001has to talk a little bit. I forgot to start recording. Start again. For the for the minutes, you guys open the meeting and introduced yourselves. Open the meeting at 7:24. All right. Yeah. So, um, uh, so just to add to that a little bit and and especially for our new members as well, um, I'm originally from Iowa, Iowa, came out here for graduate school, um, probably like many people when they come to Boston, kind of fell in love with it and stayed. Um, I did have one stint, um, for about three years in Louisiana where I was teaching at Louisiana State University, teaching architecture. Um and then uh while I was there um actually had had come back up for the summer, met my my future husband and so um ended up coming back here
002and um uh and and settling in Ashland and staying. So um I have a junior in high school and a freshman in high school. So kind of in that starting that council college thing. I the husband's on the school committee so I I think we're we're good with the school involvement maybe. So um but uh yeah and I have my own practice walking distance from here. I do mostly single family homes. Um a lot of that is additions. So um though I'm very versed in architecture in general, the big projects are not what I do on a daily basis. So it's always a still a little bit of a learning curve for me as well. So, all right, let's go online. Deepa, do you want to go? Do you have a Are you able Deepa?
003I know your allergy. Um, hi. Um, sorry I couldn't be in person. I have crazy allergies going on. Um, I have been on the planning board for over four and a half years now. My training is in architecture and interior design. Um I have worked on quite a gamut of projects as a designer. Um currently I've been focusing on my work side on lot of libraries, lot of municipality buildings. So a lot of libraries in town. Um police stations and so on so forth. Um but yeah, I've been on this boat for over four and a half years now. Thank you. I know your voice is uh limited. Camila, hello everybody. As you can tell, I'm in a weird room. It's a hotel room. I haven't figured out the the lighting, but um I'm Camilia.
004I'm as said, I'm originally from Colombia, but I've been living in Ashland for the past six years now. Um before that in in Newton and then before that New York and then Miami where I'm from. My background is in architecture but I am uh my masters is in city planning. I'm the deputy director of the department of planning and development in the city of l and I just started being part of the planning board here. This is my actual first official meeting. I got sworn in last week. So, if there were any decisions to be made today, I would be able to vote. So, I'm excited to be here and I'm excited that we have a planning director now. Um, so strengthening the the the knowledge is is great for the town. So, welcome and
005and and and thank you all for having me here. Hey, and Camille, C, could you just explain just a little bit of what you do in your role for for LOL? I mean, they they obviously are a much bigger uh town city than we are. So, and have a bunch do what do you do there exactly? Sure. Um, our department has changed. One second. Sure. Can you all still hear me? We just we just got it back. So, we didn't hear anything that you said though. No, I hadn't said anything. Um Um, so I um the planning department in LOL has several subdivisions. Uh we have development services where are the people who do uh zoning and uh permitting and inspections and um we also have transportation uh division, community development, project management, economic development,
006um housing and um budgeting. I manage that side of things. So I manage housing, transportation, community development, economic development um and the um and the project management team along with the with the budgeting. So my my official job is uh running the department. So I help make sure or I make sure that everybody's got the tools to do their job. I attend uh city council meetings uh often. Um uh I oversee the budget of the department and oversee uh the grants that that we have and making sure that everything's aligned. We just finished our uh we just got the the the the annual budget voting uh last Tuesday and it got approved by the council. And then my so basically my boss helps the city manager run the city through the department. I help my
007boss run the department and that is my day-to-day. I I I have one ones with the leaders of each of the divisions. I oversee the budget and and every now and then I have projects of my own that I also have to oversee. Um so that's in a nutshell what what I do for for a living. Great. Thank you. Can can I ask Camilo can you um remind us I don't know if this has come up might have come up in my conversation with you working on comprehensive plans either at low or other places. Yes. So prior to working for the city of L which is my first public job I worked as a planner on the private sector and I worked with a couple of communities um and I worked on on the master
008plan for situ that was about a year-long process with the community. So we were the consultants writing the master plan with them and um you know having conversations with the steering committee with their with their board of select people. Um and then recently we just finished the master plan for the city of law where I managed the consultant that was helping us which is the same consultant that did the master plan for Boston. Uh that process was slightly longer about 18 months and it got approved by the board by the planning board in August last year. um we passed we put it in front of the council out of courtesy because they don't really officially have to vote for it but uh we just wanted to make sure that everybody knew what we were trying
009to do. Um and so as a consultant my job was you know drafting the planning uh uh facilitating community engagement um events doing obviously the research uh and presenting to the count to the uh select board in the city of law. I was more on the client side uh overseeing the writing process and managing the the steering committee which was made up of about 40 people. We ended up with 40 people as part of the steering committee that on top of the the community engagement events um and then presenting to uh the city council. And so right now uh I'm more seeing the process of implementation. We're in the heavy implementation stage. We originally wanted a master plan that was heavy on research, heavy on community engagement, but also heavy on on how we would
010actually do things and not just aspirational. And that's where we are right now. We're just starting to even understand how we track that process. So, we're doing things, right? Every every day we're doing something and uh part of the process um entails making sure that every motion response for every department uh ties itself to a goal in the master plan. That's a way to make sure that people know that it's a valid master plan and that we are actually working on it. The other part of the exercise is how do we visually show that we actually making progress and we are in that um we are in that stage right now. We haven't we haven't fully figured that out yet. We're still working on it. Great. Great. Thank you. Yeah. Um you know we I
011think I I think I mentioned this at um maybe the last meeting but we have one more seat to fill for our team here and that's our associate seat. Um that's a person that comes into the three-year seat. It's a joint appointment between the planning board and the select board I believe right I think I think that's a joint appointment and um and that person um fills in public hearing on a public hearing whenever one of us needs to recuse oursel which has happened in the past um and we we have um otherwise treated that person as as kind of a full member as far as like letting them have a voice they just don't they just don't get a vote um on and anything except a special permit in which they are filling in.
