Planning Board & joint meeting with Select Board(February 26th, 2026)

001two one. >> Good evening everyone and welcome to the Ashlin Planning Board meeting of Thursday, February 26th. Just a reminder to everyone that we are um uh recording and broadcasting. Um, I will be calling the meeting to order at what did you say? >> 7 7:18. >> 7:18. Thank you. Um, and the first item on our agenda is a joint meeting uh between the planning board and the select board who is here with us today. We do have several members online uh and on the planning board too. We have one member online. Um, do you need to open your meeting please? So at 7:20 I open the uh select board meeting, joint meeting with the planning board on February 26th. >> All right. So then the first thing on our agenda um is the housing

002production plan and um uh Jasmine, I'll let you introduce whoever needs to be introduced and however that's supposed to get started. >> Thank you. We have Jen Goldson from JM JM Goldson online. She's going to be presenting the housing production plan draft to us this evening. >> Um, how are you, Jen? >> I'm good. I'm doing great. Nice to see you all. >> You as well. And I believe you also have at least Flavio with your team as well. >> Flavio is also with us. Yes. >> Excellent. >> Hi, Flavia. Thank you both so much for joining us. So, I think >> so. I do have a a SC uh a presentation. I'm going to share my screen. Is that all right? >> Absolutely. Yes, please. Yeah, that's great. I think we might need the

003volume turned up just a little bit. >> Okay. How does that how does that look to everyone? >> Yeah, I think it looks bigger by >> All right. Good. I just want you all to know that when I have this screen share up, I actually can't see you right now. So, if there's any questions or anything um or any issues, just interrupt me um because I just don't have my eyes on you right now. >> We're just going to make sure we have the volume up loud enough for you. >> Pull the microphone closer. >> I can also look for my volume to make sure it's up enough. >> Um is that any better? Yes, that's great. >> Yeah, I think that was the issue on my end. Sorry about that. >> Okay, perfect. So,

004um so happy to be here. I'm Jen Goldson. I think I've met everyone um everyone on both boards. Uh but if you but if I haven't, um I'm Jen Goldson. I'm a uh the founder and managing director of JM Goldson. We were very um very pleased uh to work with Ashlin for a couple of years to do the comprehensive plan that was just recently adopted. And uh and then this was a much shorter project. We really looked at the comprehensive plan very closely to do this housing production plan. And I'll just walk you through a little bit of where we are with the draft. But first, I also want to introduce my my colleague Flavio Vila. Um although Flavio was uh not as visible as some of the other members of my team, he actually

005did work a lot on the Ashlin comprehensive plan too from behind the scenes. So Flavio and I worked closely on this plan and um and he's here to support as well. All right. So I'll go through just some background. So we have an eight-stage process where we focus on discovering and understanding. We prepare a comprehensive housing needs assessment. Then we start to do some ideating and brainstorming and and proposing ideas and we do that really in partnership uh with the town and with community members. And I'll talk a bit more about the engagement and then we start to to test ideas and decide on those goals and strategies. And that's essentially where we are testing and and deciding. Uh we wanted to to um present tonight to just show you where the draft plan is

006in terms of the draft goals and strategies, which is what we'll focus on in this presentation, and just get your feedback. Do you think we're uh moving in the right direction here? Are there any goals or strategies that that you'd like to see different or things that we didn't think of that you'd like to see added? Um and then we'll develop an action plan. I do think we have a draft in there, but we can certainly refine that. And it's much shorter than the comprehensive plan, but it's a it's essentially a matrix that shows you uh which strategies to do at what time over the next five years. This is a five-year plan. And uh and then who would be responsible for that. Typically, we we look at, you know, town departments as well as

007town boards or committees who are responsible. And then at the the final stage is committing. And so, a housing production plan um would need to be approved by both the planning board and the select board. So, it's wonderful that we're able to do this as a joint presentation so that you can hear each other's questions and uh and we can get, you know, maybe some direction from both boards tonight. Um and then the next step would be for us to revise that plan, the draft according to your to your comments and um and send it back to you for consideration. at usually at that point it's individual meetings. The next regular meeting of the planning board, the next regular meeting of the of the select board after we do the revisions is typically when they

008would just uh vote to adopt. Um and that's it and then it can go to the state. And I know we're trying to finish in March by the end of March so that we can get it out to the state in time um before the plan expires. The state does have uh really a few months um depending on how you how you slice it, but they have 30 days to determine if it's if it's complete and then they have 90 days to to uh to basically vote to not vote but to consider approval at the state level. So when you add it up, it could be four months, but it's really never that long in my experience. So a couple of months is a little bit more more standard. So that's why we set this

009March March deadline. Okay, so that's a little bit about the process. Um, tonight I'm going to focus on those draft five-year goals and the menu of strategies that we came up with as a draft. Uh, I I've already presented on the housing needs assessment and the development constraints, um, including at the at the public forum, which I think many of you attended, so I'm not going to go into any depth on those tonight, but of course, if you have questions for us, happy to answer those. All right. So, where did these ideas come from? We had the benefit of just working on the comprehensive plan. So a lot of the ideas are directly taken from the comprehensive plan. We really wanted to make sure there was very strong alignment with the comprehensive plan. We also

010held a public forum um both in person and online. We did a an asynchronous online version of the public forum. uh we did interviews as well as um preparing the housing needs assessment trying to understand with updated data from from what we did in the comprehensive plan housing needs we did look at previous local plans and then one of those of course was the comprehensive plan all right so now I'm just going to dive right into those five-year goals and I believe you all got a copy of the the draft plan in your packet could someone just say verbally because I can't see you is that true I think I think they were emailed out to everyone. Right. >> Unfortunately, the select board did not we did it did not get forwarded until tonight. So

011for the select board members, this is new. I mean, not completely new, but >> Okay. Okay. That's good. That's good to know. >> All right. So, um, so the first goal, and although I I like to say these are not really in any order, we do like to try to think a little bit about the order, and I know that maintaining safe harbor is extremely important. So, we did put that as the first goal. um sustain the subsidized housing inventory above the 10% um benchmark. And that's something that we heard in all of the engagement that we want to keep ourselves above the 10% so that we have the local control that we that we want to determine what projects we uh we support in the future. >> Jen, I'm so sorry. May I just

012record this to my cloud as well really quickly? Julie was speaking. Sorry. >> Recording in progress. >> Thank you. Okay, perfect. Um, okay. So, maintaining safe harbor is the first goal in the in the in the draft plan and uh just forward. There we go. Also, you know, there are certain things um that we pulled out of the comprehensive plan. There are also things that the state is looking for us in terms of the guidelines for how to write these and luckily they matched. Um and one of them is unlock diverse housing choices. Uh proactively expand the range of housing types, sizes, and price points to meet the need needs of changing aging population. Um and so that may not be exactly how we worded things in the comprehensive plan, but it's in line with

013the type of goal that the state is is looking for. Um goal three, secure affordability and stability, increasing the production and preservation. And this is really focused around more deeply affordable housing. So many of you may know that when you have a a a 40B comprehensive permit, the requirement is that they the development produces units that are affordable to um what what we call lower moderate income or 80% of the area median income. That's kind of the the top of the of the of the affordable um income ranges. But what we've actually found, and some of you who heard our earlier presentations may remember, is that it's really those more deeply affordable units that are much more needed at that local level in in Ashland. And um especially for households at 30% of the area

014median income and and under who could face risk of housing instability, cost burdens, and a lot of those are likely seniors. Um so that was something that came out as important. growing with intention and investment, planning and funding strategic investments in your facilities, your services, your infrastructure to to to um support anticipated housing growth. And that's something we also tried to be very conscious of in the the comprehensive plan and and came out um in the feedback as well that we got on this plan. And then the fifth goal, strengthening capacity and coordination. We almost always say something like this because in in almost every community we've worked in, there's always something that can be done to strengthen uh capacity at the local level and coordination. And so um this goal focuses on ensuring interdep

015departmental coordination um which I know you are already doing but it's you know continuing that and then empowering staff and boards um with things like updated zoning tools um clear guidance etc. All right. So, I'm going to jump into the menu of strategies and then I'm happy to happy to make question happy to take questions. So, we do view this as a more of a road map or a menu. And I know I talked to to to many of you already about h the same thing when we when we look at the comprehensive plan strategies. I I said the same thing. So, I might sound a little bit like a broken record, but but I view the housing plan in the same way that this is not a blueprint. It doesn't mean you need to

016absolutely uh implement every single one of these ideas. They're really ideas that are in line with the goals that I just presented, but also in line with the types of things the state is looking for when they look to approve these plans. And so we view it as a road map. When you have a housing production plan and it gets approved by the state, you have the um ability if you do fall under the 10% goal that the state has, if you do fall under again, you have the ability to to get safe harbor with this plan um by some incremental production, even if you can't get up to that 10% goal right away. And um the reason I say this on this slide is because it doesn't really matter how you make that incremental

017production. It doesn't matter if you do it in a way that is exactly in the the housing production plan. If you have an approved housing production plan at the state and you make that incremental production in any way that you can, regardless of what this plan says, you still get this certification in the safe harbor. So I'm not trying to belittle the importance of this plan, but I just want to put it in perspective. It's certainly in no way mandating that that you do really any of these strategies. So that's why one reason that we like to present it as a road map with a lot of ideas and some of them you may really focus on and others may not end up working out for whatever reason and that's okay. it doesn't lessen the

018importance of having an approved plan for the purposes of keeping you in safe harbor if you ever fall under that 10%. Okay, so I hope that makes sense. Usually I can see nodding heads, but right now all I see is my slide. Um, so the the strategies are organized under planning and policy tools, local action things that you can well okay let me back up. Planning and policy tools. By that we mean a lot of those recommendations are zoning or they could be studies, things like that. Um, anything that's more regulatory or planning related. Um the second is local action things you can do with your your own um local funds uh land that you may that that you may have and um volunteer capacity as well as staffing capacity and even housing programs that

019you could run out either at a local level or fund an organization to run for Ashland on your behalf. So that's examples of local action and housing programs. And then three is that engagement and capacity building and we wanted to provide you with some ideas um as for that as well. So uh the planning and policy tool I'm not going to go through everyone. There are quite a lot of strategies and as I said we wanted to give you a a menu of choices and I'm happy to to to answer any questions you have on specific ones. But just to keep this at a little bit of a higher level under the planning and policy tools, um those really focus on essentially critical updates to zoning. um unlocking underutilized land, supporting that broader range of

020housing types, including that more gentle density missing middle, you know, not so much the the the the large many hundreds of units um developments and and not as small as that, you know, the typical single family house, but a broader range of things more in between that. um elevating zoning amendments that enhance affordability, ways to really encourage affordability, especially at that more deeply affordable level, that 30% AMI. Under local action and housing programs, we um we look at how can you catalyze affordable or mixed income housing even on uh you know, land you own or by um by kind of signing on to a local initiative program, a friendly 40b people call it. um that might be not it's not something you have to do, especially if you're over the 10% uh goal uh for

021from the state, but it's something you still can do to to especially support your housing needs such as those deeply affordable units. So, those are just some tools in your toolbox around local action, strengthening your affordable housing trust, um preserving expiring units, supporting seniors aging in the community. So, those are all just examples of the types of things that um can be in that that um that category. And I did include the the maps that are in the plan just showing one of the things we're required to do uh by the state guidelines for housing production plans is to identify specific private as well as public sites that could be encouraged for housing development to meet your housing needs. And so we we don't have to pick as many as we did, but um you

022know, if you have any specific specific um points of view about which ones you want to show and which you don't, it doesn't bind you to anything to show these. Um but what we tried to pick out were private um private property with redevelopment potential. Maybe there are already buildings in uses there, but perhaps they're underutilized or there's an opportunity for redevelopment. Um and then private undeveloped in that teal color. The the private with the redevelopment is in that like orangey u mustard color. And then we also um uh identified vacant town parcels and that's that purple purpley. Now you might say nope, no way, no how. Don't want these on the list. Totally fine. We just need to look, we need to first of all say that we looked at both private and public

023uh town-owned opportunities. And then we have to at least identify one in each category at a minimum. And if we can't do that for some reason, we need to state, we did attempt to do this and we looked at all the vacant town own parcels, but for this reason and that reason and this reason, we were not able to find a suitable parcel. We can say that, but we just have to be super clear that we did the analysis or they won't approve the state won't approve the plan. So, so we took a I guess the the more in my mind conservative approach and we we tried to show as many as we could find. Uh but if you want to walk us back on any of these for whatever reason, certainly let us know.

