not have an option for weekend care. Um my goal is not to provide emergency like trauma care but to be bit mirror kind of the human model of urgent care on the weekend. So ear infections um kind of went through the list, vomiting, diarrhea, limping, abscesses, things where you can't get into your regular veterinarian um but you kind of complement what they can do. But also like we will not provide routine wellness. We won't do surgery spay or nos. were no overnight hospitalization. All of those would get kind of triaged to go to South Deerfield to the veterinary emergency specialty hospital. Um I have been looking at properties since October of last year. Um I was

028kind of focused in the Home Depot region in there. the those spaces are too big um and too expensive or too small and have kind of stumbled upon cherry rum and assumed that it was going to be um in the general commercial and just be by special permit um and then found out that it's limited commercial and that it explicitly says in the chart that it's >> and >> it's just in there and a big N. Um, so what I'm asking is I'm in I have a signed letter of intent with the landlord. I have um preliminary design plans. I'm meeting with the architect next week um to try and get this open as early into 2026 as possible. Um I've contacted other vet clinics and kind of let them know what my plan was

029so that they didn't find out from planning board minutes, but they found out from me because I really want this to be collegial. um hours are intended to complement theirs. So, it's starting at 10:00 a.m. on weekdays. That means that they usually have all their urgent spots filled by 10:00 a.m. Um and also providing the weekend hours. Um >> and you would probably you would probably refer patients when needed to >> and just having um open communication digital records that can be emailed and sent and followed up to local clinics um and also depending on them for referrals as well. So, it needs to be mutually beneficial. Um, I already have meetings set up with the Franklin County Tech School for um their animal science program to get some co-op kids in there and GCC

030is also starting of that tech program through them um to work with them as well. So, it's trying to work in as much of this community as possible and also be able to have a place to send the people that text me about their dog and porcupine quills when I'm >> the classic. Um, so I guess there's kind of a difficulty with the definition because it is lumped in with animal kennels. Um, there's also Pioneer Valley Vet Hospital is 3/4 of a mile one direction and Greenfield Vet Hospital is a mile the other direction. So, um, it's it doesn't seem like it's out of place by anyway means being in that area and in that space that's been vacant for quite a while. >> It's a perfect location. >> Yeah. So been working very hard

031on zoning and trying to find the right spot. >> And also with that parking I would say I mean you're not submitting you don't have to submit plans. It's just design that we have to change the ordinance. >> Yeah. Yeah. If you agree with that this is a good idea you say that you would initiate zoning. But I would say it's an excellent location because when you have a distressed animal and you don't have all that parking area and that means of being able to pull up a vehicle and >> transfer the animal >> and there's still the drive up from when it was CVS in 19 in like the ' 90s and has a slider and a nice little portage spot that you can drive right up and in and get snuck into the

032back in in that way. So, I mean, if we look at this limited commercial corridor, if you go further down the street, it would be a little bit more challenging. >> Yeah. >> So, that's a perfect spot. I think that's perfect. >> Is it is it the end corner? >> Yeah. So, it's the end cap space. It's a 4200 foot space. Um the right now it was Space State Home in Fusions. So, it has a showroom area, a couple offices, and then a large warehouse portion. Um there's a loading dock that goes out the back with um uh dumpsters right there and also oxygen storage there. So that lines up for um for for certain regulation things that I would need because there would be oxygen in the building, but they already have previously had

033that in that building um with the previous tenant. Um it would not be any um structural changes to the footprint. Um, and I think there, like I said, there's no overnight boarding at this point. Um, >> it's still a perfect location even if there were. >> And there's a 1700 square foot vacant spot in that building before we get to the um I think it's the endodontist is there and that doesn't have anything in it. So, there's no front door to it. It would either need to be added on to either side. We have I in my LOI, I asked for first right of refusal on that. So if I did grow into a G general practice over time as these smaller clinics start to close um I have the infrastructure to be able to

034build that. So um >> plus there is a shortage of vets. >> There's a huge shortage of vets and it's only it's not getting any better. So >> no and people are getting animals and they're not you know there's a shortage. We should just be clear that this is not a special permit hearing yet or do we are we the >> be the zoning board of appeals that would if you initiate a zoning change and it ends up getting adopted by the city council then the special permit will required from the zoning board. >> Yes. So >> we're not evaluating so you're very well prepared for that meeting. >> Yeah. >> And just to be clear our job is to decide whether or not this a use like this this use in this category is

035appropriate for the limited commercial district overall. This is an example of what that could look like. Go ahead. >> Do you have the zoning map open right now or should I walk over there and look at it? >> I do have it's it's basically Federal Street from Pleasant >> up to >> Yeah, that red area. >> Yeah. And your vet hospital is this lot right here, right? And then um Greenfield Vet is right there. So, we got a nice little >> Yeah. >> So, that's why I didn't think it was an issue. Yeah. >> Yes. >> My perspective is so just looking at the use table now, you're not recommending that it be a allowable use. You're recommending that it you want it to be a special permit, right? Or we could decide to do

036one. >> You can decide either one. I I >> we can make a recommendation. >> To me, it should be special permit. And that's why I mentioned special permit, but you can make it by right. >> So just to review right now, the animal counter kennel or hospital, which this fallen to, right? That's what we're talking about. >> Animal hospital. >> Yeah. So that is is currently not allowed by right anywhere but it is allowed by special permit as you said in the general commercial district. The other four places it's allowed by special permit are in residential districts. All of the residential districts in the city. So if we think it's appropriate to have this in a residential district, it certainly seems appropriate to have it in a limited commercial district. >> I think it

037it should be kind of special permit. That's to have you have to prove that it you're going to manage it right and design it right and >> but >> you would think there would be more concern and more desire to have it reviewed in a residential area than in the commercial >> hence to sell permit >> but but you would think it would but it's >> right >> to me the logic it's it's like it's a no-brainer. >> Is there any logic to it not being included there? What's the reason not to have this? You know, it might have been uh it might have been the tie together with the animal kennel. >> I think they use category in the zoning now. It's animal kennelan animal hospital and Ali's law came out and that eliminates

