001Welcome to the planning board meeting of October 21st, 2025. Uh my name is Joe Mores. I am filling in for Babe, who's running a little late. He should be here soon. Uh the first order of business is the uh minutes of the last meeting. Is that everybody had a chance to review those? >> Matt, I I haven't looked at emails. Were >> I made the corrections. >> Okay. Thank you. I just had a couple of wicked minor wicked minor changes, not to New England. Um I don't even remember what they were. They were really inconsequential that um Matt apparently agreed with. So >> yeah, the edits were to capitalize Water Street. >> Oh, yeah. >> And I forgot what the other one was, but I changed that all. Yeah, it was it was equally in
002inconsequential. I'm sorry, I just spotted something. The town of the T of town engineer under next to Elizabeth's name is missing. >> May I May I make a motion that >> Where is that? >> Um staff present in the fourth third line. >> Oh jeez. Okay. Owner. >> It's our own engineer. She's our own engineer. >> Okay. >> Um with that correction, I would move approval >> and I'll second. Um, let's have discussion. Um, >> okay. I'm sorry, Joe. >> Under the under the uh section for the um uh the standard of conditions. >> Mhm. >> Um maybe I didn't make myself clear. Let me just say we were talking about having some type of a final inspection and approval. That's kind of like what I meant. This is viewed more as a uh if
003you want to do it or we may show up. I'd like to see it be mandatory if possible. >> So there should be some type of a checklist that we're using where we go through the process and and just check off everything that was completed. >> I know we have that for subdivisions. So, so like the I guess the best way for I don't know how the planning board can do this, but the best way for me to do it would be to have an asbuilt plan so that I can then check the field to make sure it matches the asbuilt plan and then make sure the asbuilt plan matches the design plan. Um, >> and then what can we use for sign off? Well, that's what I don't that's that's the part I we
004can ask for an asbuilt plan, but I I don't know. >> I we don't there's nothing for us to be able to say. >> No, no, no. I I I'm don't know what I'm trying to say other than I if they don't give us an asbell plan, I don't know what what option we have is I guess my only point. So, is there something in the minutes that you think doesn't accurately reflect? >> Yeah. Um, so we were just looking the section the latest application. Oh, I'm sorry. Hold on. The standard conditions. We're talking about the time change. That's good. And then where I'm saying Mr. asked to add a line about inspections to ensure town staff can access the property. Certainly that, but I would like to see it referred to some type of
005a final uh inspection and approval. >> So, so for a point of order, I think is what um Martha's getting at is we Joe's looking to amend the meeting minutes, >> correct? to say and final >> final inspection >> inspection >> and approval. Yep. >> And that would that would accurately represent the discussion we had two weeks ago. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Mr. Morris asked to add a line of boat inspections and and final a final inspection approval process. >> Yeah. >> And then >> Matthew, does that work for you? >> It does, but we can't sign these tonight because I have to make the change. So, we'll have to sign up for the next meeting. >> No problem. I'll uh resend my second. >> Um, may I amend my motion to indicate
006that the minutes be amended to put a capital T in front of for town engineer and to make the changes that M. Marise had just requested. Your last >> Yeah, that'd be fine. >> Second. >> Yeah, I'll second that. >> All right. Uh all in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. >> Unanimous. Okay. The second line of business, uh we've got uh uh 81 PS. We have none. Uh and we have a continuation of the site plan review. Um of five Water Street from uh the last meeting of 10725. We have um sir we have amended plans per the request of the planning board. At our last meeting, we asked for the amendments to include one. Uh, roof drain be tidy existing drainage system by licensed plumber. It's a condition more along lines. Uh, plans
007for the grease draft to be signed off by the sewer department, which the applicant will be able to talk about in a little bit. Dub location on landscape plan needs to match the revised parking plan. It has been reflected in the revised plan. The book and page deed information is corrected on the landscape plan. That's also done. The screening details of the dumpster are added to the plans and another condition to be considered. Freestanding sign is allowed is not allowed without further approval from the planning board. Um so I guess the only question is is how did it go with the sewer department today? The applicant through the through you Mr. Chairman. I personally wasn't meeting the applicant was but I then I came in after that and I did talk to John Mini and
008understood that the plans were approved as submitted. So the original plan that was a greest only the only change you want me to wait till the other okay the only change to the to the greet plan was Mr. meaning he wanted a manhole added on the um at the tie-in point where the domestic meets back to it and I agreed to that of course I agreed it's sewer system so I and he had no problem with the rest of the plans and and and they got approved >> I talked to the sewer department saying that it's okay Very good. >> Okay. What's the pleasure of the board? >> So again, staff, you're all set with this. Matt, you're >> Yes. >> You okay with this? >> So I would move approval of the site plan
009for Five Water Street, New Water Street LLC. Can I make a complete sentence on that? Approve the site. >> I'll second. >> I have no questions. Good. >> So, any further discussion? >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> All right. want to announce it, babe. Uh, my nannies, >> stay where you can take. >> Okay. Okay. All right. So, then we have um all set. >> Thank you very much. >> Three in favor. >> It was a pleasure working with all of you. Thank you very much. >> Good night, guys. >> Thank you. >> Bye. >> Nice to meet you. So now we have a um uh a plan endorsement and uh a bond release for um that's Adriiana Circle. Yes, sir. This uh bond release request comes on the tale of town meeting.