024>> Jen, this is Claudia. I'm just curious um how does Ashlin compare in terms of these types of properties that would be potentially available um to be utilized in this way. How does it compare to other communities? Do we have >> you know it varies so so much. Um, we just finished a plan in in Wuburn and they were looking really more at um like uh old motel or hotel properties that are either vacant or really kind of, you know, in not great condition and they look like they're probably going to be redeveloped soon. Um, they also had an old school building that was surplus that they identified for their town property. Um, it really varies. Other communities have a much broader like they have us list all of the tax title properties that are

025you know or tax foreclosed properties that are over a certain size and potentially developable. Um and some have just a you know some communities have a much larger inventory of tax foreclosed and others have a smaller um we just finished working in Stonum and uh we identified some areas in their downtown where they could potentially have some infill development as well as um areas in their MBTA district. That is something that we've been able to do in many communities is look at their MBTA district and identify specific private prop mostly private properties that could have some development potential. And it doesn't mean you necessarily have to do anything. Um, you know, especially if it's already in a district that would allow that kind of development like in the MBTA district. Um but if it's a

026private I'm sorry if it's a public property what we would say in the strategy is that you would consider these public properties um as potential for affordable uh developments and consider you know we'd use words like you know study or consider um issuing a request for proposals for an appropriate development and it could even be a combination of open space conservation and and uh affordable. So so you could do it in lots of different ways. Does that help answer your question? Was that >> Jen? Just to continue with that, is is that a requirement of a housing production plan to call out different properties of different categories? >> Yes. >> In that way, that's something that needs to be included in any town's housing production plan. >> Correct. In fact, the state will kick it

027back to us if we don't talk about this at all. Um, we and we don't, like I said before, we don't need to include this many, but we do need to at least include one in the private category and one in the public. I found that that's the kind of the minimum. >> But, um, yeah. Oh, go ahead. >> So, Jen, I'm looking at this and unfortunately there's a portion of the map we can't see because of the picture. >> And do you have Olive Street identified as >> um potential location? >> This is Yolanda. >> Uh, yeah, I recognize your voice. Um, Flavio, could you just confirm because I also I think not, but but maybe we missed that. >> I think Olive Street a parcel that should we should add and certainly the

028one up by the town forest is not one. >> Okay, Jen, also I have to mention that all the parcels here were mentioned during the engagement process. So, Nickerson Road, Mangon Road, Orban Road, Pawn Street, all of these like like some of these also came from our analysis and our improvement to land ratio. >> Okay, that's good to know. >> But many many of these were mentioned during the the open house and during the survey. >> Yeah. Okay. That Thank you. That's that's good to know. Um I think that you know regardless it's a good background um note regardless I think the select board and planning board can take any off that they feel are not appropriate or put any on. So all street and then this this parcel right here by the town force.

029Can you see >> cursor? Yeah. >> And the the two in the the purple and blue in the right hand side. >> I'm 90% sure that those are conservation lands. One of them was just donated to the town, I think, and we passed that la like they're working on it last fall. >> Okay. So, we should probably not those part. I mean, those are parcels that we've just I mean, the town has owned we just wetland purchase them, but it's mostly wetlands. Yeah. >> So, the purple and blue on the right side of the map I also think should just >> I don't even know that they're buildable. >> Yeah. >> And then just a quick question. Uh you can't zoom in on yours, but I can on mine. Um the little purple section uh

030right in the middle of town, that's like where we have um that's like where the farmers market is done, right? That's like the parking lot. >> Yeah. >> I think that's right. That's the parking lot. >> Was in that section actually purchased with >> Affordable housing money, right? So >> affordable housing trust actually owns it. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So, it is available, but it would mean >> we'd have to make a decision as to whether or not we want to move the farmers market. >> Yeah. Okay. I just got it. I just wanted to understand like how like I understand why we put these here, but I wanted to understand how viable do these have to be I mean like we can just mark up a bunch of stuff, but like how viable does

031it have to be to actually get approval? Like I'm fine with leaving the big sw, you know, swath of purple and blue on the other side as long as we know that that isn't actually going to happen. >> What how realistic does this have to be? >> Yeah. I I would I would advise for your own sake, not so much for the state's sake, but for your own sake to to pick parcels that you think actually are pretty viable. Like if we think these are mostly wetlands or conservation areas, then let's do >> I would run this map by the conservation committee. Probably give you the fastest. >> Sure. I don't even think we need to do that. I think those of us sitting here are familiar enough that I would say certainly the purple

032section in the left near the town forest. Yeah, >> it goes right into the town forest. We don't want to see that developed. And the parcel the blue the you know the blue is that's privately owned. So they can make a decision. But the purple on the right side of the map, I would say that that's not viable. But we do need to look at Olive Street because we do have a parcel there that we have talked about putting housing on. >> Okay. So, we'll look at that one and and Flavia will reach out to Jasmine if we can't figure out exactly which one it is. >> Okay. >> All right. Very good. So, and yeah, just let me know if you have any other thoughts on this map, but the the the the the

033comments you gave me now are noted and we'll make those changes. Um this is just a blown up version basically. So, I probably should have just flipped to this when you were talking about town center, but um uh but yeah, these are both in the draft plan. So, if you have thoughts on them, let me know. And and like I said before, we don't need to have so many. So if there are things you're like, I'm not sure, let's just take it out. That's fine. As long as we have, you know, basically the minimum is one of each category, one of public and one of private. That is the minimum we need to we need to um identify. But I I actually don't love just doing one because that that seems a little bit more

034like a oh, we're going to do it if there's just one. Um just a just the the perception of that. So, I'd rather have a few um just as a a a perspective kind of advice, but take that take it or leave it. >> Okay. And then the last category would be that community engagement and capacity building. And that's really just all around communication, coordination, leadership, helping residents stay informed, boards and boards collaborate with each other and um and uh and getting uh the basically the capacity to implement things. Okay. So, um our our next steps is, you know, if you want a few days, we we do want to get this submitted by the end of March. Um so, we were hoping that maybe by Monday if that's okay. I I think you all

035have the plan now even though you didn't all get it in advance. Um if you if you could just send Flavio comments on Monday that would be terrific. Um and then we can make those make any edits and then submit to you all for what I'd like to get some clarity on when you might take this up for a vote so that we can make sure to revise it to get in your packet for whatever that vote is. Um could you give me some clarity around when you might take that up this month? And I think you said that the boards can do it separately, right? >> Yes. Yeah, exactly. >> Yeah. I mean, well, we have two meetings in March. Um, so to get it submitted in March, I assume we'd want to start

036talking about it at our next meeting because there will be two more chances. Um, though the >> Does it get voted on at town meeting too? No. >> So, >> Claudia, when would those dates be then? >> So, 34 and 3 >> 12. >> No, we have a meeting on 34. >> That was a question I had. >> This is Makita. That's that's the question I had. So, if we're going to get comments back to them on the second, if we want to discuss this during our upcoming meeting, you know, I I think we'd want to provide comments maybe after our upcoming meeting. Yeah, that's fine. That's fine. I I didn't >> too soon. >> Yeah. No, that's fine. I just didn't know your schedule and I was trying to make sure to get this

037done quickly for you, but but I think if you want to wait till after the 34 meeting. >> Is it on our agenda for Wednesday? >> Is it Is it >> If not, we should add it. >> Yeah. >> On the fourth. >> We have one next week, >> right? We have a meeting next week. We You guys had an agenda setting meeting, right? >> Maybe not yesterday because of people traveling. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, if it's not on our agenda, we need to add it to our agenda for next Wednesday. >> Yeah. And for us, it would be the 12th. >> We need to review the housing production plan draft at our meeting on Wednesday the 4th. >> Today's Thursday, so I can >> She can update it tomorrow. It's still

038time. >> Update it tomorrow. That'll give us 48 hours. >> And for us, the it would be the 12th and the 26th would be >> would be our meeting dates. But as far as the comments for Monday, those are also individual comments, too, right? It's not necessarily to be reviewed by the group. It can be if you're reading through and you have some comments, you can send them forward. >> Correct. >> sorry. I I just have a question. So, this will help me when I send my comments or not send my comments. Um how realistic do these like I like our goals. Um how realistic do they have to be to be to be goals? Um, like we, you know, you mentioned about the secure affordability, especially the deep affordability. But if you try to

039zone something where you say you want that much affordability, then the builder has to have much more expensive units in there to make profit. Um, and they're not going to build if they can't make profit. So, how do we like how do we balance out that goal? Because I think it'd be kind of weird to have like, you know, this really deep affordable housing and then like luxury penthouse type suites on the top. Not that I think Ashley would pull off a luxury penthouse type style, but to get the builder to make profit, they're not going to build it if they don't make money. So, like how like how accurate do these goals have to be? >> Yeah. So what we suggest when you when you get a chance to read through the strategies um

040let me know if you have questions about it still but but what we tried to do is um think about what kind of incentives um would we would we need to allow for private development to encourage them so that the numbers work so that it pencils out. But the other thing is if you are doing an a request for proposals on your own town land and you're basically giving the land for free or for a very um low amount. Um you can ask for, you know, you can potentially get a 100% affordable, you know, missiondriven developer to create deeply affordable units. Um uh because you're really subsidizing the land cost. So that's another creative way, not just asking the private market to respond by giving them incentives because you would have to give them pretty

041big incentives to do that as you as you know and as you said, but when you're the owner um you can actually get, you know, more deeply affordable units in a way uh that's a little easier than relying on the private market because you have the land and that's worth that's worth a lot. Does that make sense? >> It does. But again, I was just want to understand the feasibility of these things. So, do you have examples maybe of like where towns have given up portions of their of their land to have an affordable housing? >> Yeah, I mean there's a ton of there's a ton of examples of towns issuing requests for proposals for deeply affordable and all affordable projects so that there's not even any market rate. You know, you can have a

042mix of incomes with middle income 80%, 50%, 30%. Um there are I could certainly send some examples if that's helpful, but there are lots of towns, especially lots of old schools have been converted in that way. Um there's been um other lands that have been developed like into uh smaller like Habitat for Humanity. the um there's been a lot of like examples of tax title tax foreclosed properties that that housing trusts have taken on uh to to to basically select a I'm going to say a developer like Habitat. There aren't really many developers like Habitat. It's usually is Habitat, but um that's the kind of thing that can be deeply affordable and all affordable. Um, so there are lots of examples of these kind of municipal land dispositions for creation of those all affordable or

043deeply affordable. I I'd be interested in in seeing that too, you know, information about communities. >> Um, one question I have too earlier, um, you mentioned that, um, you know, I think it was a strategy for how to increase your affordable housing. One of them was to um any any units that were coming off of affordability make extending that. Do we and maybe this isn't a question that maybe you have the answer to, but do we have units in Ashlin that are coming off affordability? >> Most of our affordable units right now are in perpetuity. >> That's what I thought. >> So, except that the the um Ashlin house, right, that was brought up. >> That's a private entity, >> right? And it says they're expiring in 2027. So that might be something that we

044would want to look at how we can help them continue to have them as affordable units. >> Exactly. >> They affordable or are they age restricted? >> Affordable. >> The affordable which may be also age restricted. I'm not >> think I think Ashen House also has an age. >> Well, I'm not sure about that. >> Yeah, I'm not sure for sure, but >> yeah. >> And that's they can be affordable and age restricted. >> Yes, >> they can be. >> Yep. And that's something that the affordable housing trust works on to, you know, they identify units that are possibly going off and then we look at strategies to try and maintain them. And as Joe said, if it's a private if it's a private entity, we have to work with them >> to do that,

045>> right? And it may be that, you know, the the the the town has has funds like CPA funds to to help uh to help strike a deal. Oftentimes it it it involves refinancing and it involves other fundings. uh not just local funds, but you can be part of that conversation and and help um you know, help that deal go forward. >> Jen and Jen, this Joe Manyani, in years past, we've uh the affordable housing trust has provided uh certain funding to developers to maintain uh affordable units. Uh we just did that a few years ago at 12 Pawn Street >> and uh we subsidized the builder with some of some of our funding to help create that and those units are in perpetuity. That that was that was a must. So >> yeah, we've

046done that already. >> Great. >> Okay, >> good. Um any any other questions for us? >> I have Sorry, I have another one. What do you know? Does the state currently have some programs aside from 40B um to help communities incentivize developers or do they have money that might be available to communities that they themselves want to um pursue this? Yeah, there's certainly a lot of state programs that help to subsidize affordable housing development um you know in the private market and those developers um you know they they benefit from there's a state one-stop application that they fill out and can be paired with different funds that would uh be useful but I'm not sure if that's your question so tell me if I'm not answering it correctly. >> Yeah. No, it's it's helpful, but

047I' I'd like >> you don't know that there's money for towns to say, "Okay, we're going to build affordable housing, >> right?" >> No, because I think it's >> developers can apply and there's different like, you know, there's different there's different programs, not just 40B, but there's other like there's the 40R um Robert Hill way was built with some state and federal funding for and that's all that that that building is completely affordable. Well, even the project at uh 501 Pond Street um which was approved by the planning board several years ago now, right? >> Is in the process of uh pursuing uh deeper discount housing um that they're doing through different funding mechan you know their choice to do through different funding mechanisms and that's been that has come back to the planning board

048for as they have pursued that. So, right because they're really looking to do deeper affordability which is nice. >> Yeah, that's what they're looking at. So, Um Jasmine just saw on the agenda I don't know what >> sorry on my calendar so there's um we when we had met initially with JM Goldson we' been we had created a large um sort of itinerary of when we needed to get done timeline in March 12th we had designated as a joint meeting with the planning board and select board to review the draft housing production plan as well is that Jen, did you still have that on your >> Well, okay. I'm sorry. I might have misunderstood that. I saw that on Flavio's list, but I said that's what we're doing tonight. So, I ended up saying I

