Planning Board (October 23rd, 2025)

001Starting in five, four, three, two, one. >> Good evening everyone and welcome to the Ashlin Planning Board meeting of Thursday, October 23rd. A reminder that the meeting is being broadcast and recorded. Um, I will call the meeting to order at 7:18. And that is agenda item number one. Agenda item number two is a clerk's report. I do not have a clerk's report this evening. So, we're already on item number three. I'm rocking here. Uh, public comment. I not here for public comment. >> I have one I have one person on Zoom as far as >> um who I know is also a comp plan member. So, I assume she's there for that. But if she would like to make a public comment, she is welcome. >> But seeing none, I will move on. >> I

002I Think so for for everyone who may be watching the comp comp plan part of the program will beginning will begin at 8:15. That's when the um um consultant is is available. Yeah, it's on there. Um so before that we will need to um look at our public hearings. Um the first one on there is 240 to 260 Pleasant Street. That's the Mowets soccer fields and that that is already we previously continued that to November 13th. Is that right? And we don't need to continue it again. >> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. The next one on the agenda is the YMCA and um Jasmine, you said you received a letter asking for continuance. >> Yes, I received an email and I can actually share my screen and show it with you. I just want to

003make sure I keep their email private. This is um from Carrie Deio earlier today. Yes, we'd like to continue the hearing. Ideally, we would like to be heard once we have all the comments received. Are you able to get any feedback from Vaness on their turnaround time? Also, for planning purposes, what is the next date the planning board has space on the agenda for us? Can we assume November 13th? Okay. So, um, >> received I'm sorry, that was received yesterday at 5:27 p.m. >> Okay. We're actually going to wait with this item to continue it until later in the meeting. We can do that, right? >> You can table it. Absolutely. We're going to table that item for the moment because what we really need to do um is look at our calendar and this

004is kind of bringing up I guess administrative matters kind of up in the agenda but before 8:15 we need to look at our schedule for the remainder of the year and that's what's on this sheet. So, um, what I've listed here, actually, this is something that Jasmine and I put together together. October 23rd is where we are. And, um, our next typical meeting, since we meet the second and fourth Thursday of the month, not every other week, um, our next meeting would actually be on November 13th. That is the second Thursday. It's deep into the month because the first Thursday is also deep into the month. >> Yes. >> It's like the the sixth. >> The sixth, >> right? So the sixth and so the 13th would be our first meeting and our second meeting

005would be on Thanksgiving, which obviously >> isn't going to happen. When we look at December, we kind of had the have the same problem. December 11th would be our typical meeting and December 25th would be our second meeting. on November 13th. You can see which projects are lined up for the 13th. Does not look like a pleasant meeting, right? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight items. So what we need to do is to look at our agenda and see how we can respspace respace our meetings so that we can just have a have a different meeting. These are all Thursdays. Comprehensive plan is is no longer meeting. So that used to be a problem with with Anna and with me for the very short time I was on comprehensive plan. But it leaves

006Thursdays open unless someone else has a has a Thursday obligation on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Um I will also be traveling the week of the 13th. So I'm hoping to take it via Zoom, but there's a I'm on a cruise ship, so there's a chance that it may not be effective for the I paid for the wireless or whatever the Wi-Fi, but not be effective. I will not have a >> frosty drink in my hand while I attend the meeting. >> I committed to that part. >> Yeah. And we can't and we can't um we can't get rid of the 13th because there are certain things on there. We can go through them one by one. There are things on there that have to go on the 13th. Um then we

007can't move them. So that meeting is a meeting we have to have. I'm just hoping it doesn't have eight items on it so we can look at meetings before. I'm thinking that either the 30th and maybe maybe particularly the 6th might be good to have two shorter meetings and then again we we wouldn't meet the 20th or the 27th. We're just kind of trading meetings here given that we have two of our meetings on are on holidays and we're kind of stuck. >> Can any of these do we know if any of these groups can move up? >> Yes. >> So why don't we go through that list because because Jasmine has looked at that pretty thoroughly to see where the flexibility lies. Do you want to just start the beginning of that list on

008the >> Absolutely. So the things that are on the list that we cannot move right now for the 13th are 55 tilt because we had to publish a public hearing notice for that. So we have to at least bare minimum open it and continue it on that day. The in-law bylaw public hearing we have to hold on that day but we also have to vote on that day because we have special town meeting coming up um a few weeks after this. So we won't have any additional time to hold another meeting prior to special town meeting. So we would have to vote on the in-law bylaw that night. And then we did already continue Metro West to the 13th. So at bare minimum, we would need to open to continue them again if we didn't

009hear anything from them on that evening. However, 117 Oregon Road is the cell tower. This is we quite literally just did this for AT&T. This is the one for Verizon. Each one needs their own individual application. The applications are quite literally word for word verbatim except for the words AT&T and Verizon. So we have that, but since that's a modification to a special permit, we don't have to publish that in a newspaper. We do have to hear it within 65 days of the application, which was submitted October 14th. So we'd have to hear it before December 18th. Typically, even though we can't deny it, typically that application needs one review and usually a second meeting. So, I think it would be safe to try to give ourselves that second meeting based on our previous experience

010with that applicant. So, they could safely pull forward to either October 30th or November 6th with no consequence. The same exact thing with 501 Pond Street extension. We can't hear this past November 13th either. So, this I don't know Deepa, I don't know if you were here or Scott if you were for 501 Pond Street. This is an already approved special permit. They've already come in and asked for a two-year extension. They're asking for another two-year extension. They're trying to solidify their funding. They haven't gotten all their funding set up yet. So, they're just asking for another two-year extension. And they are asking to consider um using gas heat instead of electric heat. But if we don't review this by the 13th, their special permit will expire and they'll have to reapply all over again.

011that particular application has some affordable units that were negotiated in that isn't a 40B. So, there's the risk that if they had to come back for another special permit, they may not be willing to help us in that area. Um, and also that's just that's a lot of expense and time. 240 to 260 Pleasant Street, the Metro West Christian Academy. Even though we've continued them to the 13th, I would we would like to ask them, Trish, and I thought it was a good idea to ask them for an extension until January, the end of January, because it's taken a very long time for them to get their revised drawings to us. >> And I'm sorry, I see on this list, which was my typo, that I have the soccer fields on twice. Metro West Christian

012Academy and Metro West Soccer Fields are the same are the same project. So that that's my error. Sorry. >> But if we ask them for an extension until um at the end of January, we can we can just ask them for continuances up until that time. They don't have to request an extension every time. So you could hear it when if they're ready at any time between now and then. Their issue is that they just have a lot of they can't make any decisions on their own because of the way everything is run there. So it takes a very long time to make any type of decisions. Everything has to go to an interior meeting. So it's really no fault of theirs. the timeline that this is taken and we don't we don't want to

013deny them, but if we could get a further extension that would help. The YMCA has requested to continue until November 13th. We do not have to continue to November 13th. We could continue it to October 30th if that fel we felt that was enough time. I don't think that would be a particularly um productive meeting if you did it that early. You could also schedule it for November 6th or you could schedule it further out for November 20th. or December, a meeting in December. And then for Caroline Drive, that's a preliminary subdivision. So what happens with that is they have to come back with a definitive subdivision. They're having you, it's literally an idea, a concept of a subdivision. They're bringing it to us. We will still send it to review for other departments, police

014and fire and DPW, and they'll come to us and say, "Do you think this will work? We'll review it against the subdivision rules and regs which I've given to you so that you have them. Um, and then we can say yes, you can come back for a definitive subdivision. That does not need a public hearing either. But we do have a timeline. We can we only have 45 days to review and vote on a preliminary subdivision. So it must be approved and voted on by November 23rd. But we could put that on October 30th, November 6th, or November 13th. But I think that wouldn't be ideal. So essentially, you can put 117 Oregon Road, the preliminary subdivision, Caroline Drive, or the YMCA on either the 30th or the 6th. And the YMCA is the only

015one of those that you could push further out from November 13th. >> Yeah. So first of all, does anyone in looking at your schedules? So does anyone have meetings that they cannot make like on these Thursdays? What's that? >> Oh, sorry, Deepa. We still have half an hour until 8 o'clock. So, take your time to digest what I've said. >> Until yesterday, we thought MCA was going. So, I'm fine with the 30th or the 6th or both. as well. >> Okay. And I am as well. Um I guess I'll just double check that. But yeah, I am as well. So that's a at least a quorum there. Um, is it uh as we're not going to be seeing if since Anna's coming late, is it possible to I wonder if she's on the train? >>

016Oh, I don't know. >> Is it possible to ask her to what her schedule is? Is that something I can do? Is that appropriate? >> You can absolutely ask. >> Uh, you can always because you're trying to schedule sixth is okay for me. >> This just the sixth. Thank you, Ta. Are any of you doing anything for Halloween? >> No. No. >> No. >> It's possible. >> Possible, but no. >> Do any of you come here or go downtown? We do like a downtown trickor treat at town hall. >> I Wednesday. >> I haven't done that. >> You should come. >> We're all dressed up. >> The first floor is uh the town manager's office. >> Oh, actually, I don't want to give it away because they might I I think they're keeping that a

017secret away, >> but we're all we're all dressing up. It's going to be great. >> Yeah, they do it every year. It actually is a really nice event for the town kids. So, take these. Anyway, um so what I'm hoping to do, and I sent a text to Anna. Um what I think would be the best is to take November 6. That wouldn't be next week, that would be in two weeks, so that we make sure we can get all the preliminary information for these things as well. So, you guys can ask any questions that you have about these projects, like what the heck is this that we that we need to do. But if we could then move if people can meet November 6, we can book a meeting for with Oregon Road, the

018Pond Street Extension and Caroline Drive. >> Um Oregon Road, we've done it before, though they should have different drawings, right? Because the the antennas are located at different places on the tower. >> U but that should be the only thing that's different. And then um >> what's up in Whatever there is something that we >> Okay, so Anna says 6th or the 13th of November is good. >> Yeah, we can't move that forward. We can't move the in-law apartment forward because it's needed to be published for a certain date. >> It has to be published seven and 14 days prior to the legal to the hear public hearing. So we need that hearing notice was sent out to be published for um this Thursday and next Thursday. >> So you you're wondering if we could

019republish it and do it a week early. >> Yeah. >> I know. >> It's not correct for us. >> It's not correct. applicants to give us 24 less than 24-hour notice to cancel out on projects. We've said this before. Um, and these are big projects. It is time consuming and takes time on our part. So, um, if there's a way that we could move things up, I mean, I would not prioritize YMCA for 13th for sure because we missed today and again, I don't know if they're going to be ready again. So, >> yeah, some of that is unknown and Jasmine hasn't had time to connect with everybody and >> figure out, but but I I agree. >> And I'm not sure the 501 None of us were there except you and me. How does

020that work? Because the whole team is new. Well, Anna was had excused herself. >> 501. I'm sorry. Is there a Does somebody have to recuse themselves? >> She Anna did recuse herself for 501. She's in a >> Oh, I didn't know that. >> Yeah, she's in a >> She's a butter. So, it's only the two of us. >> No, they can. It's an extension. They They didn't have to be in anybody can vote on an extension unless you're recusing yourself, but you don't have to. had a caveat about the gas versus electric. That means somebody has to understand the project, right? >> Right. >> That's a history of one year project. >> Do they only need the extension right now versus the gas? >> Yes. The extension is the main thing. >> They need the

021gas soon because they need that holds up design obviously as you know, >> but it's really the extension that's the true deadline for. >> Then we're going to focus on that. >> That's perfect. because I don't want to just say let's give that gas versus electric because there was a whole sustainability component to that project. >> There's a sustainability component and um and deep um deep affordability concept >> correct and they came with the saying that they were not going to change anything of the project and hence they wanted that extension when they came the last time. >> Yeah. So we don't want to get too deep into it here but that's a good point to make. So let's >> that's good history to know. Thank you. So let's let's focus on the extension. >>

022Okay. >> And anything else has to wait. >> Okay. Should I did they have to go through the sustainability committee for any of that? >> No, nothing goes through them. Um >> so um >> so we can do just you can vote and say we we're voting to extend this, but we're voting to continue the other matter until a date further out or a date to be determined. >> Do they actually is there an application for that? >> It's just a memo. It's quite when you're asking for an extension, they literally just send a letter saying, "Can we >> But for the gas, there's no application." >> No, it's just a modification. So, it's just a memo. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, then >> can we also just look I know I