010A meeting voted last night to approve the layout plan for Ariana Circle. So this is the bond release and the rest of the funds that are in uh that are held by our town treasurer uh treasure collector, sorry. and um also the endorsement of the plan that was approved at Tommy. These are all procedural elements to close out the project. >> So the only uh outstanding item that I have is um the recording of the deed. >> Um so I that's it's very minor and very small amount. Um, but I would suggest um I would recommend uh issuance of um the bond release subject to the recording >> proof of recording. >> Y >> they they need to um that needs the select board too, right? >> Yes. So it it that it's going to
011take them a couple days, but it shouldn't take them much more than that. >> What do you mean that takes the select board also? >> The um the the plans that were the street acceptance plans uh have to be signed by the planning board and the select board prior to being recorded. >> Okay. So, I'll give us take a stab at this. >> Um, do we have to vote to endorse the plan or is that just an admin? >> You're looking at two separate votes. One to release the bond subject to the recording of the deeds and then and a separate motion to endorse the plans. >> Okay. I move that the planning board endorse the plan. >> I'll second. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> I three. Hello. >> And I also move
012that the the bond be released subject to proof of that the deed and plan have been recorded. >> I'll second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Moving along. Uh we've got the next order of business is the uh town meeting results discussion. >> Just an open forum for the board if you wanted to discuss what happened at town meeting last night. Obviously uh the articles for the ADUs uh was passed as printed in the warrant. The um private way for I'm not even going to try to pronounce the rotting gun club was discontinued and uh Ariana Circle was accepted as we know. And these um mass. So McGill uh the top portion of McGill and the easternly portion of Wales were uh approved to be discontinued. >> So the board
013should be seeing uh a site plan for uh the gun club. They are looking to put in a gate across the portion of McGill that has been um discontinued and to create a turnaround um for the highway department and fire department. >> Oh, that's nice. >> Come in the form of an 81P to get rid of the discontinued road as well. We might get one of those. So, they had to get rid of it on paper as well. >> That wouldn't be a P. That would be >> an 81X. Sorry. >> Um, >> an >> Well, it doesn't So, I'm not sure if it's an 81P or an 81X, but we'll let the >> Yeah. >> other people figure that out. Um, and that's and they need to create the easement for the um for
014the turnaround. So, they can do it when they do that. >> Probably just >> that would be a P. Easement's not easement is a no >> easement is an X. But maybe maybe we can just have them deed a piece of property and then it would be an 81P similar to the piece next to Andy Lane. >> Um so I'll just I'll discuss that with them because it's not going to matter much to them. um nor does it really matter much to us. >> I did uh propose an amendment to the the bylaw to eliminate the site plan, the useless >> the ADA >> site plan, but uh they got shot down. I got >> good good for trying. >> I got outtalked. >> The two times I spoke to town meeting in the last
015few years, I got shot down on both. >> I'm good. I think I think it's worthwhile that the the board has a discussion on um either attempting to remove or reward that yeah um at the next town meeting. Um I don't know that while I think removing it makes the most sense um that particular section. Um I'm not sure that that's going to I don't know that that's going to pass at um but I think you know the board needs to and the other option and I didn't look into it um was whether or not um we could put the in-law apartment um the supplemental suite back in to the regulations because there's you like the AD the ADU is great for somebody and and makes sense for somebody that wants to rent out um
016an area, you know, rent out a unit of on their property. But when in most cases when you have like an in-law apartment, you're looking to have um you're not you're not really have you don't really have two units, right? So like that's the way my in-law apartment is set up. Um it's it's not completely two spaces, right? So there's all these additional regulations that um come into play on the building code side uh with an ADU. So >> yeah, ADU has by building code they have to have two meats are being addressed. >> Uh if it's on a two if it's with a two family, they have to sprinkle it. >> Fire separation walls. >> Have to have fire separation walls. So, it's for for these people who think they're going to go into
017the ADUs and just be cheap. >> Yeah. >> It's not. >> Yeah. If you're trying to if you're trying to make an in-law apartment, an ADU is not a cheap way to do it. It's a lot cheaper to do. So, to for an ADU, you have to have fire separation walls, but for a three family home, you do not. for >> for for three family existing tree family doesn't but to put an ADU in on a three with a three family >> but if you're building three family then it does fire oh okay I thought I didn't go like that >> but if like so if you're >> family also I'm sorry duplex fire Oh no kidding okay >> if you take if you take um if you take your existing home and you want