038special permit requirements for animal kennels, dogs mostly. >> And so maybe that was the reason. I wasn't here in ' 89 when it happened, but >> kennels are separate from animal hospitals. So we're really just talking about animal hospitals. hospital. >> So, is the definition of an animal hospital different than an animal kennel now? >> Because ordinance has not been amended since all law. >> So, animal kennel or hospital together, which it says it's about housing three dogs or um more than six months old overnight at like one time. It puts you in the kennel thing. So, >> that it's all the same definition. So, >> how are kennels? after Ali's law which came out recently I think 2024 um it's saying that you can't like require a the city clerk's office can't require a

039license for an animal kennel dog licenses and also the city requires special permit from a land use board it can't do that anymore based on the new law called ali's law so therefore we have to amend the ordinance to allow to take away that kennel warning from the ordinance >> so for a kennel if someone wants to have a kennel and have, you know, >> boarding or something like that. Um, or just more than a certain amount of dogs. Four, I think it's more than four. >> Um, they have to go to this the city clerk and get a >> more than three dogs. Yeah. They have to go to the city clerk and get the license. >> So, you can have a kennel anywhere. >> You can have a kennel anywhere now. >> So,

040if it's on the same line of definition, animal kennel or hospital, would that be looped together? >> No. Unfortunate. Just trying. >> Yeah, just trying. >> Change only applies to councils. >> Yes. >> The um so then there's another question that somebody's brought up. If I'm not running this as a hospital and more as a clinic because hospitals have overnight care, um would that fall under medical clinic which is allowed by special permit in that limited commercial? if there's no overnight border. >> Yeah. >> I'm just trying to figure out kind of what um swiftnesswise um in terms of everything kind of like lending and leases and all of that kind of stack up on this approval. >> Medical facilities, does it matter who they're targeted towards, humans or animals? >> It doesn't say in

041the definitions in the zoning. I mean, the fact that there's a separate definition for animal hospital and medical clinic, one would assume that they're two different things and that they view the >> human patients. >> Exactly. >> Medical center. Yeah. >> So, yeah, that's what I was saying. The fact that there's two separate definitions. >> Human patients also says no overnight. >> So, unfortunately, it doesn't meet that difference. >> Yeah. >> Unless we change that definition. >> We could change that definition. that definition could be changed as well. >> Where where is that allowed? >> But either case, the zoning amendment process is about 90 days even to change that definition or to allow this by special the same time frame, same process. >> The um I think that the definition of animal hospital needs

042to be updated no matter what happens. Um because saying a structure used for the harboring and care of more than three dogs um I don't think that's an accurate definition for North Veterinary Hospital. So I think just overall at some point that probably would help have some improvement, but I don't need to spearhead that. Well, it sounds like the sense of the board is that we would be amendable to making this zoning amendment. Is that >> to initiating it? >> Initiate the zoning amendment. Yeah. >> I think it's still a question of which what's the right approach, right? >> Whether it's just allowed versus whether it's allowed by permit as a right versus by permit. >> Yeah. or do we change the definition of medical center and take out the word human? I mean, so

043what's I think this should be perceived as we're changing the zoning because it just makes sense as definite not because of your project because that's we're not supposed to think about it that way. You're just >> No, I think that's why I said this definition doesn't make sense. Yeah. >> So, but when we have an instance like this, this gives us a chance to look at the ordinance and make sure it makes sense for, you know, practical purposes. And it seems like it might I don't know what the political So first of all from your perspective to get the zoning changed then you can file a special permit and go through that process and that's going to take six months right totally when you put those two together >> if you put it together maybe

044you can do in 60 days remember 60 to 90 days and the special permit process including the 20-day period is about 60 days so 120 days is under six months but it's still getting up there >> because I don't know if the landlord's going to hold >> how much time did they give people double they wanted to they wanted my lease to start July 1st um which I obviously didn't do and so I bought at least another 30 days from that but they want a timeline on what would be realistic and they tried to blow off um this zoning issue and say that it wasn't a problem and I should just sign the lease >> you have a buildout period before you open >> yeah so I was hoping to open um January 2026 before

045I realized I thought I just needed a special permit um for that so I kind of built that in um and so Now I'm looking at March 2026. Um, >> can you get a building permit if it's not an allowable use or is the use not determined until try to get a CO? >> Yeah, you wouldn't be able to obtain the building permit if use >> you could submit everything for review because it takes a few weeks but they won't issue a permit until this is resolved. If you went through a change in the definition of medical along the process so it's >> same thing 90day process >> it wouldn't be a special permit after that if you didn't do it >> oh yeah so that one's about right right the medical clinic in >>

046which is another reason I mean I'm so I think that the objective way to do this is I mean the easiest way in my opinion to justify a change like this is to just see if it's consistent with something else there just there's this inconsistency where we allow human clinics but not animal clinics. It's currently under the animal kennel definition which says nothing about treatment. It doesn't seem like the right definition. >> No. >> What you're doing is much more of a medical clinic than an animal storage facility. >> Yeah. >> So it feels like your project shouldn't be in that category to begin with. >> And even that is allowed. >> And we kind of don't have apparently we don't have a medical veterinary clinic category to put you in. Yeah. >> So either

047we need to invent one or move you into one that already exists. So we could set >> and so what's the argument for having a separate one for humans and animals and if there isn't one we could just eliminate that word >> it would be the same process from our perspective. We could add a veterinary clinic category that looks a lot like the human one but maybe there's there might be like less I don't know there's probably some functional thing that's different but maybe not. And then we could also make that allow an allowable use in that district in the same move and it would take the same amount of time and that would be I think probably a cleaner process than trying to combine animals and humans in one definition. >> Yes, I agree

048with 100%. >> Me too. >> And it' be hard for people to say that this shouldn't be allowed by right because all these other things are allowed by right that are very similar. >> Yeah. And that's the fastest way to both solve this issue, resolve the problem that we have, and also allow them to proceed in more >> and not and just as a city, we I have animals and have a hard time finding places. >> Exactly. >> I mean, it's clearly we need more of these things and it's senseful. >> So, we want to initiate a zoning process to create a veterary clinic. So, veterary center you could say and that would probably envelop clinic or hospital. I'm I'm sure that there's lots of precedents >> facilities. We could do you wouldn't want to