049think this is wrong. Okay. I think that um they can just talk about it in their boards, their regular meetings at this point. Yeah. Rather than trying to have another joint meeting. >> But also, Madam Chair, while I have um Miss Goldson's attention, we did actually have our conservation agent just give a few notes on the map that you had shown. If I may, Madam Chair, it's just two note three notes. >> Yeah, please. >> Um that the south side of or Oregon site one is Briasco soccer field and the purple parcel is the town forest and is part of article 97. Site seven on the map is Beaver Dam Brook which is a conservation area and is 100% wetlands. And site one on the plan is also 100% wetlands. >> Okay, >> we'll take

050those off. I'm sorry. you know, they must have been things that the community members suggested and then we just kind of blindly put them in. So, I apologize that we missed that. >> Yeah. >> And thank you, Becca Solomon, for giving us the information. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. Well, anything else for us? >> I'm just trying to understand the the goals for the um you know, to meet your timeline. So, it sounds like each board in the upcoming two weeks will be meeting and talking about the plan in greater detail and then um are we sending are we sending questions at that time or are we voting at that time? You know, I do you mind if I chime in? >> Please. I want to try. >> I guess I would say

051I I think it's um it would crunch the end of the process to wait till, for example, the planning board's meeting on the 12th, I think. >> Right. >> I I would prefer if it's okay with you all to get comments before that, even if they are those individual comments. And I think the select board meeting on the 4th, that's fine. if you can get us comments like on the 5th or something, we can start making those revisions. Um and then um when if you're meeting on the 12th planning board, would your packet go out on the 5th? >> Yes. >> So, yeah, I'm not sure that we can make the fifth deadline if we only get the comments in on the 5th. >> Yeah, that's true. U but but I but I think you

052can um I think whenever they're available if if before our meeting if they can just be sent >> we try we try to get it out a week ahead of time but obviously that certainly doesn't always happen and would rather have the comments even if they're late even if we're discussing them at at the meeting we would like to >> Okay so what we could do is um select board do you think it's realistic to get us the comments the day after your meeting >> will try >> I think I think we probably could >> I have to ask my my clerk if if she if she >> I think we probably could. >> Okay, that's fine. Uh and then so that I think what we could then do is I don't know how substantial

053they'll be, but we can turn it around as quickly as possible. Um but why don't we say at the very latest by the end of the day on Monday the 9th, we could send it to the planning board revised showing the changes. Um and then you can have it, you know, a few days ahead of that meeting on the 12th. Does that sound fair? Yeah, I I think I think that's I think that's fine. And we can obviously do our homework ahead of time and then if especially if the changes are possible to be highlighted in some way so they kind of jump out at us what's different. Um then we can absolutely can review those and >> and then would we would we as a select board have to join you on that meeting

054or could we then wait until the next Wednesday the 18th which is our next meeting to approve the plan. I think that would be fine if you if the planning board approved on the 12th, the select board approved on the 18th and you can still approve it with there are just a few more changes, Jen, that's fine. Um, as long as you can vote to approve it with those changes um then we can make the changes and get it back to Jasmine and then um Jasmine submit. >> Okay, >> so I actually had a question related to that, Jen. Mhm. >> Um, if we submit to the state and they haven't approved it yet, but our other housing production plan expires, are we still covered because they have a new we have a new one

055that's been voted in town or are we then in limbo between when it expires and when they approve our new one? >> Okay. So, I sometimes I have a slide on this, so listen carefully because this is a little that's a little complicated. So, one, they'll approve it retroactively to when you submitted a complete plan. >> Okay? >> And by complete, I mean it meets all those things that I just said. >> Okay? >> Um, assuming we submit a complete plan on whichever day, let's just say it was March 31st, and they take 30 days to determine it was complete, then they have another 90 days to determine whether they're going to approve it or not, and your plan's already expired. Mhm. >> As long as we submitted that complete plan and then they approve

056that complete plan, it's approved retroactively to the date we submitted the complete plan. >> Okay. >> There's a risk if we submit it, either they say it's not complete, then we have to >> fix something, submit it again, and then the clock starts again. >> Um the other risk is if they don't approve it for some reason, but I've never had them not approve it. They've always, you know, if there's anything that gets kicked back, they're like, "Oh, no. we want this appendix in there or you know we already know that now. So um so it shouldn't get kicked back but I can't guarantee it but it is retroactive to the day you submit the complete plan. So that gives you some protection. >> So as long as we submit it before our other ones

057expo expires we should be okay. >> You should be I would rather have a little time to fix it if there's >> I agree. When does our current one actually expire? >> Is it the end of June? Jasmine I don't have that date in front of me. It's the It's actually in May. I don't have the exact date. >> Oh, it's May. Okay. Okay. >> Okay. So, we should be with this timing, we should we should be okay, >> right? So, if anything if any changes or questions or >> if there's any qu changes that either group brings up >> that you feel Jenner going too close to the line, you're going to let us know. >> Yeah, that sounds fine. And the biggest one that they've kicked back that I found is if you

058don't say there's at least one private parcel and at least one town owned parcel. >> It's May 19th is what the >> date. >> So we want to think generously about those things because they're not you have to use it but it might be a possibility. It's something we should look at. Yeah. >> It's not a G. Okay. All right. Well, well, thank you. If there's no other questions, >> I was just wanted to ask, um, we do have a few members online and I cannot even see their faces right now because of the way the screens are, but um, if there's any questions from board members who are online somehow might have to >> I think it's just myself, Anna, and I don't have any questions on this. Thank you. >> I think Bry's

059online as well. Okay, >> I'm good. Thank you very much. Thanks, Jen. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Sorry. >> Thanks, Jen. It was good seeing you. >> Thank you, everyone. Good to see you, too. >> Bye. >> All your work. >> Bye. >> Okay. So, we all know the assignment, I guess, as they say. Um, all right. Next on our agenda is uh the comprehensive plan implementation committee. Um I'm going to turn this one over to Anna and Yolanda who I think have been kind of spearheading Sure. >> that committee. >> Sure. I'll just speak briefly that after a multi-year process that was great partnership between the planning board and the select board and town management, we as a comprehensive plan committee together with our consultant um came up with a way to implement

060or create the implementation committee. The implementation committee is a key component of the success of a comprehensive plan in communities and the comprehensive plan itself has mention of it of how it should be set up. And then Yolanda and myself, mostly Yolanda, um I gave Yolanda my notes of how the committee had resolved to create the implementation committee and Yolanda did a great job uh putting that into a memo which I believe has been shared with both boards. Is that right, Jasmine? >> Yes. Um, and since Yolanda did the heavy lifting of the draft, I'll turn this over to Yolanda to speak to what was in there and then I guess we can open up for discussion. >> Yeah, it's pretty straightforward. I checked most of it right from the implementation section of the plan.

061So it is uh we are recommending a seven to nine member committee, one select board member, one planning board member and then seven uh five to seven um public at large with ideally at least half of them coming from the comprehensive plan committee members. And when we were having this discussion back in October and September, there were a number of members who were very interested in participating and continuing with the implementation plan. Then the idea is that the implementation plan would sort of set their meeting dates, determine if they feel like they need to meet monthly for the first six months and that's what I would recommend. And then the other the other portion is once we have our people from the comprehensive plan committee who want to participate and if we have more than

062two or three then we may have to do some kind of interviews or you know deciding between either the two boards or if we want to just do it. Um I think that's part of the discussion right how do we determine what the rest of that committee is going to look like. Um it's been recommended uh that we have someone from every precinct since we only have five to seven members. I don't know that we'll have someone from every precinct, but I know we have some comprehensive plan committee members who did represent precincts. So, we can look at that. Uh, so I think if we approve the outline of what the implementation committee can wants to look like, then it would be how do we want to decide who is actually on it? And I

063think the first again the first recommendation would be to reach out to those members who are on the comprehensive plan to say okay we're looking for three or four of you to help with the implementation committee and then as we're doing that simultaneously reach out to the public and say we're looking for two to three members who want to participate and help with the implementation of this process. Um, I I don't I don't recommend. We went through a very lengthy interview process when we did this the first time, which was very good for that process. I don't I don't know that I want to recommend that same lengthy interview process. I think this is something that we want to try to get. I mean, ideally, we have our first meeting in May um for this

064committee to get it up and running and get it started and start looking at the comprehensive plan and start moving things forward. >> I'm sorry, I don't know. >> And if I in front of me, I was just going to ask um uh was there a term like a certain number of years you were asking? >> I didn't put that on there. I think it's something to think about how we want to do it. I don't know if I mean because it's not until completion because I don't think anyone's going to want to be sitting there for 10 years. Right. >> Um I think we could look at once we sort of determine who's on it or maybe as we're moving forward to it say how many years or or how long um >> like

065a recommendation but not you don't be a burden for someone. It's one of those things like I think about certain towns I know have like building committees and those building committees are in place until either their projects are completed or they someone needs to step off, right? We have our building committee for the um for the Mendes, right? And we had a building committee for the public safety building and that was until completion unless someone had to step off. Um I I think we could go either way if people if we want to do terms. Um the thing is it's one of those committees that you're going to get working together with each other and then it's it's not like you don't want you don't want someone to like fall off the committee and then

066you have to bring someone else new on. I um give it a lot of thought. But >> I I if I could jump in. Yeah. >> We we did a lot of the these same kinds of discussions when we appointed the comprehensive plan committee. >> Generally, these are about the same time of how long it takes. So the comprehensive plan took a few years. >> The implementation committee's work will probably be in a similar range. Um so we may want to when we post this for the public, we might want to put in there that just like the comprehensive plan process, this could be a multi-year process. And then it looks like on the bottom of Yolanda's sheet, she had proposed I think based on the comprehensive plan draft that there would be a chair

067or co-chair and all that. And presumably they'll come up with rules of how to how to handle empty seats. You would think that because we have jurisdiction, the comprehensive plan jurisdiction is with the planning board and obviously the select board and partnership. I would suggest that we do come up with some basic um good practice requests to that leadership where we basically say you know if you have open members see come back to us and let us know and we can figure out what to do next. Um but one thought I had for for this group is to the extent that we have um a request I think we got a public comment from Keith Jerzik who was on the comprehensive plan committee and is a former planning board member to make sure we have

068representation from different uh precincts. What I would suggest is there was a clear priority at the comprehensive plan committee to have members from that committee be given an opportunity to be on the implementation committee. So I feel like that should be primary focus. It doesn't matter what precinct they're from. Let's try to get three to four members from the comprehensive plan committee and then I would suggest that we look at their addresses and their precinct location and then we select board and planning board when we post for the general public let's fill it in with as many missing precincts as we can. We may not hit the perfect balance but that would be my suggestion on that. Um >> right as I as I stated when I started Anna that when we were you know

069I said that that Kate had recommended I didn't say Kate specifically but that someone had recommended that we do precincts and when we look at the people who are on the comprehensive plan >> when we select those some of them were precinct representatives so I think we're saying the same thing but I had said that when I started so >> okay yeah I guess I was thinking more it doesn't really matter what precinct they're in um I would just take them. I don't know how many are going to be interested. That was more of the point I was trying to make. Um it was such a large commitment for multiple years. I think we're going to be lucky if a few of them are in and so I would worry not at all about which

070precinct they're from. >> Thank you. >> So I'm sorry. And how um >> so it's a a joint again joint departments by the planning board and select board. >> Okay. >> That's my recommendation. >> Yeah. I mean, I guess I would just I guess I would just think that there should be some kind of term in there. Um, open to what that term is. Obviously, I don't think it should be any longer than three years given, you know, five years is too long. Um, but uh >> I do see people either because of interest or time rotating off of this committee. Um, >> I I agree that that would happen, but in the case that it doesn't, >> I think the planning board and the select board should have an opportunity to be to review

071>> members that are on there that stay on indefinitely, right? I think there should be some kind of control over >> Yeah. You know, maybe it's not cohesive, right? Maybe there maybe more intervention is going to be needed to be made, right? And as as the two boards as the two boards that >> form that committee, we want to make sure it's actually >> functioning in a in a way that serves the planning board and the select board >> and the community to to make the progress we're hoping to make. Yeah. Um >> that makes sense. If I could through you, Madam Chair, if you do, I would just recommend if you do terms to stagger them obviously, so you don't have a board everybody's term expiring at the exact same time would be recommendation,

072>> right? Which could be which could be, you know, drawing straws basically for the regular members. I think within for the two board members, you know, we would have to kind of determine that too that hey, every every year the planning because you know boards change every year. Maybe every year the planning board will decide if that if the same person stays in the board or they have to change because that person is now no longer on the board, right? >> Just, you know, as one of our regular assignments about who who serves on that board. So >> then a recommendation I would have is that um we either align terms with like the month after an election or what we've done on the select board is our terms used to end in June and

073we would have new people not being able to figure out who's not our select board terms but the the committees that we appoint all of our committees now their appointments end on o on August 31st. first. So that gives if I'm a new select board member and we have committees that we're reappointing, I can get to know people as I'm voting to reappoint people to a board. So I would recommend with with the implementation committee that we put a term ending August 31st and maybe the first one, you know, the first people expire the tw of 2027, then 28 and then 29. Um because I, you know, this is not going to be done in two years. It's an implementation. I mean, the the lift might get easier as we go along, but it's going