018to take your living room And let's say you have a big living room and you want to change that into a bedroom and a little kitchenet. >> Yeah. >> You now have to and a bathroom. You now have to build a firewall between your living room and the rest of your house. And you have to create a firewall on the ceiling and the floor. >> You have to have separate fire alarm um connections. Um, in in theory at least, you're going to need separate water and sewer connections, >> right? >> Um, so it's it's really making a making a much bigger deal of it than than just being able to create an in-law apartment. And I think that's what I mean, we I know we had quite a few in-law apartments coming in front of
019us before the ADU thing came along. So, um, and you know, I think that that's becoming common in and about. Now, whether or not we're allowed to have both, I I don't know the answer to that. It's a legal question. >> Right. All right. >> Um, but that I just think there's I think that the majority of this board would like to see things simplified, >> right? Especially for people that are trying to care for aging or ill loved ones. >> Yeah. >> They're young kids starting out in a family or >> Exactly. Even on ours, the door between the tow between us would have to be a a one hour rated door. >> Wow. Yeah. I mean, it's >> so I I I don't know. Yeah, we'll have to when you want to put
020that on, but it should be something that's on the agenda to discuss. Um options. I don't know if you want to >> let the council first to have the council see if if it's possible that we can do it. I mean, is that I guess is that a preference the the you're talking about the in-law? >> Yeah. I think certainly having a longer conversation after the first of the year certainly would be in our best interest and have it as an agenda item and and be able to even have town council here with us to be able so everybody hears that same back and forth. I think it would be very important. Joe, if I may. Um, and I I'll I'm I'm anxious to see what the ADU site plan regulations or bylaw how that
021will read. I'm I was not able to attend the meeting at which the planning board discussed that, but I I think um perhaps a different approach. I I I think I think it's going to be complicated the way it was um it's you need to be a lawyer. >> It's going to be a rubbish. It's going to be a rubbish stamp in the world. >> Yeah, but I think I think the way it's currently written, I think we're going to find it um complicated. >> It's No, it's strictly it's like a AR, >> right? But the way it's written I think is the site plan review shall be as above except this sentence is excluded and that sentence is excluded and that sentence and take out those three words from the fifth paragraph second sentence.
022It's >> so I actually prefer to have a separate site plan review >> section for ADU >> question >> if you're going to continue having a site plan review. I agree. >> Exactly. How much does it does it cost to uh do a site plan review? >> Yeah, it's $150 application. >> How much? >> $150. >> So, it cost $150 for do nothing. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, this is the other big thing. If you're if you if you wanted to put your put an ADU in your basement, you wanted to finish your basement and make it an ADU or an in-law apartment. Either way, you have to get a certified plot plan, which is going to cost you$2 to $3,000. >> And you're not even extending anything. >> You're already you're within your
023walls. >> You're within the existing walls. You still have to do a $3,000 survey >> to prove absolutely nothing to anybody, >> right? Something that's already well established because the building's there. Hence going back to the in-law apartment discussion and all that. So yeah, certainly it's to me it's going to be a longer discussion >> with a lot of lot of change or not a lot of changes but some >> good changes. >> So more discussion to come on those topics I think. >> But I I would say Matt you should just make a note to yourself um maybe like in February. >> Yeah. Um, >> so I Yeah, you don't want to wait too long because then but then then you end up on top of >> the the next towns fast. >> So,
024>> and the other thing with the we're now in charge of storm water management. >> Yes, you are. >> You're in charge of storm water management. >> That bylaw has to tell me as well >> with absolutely no discussion. >> Right. I thought I thought eliminating the entire storm water bylaw and replacing it with a brand new one would would have somebody say, "Hey, why are we changing the whole thing?" that go. So, I'll I'll be working with the um consultant to um to um tie up the rules and regulations which this board needs to adopt by the end of November, I think. >> All right. >> Sounds like a good plan. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. So, make sure that I uh Matt, make sure that we put that on an agenda. >> Okay.