049keep the existing use category of animal kennel/an animal hospital. You wouldn't want to keep that and then add a third one. >> No. >> Like what would I would suggest is keep the human thing separate. >> Revise the existing animal kennel animal hospital by getting kennels out of it 100% and reward the entire definition completely and make it by right in the limited commercial. >> Yeah. That's great. >> I I agree. >> So, do you make that motion? >> Do we need Do we need to like >> Yeah. >> write it now, too, or because we wouldn't want to have to wait since this makes so much sense. There's no reason to like push it to multiple meetings into the future. Do how do we what's the >> Yeah, actually the board could take a

050vote to authorize the Department of Planning Development to prepare a zoning amendment as discussed here in the meeting minutes and to forward that to city council to initiate the zoning amendment first. Let's do it. >> So that would be one vote to to cover all that. Then I would write the ordinance, send a memo to the city council and to start this zoning >> and then it comes back to us. Do we hold the hearing or does the zoning? >> It comes back to you and then you'd have a joint public hearing with the EDC. >> Come to our meeting this time, right? They're trying to come to our meeting >> or zoning amendment. Joint public hearings. >> Another zoning amendment. >> Yeah, they said as the uh >> we're gonna have a new copy.

051probably good. >> They said at the uh the last thing we did, you know, the the big stuff about housing that no more zoning for six months, but there was no vote on that. So, >> yeah. >> There's an animal move forward. >> Okay. >> Well, and this is business development in Greenfield. This is what we want. We don't want to see people that's a a vacant site that needs to be used and that's a perfect use and it's perfectly located for >> to catch the surrounding towns and I mean that's ideal use that I mean I wholeheartedly >> you know our zoning doesn't make sense. >> Yeah. >> Would anyone like to make a motion that Eric just suggested? >> I would make the motion that Eric described. I thought you had made this

052motion. You did not make an initial motion. >> You want to make the motion? >> Okay. >> Sounds like >> I'll make a motion to ask the the planning department to draft a zoning revision to create a >> new definition of animal clinic/hos. >> Yep. >> And allow it by right within the LC zoning district. and to initiate the zoning amendment process with the city council. >> And would that also eliminate the current zoning prohibitions on kennels? We have to get rid of those. >> Yeah. Part of this my definition will be getting rid of the word kennel due to all's law. Something we would also address meeting all law. >> Perfect. I'll make that motion. >> Okay. I'll second that. Can we just disc I had a quick discussion point. Um, are we only

053going to um focus on the limited commercial district? >> Perfect question. I was going to ask >> that doesn't make any sense. They'll only have it there. No, >> look at the uh medical clinic. What which is that allowed by right the regular human? >> Oh, the human one. Good question. Um medical center it's allowed >> it's allowed in H special permit TC limited commercial general commercial ogi and PI no PI o O and general industrial and what's the O again I can't >> office >> huh >> office yeah it's allowed there >> yeah so match that makes a lot of sense that would allow it in the GC >> medical center clinic including etc He's not allowed in residential areas. >> So to mention medical center that that just makes it more logical. >>

054Did you say that it wasn't allowed in um residential? >> Right. I would say it should be um special permit for residential because if I were to open um like a large animal hospital, you'd be looking more in the residential districts than in um the commercial districts. >> And I because I would have horses coming to me. So say if I lived in if I was going to build a facility in Greenfield, I couldn't put that in any of the commercial districts. I'd be looking on the outskirts for accessibility for those types of things. or even if I had a combination clinic where I had mixed animals coming in. So, I think special permit would allow that in the future if that were to come up ever. Um, rather than kind of just being not

055allowed um because also you guys would love to drive up to a clinic that was on a big grassy area and have a a large outdoor space. So, >> yeah. So, it sounds like and and again from sake the previous definition of animal hospital was special permit in all residential districts. So we could just keep that. >> Yeah, >> makes sense. Yeah. >> So that would be RB R C R A and semi-residential. >> Well, that's what >> that's what it is now. >> If that's going to be a sticking point, it seems like >> the more urban districts seem less likely you would open that facility on, you know, >> so we just get rid of the >> neighborhood. It'd be just to remove any political risk. >> Someone's going to decide. to fight

056this because they interpret it as allowing animal hospitals right next to their house. >> There we are. >> Yeah. So, in our age, semi-residential, you might want to just say no one. It's too >> too dense. >> It's too dense of an area. And >> yeah, >> your argument about 11 horses would only really be the RV or RC district, >> right? >> And the definition of animal kennel or hospital didn't say anything about medical treatment. It was like three dogs and doesn't seem like you used to be able to have three dogs in in a residential neighborhood, but it it's a different story to have a medical clinic. So, consistency sake from your perspective, the only sites that are appropriate for any fine facility, it would be like the white is the RA. >>

057Yeah, the RA, >> yellow, >> white is RC and green is RB. Those are the big lots. >> Those would be the only agricultural setting. So maybe if it's just RB and RC special permit and then no for RA and other um can we vote on that motion second? >> Yeah. Well, I think we modified with your your point that we should think about the other districts. You got all that. >> Yeah. So with the friendly amendment um um there's a vote. All >> in favor I I Okay. Cool. >> I'm Amanda. I'm her realtor. So, we all How's the baby? >> Oh, good. >> Um, so if you're doing this, it's going to eliminate her need to get in front of another board to present this. Is that correct? >> She will not need

058a special permit. But what I'm saying is like she's not going to need to like pass this stuff out and explain herself again to another >> as long as what she's doing is consistent with the definition that >> because you're doing the leg work to or he's doing the leg work to make that shift to send it to the zoning board. >> She could testify at the hearing say what a great idea this is to change the zoning law but her actual project won't need an application if she >> okay >> applies. So zoning board >> allow me just clarify thing. So >> once if this zoning amendment goes through and gets passed by city council >> then it's a buy right use but all by right uses of over 5,000 ft of that meets

059the site plan definition of what requires site plan may fall under that it' be a buy right site plan review by this board plan. >> So it's 42,000 ft. So it's under >> yeah sorry 42 >> 42 42 >> 4,2127 [Laughter] reviewing an existing building with existing parking is just it would then just be demonstrate she's got sufficient parking and access and lighting for >> exactly for for the if she came before the board >> it's 5,000 so under 5,000 administrative site plan review by the inspector of buildings. It's interesting. We just had this discussion earlier about making sure that inside review we make sure that the tree done, >> you know. So, this is important. >> Yeah. >> And you're saying Mrs. How many days to get this done if it all goes on?