074to it, you know, it's a 10-year comprehensive plan. Do we are we going to have an implementation committee for those 10 years? Very possibly. And then also at some point at year seven, they're going to start looking at what are we doing for our next comprehensive plan. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think that makes a lot of sense. There's too much that gets bottlenecked right at election time. Yeah. Maybe in initially staggering everybody, maybe instead of doing a one, two, three year term, maybe you do two, three, four, so everybody gets a little bit of time before they're up for, you know, reappoint, >> but it sounds like the first one would already be a year and a couple of months if we if we do the first expiration of 27, right? So 837. >> Can

075I just can I just comment that typically these are just a few years in town. So this is not like a thing that goes on forever. They're essentially there to set out, you know, a push towards the key elements of the comprehensive plan and then obviously town management and the zoning board and the planning board follow through. So their zoning amendments, etc. But it's not like they're going to be doing this for for years. I just want to be clear on that. And I think we might be overthinking it. >> I I'm going to I'm going to state that I disagree with that. I think I think they're you know the first six to eight months are probably going to be the heavier lifts >> and you know they might not be meeting every month

076after that but certainly every quarter they're going to want to be reviewing I see what you're saying where things are at with the comprehensive plan what strategy are we doing have we decide not to do some and then again >> that committee could then be the first people who start thinking about the next comprehensive plan >> I gotcha and in that case you may want to think about a couple years of you know solid group that you don't want to stagger and change too much and then staggering after. Just something to think about so that you have a solid beginning. >> Um, >> right now if we go with what I was saying, our our solid beginning would be about 15 months for the first people. And >> yeah, I think that's that doesn't mean

077they have to go off after those 15 months. They could then do another three years or or we could even do two-year terms if we if we felt that that was better, right? So if the first people expire on 83127 and then their next term is for two years and they expire in 29, something like that. That might make more sense. A two-year term. >> Yeah, I would suggest a two-year term to make it clearer. But either way, >> okay, I can write this stuff up and >> All right. So, um, is there any other any other comments about uh implementation plan on committee? >> I had asked this question last time. So the charter for this group is what's there that was taken out of the comprehensive >> yes >> uh plan kind of

078the operations or are we going to do a little more deeper dive into those >> whoever whoever are the people rep that are on the committee we'll take a deeper dive in how often we're going to meet what kind of reporting who's the chair um and reviewing things and as I said in that staff is would be a um a liaison and be helping and there would be conversation back and forth. >> Thank you. >> So the only other thing for us to think about is like what are the next immediate steps? If we're going to vote on this and approve it today, the two boards, I would suggest that either Yolando or Yolanda and I again can draft up a letter that would go to the membership of the comprehensive plan committee with a

079deadline and ask them for who's interested. Um, and then I would think we, the two boards, would also want to draft up a posting for the public to get it approved. Um, is that something that Yolanda and I can work on as a committee kind of subcommittee to make that happen or would we want to come back to these two boards to approve and appoint? Like, how do we go about that? >> Well, I think I think the two of you obviously are, you know, doing all the ground work. I'm perfectly comfortable having you continue with the groundwork and then as far as like the actual membership on the committee, you know, would have to we'll talk about it. Um the select board will talk about the select board, planning board talk about the planning

080board so everyone has an equal opportunity to >> Well, we've we've determined who our representative is going to be. >> right. So, but as far as setting up all the groundwork, not perfectly. >> Yeah. I think an email a very simple email out to the past committee saying we're now moving forward with implementation. who's interested, please email back so we can review that. And then, you know, we're looking for three to four members of the comprehensive plan. And then at the same time, similar thing can go out to the public saying, you know, now's the now we're moving forward with implementation and we're looking for however many people um and it's going to be either, you know, and if you know, it's going to start out as a 15-month or three, you know, two year,

081threeear commitment based on these expiration dates. So, >> so is everyone okay with Yolanda and I kind of drafting what would be posted publicly? Like we can use this particular draft Yolanda already did and just turn it into an advertisement basically for the public. Do we want to do it that way or do we want to wait until we see who from the comprehensive plan committee wants it first and then come back to you guys to figure out if we want to make it precinct specific? Like how do we want to go about that? >> I thought we already determined that I thought we'd made that decision. >> Let's get Let's get it rolling. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, let's get it we'll get we can do two things. We'll get an email out to the

082committee, find out who and and then an email out, you know, we can post it to say we need people from the public with the potential that we might be looking for specific precincts >> and do it for like April 1st so that we can hit the May goal of a committee meeting. like do we have a does any >> I I have to let people know that >> I'll be doing some work but I will be out of the country from April 9th to April 29th and as much as I love this volunteer work I don't expect to be doing a lot of it because I'm hoping to not have much internet access on my boat >> but we should do it prior to that >> so if we can get I think I

083mean I think we can get a lot of this done before April 9th. So yeah. >> Yeah. And and just to clarify, I think I mean and and not very many people jumped in here, but I I think with the with as far as the precinct, it was like, hey, great if it helps to get some diversity in there, but it's not going to be top priority to make sure, >> you know, and overshadow other contributions to make sure precincts are represented, right? >> Okay. >> Let's make sure that the project gets completed, right? >> That would be a good one. And whenever that's the priority priority, >> so I guess my question is what is the next select board planning board meeting that we're trying to hit to deliver to deliver some names both

084from the comprehensive plan committee and from the public to vote on together so we don't miss Yolanda's trip or we don't ruin it, I should say. What's our what's our goal, if you will? Because that way when Yolanda and I are reaching out to both the public through an ad and um what's it called? the comprehensive plan committee. We can be very precise that we're aiming to get answers. >> We said April. You're going to be gone most of April. >> The 9th to the 29th. >> Yeah. So that >> first meeting in April. >> The first meeting in April. Yeah. We have a meeting on April 1st. The select board. >> All right. So why don't why don't we have that? >> That's our goal. >> Okay. >> Why don't we have that be

085a joint meeting perhaps? >> Sure. If you guys can come to the first part. >> We'll come visit you for once. >> Okay. That works great. >> Sounds like a plan. Okay. >> Can I sit at the kid table? So, do you want me to make a motion, Trisha? I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. What was that? >> Do you want me to make a motion to Do we need to vote on this >> process, if you will? >> I don't think we need to, but to make it official, we can do it. >> Want to, you could. Doesn't hurt. >> Sure. I'll I'll make a motion to approve the um the process outline and that memo to both boards that was created by myself and Yolanda, including the the next steps is outlined by Yolanda

086of the email, the post to the public with the goal of delivering names by the April 1 date. >> All right. So, um >> is there a second? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, we need a second. >> Okay, there's a second. Planning board will call vote. >> Deepen. >> Anna Tesmanitzki. I >> Paulino. I >> and Trisha Kendall. I >> select board vote. >> Greavves. I >> kinsman I >> minani. That's 5. >> All right. Okay. >> So, do we need anything to do anything else in joint meeting? That's all that's on our agenda. Right. That's it. >> So, you guys going to get out of here and leave us alone? >> Yeah, we'll get you let you get back to your job. >> That's not the bum rush. I don't know what is >> motion

087to motion to adjourn the select board meeting. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> All those opposed. >> Okay, that's 8:22. >> Thank you, Select Board. >> Thank you. >> Always a pleasure. >> Thanks, guys. Good night. >> Thanks, Brandy. >> When we go to their meeting, that'll be the best part. They always get to leave our meetings early if we have to stay, but we can. >> You're more than welcome to stay. The only email we received was the one that was already mentioned several times about the um the precincts being represented. I could be wrong about that, but I think I'm not. >> That is correct. You did receive one this evening while we were here. So, you probably want to discuss that at your next meeting because none of

088you have had a chance to see that. We got one today. >> Okay. >> Um, next. >> Wait, was that the Was that the one about the They were asking if our letter was sent >> to Hawin. >> Yeah. >> Yes, it was. >> Okay. So, >> can I can we just Was the letter sent? >> Yes, the letter was sent. >> Okay. That's all I was >> Okay. I just didn't know. I You might have been the only one who had read it. So, >> I didn't know the answer though. Like, so I don't know like the letter was sent. >> Yes, the letter was sent to But >> that was the question. That was the email. Somebody asked if the >> Susan Thornton, right? Is that >> if they asked if we sent

089>> perfectly appropriate and on target. So, thank you for that. Um, >> uh, item number four is public comment. Um, I will open it up for public comment. Um, I will limit the time limit though per per speaker to two minutes if there is any public comment. There's one comment or one hand up I should say. You may speak if you're ready. >> Sorry. Joan Gon Freddy. If you would identify yourself and speak, you may. >> Yes. Um, hello. Joan Gonady. Um, I'm on the historical commission speaking as an independent person. Um, I have a I have a a comment. Oh, excuse me. Sorry about that. Um, I have a comment about the um the um housing performance housing plan. Um, I have a concern that um that I'd just like to just like to

090bring up on page 56 and 57 and it's about the water. Um, it says it says very clearly that that we are operating well below our threshold and I I don't believe that to be true. Um, maybe right now we are. However, if I did a um I did a workup of all of the proposed plans in town using the Haley Ward um calculations and it comes down to there are two different types of calculations. One calculation leaves us with 79,000 um gallons per day and the other one leaves us with 10,000 gallons per day. And um that's about 1 to four gallons per day per person in town. And that to me is very concerning. And so I think that it's a little bit misleading to with the verbiage that's in here is mis

091misleading. I think it needs to be something more to the point of we're working towards some kind of um increase to infrastructure to support housing. Um I'm not sure what exactly what that would be, but I think we have the same issue with sewer. And I think we also um given that all of the developments that are being proposed could theoretically increase our um population by almost 24%. That we should also be looking at the rest of our infrastructure, schools, police, and fire. Um it but the water is the most concerning to me. I mean, one gallon per day extra is not I don't know about you, but just brushing your teeth probably takes a gallon. So, um I think that you know it's it's it's something that the whole town should be concerned about

092and I've asked I sent it to the select board and I sent it to the town manager and I will I will copy you on it just so you have have it for reference but I believe that the calculations are um pretty close to accurate um based on the Haley Ward calculations. So um so that that is my um that is my my qu the other question was actually for Jen Golds and maybe you can ask or could um have the same concern and um it said she says that if we have an a housing performance plan that's approved then as long as we're doing some kind of development that we can stay in HSI. and yet we couldn't and I think that we'd fell out of HSI. So I guess I'm wondering is that

093really true? Can we stay in HSI if we're not at 10%. >> Um yeah, do you want to answer that one, Jasmine? >> Yes, thank you. So you can meet your not meeting your SHI with the housing production plan. What you're doing is you're showing incremental growth and it can put you in safe harbor based on meeting certain criteria. So you're not meeting your SHI via that, but you are being granted safe harbor by meeting your intimal incremental growth. So it's a statutory um sort of um goal that you can meet. So you're still not under safe harbor at all. You're not under your safe harbor goal. I not in your um subsidized housing inventory goals, but you get safe harbor for one to two years depending on the timing of the project. So, could

094we have I I I agree. I my my wording was wrong. Um but um so could we have theoretically been in safe harbor when we received all of the and one or any of these developments? >> No, you lost Safe Harbor as soon as the Arbella went into litigation. >> Yes. So, we were in Safe Harbor um based on the Friendly 40B project that was on Memorial Drive, but when that went when that went into litigation, we fell out of Safe Harbor um because those units weren't going forward. >> So, um >> you would have been >> Yeah. Yeah. So, >> I mean, I knew we still fell out of HSI, but I didn't but based on what she said, I'm wondering if >> you don't you don't fall out of HSI, though, or SHI

095like we we don't we're not at the 10%. So, we're not there's nothing to fall out of. Well, I guess I guess if you were over 10%, you could fall out of it, but we've never been at 10%. >> Okay. >> So, we've only been in an incremental safe harbor because we were adding units. We were given a temporary safe harbor, but you can only have a temporary safe harbor if you have a an active housing production plan, and that's what she was talking about. >> Okay. Okay. All right. >> Okay. >> Thank you for that. I appreciate it. Yeah. Sure. But we will um make note of the water sewer on page 5657 and maybe um you know ask uh um Jen Goldstein to um Goldson, sorry, to um confirm their numbers um and

096ask what you know ask a little bit more specifically what where those numbers come from. >> It says there that they use the Haley Ward. Um one of them they they it lists them on the page. You'll see that. Um but I think what's missing is the the combined projects that are proposed and what's left after that. >> Right. And I do believe they have been considering those but we will um uh but but that'll be part of the question. So >> Okay. >> We'll look at that. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Have a good night. >> You too. Um and I don't see any more hands up for public comment. There's no one in the room. So, we will move on to um our public hearings. So,

097um as I I think the the board should all know, uh Jasmine has and Melissa had been sending out um the continuences. The last three on our agenda, that means everything except Eversource is being continued. We'll get to that when we get to it. But meanwhile, um we can talk about Eversource. And I see that there's several people here from um Eversource. Who is going to be speaking first? >> I will be speaking. >> And we also have is is Becca here. >> We also have Becca Solen, our conservation agent on as well. >> Is she hiding under the No, I see her. Okay. >> I see her. Okay. She's the bee. Got it. >> All right. Let me just share my screen in a bit. >> Oh, sorry, Matthew. Let me give you permission.