023talked to you about this. Can we also look at where we ended that conversation the last time they came in front of us? There was some fencing related thing that >> they were going to take care of >> with the assumption that they were going to start up back in summer. Um, so let's make sure we dig that out and see where we left that project. >> Absolutely. >> So I think um, so it sounds like >> did peer review for that? We must have >> it in what term? >> Um, did anybody review the sustainability portion? I'm just curious how do So >> it was part of the GCG. >> So would I probably have to ask Mike to review this request to see if it's equally as sustainable, do you think? Uh, I

024don't know about >> I'm just not sure how you're how like >> I wasn't part of the process. So, I'm just not I'm just not I want to be clear on how we're going to make the determination if I need to pull in anybody else. To your point, Diva, >> I think the sustainability was just about our like something they had told us they were going to do. >> Yeah. >> And and we and it's a condition in there I believe um in the >> so but it was our a condition between us and them. >> Okay. Okay. So, I don't think it has anything to do obviously with building code. I don't think it has anything to do with town bylaws. Okay. >> I think it's between >> which we did come up with

025what is it that they would do with that project. So, I don't know if that electric was was even a part line item. I'm guessing it was. >> I think it was. >> It was. >> But let's I I think it's a great that we can let's that we're just because that could be a discussion a longer discussion. >> Yeah. And we for the packet. I could get you the decision and maybe the last set of meeting minutes from the last meeting you had. >> Yes. From when they from when they came. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Yeah, that would be good. >> Um and we will focus then though only on the extension and not on and not on any changes to the project. So, um on Oregon Road, like I said, it's um

026because we have found errors in the file before. Hopefully, we won't this time. Hopefully, it'll all be buttoned up, but we can be ready for it to be a one meeting thing. If we're like, "Yeah, I didn't find anything. It looks good." We can have the decision prepared. >> Yes. >> Um, but if there's any questions, it'll have to, you know, go to the 13th as well. >> So, it's not 6th and the 20th, but we need to do sixth and the 13th. >> Yes. Yes. The 13th we can't change because we um >> have those two lined up. >> Yes. The public hearings were published for those days. Yeah. >> I mean that have to be because you Yeah. need to get them in the paper. I mean what are we at the 23rd?

027I think you you we said that it would have to be in the paper like today, right? >> It would have had to run today >> to and obviously we can't do that. So So we have to keep the 13th. But if we can meet on the 6th, and it sounds like everybody can. Um, we could take care of Oregon Road, cell Towers, we know how to do that. >> The Pod Street Extension, that'll be a little bit of of a discussion about that project, giving these guys history about what it was. Yeah. And Anna Anna will be recusing herself on that one. >> Yeah. Um, so it'll be the four of us and then, um, the preliminary subdivision. What's important to know about a preliminary to subdivision, we don't do a lot of them.

028But what's important to know is that a preliminary subdivision approval, it's just that you can approve it the preliminary and when they actually come back for the real thing, which >> definitive sub, >> the definitive, you can say, "No, we not voting for this." Right? So >> you have a lot more leeway with land than you do with other things. >> So it doesn't it doesn't matter if we approve the preliminary. >> It it really is about the It really is about the definitive. >> It really just guides their drawings to help save Yeah. costs which we're interested in doing. We >> would like to give them genuine feedback at the time which is why it's going to fire and police and then they'll return with a definitive subdivision. And in that time, if you

029approve it, you would then sign that and that's what would be recorded, >> right? >> But the definit the um preliminary plan has no legal binding. >> So it's really about just understanding that it's a preliminary subdivision isn't a real high pressure situation. So there's Yeah. >> But also a great, you know, opportunity just dip your toes into the water about it. >> So I think obviously I think we could I think we could easily cover those through three on the sixth. >> Certainly. Um then what we're left So is everyone good if we plan to do that November 6th. Okay. >> Um then what we're left with are um uh Tilton and the in-law bylaw. I don't think >> and Metro West. >> Yeah. Um but we Yeah. So let's start with these two.

030Um I don't think I don't think the bylaw discussion will take too long. We can get you I think we did give you the text of that. What's important to know about the text of that is that it's the old bylaw which has now been removed. In fact, I could send you the old the old bylaws as they used to exist so that you can see the text side by side the new bylaw. But the old you can't look at the bylaws online and see that text because it's gone. >> Yeah. >> so then you can see them side by side and and see that the it's basically trying to put back something that was there. So, I don't think it'll take that long to discuss. Um, and then Tilton Avenue can be it is

031a new project. I will be recusing myself from Tilt. >> And if he's traveling, you can continue it. You just have to at least open it. >> Okay. >> But you could open it and say, "No, we're not prepared to hear this this evening." I would like to tell them that ahead of time, but just, you know, we're not prepared to hear this this evening. We're going to open it and continue it until whichever date you decide. >> Yeah. Was another one last time. Anna and >> Camila. >> Yeah. And I was >> Yeah. Is there like is there anything that if I missed it alto together like is there anything that would cause that an issue? >> No, as long as you have to watch it, you either have to watch it or read

032the meeting minutes, but you can only miss one >> meeting of that particular case throughout the entirety of it. So that's the only >> So um >> you'd have enough voting people anyway, right? Even if let's say two, we wouldn't because it needs four. >> It needs four. We don't have an alternative person for you just to sit in for you. >> Correct. >> Not the present. >> So if anybody's interested. >> Wait. So for 501 the whole team hasn't been there, >> but they can do the extension. >> Yes. >> But Tilton >> is new. It's a new brand new beginning. >> He was there. Scott was there for the that meeting. >> That was justformational. Yeah, that was this is the very >> right. >> So those two things I think stay on

033the 13th, right? Even if it's just um >> three things, sorry, the Metro West, the inlaw, >> but I just want to start with those two. >> Okay. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I just want to make sure we're not forgetting it >> and then we'll continue. So those two things, the bylaw discussion and which which obviously has to happen before town meeting on the 19th, right? So, and then the um and Tilton A, which has been which has been published. So, >> as Jasmine said, at least we need to read it in and continue it. >> No. Or maybe not. Maybe Scott can be on a discussion. Maybe he'll listen to the intro from there and won't miss the meeting. Otherwise, >> he can, you know, watch it later. It's just like I

034said the risk of only >> of only missing one and missing the first one, >> you know, and Jasmine can check and see if with um the applicant and see what if they have a different preference, >> right? >> If they just want to get it started or if they want to hold off a little bit. >> Okay. Now, we have the two remaining things, Metro West and the YMCA. Um I I think the thing with both these projects is that they both have a lot of other factors and so aren't I mean the the fields really has been um I mean we're just waiting right to kind of to talk to them like there's nothing on our end. We're just waiting for them to come talk to us again. So, um, and the YMCA,

035as we heard last time, I think is more that they want to get going as quickly as they can, but >> but like other stuff is holding them up, right? Like they're waiting on >> They're waiting on traffic and water and sewer. Um, but none of the things the items that we had asked for have been provided yet either. >> But do you think they can we can ask them to come back on the sixth and provide that? >> Yes. traffic and water sewer reports will be in at that point. I don't know if the YMCA will have had a chance to respond to them yet and I don't know if that impacts when you >> No, the YMCA I can't um No, the YMCA could go on the sixth. I'm sorry. So, I don't

036know if that impacts your decision if you want to wait to continue them until you think they've had a chance to review the comments and then respond or if you're okay just moving forward the initial opening comments from the >> They also had JCG comments left >> there. JCG is actually waiting for them to revise plans. So they received GCG comments and they haven't responded appropriately. They haven't received revised plans yet based on those comments. >> So we cannot move we cannot move them the soccer fields to the sixth because they've already they're already on for the 13th, right? >> And we can't we can't move them back because they're a public hearing. We can we can tell the YMCA November 6th because they were just saying the 13th because they thought that was our

037next meeting. Right. >> Right. >> So we can and that's why I tabled it. we can put them on for for the continue them to the 6th >> and then we have that meeting kind of filled out >> and then that would leave um Metro West on the 13th >> with Tilton and the in-law apartment unless unless Metro West and Jasmine will talk to them. If they're just not going to be ready, we'll we'll move them to December, >> which I haven't heard that they will be ready at this point. So, but we don't need to know that until the third. We can't do anything about them until the 13th anyway because they're continued to the 13th. We can't change that until the 13th, >> right? >> So, they'll they'll sit where they are, but

038we won't know if if they're ready or not. >> And we also don't know if YMCA will be ready on 6th. >> We don't. >> Yeah. >> So, but uh they should have something. We should at least be able to talk about traffic. We should be able to get something out of the way. Have they started on the concom? >> The Yes. YMCA. >> Yeah. >> Yes, they started with concom. And that's where the comments um GC Mike Carter from GCG does comments for both conservation and planning and those are the comments that we're still waiting on plan revisions from both us and conservation. So, >> so is everyone following? How does that sound everybody? >> Okay. Sounds good to me. >> All right. So, we'll we'll look for in November, we'll look to meet

039November 6th and November 13th. That's two weeks in a row, but then we'll be off November 20th and November 27th. Um, and pick it up again in December. So, December, and I we can talk about this later. Um, let me see what Anna had said about her December. She's away 21 through 28, which is okay. and we can wait till she gets here to think about November, but we could do um November 4th and November >> December, >> sorry, December 4th and December 18th, just shift our schedule back a week. >> Um we'll still have a three-week break into between the 13th and December 4th, but then get two meetings in in December to pick up whatever else we need to pick up. um and and not should and it shouldn't be in too rushed

040of a way >> or if you feel that's too tight. The only things that you would potentially be cons continuing past the 13th and the only things you can continue past them I55 Tilton Avenue and the Metro West soccer fields meet potentially the 501 Pawn Street modification. Those are the only three things that could possibly go past the November date. So the only right now those are the only three things you'd have in December unless we get a new application. >> Well, yeah. I mean it's it's tilt in the Y and and the soccer fields. >> Yeah. >> So um so there's likely still plenty to do in December as long as they are ready for us, >> right? >> Um >> but at least we'll get start clearing out these these smaller things that

041have popped up. So um okay. So, we will move we will have a meeting on November 6th. Jasmine, just to summarize, we'll meet on December 6th. November 6, we will meet. It's not a typical meeting date for us, but we will meet November 6th. Um, I assume the room is available. If if not, we'll go check. >> If not, we'll go online. >> We've done it. We did it all during CO. We'll just >> And all of these can go online technically. >> Yeah. So, if we can't be here, we'll we'll do it via Zoom. >> Um, and we will move to that date 117 Oregon Road. That's the cell tower. >> Okay. >> We will move 501 Pond Street extension. Just the extension. >> The other issue will have to come later be a

042different application, different memo. >> Um, and the preliminary subdivision. Um, we will also at this time now if I can just do I just bring it off the table? Do I have to have a motion to bring YMCA off the table? >> You have to have a motion to >> Okay. >> Um, continue on with the YMCA. Sorry. >> All right. I'm going to make my own motion to bring um to >> retable the YMCA. to retable to put it down to unt >> to unt to discuss the YMCA public hearing or sorry to to continue it. Can I have a second? >> Second that >> and a roll call vote >> I >> and Trisha Kendall I. So, um now I am going to make a motion to um to continue um 30 Memorial

043Drive YMCA to November 6th. >> Okay. YMCA. >> That was the plan, right? Yeah. Okay. So, November 6th. Is there a second? >> Second that. >> And a roll call vote. I >> Montino >> and Trisha Kindle I Okay, so YMCA is now on for November 6th and we can let them know that we should have at least some things to discuss and keep it reasonable length. At least we'll get some things off, you know, off the table and then we will also meet on November 13th. At that meeting, we will introduce we will at least open 55 Tilton Avenue. I will be recusing myself for that. We will have the in-law apartment bylaw public hearing um which needs to be done prior to town meeting on November 19th. And we also have the Metro

044West Christian Academy, the soccer fields that has already been continued to that date. So hopefully and hopefully that'll be it. All right. Thank you. All right. We still have Anna says she'll be here about 10 after 8. Um which should be great. Um so this other pile of um stuff here, like I said, the folders are there, but or the binders were there, but we didn't really need them today. Um so some of this is information on um subdivisions. The first part of it different information that um Jasmine found about uh subdivision just to introduce us to that. Like said we don't do a lot of them. So I usually have to refresh my memory as well like to what we're doing and um on those. But she also found in a totally um the

045back of the packet here town of Ashland development guide January 2011 and she was looking for something else and found this document that I've never seen. I mean I came on the board Peter and I came on the board I think in 20 2018 2019 I can't remember which. And so I don't think he's ever seen this. It was just buried somewhere. So, it may be something that um it I think it it was more intended for residents and developers wanting to do a property, but it also has some really great information about just different processes. There's a few things that might be a little that might need updating um given that it's, you know, 14 years old or whatever. Um but it also seems like a great resource that I mean have you have