060I'm just like trying to line this up. >> I mean, I typically tell people it takes 90 days. Could be quicker. >> Okay. Then after that there's no site plan nothing else to do >> because it's below the threshold for site plan review >> and will we get notified with that change so she knows she can just do it >> or just creep like city council >> well yeah follow >> okay >> yeah I would I would speak to the um to Hannah at the greenfield business association and just build up support also that group um if I know when the the hearing as I'm around. I would definitely come and support this because this is exactly what we need in Greenville. >> We're saying you should do that story. >> I got plenty to

061hand out. >> Yeah. >> Everybody has pets. I don't have to pitch it that bad. Like it's pretty easy. >> Exactly. But get, you know, do the leg with different people who have >> Yeah. >> who have a voice with the >> There's a lot of resistance to >> spot zoning. >> Yeah. down by some people and this could be perceived as that potentially. I mean it's not really because it's changing the whole definition across the whole city. But I think you'd be personally think you'd be well served to advocate for this on the basis we we need more veterinary clinics. Not that you have this great site and if you don't get this done in 90 days just like no it's I'm yeah we don't need a huge need. So, we're just gonna have

062to follow >> anybody with a new pet trying to find a vet. >> It's on the agenda. >> Yeah, it would be I don't know what. >> Just give me a call every couple weeks and I'll give you the update. >> Okay. >> Which agenda would it likely be on? >> I still wanted to slip through. >> Yeah. I mean, so the earliest this could be initiated by the city council is that not this meeting, but the August meeting because this is this is the way it works. the committee chairs is the first Tuesday and you have to get everything before them. Then they set all the subcommittees in the city council agenda based on that. You got to get it five days before this first Tuesday of the month. So first Tuesday of this

063month it's already come and gone. So it's next month. >> Okay. And then what could they get that done in one meeting? >> Hopefully. Yeah. >> If it seems straightforward. >> They won't approve it on the spot though. >> No. What they're going to do is this. They're going to uh officially take a vote to initiate it and to remand it back to the EDC which is a subcommittee of themselves and the planning board to hold the joint public hearing. But joint public hearing will be held needs to be uh like two weeks out. We need about 3 weeks to get all the public >> legal notices in the recorder and get everything all set and then they hold that joint public hearing and the next available city council meeting could be the same month.

064They report back to the full city council and they vote on it. >> So maybe September. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I'm thinking this should definitely be done by September. >> Okay. Because I was in my head I was thinking October. So I set myself I set my sight slow. >> Well just in case. >> Oh well. Don't worry. I think I know lending wise it's still going to take for underwriting on all of that. So if if >> well he described >> which >> I don't even know if they're going to take this. >> He described per process. >> Yeah. >> See what comes out. >> Hurricanes. >> You can also talk you can talk to some council and get a feel for the if they would have any problem with this whatsoever prime

065the pump. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Great. Thank you guys. >> Good luck. >> Thanks for thanks for doing that for >> tell your friends 10% discount. It's funny because you know also a medical emergency care facility that's two >> that's it for Greenfield my doctor feeling good >> recently and um and it was a week day they said go there because we have no time for appointments just go there so you'll be in good company >> thank you We uh while we're on zoning amendments, can I give you a quick update on accessory dwelling units? So, here's the situation. So, had our first person that applied for building permit for ATS ADU did a new ordinance and uh it's a two family. You remember what we did with two

066families? Two families. We called them an unprotected ADU. >> Yeah. >> Buing a special permit. >> The new frequently asked questions and a new case came out April 14th this year say that our ordinance is now out of compliance with the state law. We need to amend it. We should have never listened for a second to the opposition group. >> They pushed us that way and now we're out of compliance. H >> nothing was they proposed nothing they proposed would have came close to being accepted by the state as meeting the new new law. What we did doesn't meet the new law. What we got to do here's the actual reality of it. One family, two family, three family and multifamily properties in existence have to allow a protected ad use period even if they're

067non-conform. >> That's what I understood and and then we spoke about this just the other day. But that's not what the initial guidance and the state said in all these meetings. >> I know months of meetings. They did not say that. They made it clear you could do it the way we did our ordinance. They use our ordinance as the example why they were given the trainings. >> I know. But now we're out of compliance >> and and we could again get all this opposition. >> Well, no, no, no. The opposition will just shut them off and they can have their 30 seconds or two minutes talk. Then after that, you're done. >> My god. Got ing process over >> we have to do the whole process over and we have to adopt this if

068we want to be in compliance with state >> and we have to be in compliance with the state. >> So can these people just do do this? Oh yes, we have to issue the building permit for for that 14 pair street no matter. >> So did they appeal or >> No, no. The guy was smart and saw and he said, "Well, no, this new case came out." And I said, "Well, let me look at this new case." That's very new case. April 14th. That's noon. It's not days long. Basically, >> where was it? >> And it was uh East something's a town east something up in the east. >> So if you could just I know you're upset about this. I could appreciate black we accommodated something that happened I >> so is the issue

069that why is our change not allowed >> because we're requiring a special permit for an ADU and it should be as of right >> yeah we're if it's a two family our definition of unprotected some people call it a local ADU we call it we decided to call it unprotected ADU and we're saying that two and three families you need a special permit to do a detached ADU right single family is allowed by right with the protected ADU that's what the initial guidance was and that's >> but according to case law and the frequently updated frequently asked questions there was a direct question that said can you uh require special permit for a detach ADU on a two family or three no you can't clearly stated clear you can't said no Right. So, and then

070they highlighted the new case law. Read this. This is why you can't. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's not consistent with how it was. >> I mean, it's makes complete sense. And if the setbacks and areas and all of that, I mean, like, let people put in their ADU for crying out loud. This is such a solution to our housing crisis. It's the lowhanging fruit. I can't believe. And what this means is if you have two family, you can put a detached ADU in your yard without a >> turn your garage into an ADU, >> which is sort of what we well some of us wanted. >> That's what we wanted to do. >> We ended up compromising in order to >> creating some goodwill. Yes. What is so so now effectively so what can this person

071do because we're out of compliance that if we were in compliance and said it was allowed they couldn't do or we can control because one strategy is just say okay people can just have to get we have to get compliance >> well but in the meantime we're not stopping any housing from getting >> built yeah the way it works now I mean we could ignore the ordinances enforce it but I'd prefer to bring it in line with the proper language we stay. >> We wait for 6 months if you want to take a pause and then solve it later. >> No, no, no, no. We're going to do it because we then we open ourselves up to lawsuits. >> We have Well, they can just hear a lawsuit because they can just ignore the consequence.