098Sorry. Give me just a second. >> Thank you. So then we have two there are two separate um >> items here right so one is for maintenance and one is for removal right >> correct >> it it's okay it's okay with me if we talk when appropriate that you talk about those two together uh if if it makes sense I don't think we need to divide it it into two discussions right so because obviously related material >> I think that makes sense I'm planning on talking about the maintenance first just because I don't think that's going to be very controversial, but they don't necessarily need to be separated formally. >> That's fine. Whatever. Whatever is most efficient for you. >> Whenever you're ready to share your screen, Matthew. Sorry. You're ready. You're >> probably There

099we go. We want you. >> So, I'm on the tail end of my fourth double shift with the storm response in southeastern mast. I'm a little scatterbrained. Uh can uh you all see the uh the map with the little green marking on it? >> Yes. >> Excellent. So uh this year we have two circuits uh up for removal this year. Um not uh not up for we have two circuits up for maintenance pruning this year. Um the 455H8 and the 274 H2. Um, on both of these circuits are uh six scenic roads. Uh, the one that you see highlighted currently is Franklin Road. And then if I head over to Did the map change for you guys? >> Um, >> so just to clarify, the the dark line is showing the whole circuit, >> correct?

100>> Right. That you're going to be checking. And the the highlighted lines are the ones that are on scenic roads, which is what this which is what you're here for tonight. Is that correct? >> Correct. Okay. >> Yes. So these all uh each circuit gets pruned every four to five years. Uh trending more towards five these days. Um um so the whole circuit's getting pruned. These are just the scenic road aspects uh or portions of them. Um on the screen you should see now it actually does show that it runs along House Street. uh that part of the circuit is not being pruned this year because there are two circuits present on that road and the other circuit was pruned last year. There's no need to prune it again so soon. Uh they haven't even

101gotten a growing season into since the last time they've been pruned. So this one is Franklin Street and then the other four are Myrtle Street, Main Street, Winter Street, High Street, and Conquer Street. Um which are highlighted on this map. Um, and our clearance is around our clearance is 10 feet by 10 feet by 15 feet around the top wires, what we call the primary wires. >> One question. >> Yep. Go ahead. >> Do you have a map that has the names of the streets or any of the streets on these so I can figure out where they are? >> We can get into the tiles, but I uh I did not highlight those. Um, so this one in the uh if you look at the the overview map, uh the one in the the

102long one in the middle is Myrtle Street. Uh the short one to the right of that line is Conquered Street. Um the top left one is Winter Street and the bottom left one is High Street. If that makes sense. >> Like I know some of those streets. I I don't know where we physically are on the map, but it's all right. I'll figure it out. >> It would be easier like any major streets were listed on here. Um, yes, it would be. Uh, as a good point. Um, yeah, if I scroll down here, um, so it's not highlighted, but the central artery running through the middle of the the page is Myrtle Street. Uh, to the left, uh, the blue the blue line to the left is Winter Street. We got h we got High

103Street on the bottom. Um, the these are labeled, but the words are kind of small um, for what you guys are seeing. Um, so we got Winter Street at the top. We got High Street uh to the bottom left. Keep scrolling down. Uh this orange line coming in from the top middle is Myrtle Street. Uh and then it turns into Main Street past the pond or the the water body there as it goes uh to the bottom right diagonally. And then Conquered Street is on the right side or is it Conquered Street is in the middle uh of this tile um with two blue uh two blue colored pieces on each end if that makes sense. So I'm going back to the overview. Um, so our clearance is 10 feet by 10 feet by 15

104feet around the top the wires at the top of the pole. Uh, what we call the primary wires. These are our high voltage lines. Uh, several thousand volts instead of the 120 that comes out of your outlet. Um, we prune to this clearance because not only do we have to break contact immediately, uh, for safety reasons and reliability reasons, we also have to have enough clearance that this, uh, circuit can go another four to five years. Um, since that's going to be the next time that we prune it again. >> Yeah. So, and Matthew, just to clarify, so it's 10 feet on the bottom, 10 feet to the right and left of the wire, and 15 feet to the top. Is that right? >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> Long from last time. Yes. Yes.

105Yes. Uh that's actually that's a great segue. Um the circuits are on a cycle. The all the trees that we're going to be pruning will have been pruned the same way before multiple times. It's nothing that the trees aren't used to at this point. Um and um while that can't be a large clearance in and of itself, um we do prune to um what are known as ANIE standards and those are arboricultural uh standards for healthy tree pruning um that are industrywide. They're not utility specific. Um but we do use them. Um and when you prune to these standards, uh it is not harmful to the trees. Um it is incorporating their natural healing processes to heal over the the pruning cuts. Um and part of the ANC standards is while we do have that

10615t above um the top wires which cuts into the canopy of a lot of these trees. um we don't usually tend to take uh significant leaders uh because of these ANIE standards. Um so, uh while we do want to try to uh while they're young prune trees around our wires in a way that le uh makes a nice U shape, um we're not we're not we tend to not be taking out established canopy with these projects. Um if there's a if there's a if there's a very large limb that I do want to take, it would be something that I would be asking Becca about specifically. In those cases, it would be something like it's touching the electrical wires or there's a crack in it or something that makes me think it's going to fail.

107Um, the timing for this is flexible and right now I'm planning on the fall. Um, but it's a lot of moving parts uh depending on um what the contractor's timeline is. Uh if I do change that timeline and want to do it earlier, uh it's something I would communicate with Becca. Um as well as uh we would give residents in the Butters um electronic notification that we will be in town uh doing this work. Um anyone who has a customer account that is tied in with these circuits gets an email. Um if they don't have an email, they get a physical letter um with that. and uh where this process is explained to them. If they have concerns uh about uh what we may be doing to their trees, um they the customer service number

108is included on those documents. If the uh their concerns are cannot be addressed by our standard customer service reps, they forward it to me and I schedule a time to either call them or physically meet with them to take a look at the work together um and address any questions that they have. Is there anything else? >> Um, I don't think so. That's about it for the pruning. Uh, like I said, it's it's work that we've done before. >> Yeah. >> Becca, did you did you have anything to weigh in at this point? >> Uh, I would just add um in clarification because I'm sure uh a lot of people don't know what the ANIE standards are. Those are national standards that um as Matthew mentioned are are used in the industry, not just utilities,

109but forestry as well. Um it's actually the standards that we use in town um when we're hiring contractors for pruning, planting, anything. Um so just clarifying what that is, that those are the standards we use and um clearly Eversource uses the same. >> Thank you. Thanks, Becca. Um, Trisha, I just had a quick question. I remember at the last meeting that we had and and maybe I just am confused. I thought there was going to be removal and lots of trees. It sounds like we're just pruning, which is quite different. >> That's actually part two of there's >> Yeah, there's two items and and I said that we can talk about it all at one time, but this this obviously is kind of a nice little package. So, Got it. >> Okay. Thank you for

110clarifying. Yes. >> So, did anyone have any other questions about the this kind of pruning part of it? Okay. Um, in that case, uh, we do need a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve the Eversource Scenic Roads annual tree maintenance. >> And a second. >> Second that. >> Roll call vote. >> Deep. >> Anna Tesmania. I >> scarier. I >> And Trisha Kendall I. So that has been approved. Okay. No. So now we can move on to the uh the second part which was Anna's question which is about the um removals which is more unusual and I'll let Matt I'll let you uh take it from there. >> Um so now I need to introduce myself twice. Um but uh I am a certified arborist. I have been for many years. Uh I've been

111working um and uh I've been working for utility for about eight years at this point uh either as a contractor or directly. Um, on the right, uh, is a nice little intro image. Um, and this is not an image that I had in my back pocket. This is one that was sent to me by a tree crew yesterday, uh, from our storm response, uh, in southeastern Massachusetts. You can see that a large tree has fallen onto our high our high voltage primary lines. Um, and I think this is a really good illustration of what we're trying to prevent for a few different reasons. one obviously the power is out uh which nobody wants to have happen but um what is interest what is interesting about this image is the wires are contacting the tree uh

112the tree is contacting this metal chain leak fence uh if these wires are active then this fence is electrified >> um not a good situation uh so our goal with these removal projects is to prevent these uh situations from happening uh I promise I love trees that's why I became an arborist Um but um so this is the circuit that I want to talk about for the removal project. Um the highlight the streets are highlighted in uh lime. Uh the long the longer one is house street and then the shorter one coming off of it is cross street. Uh this circuit the 455H3 um is what we call a penalty circuit. It's reaching a threshold set by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities uh of approaching a threshold that um the DPU considers not acceptable

113for Massachusetts uh citizens to have to um uh deal with in terms of power outages and power reliability. Uh there's been too many outages on this circuit. Um >> what what does that mean like um approaching a threshold? Is that related to trees or is that something different? Um, so it it any outage caused by anything counts. Uh, funnily enough, it includes car uh includes cars driving into poles and knocking out the power. Uh, we can get penalized for that. Um, even though it's not something we have any control over. Um, most of the outages are tree caused just generally speaking for utilities. Um and uh what what I mean by a threshold uh is um the duration of outages. The amount of time that the average um person fed by the circuit uh the

114amount of time that they've experienced without power is uh accumulated enough that it's reach that is reaching that threshold. >> Okay. So power being out for any reason along there adds adds on to this the number reached to that's going toward this threshold. >> Correct. >> Can I get just to clarify this is a threshold that ever source must meet for the state of how quickly you respond to when power is out and you have to pay a penalty. Right. But this has nothing to do with the town of Ashlin being required in any way to address any kind of threshold. >> Correct. It's Eversource's responsibility um to immediate >> I just want to be clear that that threshold has zero obligation to the town of Ashlin. It's not like we the town of Ashlin

115gets penalized. Eversource has to respond within a certain amount of time to outages. Um so I just didn't want the board to be confused. Thank you. >> Yes, I am the one under fire. Don't worry. >> And I just want another one for clarification. It is approaching that limit because in the past how many years it is reached So the the list of circuits that are in danger of hitting this threshold or calculated by is in the bottom 5% of reli of circuit reliability for three years in a row. So this isn't a result of a storm that happened last year. Um this isn't a like a recent spike in outages. It's a consistent pattern of poor reliability. >> And what other myth? >> Yeah, that that could that could be about cars running into

116things. It could be about wind tunnels. It could be about frankly an infrastructure reliability with Eversource that has zero to do with a nice tree in Ashland. >> Yes. Although like I said the majority of tree of the majority of outages are caused by trees. Um the tree >> do you have data that that's our problem? Like meaning is it these particular trees? Um, I don't have specific data about um that, but that's definitely something that I could find um and and send to the board. >> And I still have some more questions. Um, what other as we get into this and you go through the trees that you're thinking about, what other methodologies has have you done to try to improve that area since, you know, it's been going on for three years now?

117Have you added more poles? Have you put in more lines? Like what else what other things have you done before coming to us to talk about the trees? >> Um in terms of putting in new poles and new lines, um I don't think that there have been any um infrastructure upgrades for this circuit. Um but um generally when we are doing those kinds of projects where we are raising the poles, you know, when you put the poles higher, you put the wires higher, it's less of a chance for a tree to fall onto it. Um what you're doing when you do that is you raise you're raising the wires into canopy of established trees. And now we have a bigger problem which is high voltage lines are touching major uh significant parts of trees, large

118parts of trees that they were not before. and now I'm coming to you with a whole line of trees that I need to get removed because they're going to catch on fire because these poles have been raised. Um, so it's not that's not necessarily uh the solution that results in fewer trees and me asking for fewer trees. Sorry, just to go back to the specific question. You haven't done anything besides come to us and ask about the You're about to ask about the trees, but nothing else has happened infrastructure-wise on those two streets for the last three years. >> Uh, not that I'm aware of, but like I said, the majority of >> I just want I just want to understand if there was like you tried other things and then you're coming to this

119or like this is just coming to us now. So I just wanted to understand so I can help with that decision going forward. Thank you. >> Yes. Um like I said the majority of um just like not specific to Eversource, not specific to the circuit, the majority of outages across all electric utilities or tree cost. Um >> um J did you on the previous section mentioned that how street you did pruning last year and did not need one this year? >> Correct. Yes. And in spite of that, you think these trees have to come down? >> Uh yes. Uh for reasons that I will get to uh further down in this PowerPoint >> to the board just to help clarify this and and Matthew will go over this in a minute. So when they are

120doing pruning, they're looking at taking unhealthy limbs off of otherwise healthy trees to make sure that those healthy trees continue to be healthy. um so that they aren't having to be removed later. What pruning can't do is prevent an unhealthy tree from becoming a bigger hazard. And so separately, you have to do removal at some point. Unfortunately, all trees eventually do reach the end of their lifespan. And especially with um more extreme weather events, droughts followed by freezes followed by floods, that stresses the trees. And we do get some that unfortunately fall ill and there is just nothing you can do to keep that tree alive. Um, and so as Matthew will go through the pictures, you'll see some of these trees and it's very obvious in some of the photos just how bad they