046seen this before Diva? >> I want to say I when I was when we started on the comprehensive plan when I'm searching through I somehow remember coming going through this document but it was a random find and I don't know if I read every line of it but I did see that this existed and I saw the date and I was like okay this is really outdated. Yeah, actually I wouldn't be surprised if um in the start of the comprehensive plan if they all if they pulled all these kind of guides as a starting point for that. Um but as >> because I was like when I was trying to understand where we left off the last time I have a feeling I came across this document. But anyway, wanted to, you know, Jasmine and

047I agreed thought it was a good idea to distribute as uh >> y as kind of educational material as we go through and if you do see something that seems out of date, just mark it because this seems like a document maybe that we would like to update >> um and have it more readily available. >> So, all right. Do we have meeting minutes? Are we going to >> Yes, you do. They should be print. Everybody should have a printed copy. >> Oh, is this >> um Yeah, October 9th. >> Is that mine? Okay. >> Yes. >> So, we might as well uh since we have a couple minutes. Yeah, a couple minutes left. These are meeting minutes from October 9th. So, the last time we met, if people want to look at those, get

048those out of the way. Is this Paul's first meeting >> because he >> So was there a reason why you did not vote for the T-Mobile? >> I think he hadn't heard It had started before that. >> Just joined. Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. So, maybe you were there, but you weren't sworn in yet. So, officially, you weren't. >> No, but the next one he had. >> He was sworn in, but he hadn't sat in on that hearing, >> right? On the first hearing, so it didn't count. >> Right. Right. Right. Jasmine, thank you. The fact that you have the documents reference listed. That's actually more should be typical, but thank you for doing that. I'm good. And it's nice just to see on the top of page five is kind of that summary of what

049we were looking for for the YMCA. So, um >> when we get there at the next meeting, um they'd be good to refer to or to have Okay, I think I am uh I'm good. Does anyone note any changes? >> Anyone want to handle this motion to approve? I move to approve the meeting no meeting minutes from October >> 9th. Thank you. >> All right. Is there a second? >> Second that >> and a roll call vote >> I >> and Trisha >> Kendall I. So those are approved. Got that out of the way. We took care of the All right. So, now we're just uh I guess we we have we still have 15 We still 15 minutes. >> You can recess if you'd like. >> Then I'll shut off this recording. If you

050recess for 15 minutes, I'll stop the >> Well, I was just wondering actually if I mean it might be a time Sometimes board members have questions. We can Are there any >> Are we allowed to talk about non-aggenda items. >> Well, anything I think at the the next um what I'll do is bring up the agenda item number six, planning board task list. This is in the binders if anyone wants it, but it's basically all the things that we want to work on and discuss. It's an opportunity on the agenda to bring things up. So, are there particular questions that you have? They can't be project related obviously, but if there's general questions, we can certainly talk about those. Um, but they have to fall into one of those discussion topics that are on that.

051>> Is there a process question like how does this happen? >> Not necessarily. I mean, we this as a place to like to discuss goals. >> You can at least ask the question and we can tell you if we can answer it. >> No, I mean I don't have anything that's >> Yeah, but if you had any like process questions like general like you could come up with um you know scenarios that you're curious about like if this happens and somebody did this what what could you do as long as they're >> not based on actual I did send everybody um a training through citizens planner training collaborative. It is a webinar. We do highly encourage that everybody hop on to take a peek. The subject is roles and responsibilities ZVA and planning board. I'll

052be sending you more webinars as they come up throughout the year because they do tend to do a lot of webinars throughout the winter. Um typically they start them a little earlier than they did this year, but um as they come become available, we'll be sending those out. But we do have the budget for that. So, if you'd like to attend, please tell me because we'll sign you up and we'll cover the fee and we'll just send a link to your email. >> Yeah, I would have I would have done that one, but I must that's happening >> on vacation as well. That's amazing. >> Yeah. >> Are you going anywhere good >> out of Miami? >> You're going to Mexico? >> Yeah. Five days. >> Mexico. >> Well, why why don't we take a

053what will be what will be a 10-minute recess until 8:15? Yeah. Anything else on the agenda that we can do? >> I I think that's it. That's for um I mean I don't think we need to go through any of the reports. Um unless I don't think any meetings have happened, have they? Was it a CPC meeting? >> We had a CPC meeting on Tuesday. Well, we can we can >> we're trying to get stuff in before the warrant articles are due for well I mean the warrant articles are on there but just discussing some things for that'll be coming up in town meeting but there's nothing new that we haven't already discussed. Okay. So >> yeah I didn't realize you had another meeting. Was there anything with Metro West regional? >> Um there was

054a call this morning. >> There was actually lots of stuff happening. Okay. Uh it was my first one. >> Was it usually I had to jump out the last 10 minutes but >> you didn't miss anything >> when they're talking about going around to talk about what's going on in every community. I missed >> it. But it was an interesting one to something that I don't think I walked in with expectations. So it was a good one. >> Is there anything in particular that they talked about that would have been >> transportation talk? >> Okay. >> A lot of grant funding available right now >> for transportation. transportation, some infrastructure, >> infrastructure. >> Yeah, they're looking at regional projects more, but when they say transportation, it really sounds like they're focused more on MBTA than

055anything. >> There's the only transportation projects they really mentioned. They said like it did it excluded like timing of the lights and updated intersections and things like that. So, it sounds like it's only for like like regional work, I guess. >> Okay. >> But it was funny. It was I've never seen one quite like that. Usually they're a little more paced. I'm sorry it was your first one. They were rushing and even one woman was like this felt like speed dating. >> Okay. >> One man sounded like an auctioneer. He was just like started in just one >> and it didn't sound like he was reading out of a paper. Was like yeah >> he felt very rushed but it was a lot of good information I thought. Hello. I'm surprised no more talk about

056the electric buses. I hopped on a meeting probably three months ago and they heard that and I haven't heard a peep since. And the only other update is comprehensive plan which obviously we're going to talk about uh now we met last week and which was the final draft of this presentation and then the team disbanded uh you know basically because the mission has been accomplished and it goes here and then to town meeting but we'll be talking about more about that in a few minutes. Um planning board or sorry planning office updates I think you we already went through every potential project that's coming our way at least known >> at least that I'm aware of. in my defense. >> And uh update on the 40BS. Um >> they're coming to an end. Um >>

057the two >> 61 we really intend to 60 main be closed probably by November, December, late December. Late November, early December. >> And 55 Tilton is just starting. >> Just starting. We'll only be having our second hearing on that on Tuesday. So it's pretty >> So they just had the introduction and that's all. Okay. So, all right. >> And no updates on Marbella still. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that's it's been going on forever. >> Supposedly that it the decision was issued the judge made a decision in February and we're just waiting for it. >> Last February. >> This past February in 2025. Yeah. It's been almost a year. >> Well, >> I didn't know you could do that. >> I didn't. >> We can't hear you. >> We're We're in recess. >> Okay. That's what

058I just asked. >> We're waiting for that decision. >> Yeah. >> Do you want to reorg reorganize the table for them? >> Um, yeah. Are you guys going to want to come up here or >> whatever you want to do? >> We're right here. This should be plenty. >> I'm moving. And if they don't come up the way I set it up earlier, there's enough chairs. I'll just sit out there. >> Um, I don't need to sit up here. >> Sorry, we kind of have a kids table. I don't know. >> We had one last night. >> You had a kids table. >> It's a good fit. >> She is. She She should be here shortly. Um >> That's right. >> Where she sitting? >> I assume she's sitting here, but um >> So, this

059is available kind of >> Yes, it's available. >> All right, great. >> Can we >> Yeah, we shared that last night. Are we able to move this one down? And you >> and I always [Music] >> Thank you. Yeah, that's fine. That makes sense though. [Laughter] >> My mom just It's kind of kind of rough though. the comprehensive plan consultant who is going to be joining us at 8:15. Oh, Austin's already online. Okay. Um but we will start we will start that um then at 8:15. the meeting of the select board for October 23rd, 2025 uh joint meeting with the planning board to order at 7 uh 8:15. So we are on board. >> All right. So, um, this is the joint meeting of the planning board and select board in regard to the comprehensive

060plan. I'm not sure really what the protocol is tonight. Yolanda, can I hand that over to you? I think you know more about it than I do. >> Sure. Uh, we're going to be getting a presentation from the consultant and I see Austin online now and I know Jen, the lead, uh, will be joining us at some point. She was in another meeting. They will present the comprehensive plan. It will be available for questions. And then we need to take a joint vote to support or not support. And then once that happens, we will then move it forward to town meeting. We've already uh put it on the town meeting warrant. And we've posted and closed that with the expectation that it will be passed tonight. >> All right. Thank you. So, I guess we

061are turning it over to Austin. >> Great. Thank you so much. And do I have permission to share my screen? >> I will send a request. >> All right. >> You should be all set now, Austin. >> And just and just to clarify too, um Austin and Jen Goldson are from our consultant JM Goldson who's been we've been working with them for the last two years. Just to >> Yes, that's right. Thanks so much. So, my name is Austin. I'm a community planner here at JM Goldson. I've been the project manager internally on our side on >> The sound is a little quiet. Can we um get that sound up for in the room? >> Can you hear me? All right. Now, >> no, it's it's still quiet. Do you need to maybe talk louder

062into your mic? I'm I'm not sure. Yeah, I can talk louder and I'll see if I can open my settings and boost my microphone. >> There you go. That's much better. >> Okay, great. Luckily, I'm the only person in the house tonight, so I can project. So, as I was saying, my name is Austin Smith. I'm a community planner here at JM Goldson. I've been the project manager internally on our end um for the last several months, for most of this year under Jen's leadership. Um, but I've been working on this project basically since since the beginning. Um, working on way back at the beginning during the existing conditions phase. Um, so I've I've been here throughout the entire process and it's been a real professional personal pleasure of mine to be able to help

063work with the committee and guide it to to a successful completion. So, I want to thank you all for being here tonight to and for welcoming us in to to chat a little bit about the plan. And I see Jen has joined us as well. She was able to make it from her previous meeting, so I'll let her introduce herself as well. >> Hi everyone. Jen Goldson, is my mic coming through? Okay. >> Yes, we can hear you. >> Okay, perfect. Good. Yeah, as Austin said, I'll just echo. It's been a real pleasure to to work on this plan um with the town and with the committee and uh and we're we're excited to to unveil it tonight and uh and to to show you the the good work that the committee has has done.

064All right, Austin, why don't you take it away? >> Absolutely. So, I would be remiss if I didn't give a huge shout out to the committee. They've been working so hard on this for the last two years and I know you've been hearing probably some updates from um the members that that are present with you tonight. Um but I really want to give a shout out to everybody in the committee that was that was working so hard on all of it. Um there were some late night discussions. We we went over more than once. So there were some late nights, some some heated discussions and it was a really valuable um opportunity to kind of dive into all of that work with them. Um the town department heads also provided tons of fairly valuable feedback.