025>> For I might have to do that by the next meeting, huh? >> Oh, what the numbers look like? >> Okay. Okay. Next order of business. Um, we've got the uh any more uh any more engineer updates? >> Um, no. >> Okay. >> I don't think so. >> And um Dave, do you have anything for um >> Champ update? again talking about the fees. Could you send us out a a list of all the fees that for somebody asked me today? I says, I got no idea cuz we never collect money or anything. So, it's all done ahead of time. I says, I can't even answer that question because I I really don't know. Okay. >> Okay. And um we're down in business. Uh what's the pleasure of the board? >> I have planner updates.
026>> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Sorry. Um so the ZBA uh might be going towards fillable applications online. So right now we just have PDFs that folks have to print out and handwrite. So I produced some fillable ones where you can type it in, but you still have to print it out and sign it. I just don't know what the what the planning board thinks of doing that for us. I've already created the forms and they're available. I could circulate them to you to see see if what you think about it and we could put it on our next agenda. >> Why are you doing the ZBAS? >> Uh they they asked me to do it. I had them. So it took took like 25 minutes. >> Just a question. >> Yeah. So Larry had the
027applications. So uh I did the ones for the planning board ones and I could circulate them to you guys to see how you like it. I did it for the the ANRS, the 81ps, uh the special permits, site plan review, waiver of site plan review, and amendment for site plan review. So, I've created fillable PDFs for all of those, and I could circulate them to you, see how you like it, and we can put it on our next agenda for comment. >> You're not changing the form? >> No. God, no. Just making it fillable >> so that people can type it out instead. >> So, that that was the point. I don't think you guys I mean, you guys >> less printable paperwork. Same amount of paperwork. >> Yeah. It's just harder to read people's
028handwriting sometimes and instead they're typing it out, but they still have to sign it. The only thing I added on each application was these applications incomplete unless it's signed by the property owner. >> Um, if you don't make any changes um with Elizabeth, do we need to see it? If if you promise not to change them in any way whatsoever. >> Well, that's the one thing I did change. I did make a change to put a line on there to say that this application's incomplete if not signed by the property owner. That is a change to the application. >> I don't think you need to see it, Joe. >> If it doesn't change, we don't need to see it though, do we? >> Whether or not you like them as fillable applications courtesy, I don't
029mind reviewing them. >> I don't mind. >> There's nothing to look at I mean, nothing I can look at. We look at I like to know what they look like anyway. >> Okay. >> Yeah, me too. >> Draw my suggestion. >> Me, too. >> I led you down. >> Okay. Anything else? >> The board support the fillable applications or >> Oh, yeah. >> Oh, absolutely. >> Love them. >> Okay. You guys want to take a vote on that or? >> No. >> Okay. Okay. Just >> love them. >> Yeah. Let's Let's look at those. Yeah, >> that's great. Anything saves time, effort. >> All right. That's all I have. I'm just setting the calendar for November. >> Um, we looking at the 4th and the 18th. Okay. Fourth is election day. >> Fourth is election
030day. I >> We can have Oh, yeah. You won't be here. >> We can have the meeting. The only thing we can't do was uh have a public hearing. >> I don't think we have anything on the pipeline right now anyway. So, >> yeah, I I work the election so I won't be here. >> Okay. >> You have an election this year? >> That somebody just said there's an election November 4th. It's an election day. I know it's election day, but that's usually the federal, isn't it? >> It's federal. >> It's a federal election day, but I don't know if there's anything. >> Yeah, I'm not sure there actually is an election. >> No, because we haven't had a primary yet or anything for the federal election. >> That's weird. You sure? >> Well, that's
031>> maybe they just put it in as a >> second Tuesday following the first Monday is an election day in November. No matter what. >> This is the first Tuesday. >> Yeah, the second one's better. Mine says election day, too. >> It's got to follow the first Monday. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I don't I don't actually think there is an election because >> How can you have election day and not have an election? >> Well, I think >> it's a calendar. >> Exactly. >> It doesn't. This >> There's not an election day every year. >> No. >> Okay. Well, anyway, >> it's like every smart people in this >> six for Senate and two for >> every two for Congress. >> We would have had a we would have had a primary in uh September
032to get on to the to the ballot. So, no, >> good point. >> They get ready to run for governor next year. So, next next September we'll have primaries and then they'll have the governor's election. >> Okay. So, for the fourth, um, I'm going to want some time. I'll I'm going to get you guys the storm water regulations somehow before the 4th so that you can look at them before and we can discuss them on the fourth if you guys have what >> I was storm water rules and regulations. >> Sounds good. fourth and then the other one will be the 18th. >> Yes. >> Okay. Perfect. >> That's the one I'll need you to adopt. >> Yeah. >> Okay. We've in we've completed the items on the agenda is uh what's the pleasure of
033the vote? >> We adjour second. We'll >> do that. All in favor? Yes, >> thank