012But we'll be looking now to start um to to start filling in that position as well. And I just have to say I'm just really excited about about the board that um that we have and uh the people that have come in and the new voices and um um it it's been a little stressful over the past several months, but I'm I'm I'm really excited going forward um with the team that we can that we can build here. So So thanks everybody. And then um Jasmine, why don't you uh give your little intro? Sure. So thank you very much for having me. Um, I'm Jasmine Foninaci. I'm originally from New Bedford, Massachusetts. I lived there most of my childhood. I've moved 32 times. I'm not exaggerating. It's a real number. Um, I have three kids.
013They are 19, 15, and my son will be 13 at the end of the month. Uh, two girls and a boy. And I kind of fell into planning and fell in love with it. So, I had gotten my first degree in early childhood education. I'd known that I loved working with children. I had always loved working with children and I had gotten wonderful opportunities in early childhood classrooms. I had wonderful director. I went to Old Rochester Regional High School and they actually have an early childhood program there that begins you on the journey. So I went on to get I went to Bay State in Boston. I got my degree in early childhood and by the time I had my second child I won the money was obviously not sufficient for raising children unfortunately. So
014even though I loved doing what I did, I had to make other decisions to support my family. So I started working for a civil engineering firm uh called GAF in Wearham and I worked there for a few years as the admin before I got an opportunity to work at the town of Weham as the um assistant planner. It started off as just an admin role and turned into assistant planner and there I worked under my director Ken Buckland who I still am very close with to this day. dude's still considering my mentor and I fell in love with planning and within the first three months of him meeting me he said have you ever thought about being a planner and I said no I'm still trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing here
015and within a year we were on track to figure out how I could get my degree and I was very lucky at the time that you he was such a wonderful teacher and that involved in in my future that he said you know what you're making here you'll never be able to afford to get a degree you have to move on um So after that I went on to Bridgewater and there I started my degree. I did Arizona State online. So I got my degree in urban planning in two years. Um which is pretty great. So I have a bachelor's in urban planning. I'd already been in the field for gosh six years I think by the time I got my degree from Birwater. I took the director position in Lancaster. We thought we were
016going to be moving out that way. Turns out we did not. Um, so that hour and 15 minute commute got a little heavy. Um, so then I ended up in Dover, which was a very similar position to this one and I was very excited to be there. But again, circumstances just kept changing in my life. I had a divorce and so led me here. So again, I've been very grateful. Dober was a wonderful community. They I spoke to them about my position and said, you know, financially I I can't I need to make things work out. and they genuinely helped me find somewhere else to go and said, "If you're ever in the market, we'd love to have you back." So, you know, Ashlin seemed like the most fantastic community. When I came in for
017the interview, the way that people spoke about their team and the clear dedication and the longevity of the employees, you don't see that from people who don't feel genuinely appreciated and valued in what they do. I really genuinely love being extremely busy. I know that sounds really bizarre, but Miriam was probably the happiest I was as in planning and this community was similar size, 22,000 people. We did about 350 applications a year between planning and zoning, not counting conservation. Um, I was also the interim conservation agent when I was in Lancaster, so I do have a good knowledge of conservation and D and NIS and order of conditions and notice of intent and all of those things. RDAs. I've done a master plan in Wham. We did a master plan in Lancaster. I've done multiple
01840B projects, both friendly and unfriendly. Um I generally see my role as a facilitator for you guys. So my role when I come in is not I don't want to tell you guys how to do things. You you know actual I don't I know the procedures. So to me, my role here, I'm familiar with the law and how things need to be done. I'm going to rely very heavily on you on where where do you see that going? So when we do things like the master plan, as Camila has seen, we rely very heavily on the community to know what are your goals. These aren't my goals. I I don't live here. So I need to know what's important to you. And then we need to create actionable steps on how to get there. So,
019we've had a few conversations on some lowhanging fruit items that we think we could clear up pretty quickly. Just you clarifying some existing zoning language that's already there just to make it more clear for things that are there. Not changing anything, but I'm very excited to be a part of the team. Everybody seems very, you know, eager to help. Thank you very much. And they all seem very professional and knowledgeable. So, I'm I'm very excited to be a part of your team. And I know everybody's pretty new, so I I think that'll be kind of nice. we can all lean on each other and learn as we go. Great. Really excited to have you here as I've expressed before and um we off to I'm glad this meeting kind of happened as it did because