065I met with them and they provided lots of detailed insights on how the strategy implementation could work. So I really valuable their feedback as well. Um and Michael Herbert of course town manager was there throughout the process um giving his kind of insights and and leadership throughout the process which was really really valuable and of course we got huge engagement and participation from the whole Ashlin community which was really really amazing to see throughout the process and so I feel really confident and I hope the committee does too. I know that I heard a lot of positive feedback at our last meeting that we are stepping forward together, that the Ashlin community can take this document and really feel like there were no deal breakers in it. The committee worked really, really hard to make

066sure that even though maybe not everybody got every single thing on their list, but it was a place to come together and make sure that there were no deal breakers um in that final document itself. So, we want to thank everybody on the committee for having those hard discussions and for talking with their neighbors, hosting meetings in a box and doing outreach on social media about the surveys and throughout the process um the dedication that they put in for their contributions, their collaborative ideas, um the late nights of course and so we're really confident that Asham is stepping forward with that the care and the intention um to put your best feet forward. So to go back to the beginning, the purpose of a comprehensive plan is really about guiding shared actions. It's not about

067trying to hide from change. It's not about trying to avoid it. It's not about um trying to prevent things from happening, but it's about seeing the change in the world, things that are happening outside of Ashland, inside of Ashland, everything that's impacting the community and coming up with the best ideas to meet that change in a way that works for everybody. So, as the town naturally evolves, the comprehensive plan is intended to serve as a flexible roadmap. It's not a a line item list of everything that you must do, but it's a a very strong vetted set of ideas that the town can use throughout the next 10 years um throughout the life of the plan to guide decision- making to kick off more detailed projects that the committee knew were important and basically to

068remain adaptable as conditions change. some strategies that were vetted now and seem like a good idea to bite off. If the grant funding isn't there in 10 years, maybe it won't be a good idea to bite off and you can pivot to another TAC. So, it's intended to remain flexible in that way. And so, to create the plan, we had a four- stage process. The first phase was looking at existing conditions for the most part. The second phase was all about getting that um visioning engagement with the public. That's where we hosted the meeting in a box, crowd map, visioning survey, another engagement platform. Phase three um is where we developed all the strategies. That was um basically from October of this past year through June of this year. And then the final phase is

069where we put all of the pieces together into the final plan document and worked detailed detailed meetings with the committee to basically make sure all of the pieces fit together that the wording was right that the intention was there um and that it all looked appealing and that the community could really see themselves in it. So in phase one as I mentioned that was the the baseline of existing conditions study that we produced a summary profile of trends and issues based on census data pro um population projections economic data transportation data. We worked with our subconsultants um at Niche Engineering, RKG Associates and KDson and Associates to really produce a very detailed document um that really highlights all of those kind of issues and trends that we saw in Ashland and gave us a really

070good idea of what kind of things we could see from the outside were happening in Ashland, but also we did a bunch of interviews as well um and coordinated with town staff to make sure that we were verifying the data with what people knew on the ground. In phase two, that was where we talked about community visioning. That was all about writing the vision, the core themes, and the goals. So, we held a public forum. Um, we held a big community survey. We got tons of responses on. We did online crowd mapping, which was actually a huge boon. We got tons of points on the map there. people were super interested um in placing points on the map where they had ideas or where they had um like places that they wanted to see conservation

071activity, places they thought could work for housing. So, it was a really in interactive and engaging activity I thought for the public and meetings in a box also did super super well. Um that was the small kind of host your own mini meeting toolkit um that people could do on their own. So we really tried to make sure that there were multiple opportunities to engage for an extended period of time that people could tune into the process and participate in how they want. If they wanted to fill out the survey, they could do that from the comfort of their home home. If they wanted to participate in person and join folks at a public forum and meet people, talk face to face, they could do that. If they wanted to host their own meeting without

072kind of the presence of any town officials or consultants, they could host their own meeting in a box. and a lot of committee members did did a lot of groundwork in in helping to facilitate those meetings. So, we really really appreciate all of the outreach and facilitation that they did on those. And so, we were able to take all of that input through an aggregated community engagement summary where we pulled out the key themes that we were hearing in each of them and worked with the committee through a set of working sessions to develop the vision statement, the core themes, and the goals for the plan. In phase three, it was all about the strategies. So, now that we've got the vision statement and the goals, what what do we do to get there? Basically,

073what what are some ideas that could work? So, we developed an internal strategy list. We came up with the big long list and then we worked internally as a consultant team and also um through a set of technical working sessions to kind of take that long list and narrow it down to the ideas that really felt like they would work best for Ashland. So through both members of the public attending um local leaders, business owners, members of other boards and committees could all come in and talk through like a two-hour working session with detailed conversations about what could work, what kind of things need to happen, or if something just doesn't feel right at all. Um they helped really narrow down the list and make sure that those strategies um felt really good. And then

074we took all of that back to the committee and held several meetings where we went through all of the strategies and revised them piece by piece um to make sure that all the strategies felt like there was nothing missing but there was also nothing that was extra. Um so it it really was a thorough revision process with with the committee and with the departments and through the technical working sessions. And then phase four, which is where we've been for the past few months, is taking all those pieces and putting them together. And then once they're together, you get to see it in a whole new way. The strategies where they were in an Excel document, now they're on the page and they come with images and they come with proposed metrics. How are you going

075to measure the success of that strategy? So, we developed and revised and revised that final plan document to identify the implementation approach. Um we hosted a public comment period as well and the steering committee members hosted some additional public forums around the core themes um in person and available online as well and those got some some great turnout. The feedback there really felt focused around implementation which was I feel good for the committee to hear that that folks were kind of seeing seeing the strength of the ideas in the plan and wanting to focus on what's next. How are we going to see this happen? what are the things that we need to make sure are in order and in place to to see that happen. And throughout the entire process, we had a really

076really strong community engagement um response. The committee had set a really strong goal at the beginning of this process. We asked them, we wanted to check in when we were developing the public engagement plan, what target you want to set. And it's kind of up it's it's up for them up for up for um decision. But they set a really strong goal. We thought one that was kind of comparably high in the the the work that we do in comprehensive planning and what we've seen from other consultant facilitated processes. They set a high goal and then blew past it which we were really really proud to see. Um, so they they went basically 23% past the high goal that they had set with 3,487 total points of participation. And because we held the kind of

077events and um community engagement activities slightly differently, the point means an individual point of engagement. It doesn't mean an individual person because we didn't want to track email addresses um or names or phone numbers. those kind of things can be real disincentives to engagement. So to make sure that we were able to welcome people into the process and and make sure that they felt welcomed and free to express their ideas, um we we counted it that way. But even by that metric, the committee so far surpassed the goal. And so we really feel that based on all of that public input that came into the plan, it feels really grounded in what makes Ashlin special, what we're proud of, the issues that people know of that exist, and really aiming to meet the future headon.

078All of that public feedback was really brought in um throughout the entire process. The committee made sure consistently throughout the process that is the community engagement that we're having um reflective. Is it sufficient? Do we need to go out again to ask about any certain thing? Have we made sure that we have heard from as many people as we can about this? Um and what what actually are people saying? Are they saying that pe that we need to revise some certain section or or that um some piece of it feels right or some piece is missing? So they really went back to the community again and again and made sure that that the public had so many opportunities to participate in a way that felt right for them at a stage in the plan that

079felt right for them. And that's reflected in the vision statement, in the future land use vision in the core themes, the metrics proposed for each of the core themes, and the detailed strategy list with priority strategies and priority locations for specific strategy ideas that were based on the public input that the committee got through the crowd map and through other tools um and through committee discussions to help prioritize those things in the plan. So overall, the structure is a single vision statement. That's the shared aspirational long-term piece that's illustrated by the future land use plan. Under that vision are five core themes. And so it's laid out differently than a conventional comprehensive plan. It obviously touches on all of the statutory elements. So it's a fully fully compliant plan. Um but it's organized under core

080themes. So it reflects back the things that are important about Ashland in the way that we heard people talk about them. And those core themes were directly written um through workshops with the steering committee taken directly from pieces of the community engagement themes. The core themes are really what matters most. Those each have metrics that you can use to measure success. There are 23 goals under each of the well under the core themes there are 23 goals. Some have more, some have less, but those are a little bit more detailed about what we aim to achieve. There's clearer direction for public policy in the goals. And then each goal has a set of strategies under it. Those are ideas for where you can start. They're not a not necessarily a um like a a bullet

081list like you must do all of these things in order for this goal to be achieved, but they're they're arrows in your quiver or they're tools in your toolbox. They're a flexible set of vetted ideas to guide action um that come with come with a bunch of things attached to them. Um proposed timelines um different kind of funding mechanisms that we know of that exist, suggested board and responsibilities. So all of that is is kind of detailed along with each strategy. And in terms of implementation, the committee thought really hard about how how the town should move forward really what would make the most sense in terms of effectiveness, in terms of public transparency, in terms of viability and functionality. So the plan sets the stage, but somebody needs to be the champion of it

082moving forward. And that's why the planning the plan document and the steering committee really focus on an implementation coordination committee. So this is the committee that proposed membership includes planning board, select board and some at large members as well to incorporate um new perspectives, new ideas and new ways of seeing seeing that vision and goals. Participation by the steering committee will be super helpful early on to make sure that there's continuity um and institutional knowledge really on how this document was created, what the conversations were along the way. So we really recommend that in the first few months as the committee is starting to form up um that the steering committee members um they even propose having a kind of joint meeting a transition meeting um where even some of the members even if it's

083not um a formal steering committee meeting if some of the members can be present to kind of give some introduction and and guide the implementation coordination committee into into like having their own um kind of approach to overseeing or coordinating the implementation of the plan itself and it comes with an implementation matrix as well. And what we mean by matrix is really a spreadsheet and that's to kind of jump start the implementation process. The spreadsheet includes all of the strategies um responsible parties for each of the strategies um funding sources, case studies and proposed timing in terms of short-term, medium-term and long-term. And this we've been working on with um the town department leaders. We worked with them to collaboratively get feedback on these strategies and on who would be best responsible for all of

084them. So all of that has been collaboratively revised and we really appreciate all of that feedback to make sure that this is kind of an accurate document that the that the committee and staff can use moving forward. But the technical piece is only one piece of the implementation matrix. The other piece and this will be really helpful for both the staff and the implementation coordination committee is the public transparency piece. So this we really intend to be posted on the town website and kept regularly updated. So in a separate tab on the spreadsheet there's a public phase um which really you can use to show the status of each of the strategies. So on a quarterly basis, on an annual basis, um or on a cadence that feels right for you, you can mark each

085of the strategies as completed, in progress, not yet started, or decided not to pursue. And then there's a legend. So they're color-coded, each one of them highlights, and so you can get get an idea from a scan um or even from another table just on the side that says you have x number of strategies that are already completed, x number that are in progress, um or some that are not yet started. So that's a a huge public transparency piece um that we feel like will be really valuable for the ashen community to to get a feel for the status um just by checking online kind of easily. So to a great extent that is the the presentation that I've got for you tonight. I wanted to give you an update of how the process went

086and of of the document in general. Um, I really feel like on a on a personal and professional level, it's been a real joy to work with this committee. Um, I know it's there's been challenging moments and and disagreements, but I feel like that's exactly what the process is all about is having the hard discussions and kind of putting everything out there and wearing your heart on your sleeve. Um, so I really feel like all of that went into the plan itself and the plan is kind of grounded in what makes Ashland a special place and comes with a strong implementation approach that has been really bounced back and forth and strongly vetted by the committee and the staff. We know that the Ashlin community is ready basically to continue the work. We heard that

087in the public forums that were hosted just in the past few months. they're ready to continue that work of stewarding the community and we really are proud of this planning process of the committee, all the work that was put into it. Um, and we feel like they're ready to to move forward with it. >> Austin, I wonder if um it might be helpful to the planning board if you pull up the the actual document and just at least share um what the nature of the core themes are and how they support the vision. just a little bit more about the content. I know the process was super important and we really wanted to emphasize the thoroughess of the process and the community engagement, but it actually might be helpful for them to also just see

088where the what what are the big ideas and the big ideas are really those those core themes and how it fits fits with the vision. >> Yeah, absolutely. So the vision statement as I said kind of earlier is meant to be the big over overarching theme of the plan itself. Um and so it includes kind of the first sentence is Ashland is a diverse inclusive community that honors and preserves its small town charm, its rich history and open space. The core themes of that vision statement um are building and enhancing community, promoting long-term sustainability, guiding development that honors open space and conservation, enhancing town services and economic development, and creating a connected and accessible community. And I'm happy to go through each of those. Each one comes with um its own kind of core theme

089vision which is a brief statement here um that kind of guides guides that core theme. So for core theme one building and enhancing community the vision statement for that is Ashen will foster and support cultural vibrancy and historic preservation maintain a small town community feel and create a supportive inclusive community where people can learn, work, age, shop and play. So basically on this first page, we've got a few metrics that are proposed ideas for something that the implementation coordination committee and the staff could use as starting place for ideas for how to measure success for those. So there are things like the number of community events or programs each year at the library corner spot or other kind of cultural events, the attendance levels or participant counts for community events and programs, the number of

090historic resources on the state register um and other metrics as well. And we also in in many of the core themes highlighted a a high priority strategy or two um that came directly out of the committee working sessions. So a high priority for core theme one is strategy 1B3. Continue to develop a community supported vision for the Valentine property. Considering potential uses for recreation, meeting spaces, social functions, and other publicly accessible uses. Assess the financial viability, needed improvements, and funding sources for implementation. So there's a lot that goes into each of the core themes. Um and and each of them is really built to sit under that vision statement. Um, so the and each one is also illustrated by its own kind of version of the future land use map which highlights those specific categories