072>> No, no, we have to not enforce it. We have to issue the building permit. >> Our attorney, we got a legal opinion, too. And the legal said, "Yeah, you don't have to issue the building permit >> and you're out of compliance." So we just >> what's the urgency to we have to change the ordinance to go through the process. What's the urgency to doing that if we can just immediate take our time doing it? >> Well, we're changing ordinances already for animal things. Let's just do it all at once. >> Yep. Yeah. I mean this could be we could u submit a round of amendments. One would be this animal clinic, >> right? >> One would be this and there's two others that I mentioned too if you want. Um so unfortunately this topic

073is not the on the agenda. So just in terms of like open meeting law, I don't think we could act on it >> this uh meeting. I think we have to put it open. >> This particular topic is one that was real careful about. Okay. So we're allowed to >> I mean we're just there's no votes or anything or anything substantial. >> We don't have a choice because if we don't do it, we're going to get hauled into land court in Boston for non-compliance. >> Right. But to initiate the process for zoning change, >> that should be on an agenda. We have to >> I just remind you that we're not in compliance and I can do that if it's not in the agenda. >> Right. >> It's not in compliance just to give you

074an update. >> So we just won't enforce it for now. >> Exactly. >> We're just Yeah, we're just trying to get clarification. But you're right. >> But thank you for that. >> That is ironic. >> So So with that discussion >> So the purpose of that discussion was to understand what we need to talk about next time. >> Exactly. Exactly. So that'll be on a future agenda >> and uh >> but maybe we can just get all these things paged at the same time. >> Yeah. council >> that'll slow them down by a month at least. This will take forever. >> If if we don't put forward the animal clinic thing now, then that project is slowed down. >> No, but I'm I think if we stick to the timeline we presented to them, we

075we can't fit in this zoning change because it's a compliance issue. We can't just go straight to city council and do >> we can't we should put it on the agenda, discuss it as Sarah mentioned, and you know, so that's automatic time frame of this. We can't make an action on it. Period. can't have a special meeting to expedite. So, >> oh, you got to have a special meeting. >> It's going to be hard. >> All right, let's talk about it next time. >> Yes. >> What's your other item? You said there a couple other zoning. >> Yeah, we'll mention it at the next uh but there are a couple other amendments. Um >> they're going to get you as animated as that one. >> No, basic amendments. >> Those would be action items at

076the next amend agenda or discussion items? discuss and action to be both. >> Okay. So, we're not missing time by not hearing about it now. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Great. So, I think now we can move on to item B. Planning boards continue discussion of proposed master plan chapter updates with specific books on the vision, goals, strategy, and implementation items of the natural historic cultural resources chapter. So at the last Hey Nancy at the last meeting we were going through like the chair was reading each item. I don't know if you want to continue with that same rhythm or style. >> We discussed whether or not we should >> was that too >> I I made a comment suggesting we should not and I want to say that I don't mean to disparage

077the work that's been done or the process and it's great work. I did not realize we were the actual authorizing body that this we're the body that actually is. So I understand George's sense of why you know it needs to be reviewed carefully though line by line word by word is very it's laborious and it's very good work has been done. So it would be nice for all to discuss the work and focus on certain parts have time for it. But if you feel it's necessary to go line by line I think we're but but I do want to commend the work. It's great work and I didn't mean to disparage at all Nancy. a fight because I I said last >> can I can I just um float the additional comment that we discussed

078potentially adding um I had come up with establish and maybe Nancy you can comment on it can I invite Nancy to comment on something >> sure um can you just give me um where we're at >> okay so at the last meeting we we >> how far did we make it >> looks Like in the minutes it says we were discussing goal four under um natural historic and cultural resources. >> And then for goal 2.2 I was going to draft an addition to involve public and homes which is what I was going to read out to everybody. >> Yeah. You want to do that or not >> intervation. So I understand where we're at and >> okay >> how we're going to >> and this this we don't have to do this tonight. We can

079wait till >> So let me uh let's get this straight. So we have the Conway school did a nice project and uh in order to adopt that the board needs to look at it. So the the implementation committee looked at it made their recommendations forwarded to the board. Now you're doing your final final review of this work that the students at the Conway School did new chapters, updated chapters of our existing 2014 sustainable master plan. And you're saying you're going through it line by line. See, my thing would be that you would be reviewing the document as a whole at this time, maybe highlight some things that you might want to discuss or think need to be improved, but to go through the entire thing line by line, I wish you were here last time.

080That's a little bit laborious. >> It was. We only got to >> and you know, you're never going to get this thing adopted. I mean, it's that the Conway school did good work. It needs to be, you know, they're students, so you need to we need to look at it as well. >> That was that was not the opinion of the chair at the last meeting. So, >> well, I have a different opinion from the chair. >> I mean, you're going to this thing should already be adopted. In my opinion, we should already have an updated two chapters of our >> We've already passed all the zoning amendments that were in here. I mean, they're all done. So, it was lovely reading about that last week. >> The board should be looking at this and

081saying and just reviewing it, one final review and either you like it or you don't. You have some good new suggestions that should be in there that we missed that the students missed. This the implementation committee missed >> but you know otherwise let's start over. Why do we even got to do the whole thing over? >> I mean in a way you're right because there wasn't a big process. There was public involvement. There was so >> it was a huge process. >> Exactly. >> Right. >> Um >> it's just it's our first time looking at it but and it is one that the pl is a planning board document I guess in the end of the day but um it's been so much work has been done by a lot of people. >> Exactly. >>

082And uh it's been processed >> and we've all read it. >> And we've read it. Yeah. So, I'm I'm happy to talk about any items that people think need attention and then we can make a vote. But, um, we went through, you know, we got through all four. >> Okay. >> So, can I jump back then to the one ad that I would recommend in 2.2 too. >> And I think Nancy getting back to this, it was just somehow getting something in there about the public and fostering that cuz a lot of people homeowners, they want to plant trees. They want to do something. So, I wanted to add that into that by adding one more action item. Establish and promote a homeowner street planting and stewardship program throughout Greenfield using various incentives. But isn't