020it was a great opportunity for us to do this before really get into a lot of you know nuts and bolts in the next meeting. Exactly. So, all right. Um do you guys have any questions? Yeah, I was going to say that's good. Any questions for Jasmine? Mostly I'm just excited that we have planner with extensive master plan experience and a member with extensive master plan experience. Um, as you probably know, we're in the middle of a comprehensive plan, also known as the master plan process. And we're in right at the key time where we're trying to develop the strategies and then start writing. Um, our budget with a consultant is running out. Uh we haven't had a planner in our meetings which is supposed to be happening. The planner is supposed to be part
021of the comprehensive plan committee and we're down a member because Kate there was two planning board members, two select board members and the planner and the town manager are all on the comprehensive plan committee. The planner and the town manager can't vote because they're not residents, right? But uh they are part of the process. So, uh, we've been missing a planner and we've been missing another planning board member. Um, and we are at a very delicate phase because we have to start to, um, wrap up our strategies and then actually write this thing potentially without a consultant. Yes. Because we're out of money. Um, and we need to do a final public um, push, if you will, because we did an initial data collection push with the public. Once we write this thing, we want
022it to be a slam dunk a town meeting. So the idea is the comprehensive plan committee wants to air out whatever it is we're strategizing and draft that by the time we come to the planning board and the select board and town meeting this is going to be simple for the public. So we have to finish strategies write presented to the public and then present it to the planning board and the select board. That's a lot of work without a consulting team. Um and so I'm just like more than thrilled that we have a planner who has master plan experience. Hopefully you can be there. Yes. At these meetings. Absolutely. And obviously we have member a member on the board hopefully still interested. Um Camilo in on being on the comprehensive plan committee. Um I
023think it would be really exciting to have that as a possibility. So it's not really question. It's more of a high level of excitement. Well I think we should move up. I mean, obviously these agenda items need to be in no particular order. So, while we're on this topic, I think we should deal with number four, I know. Sure. Yeah. Camila had told me that he had a good conversation with you. So, no pressure on anyone's schedule, but what what what are you thinking as far as taking on that role? No problem whatsoever. Yes, we we did had a we did have a good conversation with Anna and agreed that um as much as I love the idea of the Metro West uh group that I think the urgency is the master plan and and
024and and I mean I'm in this group to help not for any other reason but to help and if I'm not doing that then I don't know what I'm what I will be doing is I just sitting on the chair uh and so I saw it as an opportunity to uh yeah if this is the the the time to lend a hand that that's what I am here for. So, we agreed on on trying to understand when the next meetings are, but yes, I'm I'm I'm all in. I know uh what's needed. I think there's some writing uh left to do. Uh and so uh yes, whenever the next meeting is, I'll I'll be there and uh we'll start we'll start the next steps. So, Camila, I just checked comprehensive plan and she confirmed the
025standard meetings that we uh had agreed to when we started as a comprehensive plan committee was on Thursdays. Thursdays that do not coincide with our planning board meetings. However, occasionally the the comprehensive plan committee does meet on other days. So for example, because sometimes we rely on the consultant, we still have some money with the consultant and so their availability sometimes guides an occasional off Thursday meeting. So the next comprehensive plan meeting for the whole comprehensive plan committee is on the 25th, which is a Wednesday. Yeah. Um but normally they are on Thursdays. Again, it's unless there's something requiring like a public forum or some sort of strange availability with the consultant. Um, and obviously if you're going to take on that position, we I assume would would need to vote today. Yeah, I um
026probably bring it to the select board. Yes, I talked to two or was in communication um with uh two uh select board members today. Um Yolanda, who's the chair, but she apparently is traveling right now. Um and so and uh Brandy is I I believe going to be chairing the meeting next week. So they are from their perspective they are fine if we um because the these um appointments for the comprehensive plan have been joint appointments by the planning board and the select board when we did the all the original ones uh a year and a half ago or two years ago whenever it was we were all in one room and kind of did that. They are fine if we take our own vote here and they will put on Brandy will put it