091on the future land use map that align most with that core theme. So for core theme one, building and enhancing community, the categories on the future land use map are downtown vibrancy, cultural and community assets, neighborhood nodes, and managed neighborhood evolution. Those are the things that felt most most connected with the vision of that core theme highlighting how the neighborhood nodes, cultural and community assets and downtown vibrancy support a connected and inclusive community. And then under that further are are the goals and the strategies. Goal 1A is strengthen social ties and civic engagement through community events, programs, and intergenerational activities. So that's again a further like narrowing and more specific public policy direction that the town can take um with a with a set of ideas in the strategies beneath it. And so I hope

092that that goal clearly um sits under that vision statement of being a diverse inclusive community that honors and preserves its small town charm. Um, and and all of the core themes kind of are are designed to do that and to be to be key aspects and ideas that were really important for the community engagement that are designed to to guide the town over the next 10 years and throughout the life of the plan. >> Yeah. And I I hope that's enough uh level of detail. Um, if you want us to go into more, we're happy to do that. But but I I wanted to also make sure you had enough time for questions, comments, um things like that. So I think we can pause here if if that's okay with with the planning board. >>

093Yeah, I think we uh we're understanding that it's a it's a much larger document. to the the the planning board, you know, we sent it to the planning board in advance so that they could they could look at it um and hopefully spend some some time with it reading um reading it. So, I guess we'll just open it up for general questions and discussion about the document, about the process, about what happens at town meeting even. Um it's the first time through one of these for for me um that I recall anyway. I I mean one thought I had that might be helpful. I I don't know as somebody who was on the committee I feel very aware of all the details but there are people in this room who were involved in the committee

094and I wonder if there might be some use to allow them to introduce themselves and maybe share something about the comprehensive plan one particular strategy or idea that they're specific specifically excited about for the community. And I thought that would be a good way to engage with those of you here who are not at this table but were part of the committee that could share something that we could all benefit from hearing that you you are particularly excited about that the public would be excited about just a thought as to how we might go about it. >> Yeah, I think that'd be really great because it uh for me personally and I yes I joined the committee for two meetings. I don't consider myself actually you know the big part of that but um I

095think uh it's it would be very difficult for me to say um no I don't like this document after 29 people of very desperate beliefs and backgrounds and interests worked on it for two years. So yes, there's going to be stuff in there that all of us, oh, I really like this part. I'm not so sure about this part. But that's that's just being that's just being a community. And so I think it'd be really interesting if if people are willing um that have spent this two years on the committee, some on this t, you know, at this table um can can share some of those specific thoughts out of this big document. I think that would be useful for those of us who who weren't in the weeds those two years. >> Yolanda, did

096you want to start? >> Sure. You were on the committee. >> Um, yeah. So, I I guess for me the the what I like about the document is that it does hit a lot of different aspects for the community. And yes, there were 29 of us around the table, but we all came representing various organizations and various committees in town. So, it's um we had people from open space, we had people from the senior center, we had people I mean every committee basically in town was represented. So, when they sat there at the table, yes, some of it was just them, but it was also the committees in back of them that they they were bringing ideas back to and and having a conversation with. And when we did the public forum, similar people came

097to it. Some of them supported or felt strong more strongly about certain core themes and certain strategies. But I think overall the document really does represent the community of Ashland and a lot of voices were heard to put that together. Uh we also have some people online. So if someone online wants to step up and say something or we have a number of members here who if they want to step up to give any feedback or Brandy so um Yolanda alluded to the 29 people and the representation um and we were led by two co-chairs that were amazing. So Roger Street go who's here with us tonight and Stacy Grant Lewis um who I don't know no Stacy's not on but um I just wanted to give a public thank you to Registry Registry and

098Stacy for um all the work that that went into to to basically hurting the cats of 29 people. Um you guys did a great job and we're we're very grateful for the work that you guys put into this. Um, and also as a thank you to um all the town staff that um spent a lot of their time. Um um everyone from um from Michael and um Beth Reynolds who's on online tonight, um Peter Machek, our former town planner who's no longer here. Um Sam Riley who um has been coming to our meetings as well. Um And I feel like I feel like this is a it's it's it's it's been a very big town project and a big focus for us for over two and a half years. We had um not only did

099we have representation from the boards and committees, but we also had precinct members um who were representing um portions of town to make sure that we had um all of Ashlin represented. And so um I too feel like we had really great representation and just um also just a shout out to all 29 members of the committee who did a lot of work um especially around the community engagement. So, we all really um it was really important to all of us that um that we talked to as many people in the community as possible and make sure that um we we were not trying to um create the Ashlin that we wanted. We wanted it to be a community document. So, um thank you to everyone who's put in a lot of time and effort

100over the last two plus years. And just uh as a as part of the thanks, I I will uh put out there both both Anna and Kate, who until recently was on the um planning board for being the probably the initial spark at this point that started uh this whole fire. I know when it originally started and was looking for volunteers, I took one big step back, you know, and while they were stepping forward, so um that started things and and and here we are. So, so thank you for that. Um, are there any other Okay, Chuck >> to have that on, huh? Um, Chuck Lids, 150 Oregon Road. Um I would like to uh repeat that how wonderful the uh two co-chairs were. They really did a spectacular job of keeping us focused. Um

101but you asked for something particular. What I particularly loved was the idea of expanding the upper Charles Trail to give um sort of tributaries to it from across the from major sections of the town. So that you know I'm a sustainability person. This um allows the idea of using bikes and using walking u to get around town to get from one part of town to the other without risking your life like I would if I try to get to the center of town now from where I live. It would I would probably die in the process because there's just a road. So anyway, I I do um repeat that I think this was a really good process. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Comprehensive plan people all talked out maybe after all this time. Kate

102>> Kate Jerzik. Um, I joined the comprehensive plan steering committee as planning board rep and I I'm really excited that we got to this point. I had no doubts. I think when we started there were people have doubts particularly the large committee that was developed and to me that was a great starting point to get the public. I know um we we exceeded our goal. I remember that I wanted to get the goal up. I think Goldson was a little when we had the goal of public participation points even exceeded what they normally do and we exceeded that which is great. So I'm super excited about the plan. I think um there are lots of great things. The particular thing um that I think was really telling was at the end when Yolanda stepped forward

103to make sure we had one last exposure to the public when it's in draft form and we saw people attending that hadn't participation points on other things and they left seeming pretty satisfied. The one voice I heard that Austin had already said was that sounds great. How are we going to make this happen? So, I do want to comment um the implementation I think is super important. I will honestly say I do not believe we hit every demographic in town and that's probably for lots of reasons, right? We all have to do better on rallying community engagement. But I do want to put out a challenge to the 29 people the boards here that on the implementation that if we didn't hear from those demographics we get them on implementation and we take that same

104that same look that the implementation is now um super important. So I I was a committee I ended up rejoining the committee as precinct for rep. I was super happy to vote for it. I hope that will be voted tonight. I uh town meeting hope it will get supported and um it's a great roadmap for the implementation. >> Great. Thanks Kate. >> We've got >> I was going to say there's folks in here too. I don't know how you want to do it but I don't know if >> people so I'm sorry I don't see the name this Tony >> Tony Lewis you can I don't know if they need to unmute or is everyone unmuted? I just want to say it was quite an experience these last few years. You know, been volunteering in

105the town and um I had a setback with the cancer, but that's in remission now. So that's why I lost my hair. But I just want to say we were very lucky getting these consultants, Austin and Jen and her staff and did a really great job and all the committee members did a super job and I think the money we spent on the consultants well worth it. If anybody questions why we did it, how much money we spent, it's well worth it. That's all I have to say. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tony, and hope you're well. Yeah. >> Yeah, thanks. Uh Rob, >> great. Thanks, Trisha. Um as someone who was somewhat involved in the beginning of all this but has been largely just a participant, the first thing I want to say is

106thank you all to the many people and the consultants for all the work you did. I was involved enough to understand the kind of effort uh that took place over the last few years and you know just thinking about how this all started you know going back Yolanda was leading I think what was it called the strategic planning effort uh that we weren't able to finish but then the ball got picked up by the planning board uh specifically uh Anna Tesmaniski who really made this a priority and actually uh got it going. So I want to give a nod to her for all that. Um and then all the other people that got involved um from the select board to the planning board and all the wonderful volunteers. So you all should take a bow

107at this. Uh one thing I just wanted to um you know in terms of what I like best about there's a couple things. Uh, one is as as Chuck was saying, the interconnectedness and the idea that we need to be more walkable or more bikable or somehow have a more uh quality environment people can get around and not just be bound by cars, I think, was one of one of the key things. Um, and that thinking about mass transit was also a great part of this. And I'm looking forward to as as I think people especially uh I think Yolanda was hitting on this as well is the challenge of the implementation after this. There's a lot of great things in this plan and I think you know the next challenge is you know what's

108how do we make this real? So again I just wanted to thank you all for all your efforts uh over the last few years. So anyway thanks >> thanks Rob and uh Leah. >> Hi thanks. Um, yeah, I am the precinct 2 rep for the uh comprehensive plan committee. And one of the things I really liked about this whole process was that it gave us an opportunity to evaluate all of the ideas that people who live in town and work in town are always talking about. Um, Ashlin residents have no problem sharing their ideas on social media. And whether you're, you know, at the corner spot or the farmers market or, you know, at Saturday morning soccer, people are always talking about why doesn't Ashlin do this? Why can't we do that? Why don't we

109have sidewalks here? Why is the Valentine estate not finished yet? Things like that. And it really gave us a chance to talk to residents about those things. and then as a group really evaluate these and talk to town leaders about it and figure out what makes sense um what should be a priority of ours and actually put it into a document that will guide us for the next you know 10 years or more and I think that's just a really wonderful thing to be able to do. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else in the room please? Hi, Robera Sulman, the Open Space and Recreation Committee representative to this group. I'm sorry I missed the presentation, but I was like Charlie on the MTA today with um all kinds of delays and broken down trains.

110So, I'm sorry that I missed it. I'm sure it was was a wonderful thing. Um I want to thank a couple of people and I just want to um say a word about the experience. Um, I want to thank the consultants, um, Jen and Austin, um, because I totally agree with Tony Lewis, that it was more than well worth, um, the the funding to bring them into into the group, and I don't think we really would have finished without them. Um, I don't think we would have had the expertise we needed to move ourselves along. So, thank you very much for your help. Um, I also want to thank um, Kate Jerzik and Anna Tesmanitzki for really um, sort of pushing this as a as a planning board priority so that after a lot of

111years without a comprehensive plan, we finally do have one and I think it's going to be a wonderful thing to guide the town and be be really important. Um, as a member of the committee, I just wanted to say it was two years of very hard work, but it also was enjoyable to work with some people that I would never have had the chance to work with before. So, um, that was a real positive for me. Um, and I want to thank Brandy for all the communications work she did and Yolanda for all of the facilitating work that she did for signing up to do the extra meetings at the end which were really important. And from here on in, um, we still need the public's participation. The implementation and their continued feedback and, um,

112ideas are going to be really important for us as we go forward and and refine and figure out what's working and what isn't. So, I think it's it's not the end, it's the beginning of a really exciting time, and I appreciate the chance to have been a part of it. Thank you. Hi, I'm David Ivancho. I was the representative for the third precinct. And when I started this, I was pretty new in town. I was maybe two years and now two years more, four four years in town. It was a great way to learn a lot about the town, all the various committees, all the people. um big committee but um I think for me the most interesting thing was sitting down with all the subject matter experts that we got to talk to during

113the middle of the process when we're talking about all the various strategies and getting feedback on them and one of the things I would hope that when we get into the implementation of this is that those people live here in town those are our experts that we bring them in and that you know they can be part of those successful strategies that we go forward with. So just making sure that you know we have the expertise here in town to get this to get this done. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else in the room or online? >> That is optional. >> Rajri Kosh um 11 Edward Drive. Um I echo everybody's sentiments especially members of uh the comprehensive plan. It was a large committee and um I just remember how we began with such a

114lot of contentious uh arguments and threats to resign and um lots of drama. It could be a well a well-written novella um and someday that has to be documented and made into a film because it'll make a good one. Um but um each and every member brought in so much talent and so much expertise um that that is reflected in the document that has been made. Um each one of us um deals with different constituents. Um we do meet people in in the community. We build community. But it was through the expertise of our consultant that we got these tools like a meeting in a box which I never knew something like that existed because I've been in programs, I've been in research um institutes. What we do is focus group discussions but this is

115called MIAB and we got to learn about it. Um so some of those tools are very useful and we will take them forward. I know we will give you the thanks. You have the patent rights to it, Jen and Austin. But um those are very useful key um tools to uh engage with the public. some of the strategy discussions or even the technical working sessions um we had expertise from within the community and I think some of them don't get um get named often but I hope that in some ways they are recognized and acknowledged because everybody's contributions came into what the document is um there are lots of photographs and there are no names of it I can mention a few of them but um each one of them contributed to um our engagement