121are. There are some where it's less obvious from a photo and Matthew or I will probably have to explain a little bit more of what we're seeing or sometimes hearing from within the tree. um that that makes it more of a hazard that you can't just see with the naked eye. >> Thank you. And I'm so sorry through you, Madam Chair. Becca Solomon is also our tree warden. I just in case somebody newer on the board wasn't aware. >> Yes. Uh it's actually worth mentioning. Becca and I did a sitewalk uh back in February where we looked at each one of these trees. Um and uh my reasoning for having these be on the list um are all things that Becca agreed with in the field. Um so I think it's important to define a

122hazard tree. What is a hazard tree? Uh first up on the top right we have this fun little matrix table. Uh now this is taken directly from the international society of arboral cultures uh tree risk assessment form. It's nothing specific to utilities. Um and this matrix table is sort of laying out how you analyze how hazardous a tree is. So on the left most column you have how likely is this tree to fail? And if it were to fail, how likely is it going to hit something we care about? Um if you have a tree with a hole in it that's leaning over your fence, that's kind of not a big deal. If you have a tree with a hole in it that's leaning over your house, your threshold for what is or isn't a

123hazard tree uh is much lower. Um now I would argue that anything involving high voltage lines with thousands of volts running through them um qualifies as a uh the consequence of failure qualifies as significant. Uh and that's what the rest of this matrix table is showing is if a tree fails and it hits something we care about, what are the consequences of it hitting that thing? Um when these trees fail, high voltage lines go down to the roads. uh when there's a state park next to House Street. When I was putting when I've been putting this project together, people are walking there. Um quite often uh cars are driving through here. Um and as well um when these trees go down to the road, when they bring power lines down into the road, they're blocking

124emergency services. I would argue that anytime um that utility power lines are involved, the consequences of failure are automatically significant in the significant column of this table. um if a tree fails and if it hits the power lines no matter what the consequences are significant. Um and with that logic following this table, all you need is for a tree to be somewhat likely to fail, somewhat likely to impact the lines and you're already at moderate con you're already at moderate risk. Um and it just goes higher from there. Um and then below uh on these uh two lists I uh put uh two columns of things that arborists look for when we assess um whether or not a tree um is likely to fail. On the left I have some biological defects. This is stuff

125like rot, fungus, um if there's tree pests that are stressing the tree out. Is is there deadwood in the canopy? If there are there mushrooms, mushrooms are the kiss of death. Um, nine times out of 10 if there are mushrooms growing out of a tree, the tree is uh functionally dead. I mean, it's going to put out leaves for a few years, but um if the uh if the mushroom is putting the mushroom, the part of the mushroom that you see is the the reproductive parts, uh the majority of the organism exists in small fibers that are um getting into the tree. So, if it's already thinking about reproducing, it's pretty confident that it has its food source uh set up. Uh and then on the right, you have structural and mechanical defects, excessive lean,

126weak unions, uh if they're touching or extremely close to touching the power lines or they're growing up between the power lines. Um is there previous storm damage? If a tree has dropped a limb in a storm, it has one, that's a sign that it's been stressed already because um it dro it already dropped a limb that it should not have. And then two, on top of that, it just lost a large amount of its ability to feed itself with the loss of the leaf production. Um, so I all all taken together, these are the things that we look at and if we go on a sitewalk, which I believe is the plan, um, these are all things that I will be very happy to point out. Um, so I got two photos. Uh, here is

127a a or two ash and a pine. Uh, the pine is all the way on the right. It's stone cold dead. Um, I think that one um is a pretty easy one. the two ash in the middle. Uh there is an invasive pest going around. Uh it's pretty it's it's not it is endemic to eastern Massachusetts. It's in basically every ash. If it's not in the ash already, if you're not treating the ash today, it's going to get it's going to get emerald ashbor. And this is a bug that has a 99.9% fatality rate. Um these are even if they put out leaves next year, these are dead trees standing. Um, this is a photo of what I imagine will be um, one of the more controversial parts of this project. So, I wanted to

128talk about it here. Um, what we have is these line this line of small stemmed oaks that are grow that are leaning in from across the road. Now, they're leaning in from across the road because that's where the light's coming from. If you look to the right, the forest is there. Um, they're going to go towards the light. So, the only way the only way for these trees to grow is going to be up and over our power lines in a way that pruning is not really sufficient uh to control. These trees are only ever going to be an issue. Um, a lot of them have small canopies which make them more prone to wind throw or excuse me of being knocked over by the wind. Um, and several of them have other defects such

129as rot in the base or cracks um that just sort of compound uh the risk factor. Um, so here's my little tree, here's my little summary page. Um, and I brought up the uh the matrix table again just because it's nice little thing to have. Um, on my list are 46 trees varying in size class. A majority of them are 18 in or smaller. That would qualify them as young trees. These are not mature trees. The majority of these are not mature trees. Eight of these are ash that are infected with emerald ashbor, which is again a 99.9% fatality rate. And five of them, not counting the ash, are dead. Uh so that's that's uh 13 trees um that are either dead or functionally dead. Um, and below that, um, I put together my hazard

130ratings, uh, for these trees. Um, if you look at the matrix table, um, you see the extreme end, there's four different hazard ratings. You probably have noticed that I only have three hazard ratings. That's because if you hit extreme, uh, when you're looking at this table, that means you need to run away from the tree because it's coming down like today. Um, so if if anything rates as a four, that is an emergency situation. Um, not just this tree is likely to fail at some point. Um, so three is the highest hazard rating, the highest potential risk. Uh, one is the lowest. Um, I have 21 trees at a three, uh, 21 trees at a two, and then four at a one. Um now the eight ash and the five standing dead trees uh half

131of the hazard rating three trees are dead. That's 13 out of 21 uh are dead trees. And the other trees that I put in that category are there because there's significant rot in the can there's significant rot. Uh there are mushrooms growing out of them. uh there sign uh a very long significant cracks in the stem um to earn that h that third hazard rating. Uh the twos are sort of in the middle. Uh they are trees that I want out um but not they're they're just not quite bad enough to get the three. And then the ones are trees where uh a lot a lot of the ones are they're just kind of leaning um and they're a little bit too close but they don't really have any other defects. Um or I think

132there's like I think I have two undergrowth trees on here uh that are uh not wire compatible. Uh that is they grow so quickly that and they sprout so aggressively when they are pruned that they are not able to be controlled by pruning. Um and I think something that's really important to >> Can I ask a question just about that last slide? Um didn't you say for the three category that half of half of that 21 are dead? Yes, >> but in the chart right above it, five are dead. Like I count how the two charts relate. >> I'm I'm counting the eight as uh part of that 13. So I >> these are the ash the ash are aggressively infected with a pest that kills them very quickly. >> So those 13 that 8

133plus five is all kind of or almost all of them are in that three category or maybe they all are. >> Yes, they are. >> Okay. Thank you. to the board. I sorry for butting in. I just want to also add that um of the four lowrisk trees that Matthew mentioned, some of those are undergrowth trees. Um what those mean is those are trees that their trunks are so small you could probably wrap a single hand around them and close your fingers together. Um at most maybe or two hands. So they're very very quite small and they're just starting to grow into the power lines. Um usually those are very fast growing trees um that within one or two years will be tangled up in the power lines and causing fires. And so those are

134why those are being targeted while they're still small and don't have a lot of wildlife value or habitat value. Um, and that also encourages it releases um trees that are a little bit further back by allowing more sunlight to get to those trees as well so that they they grow the trees that are in a better location are going to grow rather than trees that are going to cause fires. >> Yes. And mass general law defines a tree in the right of way as one and a half inches in diameter. That is these laws were written a long time ago. um that is not an industry standard for what we understand as a tree. The forest service I think uses five or six inches in diameter to define a tree. Um so in in that

135way um these laws are a little outdated but they're what we have to work with. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um so I think something that's really important to contextualize this proposal is um 46 trees is a lot of trees. I think it's the most that I've come to the Ashlin planning board or my predecessor came to the Ashland planning board at any one time. Uh it's almost 50. You know, uh when you look at them on a spreadsheet, it's a lot. Um but I do want to stress that these trees, the majority of them, basically any of them that aren't on cross street are bordering a state park. Um, I would consider these not street trees per se. They're forest trees that we built a road through. Um, these aren't these aren't um big

136stately oaks that, you know, they only went around for a block or two. Um, they are in the middle of the woods. Um, the DCR figure for the acreage of the state park total is 1500 acres. A quarter of that about is in Ashland. I actually I think it's a third uh especially when you take into account the water. Um but I want to go I'm going with a quarter because I want to lowball these numbers. Uh and you'll see why in a second. Um a 19 a 2019 to 2020 study I found published by the forest ecosystem monitoring cooperative at actually my own alma mater the university of Vermont. It's actually authored by a former professor of mine which is a fun little discovery I made today. um gave a status uh report, a

137lengthy one on Massachusetts forests. Uh and it found that in areas that are considered forested um they're counting on average 190 trees per acre. So going back to previous slide, 1500 acres for the state park given from the DCR. A quarter of that is would make it 375 acres. 190 trees per acre times 275 acres mean that in the Ashland portion of this park there are 71,250 trees. Um the United States Forest Service figure for the annual natural mortality rate in New England forests and this is just from forests doing what forests do. the trees are competing with with each other for resources, getting attacked by um native pests that are part of the local ecosystem, droughts, what have you. 1% of trees die every year. Um this would mean that the expected natural mortality

138rate every year for the this the uh the Hopkin State Park portion in Ashland is 713 trees every single year. And uh I'm asking for 46 trees. Um a portion of those 13 of those have already died. Uh so they technically wouldn't even count for this math. Um so uh in one project I am asking for um the amount of trees that die each year in ash in this state park or uh in Ashland is 15 times uh the number of trees that are on this tree list. And going back a few slides, this is a tiny tiny little corner of Ashland. Uh this is not a large area relative to the rest of the town. Um there's a lot of trees that are dying each year. Um this is not a number of trees

139that the forest is going to notice. It's less than what it's already dealing with. And that is the end of my session. >> To the board. I'm just going to add in also to Matthew's point on that regarding how many trees are falling there. Um, for anyone who's driven down cross street or how street uh during a storm or right after a storm, you're familiar with how many limbs and branches fall on the road and it's kind of hazardous to drive down. I myself have gone down there during some of the storm water inspections under the conservation hat and had to get out of the vehicle and move trees off the road because it was impassible. Um, and that this happens almost every storm we get. So, you know, there are trees coming down. There

140are branches coming down. And most likely the trees that are listed here, if they're not taken down by Ever Source as part of this job, is going to come down on their own before their next cycle in five years. and when they do come down, there's a higher chance that they're going to take the wires with them as opposed to being assisted down now um in a safe manner. So, that that's part of the the reasoning why they're doing it this way as opposed to just letting it happen naturally. Um obviously with the conservation hat on, we'd love to to leave even dead trees standing. wildlife value there. But we also have to think about, you know, we don't want our residents in Ashland going um without power during a storm because a tree fell

141down and we have to clear the tree to even get to the wires and it can take hours, sometimes a day or two. Um, as well as we don't want to have fires in the the middle of a wooded area along the the state park and with our water treatment plant uh down there as well. Um, you know, this is kind of a priority area for for Ashlin to make sure that we keep our power and we're not etching on fire. >> Yes. Thank you, Becca. And in fact, when we were doing our site walk, Becca and I um back in February, uh we added a few of these trees actually were added at Becca's request for that reason. They're not really they're not threatening the wires that much. But if we're going to if

142Everource is going to be in town uh doing tree removals, uh we may as well get these trees as well if they're not necessarily threatening the wires, they are threatening the road and the right of way. Um my coworker is also on the call uh just let me know that um you did some digging in the actual data and um since May of 2024 81% of outages on the circuit are tree related. >> Thank you. >> So this this is a this is a a pressing factor for the reliability of this circuit. >> So when you say this circuit you're talking about a regional circuit. You're not talking about these two streets, right? >> Uh yes. The circuit is all >> Yeah. Let's not get confused. Um Trisha, I have a lot of comments, but

143I'm remote, so you tell me when you want me to jump in or how you want to do this. >> I think we're ready for questions um from the board. >> Questions or comments? >> Uh either one. >> Yep. >> Does anybody want to jump in? Who's in there? Or I can start with >> How many outages are we talking about on these roads? >> Uh >> we talk about 81% but is that one to two? I mean, how many >> We're saying these two streets are not in that data at all. >> I mean, they're they are a part of that data. If you give me a minute, >> you're saying those two streets had outages specifically in that data set. >> Yeah, if you give me a minute, I can pull specifically how

144street um for how many of those, but we're looking at 68 outages since May of 2024. >> 58 outages. >> Wow. 58. 58. >> That's a lot. >> 68 between those two streets. >> Okay. >> 68 on the 455H3. >> Um but it's more >> Yeah. I'll pull Give me a minute and I'll pull. >> Yeah. So, you're pulling them from the entire region. you're not pulling them on those two streets. Um, >> and as well, it's a lot of outages. Um, but the circuit is hitting the threshold for how long these outages are. So, not only is it a lot of outages, they're lasting quite a while. >> Yes. So, so I I guess I'll just jump to to my point, which is this is not just a street. This is a regulatory protected,

145statutoily protected scenic routes. So the conceptual idea that this is like any other street in Ashland, we've got a lot of nice trees or that this is just like a state park I find to be not um not accurate. There's sort of that joke if if a tree falls, you know, if a tree falls in a forest and there's no one to see it, has it really fallen? These trees when they come down will be visible to the p to the public. These are scenic routes that are important, protected, and I would say some of the favorite streets of people in Ashland. Yes, it sucks to lose power, and it also sucks to have road um inconvenience, but I can tell you as somebody who's lived in Ashland for a long, long time, it's known

146to avoid certain streets um during storms. That's sort of common sense and logical. Um and so road inconvenience truly is about cost both to Eversource and the town of Ashland. Now, I'm not seeing a report here from the select board that our town resources are so overwhelmed that we need to do this. What I'm hearing is Eversource is here to say they have their own regulatory scheme where they must deliver to the state quick response. What does that mean? That means they got to put people on these roads quickly. They've got to be responsive and if they're not responsive, then the state penalizes them. That has nothing to do with the scenic route. We have zero obligation. No offense to Eversource, zero obligation to asssure that their penalties are low. In fact, that's their responsibility.