083there one already? >> No. Not for the homeowners and not for >> Can you Sorry about that. Can you repeat that? >> Okay. >> This would this would go in section 2.2 >> 2.2. >> And we would add there are right now four items in there. >> And we would add we would add a fifth one. Establish and promote a homeowner street tree planting and stewardship program throughout green fields using various incentives. >> I thought Mary said that tree committee currently offers trees to private land owners >> 20 ft of the right of way. Correct. >> There is a program already. What you wanted to do is just my point was that just to promote it and talk it up so we have more people >> doing that saying oh I want a tree and

084I mean I know >> but we don't have to establish a program if it exists. >> Okay. So then we just promote so for eliminate establish and then promote a home homeowner >> promote promote the program. >> Yeah. Or expand. >> Yeah. Promote or expand the program >> with incentives throughout throughout Greenfield. So >> promote and expand. Fine. promote and expand. Okay. >> Is there a way you could uh give me that page so I can >> Yeah, I'm gonna I'll write it to you. >> That'd be awesome. >> Okay. >> Great. >> It was It was just to make it more robust and get more people engaged in it. Were there areas Nancy in this that were there you know people struggled with or where there's anything that you know our opine could be

085useful or was there pretty much consensus on what you got to >> I would say that the um >> I'm going to put >> we went there were a group of us who have worked with the Conway school >> and Eric was one of those >> and we not >> oh definitely of What? >> Yes. >> And and then it came to the SGIC committee and you know, we we went over it line by line. Yeah. >> It took us a long time. >> I bet. >> And um so yeah, we were hoping that it's good to go and it can >> Yeah. >> But clearly, as you say, this is your document, not ours. >> Yeah. >> And so you need to feel comfortable about it. Um, so you can do whatever process is

086something that makes you feel comfortable that you understand document and then there's something you want to add or if there's something that you pay. I guess you would bring that up. Do you feel there's something in >> Yeah, we're kind of the steward for this. We're not really driving this process in some ways. I mean this process is driven by a whole group and people and we're now we need to be the authorizing entity for it but it's >> well initially I mean >> content is really driven by others. >> So when we had the 1970 plan which was 40 years old then we needed to upgrade update the plan to 2014 100% the planning board's project. Um, so you guys are the ones or not this particular board but the planning board are the

087is the one that did the entire process to get us our 2014 master plan. >> So the process that was used to amend it was not the process that was used process. So initially, you know, master plan cost us about $150,000 to do a lot of money and uh was on these capital plan for years and never could get funding and finally the Franklin regional council of governments needed to update their regional plan. They got a grant and part of the grant was a local community, a local master plan to match their regional plan. So doing was that community because we partnered with them a lot and so they paid for our update of our master plan through the grant is the process though was 100% through the planning board in 2014 >> and now

088we're just updating because usually in 10 years 10 to 15 years you want to start updating your chapters >> or sooner if there's major change in your community. >> Were you involved back there originally in 2014? >> Yeah. Was there more engagement by residents this time than before? >> Huge master plan steering committee and huge subcommittees and a lot of involvement public forums. So it was a huge process. >> It was huge. >> And and this time the Conway school held two public meetings that were well attended. Well, the first was well attended, second, >> you know. So there's discussion about updating the master plan and you know I'm like it's only 10 years old. not going to, you know, it's 40 years old before, now it's 10 years old. There's not that much change

089in the community. It doesn't need to be completely overhauled and then a group like the Conway school comes in and that's what they do and we can update these two chapters for you for, you know, lower cost than then you have to pay a normal consultant. So that great opportunity, let's partner with you and get a couple chapters updated. So that was why I went through the Congress. >> I see. >> But if you think a lot has happened in 10 years, we went through a pandemic. things have changed the way I mean there's a lot been a lot of changes in 10 years. >> Yeah, but I'm talking like land development in Greenfield. There's not a lot of changes. >> No, no, I agree. >> As far as continued work, this is a couple

090of the chapters. Is there resource to do more of these chapters or was a limited amount? This is what we could do and this is it >> for the Conway school. That was it. Um we picked the two chapters that we doubt well the land use chapter is one of the more important chapters and the other one that they just had some expertise in the students that we picked up the natural resources. >> So this is it we'll do this and then we'll take a pause >> and then there'll be a pause um although there was discussion about the economic development chapter but there board with uh Amy Callahan who might be trying to get a grant from UMass to update our >> I see econom too. It'll be kind of graph dependent. >> Yes.

091And you know, peace meal, you know, um the main one you had, we did it all at once and then we we paid $150,000 and hired PHP and it was a huge process. Uh update it, you usually do the same thing. Uh if you can, but money is always an issue. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. It's helpful. >> And and also involving the community in too many things. one after the other at once also becomes an issue. They get fatigued. >> They get fatigued. >> So, we want to be really >> So, you know, I was anticipating that you would look at the work this because that's what they do. There's a representative from the board here, George, right on the implementation committee and they do good work and they implement the master plan and

092they know it inside and out. And uh so the work they did, I figured you'd look at it and say, "Maybe add a few things and you'd be done." Well, George liked it so much he wanted to review a pair of teeth. Okay. >> And I do think it is a um a good point to make that um >> Sorry to interrupt. Okay. >> I think it's a good point to make that this is the a planning board document and that you know >> for the next you know decade at least that you know the planning board should >> understand it >> review this understand it kind of keep it in mind when making decisions >> to memory. Um, so I mean, yeah, I do think that's a good point, but I I think I'm

093just going to suggest that maybe we might consider wrapping up the discussion of natural, historic, and cultural resources and say that we're going to, you know, give X amount of time to discussing land use because land use isn't on the agenda for today. But >> it's not. >> Nope. just the natural gas. I'm comfortable with where it is. >> Yeah. In its entirety next meeting. >> Yeah, that was kind of what I was trying to get at. >> So, the only thing I was I was I had I had felt was a little bit lacking or I don't know if it's lacking. So, it's Greenfield's natural historic and cultural resources. And the reason why I'm mentioning this is um because of the meeting I had earlier this week and the and the work I've been