116uh the massive engagement that we had. We exceeded our limits and I could never uh imagine that we would do that. So that's something I'm still dancing about um and and celebrating. Um so I'm looking forward to this plan moving forward and the implementation committee or coordination implementation coordination committee taking this forward um to the best and you know following through to the best of their abilities. I know several factors come into the being but then you know we're using this as um a flexible um living document and I think that's the best part um in how we're approaching this plan. Thank you. >> Thank you and thank you for your leadership on this. >> Oh sorry um Hassini. >> Hi Hassini ready. Um, I'm the high school representative and I just want to say

117that I really like like how the committee allowed for members to participate in like various and distinct ways like I was able to reach some uh residents and kids my age through social media. Um, and also I'm just really thankful that I got to see students participating in some of our like public outre outreach tactics like the surveys at Ashlin Day and the farmers market. Um, and essentially I'm just excited that I got to be a change maker in the future of this town that I'm gonna grow up in and educate students my age about how their future is going to look like 10 years. >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Trisha, could I just say something? >> Hassini designed our logo, the Envision Ashland logo, um, and was great with our social media. And

118so it was so good to have and she and honestly she um she was very vocal in our meetings which isn't the easiest thing to do in a group of 29 um 28 adults. Um and I'm and Hassini I just got to tell you um you're going to go far my friend. She's a graduating senior this year and I'm so proud of her and I'm so glad that she was a part of this and I'm so glad we got this done before you graduated. Thank you so much. >> Thanks, Hassini. >> Trisha, I think there there was Are we missing anybody? >> Carl, did you want to >> Looks like he has his hand up. Um, >> okay. >> And I was say Carl in this room also was a member. I don't know if

119he wants to say something. >> All right. Mark Done. >> Thank you. Mark Don 19 Main Street. I've been watching this at home where I am. And I I was debating do I want to come on or let everybody else speak or do I just want to sit down listen here I am. I would like to thank everybody on the board that is the comprehended plan steering committee. But I also want to give a special compliments and gratitude to Miss Jan Gman. We learn we have known we got to know each other and without without her I probably would have never stepped into the ring of the tech the tech strategies and the steering committee meetings and stuff like that. or come up in between different boards to say what I thought of this comp

120plan and what they're going to be doing to the town itself. Jen gave me that inner confidence to get up there and we we know each other. So, I'm saying thank you to to Jen. Now, I'm going to go and thank another person that's in with the select board with the who did the forums, Yolanda Greaves, who I I did use the forums to get my ideas across and get opinions. and she left me have the time of that most people would want to give me and was listening and and learning me to be a two-way street um person to understand what each of the goals were. So, I'm thanking her for letting me do that. And when every time I I did speak, I didn't have to give my name and address, which was

121an uncomfortable way of saying yes, Mark. Go ahead >> to the board itself as I sat in the steering committee meetings as a citizens participation. I still was drawn. I still was I I fell back a little bit when at one meeting they made a plaque for me as a citizen participator with my name on it. And that that show me that I I felt like they were comfortable with me being at home and understanding what everybody means. I'm I'm not a member, but as a citizen that's been going all these meetings and got a placard It made me speechless for a couple minutes, for a couple seconds until I got my breath and said, "Mark, just keep going." And then so I'm just thinking that and everything and um yeah um I'm looking at

122the the man down the uh with the wool hat on and and the little beard and the glasses. He had taken all my notes and all my personalities when I was sitting right behind her one meeting and we got along real well. So all this after two and a half years along with the committee Jen and you and all the people that were involved two years didn't seem it went that fast. It was very informal understanding and I felt I felt as as a citizen I can speak for the town but I'm hopeful that the town will understand what the work behind what they don't see will be good for the future of the people coming in. So I thank you for letting me speak and I'm just gonna stay on Zoom here just to

123listen. Thank you. >> Thanks Mark. >> I I wanted to briefly comment uh as a planning board member, as a committee member. Uh the other day I took a walk in Ashlin State Park and reflected with my mom about 1993 when we moved to Ashlin the first time and then I came back to Ashlin later after leaving. Um but we reflected on how much Ashlin looks a lot some things look just like they were when I moved here my uh for my junior year of high school in 1993. Um Ashlin State Park looks a lot the same, although it's harder to swim in it because of the water pollution, but looks very much the same. Um the town has certainly changed. Um it, you know, we commented on those things and I realized as I

124was walking around Ashlin State Park, um that as a child, I certainly would have never imagined that I would find myself here at this meeting about to vote for this thing together with the select board. and how special that is to be able to move to a town and then see it grow and be part of its vision. Um, so that's really thrilling for me and I feel a lot of love for the town of Ashland tonight. Um, so I want to say that and I will also say I was quite moved by Hassini's comment at the last comprehensive plan committee where she shared that the work of this committee really inspired her to go into public service and now she wants to study public service in college. Um, and so I think that's a

125reflection of all of the incredible work that we did. Um, people talk about the heating, the the heat, if you will, that we had in our group early on. Um, I think that was part of our magic. All of that conflict fed the right kind of decision-m and the right kind of energy. Um, and I take a lot of pride in the result and I have a lot of gratitude to the select board and the planning board and to Michael for working together very um, diligently despite some of our challenges early on and I think those challenges led to the consultant team that we have to the hard work of this committee um, and the temperament that we all brought to it together um, is going to make a massive difference in the community. Um,

126and then the last thing I'll say that I'm specifically excited about in the plan is the concept of the Clocker Express. The idea of um a transportation or um a bus service, if you will, that's geared towards Ashlin specifically to allow interconnection between all of the wonderful community spots that we have so that our high school kids can can take a bus to um the community center or to the new YMCA or whatever they want to go. Um, and so that was something that I'm especially excited about that I wanted to share. Thank you. >> All right, taking a Scott. >> Yeah, I I wasn't on anything. Um, so I didn't wasn't there for any of these meetings. I I I think all I did was fill out the survey that was anonymous and I

127sent that in. Um, so I'll be looking for that very specific note that I wrote. Um, but I I had some Sorry. I had a few questions and I didn't want to steal the floor from anybody who was talking about how awesome it was because you guys did so much work like thousands and thousands of hours. It's just amazing. Um, and I really hope that it can resonate to all of the people in town. I hope that they are able to consume this information. So, some of my questions are kind of about some of that information. Uh, you mentioned that there was over 3,000 points of reference that were talked about in there, but you didn't collect emails or names and stuff like that, which I totally get. Does that mean if I went if

128I did the survey and I went to one of the meetings, then I would have been two of those points of references. Okay, cool. Um, thank you. Um, it was mentioned I'm just going to kind of rapid fire through some questions. It was mentioned that there might have been some demographics that were u maybe missing, right, K. I think you kind of said it. Do you Does anybody feel like there was a demographic or two that was not um you know maybe not as as representative? I know we had one uh Ashlin High School student but I didn't know like kind of looking around. We're all over 35 probably. Um so maybe I don't know. Um don't want to say anybody's age but uh how was the 18 to 35? Was there other groups that

129were maybe missing or under representative that we thought like I mean I'm sure you hoped that everybody would have a chance and there was obviously plenty of opportunity to do it but did we miss anybody? Is there >> I don't know. We we didn't get nec necessarily specific names and emails, but we did get some demographic information and I think we did hit maybe not as much of the 18 to 35 as maybe the 35 to 60, but we I think we got a good number of that, right, Jensen Singh? >> I I think so too. I don't know. Austin, you don't have any of our data kind of at your fingertips at this moment, do you? I am my fingertips are working. >> Okay, because I don't want to misspeak. I haven't looked back

130at the data in a little while. >> What I can comment on is the the meetings in the box. We really made a strong effort to bring it into the community. Um I remember we went to um the um assisted living or elder community on 126. So we made a point of doing that physically going there which is so important because our elders can't always come to us. >> Um I think we also made a point to be aware of socio socioeconomic realities where not everyone has access to transportation or participation. Um I would say my impression of the public forums you know you could kind of go go into the community or the community can come to you. for those where the community came to us, I would say it was more middle upper

131class, more socioeconomically comfortable um versus going into the community where you can kind of choose to adopt to a wider economic spectrum. Um so, you know, that's the challenge in any public participation. Um so, as we implement, we're going to have to kind of remember not just to tell people to come to us, but actually go to the people. Yeah, they won't hear you. >> One of the challenges we've had is um um is accessing renters. Um so we've made many attempts to reach um the various apartment complexes and uh through the leasing offices and that could not be possible. So I would do the back routes. I would I would uh approach tenants individually and have them sign up through WhatsApp groups and that that's how we would reach them. But um if we

132were to do an entire tenant complex, it wasn't possible. So that's a demographic we missed out on and it needs to be taken into consideration going forward. >> Thank you. Um, this is kind of a I don't what how does this message get to the public? I know we have to vote and I know it's coming up at the um the Ashland meeting in a couple weeks, but it's a 47page PDF. I mean, how how um I'm not gonna lie, when I read it the first time, like thank you for showing how to read it today, that really helped because I um got lost and, you know, kind of It's it's there's a lot there. Um, and there's also a lot in pictures and there's a ton of pages. Is there like an easier or

133a trimmed down version of it or is everybody in town going to have access to the PDF? Like what's >> So, the good news is Yolanda did a series of public forums that were geared towards specific sections of the plan and those were public forums advertised so the community kind of got to see every section separated out. So, we did that. We made sure that that was really important to us prior to going to town meeting. Um, in addition, I believe Beth, who is online, she can comment, but she included the link to the plan on I believe some um >> town manager newsletter, etc. >> And it's sitting on the website. >> Exactly. So, there is a lot of um prior to this meeting, there was public release of the document. So, it's widely

134and readily available. I think Brandy and others had also done um tables at Ashland Day and various public events where the public is I think quite aware of these efforts. Um so I would say those are some of the ways that we're spreading the word document is large. That's not unusual for comprehensive plans. Part of the importance of our work, planning board, select board, is to now create an implementation committee that would then in theory get feedback from the committee and start implementing all these points and again that would have a public process in theory. Uh if I could just jump in, um I sort of had a similar reaction when I saw it. It's it's it's big and as it would be expected to be so in that and one thing I thought about

135was perhaps one way to approach um it would be to instead of just as a PDF or a 47page document would be to set it up on a web page um with the different themes in that hyperl right so that a person could go in and kind of jump around um so they could understand specifically this piece that they were interested in at that given time. Um, and then Scott, were you done? Did you have more questions? >> No, no, that was just kind of around it. I just want to make sure that >> people like when you when they showed that Excel sheet that's going to be out there and like the different projects to me like I would have just loved to have seen that and like and maybe not the whole PDF

136because >> yeah, >> I understand your vision. I just want to see what the actions are. Um, so that that was my internal thought. Yeah, I I just wanted to um just say that thank you to everybody. My personal thanks. I was just a couple of data points in in this as as you were Scott and um so I really appreciated all the work. And you know, one of the things when I was reviewing it um that struck me that not only is it a road map, but it's also like a a snapshot of who we are today. Um which was very powerful to think about. Um and and that sometimes before you can go forward, you really have to stop and think about, you know, who you are now and maybe who you've been.

137Um and that that too takes a lot of courage that um and some of the struggles and challenges and and I know we we heard some of the stories early on. Um and and those those are important and um and especially I think in the world we live today um that we can come together and bring all those different ideas and thoughts and approaches to things together and work through it. I mean how powerful that is. And you know it's an experience that and we seem to be losing a little bit in our world. So, um I I was just really really am so proud of every all the work that you've all done. Um and then, you know, finally, I think in terms of one of the things that I really um appreciated and

138and and love to think about in terms of this community is the diversity that exists here and um that how powerful that is and and um that sometimes It's so easy to not value it and not to be excited about and see how rich it makes us all. Um, and I actually have grandchildren in this community now who are sixth generation Ashlanders and um, and now when I hear them talk about their friends at school and, you know, they're very different than I I didn't grow up here, but my husband did. And so um, that's how they get to be sixth generation, not from me. Um and so so it's a very different world than what he talks about when he you go through town with him. You're like, "Yeah, I know it was a

139Kyle farm." And um so >> don't make fun of me. >> But it it's just I really value when I hear them talk about their who their friends are and the experiences that they're getting about the world from living in this community. So, uh, again, I just really want to say thank you to everyone for your work and, um, and I I'm interested in too in in thinking about how we can do a better job and continue to do a great job of reaching um, the broader community as much as as we can. So, thank you all. >> All right. Thanks everyone. Um, >> I I just have one quick comment if you don't mind, Madam Chair. Uh being a lifelong resident here, I uh I've definitely seen changes over over over the last 70

140years. Um and a lot of them have been good. Some I would like to see have stayed the same, but that's progress and that's what we have to be concerned about. Uh but a steady and great growth progress. That's something that's going to hinder us over the years and I see that happening. I want to thank you all for all the hard work that you've all done. Um, I wasn't on the committee. I was on the charter review committee. That was a five-year process and and so I can appreciate what you've all gone through. My concern right now is the implementation of this project so that it becomes a functional living program. And that's something that collects dust on the shelf because in years past that's what some of these projects have ended up becoming.