147They charge the residents of Ashland a cost to to deliver power and should take responsibility to pay attention to those scenic routes to assure quick response. So, with all due respect, I'm not seeing how this allows us, the planning board, to somehow loosen the protections for a scenic route. All that being said, the statute itself has language that allows our town warden together with the town of Ashland if there is an emergency to remove a tree. I'm not hearing anything like that. I'm not hearing that, you know, there is an emergency right now. The tree is there. We got to remove it. And that, by the way, you don't even need the planning board to do. And so, to Becca's point that anything horrible can happen on that street, absolutely, that's going to happen. And

148the town of Ashlin will remove those trees when it happens. So there is already a solution in place in the statute itself for emergency response. We don't need to be talking about that as a threat because the statute already takes care of it. So the only thing we're discussing is a increased responsibility and cost to Eversource which to me, no offense, is not sufficient to remove the protection for that street. What I'm hearing is out of those 21 in level three, you've got half that are dead. That's a no-brainer to me. a dead tree should go. The rest in level three, >> I would have to be I would have to receive the data that those are the trees that are potentially responsible for what's being presented as ooh fire or highlevel incidents in this

149region. So I'd like to know which streets, which trees, what we're actually talking about before I would be comfortable approving all of these being removed. But I have zero problem removing the debt trees and that's my position on this. All right. Thank you. Are there any other questions from the board or comments? >> I have some questions, but are they going to respond? >> Uh, so we do have a regulatory requirement to the state um which the responsibility of which of course does not fall onto the town of Ashland. Um but the crux of that um that regulatory requirement is that according to the state of Massachusetts um it has defined a threshold of outages which is not acceptable Massachusetts citizens to experience. Um so it is directly related to uh the residents of Ashland

150and the outages that they are experiencing. um that um uh we do something to address these trees. Now, I didn't get too deep into the details of specific trees uh because I know that we've been trying to plan a sitewalk um to go out and look at these trees in person uh which is something that I would be very supportive of. I'm very happy to even do it on a weekend. Um because when you put these trees on a list and they just become it just becomes a list of trees with some comments of uh various things that I saw. Um, I think being able to go out and physically look at these trees, have an actual give and take about specific ones based on what everyone is like, uh, visually seeing at the same

151time, I think is a more productive um, conversation. >> I'd like to open it up to other Oh, sorry. Was that you, Becca? >> Yes. I was just um through through the the chair. I was just also going to add to um Anna's point about emergency trees and everything. Um with my tree warden hat on, um we do everything in our power to avoid being in an emergency situation. To clarify what an emergency tree is, it means that that tree is actively falling. Um the classic emergency situation and I've dealt with this in um another community is a tree has dropped a branch. It's hanging in the wires. It is actively on fire. The fire department can't even put the fire out yet because they have to wait for the utility company to come turn

152off the wires and meanwhile things are burning and people are having to evacuate from their house. um we don't want to be in that situation because it's not just a cost concern or a time concern. People's lives are at risk at that point and we want to prevent that from happening. Uh so what we normally do and what I do I use the same matrix and Matt Matthew's only showing the second part of the matrix. The first part of the matrix um looks at how likely is a tree to actually fail, to have a branch break, to fall down, to have some kind of issue um compared to what how likely is it to actually hit something if that failure occurs. So, I can look at a dead tree and say it's nowhere near a

153house or a power line or a sidewalk or a bench that people are going to be sitting on. and it might be imminent failure, but it's negligible likelihood of hitting anything. And so it's going to be in the unlikely category on that left side of that matrix chart. But if it's in those categories and then the consequences of it hitting something, maybe it is near power lines, but it's leaning the opposite direction, so it's not likely to hit the power lines. But if it were to hit the power lines, is that going to be significant or severe? That's where this second part of the matrix comes in and determines how that risk rating is. In my position as tree warden and any tree that has reached a high risk um level in the second matrix

154is one that is priority for us to take down. Um, if I were to look at the current list of trees we have in all of Ashlin, I have maybe in the time in the time since I have become tree warden here had one extreme tree. The rest have been maybe 10% of them have been high-risk trees and most have been moderate or low. Um, I try to get rid of every single high tree that comes to us every year. And most of, as Matthew has pointed to, 21 of the trees on the circuit are that high-risk tree. And if he were not taking them down for Eversource, they would be on our priority list for us here in Ashlin to take down as it is. >> And if I were talking about those, >>

155you're talking about those 21 that are level three. >> Yes. >> Yeah. If I were to be 100% frank with the board, we don't have the budget available to take down all of those trees. Um, and so we rely a bit on Eversource to assist with that, which is why Matthew mentioned there were a couple trees I said, "Hey, while you're here, can you take these down to because those are those high-risk trees, even though they're not priority trees for Eversource, they're priority trees for us. those moderate trees >> and are they priority? Sorry, go ahead. >> I I just want to make sure the rest of the board can can jump in here as well. So, is is >> I'm almost done. I'm sorry. This moderate tree can also, you know, we say moderate,

156it seems like that's a fine tree, but if you look at that matrix part, uh, matrix chart, you know, you could have a very likely tree that's very likely to fall and to hit something, but minor consequences. Um, and it can be a moderate tree. But if it were a um a just a likely tree but significant consequences and it's immediately a high-risisk tree, right? And so if you have a tree that maybe it's minor because it's just barely going to brush the power lines if it falls, presuming it falls in just the right way and it doesn't get picked up and dragged five feet by a strong windstorm. um that can still be a moderate tree even if it's an imminent failure. And so that that's things that we're looking at with all of

157these trees. Um I think you know the planning board from what I understand from Jasmine, you all were looking to do a sitewalk and I think that will illustrate things a lot better. Obviously Matthew's not wasting everyone's time for two hours going over every single tree. Um, we did that sitewalk and it took us, I think, three hours to walk and look at every single tree. Um, and all of those trees did have some major issues. In fact, I found some issues Matthew had not caught on a couple trees. Okay. >> That were deeply concerning, but that was just what I had to add. >> Okay. Thanks. Let me pause things there. Uh, Scott. >> Yeah. So, let's say we do approve this and you took down the 46 trees and next year that those

158two streets are still on the list. Are you coming back to us and asking us to take down more trees or are you guys going to do something different in that area like infrastructure-wise for Eversource? And I have another question after this. So, what's next if it doesn't work? Um well the infrastructure um options that we have um like I was alluding to are not necessarily more tree friendly. Um if we raise the poles we're going into canopy. >> You can bury the lines. I mean there's there's lots of other >> and what's the next step are you going to come back and ask for more trees? That's what I'm kind of trying to figure out. >> If if we bury the lines we are completely eradicating the root systems of every single tree adjacent

159to the roads. If we if this were a line burial project, I would have a list of hundreds of trees because every single tree next to the road would be getting their roots eradicated and would be dying over the short term. >> Wait, wait, wait. I want one person to talk at a time. >> What is the next step? If you if this doesn't work, are you going to come back and ask for more trees? I mean, if the ad if uh outages continue uh to um not improve and they're being tree caused um then yes, it would be something that we would reassess. Um now I did uh Russell did get back to me. Um of the 52 outages um on the circuit 52 of those add there have been 52 outages over a

160time frame. Uh 42 of those are tree related. uh and 22 of those over half in Ashland did a crown house tree. Um this is it's the most heavily treated part of the circuit. Uh so it is where the majority of um the tree outages are are happening. >> All right. So are there any other questions from any other member of the board? And I also want to say if there's any other if there's any comments from the public now is the I don't know if we have anyone online >> but it's an opportunity to raise your hand. Scott, you have another question. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Would Eversource be willing to plant 46 trees in another area of the town? Um, >> Absolutely. >> All right. So, I think there's a a bit

161of bringing something to the town that we could help offset some of this. I understand this is a scenic road and you probably don't want to plant them on that physical road because you might just be creating it again. But is there a place in town that we can say, "Hey, may there's an arboritum right in town." Like maybe Eversource can donate 50 trees to kind of help offset this and and make something nicer in the town. Is that that's a possibility? >> Uh there is definitely a possibility. I don't want to replant on how um because um it's in the middle of the woods. uh even trees that in nature have evolved to be very tolerant of shade and thrive in shade. Um the the the going through the nursery is a frankly traumatic

162process for trees. Their root systems get eradicated. Um if you don't water them regularly, uh if they're not getting enough light, uh they'll die. If um so I guess what I'm trying to say is um if there's a strong canopy over the wire over the road layout like in like on house street that's not a place that I would like to be planting trees. If I am going to put trees in the ground I want them to be there 100 years later. >> Um >> the plant go ahead. >> Um Becca in your knowledge of the trees in Ashland are there places that in in your experience that you would say public spaces we'll we'll leave private out of it for now. public spaces where you would say gosh we could you we we could

163use some trees in the in this area. >> Yes, that is something that I have been working to evaluate and we are working on getting an urban forestry management plan uh for the town um which should be going out to bid soon hopefully and that would also identify further planting locations for new trees. Um, if I'm looking at just in right ofways, I have not looked at every single street yet. I've started with downtown and worked my way out. Um, but if you look at the area near Pineh Hill Road, a little bit further up as you're going towards the town forest. Some of those older developments, their trees have died over time, there's not a lot of trees in the rightway there. Um, they're in the heat island areas. We could focus on that.

164And then um I think it was Scott who pointed out there is the arboritum um there is still additional planting projects planned there um in other town properties. I'm sure I know the town forest is doing understory growth as well with deer exlosures to try and reforest there too. So there's plenty of opportunity that we can find. >> Okay, great. Thank you Anna. >> Thank you. You know, I I keep coming back to the statute. This is not just a a road in Ashland. This is a scenic route that has statutory protection. And the term that's used there for emergency removal is in danger. Does this tree currently? It doesn't say currently, but the way it reads is there has to be in danger. It endangers with an s. It's an active term. Is it

165in does it end in danger right now is how I'm interpreting it. So to me, those 21 of level three trees are a no-brainer. Assuming we do, you know, half of them are dead already. Assuming we do a sitewalk and the rest of the 21, there's reasonable explanation that they are currently endangering um public essentially public safety. I see no problem with removing those 21. The rest of these, this is not just a road. This is a scenic route that requires some protection. I don't think this is okay to do just because it's next to a forest. That's exactly why it's there. We happen to have a scenic route because it's next to a forest. It happens to have more issues because it is a scenic route. That's the nature of the beast. If you

166don't want any type of risk, then you're not going to have scenic routes because you're going to want to remove the trees. So to me, there has to be some conversation about what level of comfort do we have with um as long as it's not endangering, what level of comfort do we have with some expense by Eversource and by the town of Ashlin to protect a statutoily protected scenic route? >> All right. >> Is it more expensive? Yes. So to me, I personally >> I just want to make sure you're only making your arguments once. Okay. So and it sounds >> that's fine. I I'm just making it clear that I for one would not remove all 40 plus. I don't think the statute allows it. >> All right. Thank you. Anyone else have comments

167on this? >> So I think um >> I I just think I we need to find solution. We I think we have experts who've really gone through that and u after hearing Becca's kind of her side of explanation of these 46 and if ever source is willing to find a location for us to plant those I think that's a good balance. Um, and I think that's a condition that I would love to see if we can follow up and get that in action and solve this versus trying to debate whether those 21 trees are dead, not dead. I'm not sure if we I I personally don't think I have the expertise even if I walk through and learn to identify. I don't know if I would do that, but that's me. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

168So, I think the the um the sitewalk that um was the intention was certainly not at least I will not be participating in a three-hour sitewalk, but the sitewalk in my view was intended to as an educational opportunity for the board to try to understand some of the knowledge um that Matthew and and Becca um Becca I've worked with before at the arboritum and on different other things related to conservation with her. Um I absolutely trust anything she says about trees and um but so would be a great opportunity to educate the board to learn a little piece of her expertise if we have that opportunity with the snow with the roads the way they are and that we all won't get hit by a truck while we're looking at trees. So that's an opportunity

169for that. Um I I think um as far in my opinion as far as um the scenic roads, I think it's I think it's a a a bigger question than um than small words in in the bylaws about emergency or or whatever. Um, I think we're looking out for the long-term um, health of our community in general, which includes trees, which includes people, and about how we maintain our environment. And in my mind, this has come up before where every little tree, you know, um, causes another tree not to grow to its fullest potential. I think this is easy to see when you visit a park like Cushing. When you see a tree that's not surrounded by trees, you have these beautiful specimen trees. And when you go out to a normal woods where the