094doing with the u GBA. Um you know Greenfield has a history history of innovation and industry that people forget about. >> And so it would be it would be nice to have that also listed in here because when people think when people see historic they think like old houses and blah blah. they don't necessarily think about our industrial path. >> Right? >> So that that was the only thing that I would add in that is to you know our history of industry and innovation I would add to that. I don't know what this would be underourse under I would add a fourth and just emphasizing industry and innovation >> that would be goal eight >> in goal.1 action >> marketing strategy >> would you do something in the actual marketing strategy one or would you

095add a fourth Um >> um we could I mean it should it just should be present and I just didn't see it anywhere. That's the thing. So it could be I I think wider recognition. It's a integral part. This is you know has to be an integral part of the city's identity. So maybe we add a fourth line so we actually have that in there. Um to not forget about industry and innovation since we do >> we sort of promote green field. We celebrate the beach. Everybody knows the long hive and the bees, but that's the only thing we talk about. >> What would you be your >> and dinosaurs? Huh? >> What would be your suggested name? >> I I just industry and innovation. >> Just something totally. >> So, um >> take pride

096and and celebrate our groundbreaking first industry and innovation. >> So, celebrate and promote something. We do it all year. Let's take pride and celebrate our groundbreaking history in industry and innovation. >> In other words, I understand your point. >> Yeah, I understand your point. I lived here knowing nothing about it. >> Yeah. >> And then found it fascinating. And you know, I went to the Museum of Industrial History and which you know, you have to sign up for it >> and you got to look for it. I mean, >> well, then you have to call the guy and you have to make a >> Yeah. You won't even know we had that. >> No. And the whole history I was it was it was incredible. >> Labor law. We had Greenfield play an important an

097important role in labor law, in innovation, in manufacturing. I mean, there's a lot of stuff. I mean, I'm biased because I come from that world, but it's Let's get it on. >> Yeah. I don't know if there's a way to do it. Remember the second bowl of spam museum offerings and exhibition. I don't know some way. >> You need to work with come up with something. >> Yeah. I have celebrate and promote greens ground and history and innovation and industry. >> Yeah. We just if we keep it vague enough as long as it say there's a place order but you want to keep it vague enough that it allows multiple things because it could become part of an annual festival. It could become part of a month-long thing. Let's celebrate, you know, green field innovation,

098whatever. It could be a part of the program in the schools. It could be. So, you want it vague enough, but you still want it in there. So, it's earmarked. Does that make sense? >> Okay. >> I do agree with you that that falls under goal eight. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's the only place I could think to put it. >> Cool. Got it. >> Okay. Let's see. I had some more stuff on the next page. We need a vote to accept it or are we less formal than that? >> I don't think we took any vote in the end to to accept the chapter. Um but let me see now maybe just right now we just this >> this is a chapter by itself and natural resources or is this part of is land

099use a separate chapter? >> Yes, land use separate chap. So I was thinking you would review the land use chapter in the next couple meetings and then approve them and vote vote to approve them. Okay. >> So on my right there's only one page of land use or did am I missing page? >> They got there has to >> pair two pages. That's what I thought I >> going to 5.3. >> Okay. My my printer crapped out. I only have >> Yeah. 5.3. Yep. >> I must have pulled it. Okay. Whatever. I thought I had more notes >> lot in there. >> I had a because I have a couple of notes on that. >> So, no real votes are necessary now. It's just good language and then you could work on the land use

100and then take an overall vote to adopt. >> Yeah, I think we should put the overall vote on the agenda as an action next. >> We could not do it if we feel like we're not ready at least. >> So, we should all come to our comments to the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> Should we email them ahead of time to Eric >> and he can distribute or not? I don't know about the open email. >> I think helpful framing from Eric though that >> we don't it's >> big picture stuff like something just missing like the things you pointed out are like I'm not even seeing that anywhere. So >> exactly and that's what I was trying to >> Yeah, that's great. >> And then also emphasizing having something in there to get the

101public in make it a goal. >> Excellent. >> An action. >> Okay. So, we're done with that. >> Good working. >> Okay, next. Thanks you, Nancy. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Are you okay with the ads? >> Are you okay with the additions? >> Oh, absolutely. Okay. I love it. Yeah. Innovation. That's something that's important to me. >> You know, exactly. Yeah, death thingy. I mean that started every that started a whole movement people don't know about. Ryan Greenfield Yeah. Greenfield stuff. >> That's the thing. Nobody nobody talks about >> like in recent history. I'm thinking about you know what's happening with their jails and how how we do that differently. >> Yeah. >> Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. I learned about something just the other day that oh I know transportation. So Michael bro was

102talking about the the access program that for that FRTA has created is now being >> demand across the state. >> So you know it's constant. >> Exactly. We've got to we got to foster that and celebrate it and celebrate it. >> So >> pride build pride. Yeah, we need that because one thing one thing that came up in this meeting we had this week is this there's this kind of collective depression and longing for the heydays of Greenfield in the 60s all the time. Yet, you know, it's like we've got amazing stuff going on. We need to like look forward and wow, look at all all that we're doing here. There is some great stuff happening here. Don't be so down on Greenville. So that's that's why cuz I've been hearing a lot about that

103like >> struggle with the moments on the street and >> yeah but that's everywhere that's everywhere. >> The other day someone said to me it was it's it's really rough like I don't know. >> Yeah. Well, it is. And and look at the facility that's being built for public, >> right? That's that's going to be again away. >> Yeah. >> All right. Okay. Next on the agenda, last >> get us home. >> We don't have an ANR. >> Get us home. >> You're done, right? >> No, we have it. >> We have an ANR. >> Next item. Approval not required. Plan endorsement for lots at 60 James Street, Sisters Text, map 23, lot 19, submitted by Carl in Woodruff. And I should just note that this is my neighbor across the street and I have

104no financial interest in this project whatsoever. Just happen to live across the street from >> Do you have to recuse yourself? >> No, I just has to make statements. >> That's right. That's >> if I had >> um I'll make a motion that we endorse the ANR plan for the lots at 60 chain street. >> Do we need is there any caveats from your perspective, Eric, or is it meet the criteria? >> This one's pretty straightforward. Uh they are taking this lot that is one now and breaking it into two lots that both meet furniture requirement >> and then there's a shared drain. There's the easement there or something. >> This is a drainage easement here which is on this person's lot but it's identified as the Ben area but it's still on lot 18.