141So we're all happy about this or and we're all ready to go. But I think the the work ahead of you right now is one the implementation and keeping it in everyone's in the forefront of all the things that we need to do and use it as a guideline and not forget about it. Uh that to me is going to be the big challenge is not forgetting about what this project is all about and how we can use it daytoday to keep us on on the path that we want to see Ashland grow on. So but I just want to thank everybody for the effort. I know Roberta, she was that chair for the 5-year charter review plan and and I'm sure she you know lost a lot of sleep over that over the five

142years. So, thank you all who participated and worked that worked your butts off to get this this done and it's a collective group. Uh, you represented the town well and and and I am and I'm very happy that I've read it twice. U, Scott, I have to agree with you. It was a little confusing at times and trying to pick out things that I wanted to see, but they were there, but I had to look for them. But if we had like an outline or or whatever and like maybe an index to some of the things, maybe that would have been a a nice thing to look for as to to make it a little bit easier in reading. But be it as it may, first time around, it's not going to be perfect the

143first time. So, you know, that's why they have readings, first, second, and third readings and bills, so that way you can tweak it every time. So, >> we'll do a midnight reading of the comprehensive plan anytime. >> Well, well, yeah. I don't sleep well so I you know that that helped. >> I got you. Call me and >> but thank you all. Appreciate all your efforts. >> Thanks Joe. And I I think the implementation part um you know as this process started with the planning board and the select board the implementation part goes right back to the planning board and the select board. So, it's really up to us to make sure that this uh implementation committee gets formed and that it it is consistent and that um and that we are really working collaboratively

144with with that group um both our boards to um like you said to make this a a really a living document. So, um um I'd also like to to thank uh um Jen Goldstein and her team. Um Goldson, sorry, that's getting late. Um is there any other uh is it was anyone else waiting to the last minute to speak? So, otherwise, I think we're wrapping up at this time. So, Yolanda, we we need a vote. >> We need a motion. >> So, if you'd like, I can make the motion. I move that we support the Oh, hold on. Austin had a comment. >> Oh, okay. Austin, >> thank you. There. I am glad that I caught you right now. Um there's one small wording change that has not yet been reflected in the comprehensive plan.

145It's to the um dedication letter at the beginning. And the reason that it's not reflected in the draft that was sent out is because we got it after I sent it to you. So, it's very recent within the past week. Um, but it's the addition of two sentences and I can read them out right now. Um, for the record. >> So, after the third paragraph of the dedication letter, um, a new paragraph of two sentences will be added. One of Ashland's greatest challenges is balancing how to retain its small town feel while dealing with unavoidable and, as many residents that participated in the process strongly stated, unwanted development. The committee had thoughtful, deep, and difficult discussions on the issue and recommended strategies that will help create an equitable balance. >> So, that that's the addition.

146I just wanted to make sure that was stated so you can um include that for your vote. >> And I and I also just wanted to note because I think I sent this into >> I don't know, but you had sent it to me, but I had sent it to Austin before regarding the two vacant slots, the word vacant twice under planning board. Austin Did those get removed? >> Well, and I it depending on this this is just the the listing of planning board members at the beginning >> and we had there were two vacant slots and I didn't know as um Scott was on there but Paul Montcino is our new member. He will be voting on this this evening. So I assume his name is as entered so that we have a fivep

147person active planning board on that list. Mhm. >> Um and then the other vacant slot can be taken off because we do not have an associate member at this time. >> Right. >> So does that I assume there's more logistics than >> Yeah, I think I mean I think we can vote the plan and then make sure those those final finalization finalization. >> My only uncertainty and I commented on this over email was whether it's supposed to reflect the planning board at the time of the comprehensive plan work or the planning board as it votes. That was not clear to me. My understanding was cuz there was um a couple of people who were on it when the plan started and then others now now there are other people on. I think to Trisha's point

148whoever is voting on it should be there as well but also people who were there before who have now stepped off. >> That's what I mean. I think we should include Kate on it. >> Kate should be listed as a former board member. >> Um Amanda Hayes as an associate member when it started. Um >> so >> makes sense. Essentially, we're including everyone who was and everyone who is. >> Yes. Is on board. >> So, >> okay. >> I move. >> Sorry. Is it possible to have what you just added put up on the screen? Because does it really say unwanted development on there? >> Yes, >> that's actually what it says because that's how we discussed it because we got a lot of public comment not wanting development in Ashland. Yeah, I'd just like

149to see the whole thing >> and uh part of the discussion at the comprehensive plan committee was to make that very blatantly direct that we considered it and we found balance or attempted balance. >> Is that something you can bring up, Austin? >> It's two sentences added to the opening letter. It does not change any of the strategies or any of the goals or >> well I but I don't know there there does seem to be a lot of small town feel small town feel small town feel in there which does >> kind of emphasize that there's not a lot of development in there so like I just wanted to make sure I understood what it >> that's on the screen now >> those are the two extra sentences right >> not the whole the

150unavoidable earlier. >> I think the problem with the word unwanted development is that it doesn't explain why something's not wanted, right? I think that it's sort of a it's kind of harsh >> but at the same time >> is it is there >> I mean I'll be direct we had public meetings where people said no more so I think it's pretty clear and and we got that a lot >> right I I understand I understand but obviously there are a variety of um opinions and um >> which is why we had a committee balance it out we definitely talked to the committ wasn't wasn't discussed in the last meeting I was at it. >> Yeah, I mean this is the first I'm seeing this final two sentences. >> So it wasn't in front of the

151committee. It was not discuss but the I mean but this was this I mean a lot of the discussion and not just amongst the committee to Anna's point when you went out into the community and even now right as we're dealing with some of these projects that are coming before us it's not wanted and it's not that it's um you know it's not a not my backyard it's that they are the fear of that it is changing the small town fear feel of the community. I wonder if it can just be softened a bit by putting um and just to to satisfy every um both parties is before unwanted to say sometimes or often um >> how about concerns about developments? concerns about uncontrolled or >> so I want to be clear that the entire

152plan is quite vigorous in its balance between development, open space, community connection and I do remember the conversation at the comprehensive plan committee about this concept as recognizing one of the biggest challenges we had that we kept arguing about for two years consistently. I for one think these sentences really capture the most difficult issue that we had to confront for two years and softening it is going to soften all of those difficult conversations to something that never happened and it did. This is exactly what happened. This is what we had to confront. >> So Austin, I'm When did you get these sentences? And I'm surprised we didn't get anything like I'm looking for my email to see >> cuz this wasn't what we voted on. >> This is right. That's the other thing is we

153didn't vote these. >> Yes. Yeah. Um to >> I think Michael told you to write it, right? >> Yeah. I believe I recall the committee discussing um so um Roberta had volunteered to do some >> word smithing. Yeah. So, Yolanda suggested some of the language um to work with Michael on a revision to this. Um I believe that conversation was held before the vote that the committee took on the plan itself. >> Suggested it because I wasn't there before the vote. >> So, I I just could just want to explain what what happened. We had many many many conversations um about this balance and the need to balance small town town feel and we heard it many many many times in the survey in the meetings in a box in the public forums and everything

154and when we were talking at our last meeting um I brought it up again because we had talked about it in September. I think the meeting you were at, Trisha, it had come up then and we had had a big discussion about it and I just said that I felt like we would be doing a disservice to the public and the public input when they felt so strongly about this for us to just not even mention it and that we had to at least put it out there that we heard them, that we understood their concern, and that we did our best to balance it. So, it was Michael's letter, you know, the the dedication letter. And at the last meeting, he asked me if I would be willing to give a a go at

155writing something that would capture what I had said at the meeting. And I said that I would. And I wrote something and I sent it to him and I sent it to Jen and I think I sent it to Austin. And the part that says um the words that participated in the process were added by Michael. He edited that and he added that piece and he was fine with it um for his letter and we were not meeting again and so I couldn't circulate. It would be a violation of open meeting law for me to be sending something like that out and we weren't meeting again. We had our final meeting. So, um, it seemed like the committee gave Michael permission to give me permission to draft something and send it to him and he

156okayed it, made a couple of edits and that's why it is not in the version that you guys have seen because it happened after the fact >> and I think I thank you for for drafting it. I remember the conversation we had. Um, I think the issue that that we're all feeling or I'm sure, let me put it this way, what I'm feeling is the unwanted development is a little I I think it's I it you know, and I and I can I'm I'm fine with the rest of that sentence and if we can just soften unwanted development to say concerns around development >> or unplanned development maybe Uh I would just say concerns because it's because we say while dealing with unavoidable and as many residents that participated in the process strongly stated concerns

157about development that's people are concerned. >> Would that become too generic if you put that way? Because we are very specifically >> indirectly addressing or attempting to address one particular development in the community. Right. So I don't know if say concerns of development it becomes like overall >> I I I genuinely think people came in and there were lots of people saying they don't want it and what we as a committee did is we recognized and we discussed it and we found we basically discussed that some of some development is unavoidable. We wanted to plan better for it. We wanted to create livable communities that and if development happens we wanted to work better. And that second sentence se tells that story. That first sentence and the words unwanted don't somehow get rid of all

158of our balancing all of our equitable work. It's just a recognition that for whatever reason the people of Ashland gave us a lot of that feedback and we can't just ignore it. We listened. We heard it and we attempted to create a community where development happens in a thoughtful livable way. What if out of what if we just remove the word unwanted right to that in that sentence because if you take away because if you think about it small town field while dealing with unavoidable if you take out and as many residents are part you know if you take out that middle section unavoidable development right the second part of that sentence >> is It has a term it's been a while since I've done my right but just take out if you if you

159keep you know to just take out the word unwanted it still talks to the word development and brings in that information >> the message >> and I think it's still I and and I and I guess that the thing you know it's sort of good we're we're hearing this conversation now now at town meeting will people pick up on that word on that sent in that in that letter on that sentence. I don't know. But if we have some members of the board that are sitting here who were not part of the particip not part of the full comprehensive plan process are feeling a little prickly about that then it might be something to >> I can't I can't uh see the screen and who's uh here right now but um Michael Herbert was letting

160me know that he he should probably say a word about this. So he's out there somewhere in cyerspace. I don't know. Uh, Michael. Uh, there you are. Okay. >> Good thing we have various forms of technology. Go ahead, Michael. >> Thanks, Trisha. And, uh, we thought we were going to get through this one with without me coming in, but uh, no, just I was watching from afar and Ashley was just typing a note to the committee, but, you know, given the the subject of the discussion, I I figured I should probably chime in. I I think there's two key points that led to me feeling comfortable having this in here. Um and uh the first one is that u I do feel is extremely accurate that the people that we heard from through this process

161did say um you know that they did not want development. Now I think there's various reasons for that. Um I'm not sure everybody you know knows exactly you know kind of some of the technical aspects of what goes into that etc etc but this is how they feel and I think that is that was that is accurate. Second u and the reason I felt comfortable putting this in here is I do believe that we discussed this at the last meeting um including specifically that word unwanted. I remember feeling a little prickly about it. Um, you know, maybe everybody did not hear the same thing that I did. Uh, that's certainly possible in a large group of 29. Um, I also was on on Zoom. Uh, but I do feel like that that was stated and

162there were if there was not an official vote, there was some significant head nodding um, which then led to me asking if Robera would go ahead and craft it. Robera gave a pretty accurate uh summary of, you know, basically the sequence of that of those events. So, um I I just thought it was important to kind of add kind of why I felt it was comfortable in including it in this letter. >> And I'll say Michael and I agree rarely and I 100% agree with him, which is an important way to maybe end my last comment for the night before we vote. Do you I'm just asking for the people who think this this is important to be in there. What was the feeling of it before those two sentences and what like why was