170trees are all packed in, none of them are great. They tend to be right. So, um, so that's that's my take. I don't have any problem with these 46 trees, especially if Becca has okayed it. I would okay it. So, but it sounds like um it it sounds like maybe people are interested in the site visit. We'd have to see that. Yes. How many people on the board are willing to come to this site visit or Yeah. Oh, but except I don't have time, you know, for that. So, either we're willing to do it or we're not. >> So, I think we exchanged our availability at the last meeting. I thought Jasmine >> I think we were looking at Tuesday of next week. >> Um, >> was that sent around >> I I think it

171was >> I didn't I didn't send anything after. Yeah, I think it's just something we talked about is Wednesday of next week at 4 to 5. I put it in my calendar right away. Four to five or 5 to 6 something. >> Was it five to six? >> Might have been five to six. >> So, and to look at some samples of trees, maybe picking an area um so that really more for our education than anything and then we can go, you know, go from there. Um we'll hit times by then. So, we'll have a little daylight savings time. I think it's coming up this >> or is it or is it right after that? It might be right after that. Sorry, maybe it's March 5th. It might be right after. >> So, I do

172want to clarify this is not a bylaw. I'm talking about a state law. So, this is not like a little town bylaw that requires interpretation. This is actually state law regulated. Um, and then the other thing I wanted to say is I for one, again, I'm going to reiterate those first 21 trees I have no problem with and I don't need to look at them. um the ones that are in category two and one. Again, I'm going to stand by my position that I don't see how the state law allows it. I'm not sure there's any benefit to look at them for me. I would vote against that. >> Okay, that's fine. I want to make sure we're not repeating our I want to make sure we're not repeating our arguments, which keeps us here

173late, >> right? Make sure it's new. >> What trees are we actually looking at on Wednesday? >> I think we would be looking at samples. To me, I would say be looking at samples in the three category, samples in the two category, and a sample in the one category. What do these look like to us? That's what I'm interested in in education and not going tree to tree to tree and voting on each one, which I don't think anyone has an interest to do. So, is there any input on that interpretation of our site visit and how many people are able to be there at 5:00 at whatever sites determined on Wednesday at five o'clock. >> Do you want Did you want to meet here? >> Um I think we should probably meet wherever it

174is. >> Yeah, we should meet there. It's going to be uh dusk not too long after that. >> Okay. So may we could try to wind it back to 4:30 or and and I would say to to choose obviously a a site that would that would utilize our time best. We might be able to stand in one spot and see three different types of trees. >> I definitely can't do 4:30. 5 5:15 is the earliest that I can do. I have a meeting till 5. So >> through the chair, um I apologize to interrupt again. I do have a conservation commission meeting next Wednesday at 6 pm. And so if if you're looking much later than 5:00 pm on that Wednesday, I will have to leave the site visit early so that I can be

175in attendance for that conservation commission meeting. >> So that so that is the time we had agreed on next time. Is a weekend better? Are people around this weekend? This >> weekend is not good. >> Not good for you. But I mean like I'm also like >> I don't need to see the >> Okay. >> Wait. So it sounds like you're you're okay. She Angela do you want to do the site visit? Like who wants to do the site visit? >> How about you Paul? >> I I am going for educational purposes only. I have no issue taking out the trees. >> Okay. So, um, Anna, what are you you're What about you? Are you able to wind back to 4:30 or >> So, as I Hold on. Here we go. So, I my regular

176work schedule is until 5:30. I can try to be there as close to 5 as I possibly can because I'll try my best. Like I said, I for me, I already I don't see the need for me to go there. It sounds like it's an educational issue where, you know, I'm going to be shown some level two trees and I've already said where I stand on those. So, I I'm not really sure there's any benefit for me to be there in light of how I'm going to vote. >> It sounds like we do not need the site visit except for people that might want to arrange it separately for Becca just to give us an education which we can do on our own which I may do sometime if you know for my own for

177my own purposes. >> Otherwise, I have to walk around and look at trees. >> All right. So >> I I I will say the storm hasn't buried them or knocked them off. Every single tree is flagged. Um Matthew, I think with blue flagging, >> correct? >> So down you could find them. >> Are they different colors depending on the hazard rating? >> No, towns tend to use orange and uh Ever tends to use blue. And and Becca, I would not expect you to give me all 21 in category 2, but like if I can just get an understanding of where a couple of them are, that would be helpful. Again, I don't I'm not worried about level three. It's level two I want to look at. >> So, I do um I do have a

178an actual I have the tree list um that um Becca and Melissa and Jasmine have. Um they do not have the tree ratings on it. The tree ratings are something I did this week. Um but uh they are on my version of the list. It's easy enough to send that to to Becca pretty quickly. >> All right. So between um between now and our next meeting on the 12th um uh um Matt city can send out information for those who want to go visit certain sites of the trees, see if they can see it on their own. They can always contact Becca to see if she's has an opportunity to to point them out. Uh meanwhile, it sounded like there was a request to see um if there can be u either a fund or

179a number of replacement trees that could be donated for uh placement in the future if that's something that can be that can be looked into or a proposal made in that regard. Um is there anything else we need to add to this? It's it doesn't sound like until we know that information until people get a little bit more of a visual that they're ready to to vote on this. So, we're going to we're going to um continue it to the 12th with those two things. Anyone who needs to want needs wants to see the trees either contact be you know I think through Jasmine we'll send out information whatever is information available. If you need more information than that you can contact Becca. will be I'm sure happy to talk, guide, show pictures, whatever. Um,

180and in the meantime, we can also get some information um from Matthew about a proposal, potential proposal to for replacement trees that would be determined locations determined by Becca and working with Becca on that. Is that acceptable? >> I think that I think that makes sense. I think um when it comes to the tree replanting uh it opens up a lot of just logistical questions like for example for the level three um trees I think it we're all in agreement that it's beneficial for both Eversource and the town to have the level threes removed. So because we agree that these are definitively hazard trees uh I wouldn't be replacing it's not a tree that would be replaced if that makes sense. Uh, so I wouldn't really I I would not I would not be enthusiastic

181about a onetoone replacement, but um if uh it's something that I'd be very happy to work out with Becca um and L just and um follow her lead on on what she wants. >> I think that is fair. >> I'd like to point out that I think if you said you planted 50 trees, it might go over really nice with the town instead of just saying like, oh, we just replaced 21 even though we took down 46. And I did want to point out that Eversource made $1.7 billion in profit last year. So maybe you could do 50 trees and that was that was up 800 million over the year before. So my electric bill went up. So >> it I'm always nervous to have like to set a hard tree number meetings like this

182because I think it's a question. I I think I prefer uh quality over quantity of trees and planting locations especially in forested towns can be very limited. Um the other thing I wanted to say is if anyone goes to look at these trees uh without me or Becca there you are going to see painted trees uh that are painted for removal. These are trees that are located outside the road layout of the DCR. Uh I sent a a separate tree list to the DCR which they approved. Um so there there will be no trees painted for removal obviously until um within a road layout uh until we reach a resolution. >> I I have to speak up here because we essentially had Eversource admit exactly what I'm saying which is level two and one trees

183they see no need to look at the same way because guess what those are not immediate threat. So again, state law is going to be violated if those are removed. And I think the town is going to open itself up potentially to precedent that should not be opened up. >> All right. >> So frankly, just like just like Eversource does not want to create precedent and agree to a forested community is what we're being called. Yes, we are one of those few communities in the state of Massachusetts that have scenic routes protected by state law. Understand that's a fact. And so if if Eversource does not want the president to agree to plant trees, then I certainly am not going to have a precedent of violating state law for those. >> Understood. I am looking

184for this to be continued to March 12th, unless someone has a unique argument to bring up. Can someone Is anyone interested in making that motion? I will make the motion. I'm going to make a motion that um Eversource Scenic Roads hazardous tree removals be continued until our meeting on March 12th. Is there a second? >> Second and a roll call vote >> and a test. >> I don't understand like is the motion just to continue it or is it continuing based on coming back with those things that we asked for? >> Well, they are going uh we're going as described earlier in the meeting. He's going Matthew's going to come up with a proposal for the trees working with Becca. Anyone who wants to can go to visit the trees as we said before. >>

185All right. >> Call to say hi. >> Trisha Kendall is continued to March 12th. >> Thank you, Becca and Matt for the presentation. >> Thank you guys for having me. >> 55 Tilton Avenue. This is being continued also until >> March 12th. We love March 12th. I'm making a motion that 55 Tilton Avenue special permit and site plan review be continued to March 12th. Is there a second? >> Second that. >> Roll call vote. >> Deepen. >> Anna Tesmanitzki. I >> know. I >> All right. That is continued to March 12th. 30 Memorial Drive YMCA. We got a continuence on that. >> I am making a motion that YMCA is being continued to uh March 12th. Is there a second? >> Second that. >> Roll call vote. I >> Anna Tespidki I >> Scapelier I

186>> Want to >> Trisha >> Kendall I uh 240 to 260 Pleasant Street site plan review design plan review and site alteration special permit also asked for a continuence. Um did they did they look for a longer date or >> March 26 >> to March 26. Thank you. So continuing that to March 26. Is there a second? >> Second that >> and a roll ku >> lip. Anna Tesmanitzki I >> Scapel I >> Montino I >> and Trisha Kendall I that's continued to March 20 March 26th all right so uh left on the agenda we have any updates does anyone have any updates uh we're going to not going to do the planning board task list obviously there's no update on the community design review committee >> not yet with Lisa on this Wednesday >>

187okay so meeting with Lisa on Wednesday about that CPC >> yeah we had a meeting and We voted on um the second round of attempting to purchase a piece of property um that is adjacent to the town forest. There's lots of conversation that went along with it. Um I don't need to get into all of it here, but it will come up in the town meeting. I would suggest everybody pay attention to this one when it comes up in the town meeting. >> Okay? It is very um it it's not coming up the same way we did last time and I don't know if it's been um I don't know when they have to put it out there so I can't I don't want to put it out in public or I guess it was

188a public meeting. I don't know. But um so part of it was approving to to have it appraised again and um you know making basically making an offer but if that doesn't work then there's a possibility of eminent domain >> which is going to change it in a very big way. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Interesting. >> Thank you. Uh Deepa anything on Metro West? Um we had a meeting yesterday and it was about economic development and I think it was an interesting topic. Um I learned a lot during that session and how economic development really works in a city and I haven't been paying attention to how what how Ashley works. So, I think I have a lot of follow-up questions with uh Jasmine and Yolanda to kind of really understand that and I bring

189it in front of the board. >> Does Does Beth go to those meetings as well or >> not usually now I go Did she used to? >> I'm not sure. >> I don't know if I think Peter used to go. >> Yeah, I think >> she does when she can. >> Yeah, usually she can. >> Becca wasn't there yesterday. >> Becca, >> did you say Becca? Who? >> Beth. Beth Beth usually doesn't >> I haven't seen her on this. Peter used to go. >> I'm just curious. Okay, great. Thank you. Comprehensive plan. I assume we got that covered with the discussion discussion earlier. All right. Which leads us to meeting minutes. Um, I had only one comment on there and I don't remember where the page is, but at the very back it was about

190240 to 260 asking to be >> continue >> asking me to continue to March 12th. Did we do that? >> Oh, so that would have been the meeting minutes and so >> were they continued to hear or did we I know I think we talked a lot. We might have actually even redone it, but we might like might check on that to see if where we actually continued them to. >> What line are you referring to? >> Uh line uh 101. It said we were continuing 240 to 260 Pleasant Street to March 12th, but I think even they seem to understand that they were continuing. >> I think >> so. I don't and I think we kind of rent went back on our we almost like we redid it at one time. I'll double check.

191>> But that's the only thing I um I noted on there. Anyone else have any changes for those meeting minutes? >> Okay. No other changes. All right. Then I will make a motion that we uh approve the meeting minutes from February 12th with the possible just checking on that one line. Yeah. About them about the March 12th. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote >> I test I >> got here. Paul say I >> and Trisha Kendall I. So, is there anything else on this list anyone wants to >> just one last thing? I'm so sorry. Very briefly, Susan Thorne in her email this e this evening, she sent it at 6:54 p.m. She also says she's been invited to the Hopkin Planning Board meeting March 9th and invited this board to

192attend if to support. I I don't that's up to you, but it would have been past that date by your next meeting for me to tell you that. >> Okay. So that's in is that in the letter >> in the email in the planning board general planning board emails but I just wanted to bring it to everybody's attention >> that they can look at it and decide. Okay. >> Thank you. >> She invited us right. Not >> she invited us in not Hopington. Correct. >> They didn't they don't >> I don't >> even know. Okay. >> I don't think so. >> So >> okay. Any anything else that anyone needs to bring up? >> Okay. Then I will make a motion to adjurnn at I have no idea what time it is. 9:49 >> at

1939:49 p.m. Is there a second? >> Second that. >> All right. Roll call vote. >> Anna toki. I >> Angel. >> And Kendall. I Okay. Thanks everybody. I met every