105>> Yeah. And they have to by law you're not allowed to shed water onto your neighbor's land. So they have to create that easement that's allows that right. >> That could have been the reason they establish that. It could be other reasons as well. But yes, they cannot create drainage flowing on someone else's neighbor. Right. >> Neighbor properties. >> If they meet the requirement, we do have to officially endorse them. Our approval is not required. >> But it but and if we don't endorse them, it >> sits long. No, >> there's like a an expiration date. >> Oh, it's just good. >> It sits there for a month and does nothing. >> The time it gets clocked in 21 days. If you take no action, it's constructively approved. >> But I like the fact that

106they put in the drainage. So I wholeheartedly approve of that. >> What? But just tell me what is the purpose of our review? Yeah, sometimes you know uh a lot of for example Franklin town that have planners rest of the 24 towns don't have planners. So plan goes before a board that has no planner, no previous pre review, you must look at it and determine if it makes meets the criteria. The boards and these 24 towns that don't have planning staff. They got to do that themselves. You're fortunate in my view they have planning staff. So I do all that and by the time it gets before you and so all you do is sign it. But if you're one of those 24 towns with no planning staff, then you really have to review it

107and make the determinations yourself. >> Right. So that's why >> but but if you don't sign it, it doesn't move forward. I mean, you need to approve it as the planning. >> No, I just make sure it meets criteria so it gets before you um but if you're in one of these other 24 counts, nobody does that before them no matter what. >> If it doesn't meet the criteria, how does it get stopped? >> I don't allow it to go before. Thanks for coming. >> And if something doesn't go before us, then it can happen. So even though it doesn't require our approval, >> it does have to go before us in order for it to >> I'm saying the only reason I would not allow it to go before you is if the plan

108is incorrect and you couldn't endorse it anyways. >> Right. Say they don't meet the front is I would say no, you can't go before the board. This doesn't meet your criteria. >> The clock that we talked about that if we don't act, it gets approved. That clock only starts if you've advanced it to us. >> Exactly. If I say that >> not advancing, nothing happens. >> And when the advancement includes form A, which is a form they fill out that goes with this that gets clocked in at the city clerk that starts the 21day period that if you don't take action, it's constructively approved, but it would never get clocked in if it doesn't meet this. Whereas those 24 other towns, they bring it right to the city court, clock it in, it goes before

109the planning boards whether it meets the criteria or not. So the board at that those 24 towns have to actually go through it and make sure that it actually >> they don't have approval not required. >> No, they do. It's called the same thing, but they could say at that meeting these 24 towns, they don't have a plan or no, you don't. We can't endorse this plan. Doesn't meet the criteria. And you can tell them to go away and come back with a new plan. >> But that's just so funny because it's called not approving. But it's it it >> it's called approval not required because it doesn't need >> but endorsement is required. >> Yes. But this is why it's called approval not required. It it doesn't require subdivision approval. All other 49 states

110in in the United States require subdivision approval for something like this >> really >> where the only state out of 50 that allows an ANR plan which is a bad thing and the housing lobby of Boston is so powerful that this will never get changed probably and ever since every hasn't been changed in 30 years and they've been trying to change it. The housing lobby is powerful and why is this bad? Say theoretically a guy owns a thousand miles of land on a public road >> then he can create a thousand lots >> and it meets the criteria sign up >> thousand lots miles long miles long >> that would be >> that's urban sprawl that's it's not a good thing >> if we don't see plans like that but it theoretically could happen whereas

111in every other state in the union it's a subdivision approval process that goes before board of public hearing is held all that stuff interesting. Yeah. >> Does that create has that created any problems here or is it >> it creates urban sprawl and urban sprawl if you know land develops get more than the population. So land gets eaten more than the population is actually growing >> called urban sprawl and that's not a good thing >> and that's exactly what's happened in Greenfield. population has been stagnant. But if you go through do the exercise with Google Earth and go as far back as you can and they flip through they do a time lapse thing of development and you you can see it just grows out and out and out and then if you look at

112the same time what the population is flat >> you know not so bad here in Massachusetts we have hills, rivers, wetlands that stop all that but if you're out in Texas and Kansas in the Midwest >> it's just but you can't do it there. Like that's why they don't allow in ours there. It's all subdivision approval process. >> Well, very interesting for that education. >> A lesson in history of planning and general. >> Yeah, because I just had to bring that out because you're like, why are you even bother with this? We just have to sign it every time. But that that's why because you have a planner that does all this for you and so you don't have to worry about it. But these other communities don't have planners. They got to do it

113all themselves. So >> yeah. >> And sometimes the the towns get sued because they they decide the wrong thing. >> Yes. Exactly. There's so much case buying ANRS where they >> so much in land court. >> Yeah. >> And it's couple year process, >> you know. So far, you know, >> towns get sued and they lose and they cost them a lot of money. >> Never had a problem with an ANR so far. >> Yeah. >> Or pretty reasonable. We got it together down here. >> Um, so I made a motion, but it was never seconded. >> Second. I'll let someone else second. >> Go ahead. Who hasn't seconded something tonight? I'll second them. >> I seconded a couple things. So, >> any further discussion? >> Everybody a chance. >> All in favor of endorsing

114this ANR plan. >> I It helps me to know that we do have to endorse. Yes. >> I'll make a further motion. Um, and this was made last time, so I assume it's necessary. Um, I'd like to make a motion to authorize the chair to sign the ANR plan on behalf of the board. >> Can you change that? The acting chair so he can sign it tonight. >> Oh, sure. I will make the motion that the acting chair be authorized to sign on behalf of the board. >> I'll second that. All in favor? I >> You're the only one signing. >> That's right. Good. Thank you for bringing all that up. >> Fantastic. >> Okay. Um, and that's it. So, no border staff reports. You Is there anything else you wanted to say, Eric, or

115did you cover what you wanted to report from a staff standpoint? >> Yeah, unfortunately, uh, and miss right that the city crew is getting really strict on open meeting law, so we didn't have anything listed here, so no nothing to report. But it sounds like you've got some ideas for the next agenda. >> Yes. >> To put those on there. >> So the next meeting would be Thursday, August 7th. >> Yes, >> I should be able to make it unless anything comes up last minute, but I'm planning on it. Is anyone not available for that meeting? >> I'm around. >> I'm good, too. >> Excellent. >> Great. >> You need a motion to adjurnn. >> Okay, please. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> at 7:32 p.m. if I'm supposed to

116say that. [Music]