163it so important? The end the end point of the whole document is the vision, right? What what's the importance? Did you just want to make sure you acknowledge that people felt that way? >> Yes. >> Are there other points in there that you acknowledge the way people felt about different things? So it was such a repeated theme in our conversations. Like if you had to sort of pick a theme for two years that we kept coming back to over and over again, this was one of them in my mind. So and I think that was the feeling Robera had expressed at the meeting. Whether you agree with the policy or the politics of it, the great majority of the Ashlin community who participated in our meetings kept coming back to this in different ways. So

164our comprehensive plan is a way to allow our community to grow for our diversity, for our economics while recognizing those concerns and finding balance. And that's really what we're trying to say in these two sentences. It's a way to say, "Hey, we heard you. We We heard this theme and we did our freaking best." So, I I don't look at that sentence as some sort of policy decision. We're not saying no more development. What we're doing is we're creating a livable document for the future where we're hearing this concern and and yet here we are developing and growing and how are we going to do that in a livable way? So, I think the prickly sense of this sentence is really mitigated and addressed fully by a two-year process and by the rest of this

165document. I I personally think the sentence is exactly what we need to do so that the public feels heard. I mean, if there's real discomfort with it, >> um, >> well, like, is it is it all is it one piece of development that most people were complaining about? Was it all development that people were complaining about? Like, if I was an outsider reading this and I saw that, I would say the town of Ashland doesn't want me developing in this town, right? And that's not I and I don't think that's the message you want to get out there. >> And I don't know if that's the feeling that the town of Ashlin feels. Sure. >> That's why I'm wondering if is is this like one project that everybody really dislikes >> or is it two

166projects that everybody really disliked or is it a classification of BS that the whole town doesn't like? Like >> so I think the way it reads is exactly how it was heard which is we're growing too fast. There's too much development period. No more development. I I think that's what the what I think um maybe what Scott is saying I'm not trying to put words in his mouth that but that um if we got more specific about it >> there's probably a lot of those same people we're okay with the school which is development >> and and which we're and we're okay with the public safety building which is development >> okay with the YMCA which is development and so and so it does kind of put a very very heavy blanket statement. Which is

167why I'm wondering if just a one-word softening such as often, like often unwanted, leaves a little glimmer in there that hey, there's some things that a lot of people who would vote down every 40b but would still want the YMCA, you know, to allow that little bit of flexibility in there. Um, and >> how about off and welcome? that that could be too. I think it's softening it further, which may not be um >> I think the word often is sufficient to soften without changing unwanted. I I will tell you if you read the entire document, which is 47 pages, I I don't think there's going to be a developer out there who's going to read that one sentence and say, "Oh, Ashlin doesn't want my my money." Um I really don't think so. I

168think the entire 47 pages is full of thoughtful, livable development that is strategic and thoughtful. >> This is this is the opening >> in light of how aggressively we're developing. I don't think you have to worry about that. C >> could I just intervene with with a quick question with respect to this is a dedication statement which has nothing to do with the actions of the plan itself. Is that would that would that be a fair assessment? >> Yes. >> So the concerns that you all received from the residents themselves, which is what you were saying, Anna, is that these are the sentiments you heard from the residents of Ashland, not ne necessarily mean it's every resident from Ashland, but the residents who took the time to participate in the conversations that you all had.

169Those are the feelings that you had. How does that affect the implementation of this plan heading going forward? I don't think it does. >> I don't think it does either. I think the whole plan has strategies that the implementation committee is going to work with. I'm confident in the implementation process the same themes will arise because that's what our community is experiencing. Um, this sentence is simply a way to recognize that this is a tension point in our community that seem to be coming up in every not every but the majority of >> the majority and right now unfortunately because of the uh the environment that we're in currently that's this is in the forefront. >> But to be clear, the comprehensive plan does not say no development. The comprehensive plan does not change zoning

170to to stop development. The comprehensive plan, in my opinion, creates livable, strategic, thoughtful growth and development in parts of our community while preserving open space and a community feel to the best of our ability as a committee, which is exactly what those two sentences say. Okay. I think Michael is off his hand is off the screen so I I can never see him. But I I do so I'll let him speak in a minute, but I do want to make sure that we can you know I would like to know if there there there is no it sounds like Anna to you there is no compromise. There is no >> the word often is fine with me. If there's strong feeling uh in the room that we need to soften it I think often is

171as soft as we need to go. I still don't think it's necessary at all and I don't think developers are going to be like, "Oh, good. Often is there." >> I really think we're overthinking this, >> Michael. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm happy to I think revise my letter to reflect often unwanted. I I think I understand everybody's points. Um, you know, like I said, I do think what is originally stated in there is does capture what we did hear from people who did participate, but um it it is strong and I think often is a nice way to soften it without necessarily losing the color associated with it. >> Roberta, is that those are is that often. Okay. >> Acceptable. >> Thank you for asking. >> Okay. If >> anyone else out there

172on the comprehensive plan that want to put in their two cents. >> I just have one question. So, I mean, I'm looking at the full So, are you shortening the letter or is it being adjusted how it fits on the page or you're just adding these or because it's pretty it's a pretty long letter to begin with, right? >> It's one of mine, Yolanda. Of course. No, >> I'm just wondering how it fits on the page. That's all >> that page I'll say on the comprehensive plan has a big image and I can just slide the image over a little bit to make room. So, whatever um the final draft is will fit with the design. >> Chuck has come to the podium in the room. I just wanted to say that um you know

173I I'm not of the view that we should stop development. I think it's absolutely nuts raider, but that's what we heard. We heard small town feel all the time, you know, and to sort, you know, the in your future decisions, you can say, well, that's not realistic. That's what I would do if I were in your shoes. But, um, that is what we heard, you know. So, you if you're going to if you want to um decide that this is not part of the comprehensive plan that you want to implement and I wouldn't if I were in your shoes but it that's what we heard and that's there's a strong feeling out there that there's too much change >> if maybe instead of um often sometimes unwanted. I mean, would that be better? >> That's

174too soft. >> Typically unwanted. >> I think often is good enough. Can we just land on often? >> Sorry, I just had one more comment. I mean, I'm not a developer, but I sometimes work with them in my day job and I feel they would want transparency in this case where they would want to know what the actual vibes were in this town because if they don't have the stomach for it, then they shouldn't start a project here. Um, and you know, and I think if we try to misrepresent ourselves and what our actual attitudes are, that's probably going to cause more problems than it solves. Um, I mean, I agree with Chuck. I think we should probably keep developing, but that wasn't the sentiment that we heard. So, anyways, that's just >> right. But

175I I'm just trying to get the clarity on this. Like I don't think am I guessing and I don't know. No, I wasn't at all these meetings and I'm asking you like when they come in and say small town feel and no development, they didn't mean the YMCA. Am I correct? >> They want the YMCA. >> Can we wait until the YMCA is built large housing development, right? >> So there's a specific specific types of development, right? >> But that's what's happening though up to now. The YMCA is not here yet. So >> yeah, but these here but they're they're definitely here. They were they the state approved them >> and there's gonna be more there's going to be more single home development but no one is complaining about those. >> So I mean it's

176definitely specific. >> I don't think I don't think we're confused as to what that word means. I really don't I don't I don't think I don't think the public in reading that sentence is confused. >> It's it's it's >> it's a reflection of the current development of Ashland. Right now, we know exactly what the town of Ashland public when they talk about what concerns them about development and growth here. We know what it means. I know what it means. It means all of those apartment buildings coming in. >> Let's I don't think we need to define it. >> Let's work on a solution then though instead of what about what about the word largely unwanted? Does that even closer to the point? >> I think if you're just trying to say it's unplanned, right? this

17740 bees that we're talking about unplanned development is going to be a planned development. So I don't know if that that unwanted feels really weird if I just like Scott if I'm coming new to the town and reading this it would just put a lot of questions in my head is like what is this town trying to tell me? I don't know the history of the community. I don't know the history of the survey. What is that unwanted development really mean? It can mean so many things to so many different people. >> But if you read the comprehensive plan, it gives you a really good sense of what Ashland is, our history. >> You just said that the first page is not going to get somebody developer from stopping to look at the comprehensive plan.

178So it's I don't know if that is true. It is an opening letter. Um you want to acknowledge the community's feeling in that letter is what we're trying to do. if that's what it is. I don't know if that is the agenda of that letter. Um or is it a cover letter for your comprehensive plan? >> I mean, Michael can speak to the letter since it's his letter. >> Yeah, I mean it is um it is drafted by me. I tried to speak on behalf of the comprehensive plan committee. Um I didn't think it should be just like my my thoughts reflected there. Um, I do I do just want to cast a little bit of perspective on this. Um, and it while yes, it is it could be maybe the first thing that you

179read, it might also be the first thing you skip over. Um, and I think if you do look throughout the plan, you will see that regardless of what residents want because of some of the mandates that we're facing from the state and and I'm just I'm not talking politics here. I'm just talking about what the reality is is that we have zoning in place that allows for multif family development. Um, and that's called the MBTA zoning. and uh also some of our other zoning allows for that. So, you know, using my experience and education, um you know, I've been doing this for a while now, and I can tell you that developers what they the first thing that they go to usually is the zoning code, uh to see whether or not um a u

180a development would be, you know, welcomed or even allowed. Um, now if they, you know, look at our zoning code and then read the letter, are they going to see some level of inconsistency? Maybe. And they will probably explore that a little bit. Um, but I don't think it's going to have an unnecessarily chilling effect um on potential development. >> All right. I think um I understand um I understand Scott's concern and um and I also think sometimes and and I know and I understand where the statement definitely is coming from. I think the statement isn't quite as nuanced um as as I would like, but I'm sure the people coming into the meetings were not very nuanced either in some cases. And um for my part and obviously I am just one vote is

181of 10 but I am going to go with the work of the 29 people that sat on the committee for two years and listen to the people that that came in and if that has some cooling effect then then it does. Um but um I I agree that the rest of the document which I have also read in in its entirety um does lay out um many pathways of for planned thoughtful development. So >> great. So >> I would like to see the word often put in there in front of the unwanted. I think just to soften it a little bit. Yes, we heard from a lot of the community we you know we don't want this you know but it's also I think in reality we have to >> I think we're all for

182often >> okay I thought we were clear like six minutes ago >> I just >> often is in Robera liked it Michael liked it >> Robera still there >> oh she moved seats okay sorry >> um >> okay >> I move that we support the envision Ashlin plan with the additional two sentences. Um, unfortunately added very late in the discussion. I wish they had been done first in the discussion. Um, but I move that we present the approve the Envision Ashlin plan and bring it forward to town meeting. >> I'll second that. >> And that's with the word offen. >> Yep. >> Okay. And I guess I'll take a roll call vote of the planning board first. I >> Anna Tesmanitzky I. Scott Elier. >> Paulino. I >> Andrica Kendall. I >> select Wood. >>

183Reeves. I >> Hson. I >> Keegan. I >> Bennett. I >> Thank you all. >> 5. >> All right. >> Could I just say could I just since I did get on here um could I just say one one last thing? >> Go ahead, Michael. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. I know it's late. Um I am I'm just I'm going to repeat a lot of what was said, but I am so proud of um of this group and uh what we did. um what the resilience that we showed um the thoughtfulness um and I fought and made up probably you know 50 times throughout the course of this process. Um I did not think I would feel as good as I do about this plan. I mean, there was tension all the way

184up until the vote was taken at the steering committee meeting. And when it happened, everybody had the same feeling, which is like, wow, we did it. Um, and we did. It was not easy. This was hard work. This was really, really hard work. Um and uh everybody played a significant role in getting this old over the gold line. Um and and I do want to highlight our chairs um and also our consultants. Um Jen and Austin, I I think you two were amazing. I agree with everybody, everybody that was said you well worth everything. And um Austin, you know, I really have to speak to you and just you you kind of got jumped put in like right in the middle. And you know, Jen, kudos to you for having the faith and trust in

185him for doing this cuz Austin, you did a remarkable job. You really did. Um if we had more time, I'd love to ask you just to reflect on what you learned from the experience, but it is getting late. And then uh I am happy for everybody, but um Kate, Nana, I I I applaud you and appreciate you you bringing this forward. Um Yolanda, I'm really happy for you. Um I know there was a sense of unfinished business before and um I I I have a sense I can't see you right now, but uh like I said, I feel really happy for you. Um so yeah, congratulations everybody. Congratulations. >> All right. Thank you. And I guess on that note, we've already taken a vote. We are going to town meeting. >> Do you want to

186release your board? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> In favor? >> I. >> Let's do the same thing. Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Is there a second? >> All those in favor? I. >> I. All right. Thanks everybody.