027on their agenda for next week and then it should make the 25th easily, right? It I think that'd be great if that works for you, Camilo. I can certainly make the motion appropriate. So, I'll make a motion to appoint Camilo to the comprehensive plan committee as the second planning board member. Second. All right. Great. And a roll call vote. Um, starting with Peipa I um, no one. Yeah. And Camila, are you voting for yourself? Yeah, I guess I I can so I will. Your first vote. All right. And Trisha Kendall I. So, welcome. I I think that is great. we didn't didn't really need any discussion. Uh to have someone with your experience on that committee is obviously a benefit to all of Ashlin. So thank you for fitting that into your schedule. I I
028will add um there is a public hearing not meeting excuse me coming up. The comprehensive plan committee has a subcommittee. So um the subcommittee has another meeting coming up. I happen to be on the subcommittee because basically the committee met and is trying to wrap up the strategies and we're the whole committee wants to like fill in little details into the strategies. So for example the committee wants to beautify certain areas of Ashland but someone has to look at all the maps all the public land and actually pick the spots right and so the committee agreed to have a subcommittee um meet a few times. I think we've met for two hours six time three times already. This will be our fourth meeting. The subcommittee. So the subcommittee which is I think four people, five
029people and I'm on it is who else is on? Um Roberta, uh Leah Leah, is that her name? Uh Jacob. Um I'm terrible with names. That's okay. Anyway, there there's a there's a subcommittee and the subcommittee also has written input from the committee. So, we're supposed to like gather like these little grainy details of like, oh, this strategy needs a little bit of beef here or these are the areas of Ashlin we need to beautify. Like the last time we met, we talked a lot about Stone Park because some people want Stone Park to be turned into a um what's it called? A community space. Some people want it to become like a like a center of town space. Some people want to fix the the field. Some people want to fix the playground. So
030we as a subcommittee had to like figure out like what would be our recommendation to the whole committee. Anyway, there's one more of those coming. So, and it's technically open to the public. So, if you would like Camilo, I can tell you what the next one is and you're more than welcome to come. It's usually at de leche, whatever it's called. Deceas. So, if you want to come to like a smaller version of the comprehensive plan committee just to kind of get a visual of the strategies prior to your first comprehensive plan meeting, you're more than welcome. And I can I think we've posted for it. I believe it's either next week or the week after prior to the 25th. Can you send the date? I think it's the 17th, which is a Tuesday. Um,
031it is 17. So, uh, 7 p.m. Is that next? Yes. Tuesdays are are tough because okay stay late for the council and um yeah over the council myself. No problem. But if the rest of you want to come in, you could and just meet the subcommittee which happens to be on a larger committee just to get a flavor of like the final little grainy details we're trying to work out. It was interesting like that kind of um talking about beautifification places is kind of the material that I had talked to Scott about um about how things with a comprehensive plan will eventually feed the CPC and uh the funds that are available there and how we use them you know type of thing kind of waiting for a guide book you know in the comprehensive
032plan so it's just interesting little you know kind of insight in the table about about how things start intersect. Yeah. Right. That's actually good for me to hear because part of our challenge as the comprehensive plan committee is we have so much data from the consulting team and so we have to like squeeze it into the priorities, the strategies, but yet there's all this other data is also important. So our hope is when we go back to the comprehensive plan committee on the 25th, we will confirm that whatever comprehensive plan we draft, even if like I don't know there's like a hundred data points and we pick three to be primary focuses, all that other data can still be part of an appendix for example where other organizations, groups, etc. can find use use for
033it because there was a lot of money and work that went into collecting all that data. why waste it even if we don't elevate it to the priority level if you will of a strategy. Um anything from like you know all the public uh survey points are there you know hundreds of pages. So it's like all right how do you pull all that together into a comprehensive plan and we we're doing a really our best job that we can do as volunteers. Um, but all of that data will be there in theory connected. I think my daughter asked for a Popeye's restaurant at some point. So, I'm not sure if that if that's feeding into any Well, funny enough that you say that because one of the the subcommittee was struggling. I don't know how
034much you find this interesting. I can just share it. It's planning related. The subcommittee was struggling with some of the feedback we were getting was like, oh, from the public or from whomever was like, oh, we want this kind of business downtown. we want, you know, we want more, I don't know, grocery stores. We want more less, you know, medical offices and more this kind of office. And so we were talking about how you can't really zone for that. You can't be like, you can't really plan for that. That's more about growth, development, focus, marketing. It's not it's a soft strategy versus like a strategy that you can actually zone for versus for example hotels which we've talked about or uh industrial marijuana use or industrial use or whatever that you can actually zone and
035inspire development. But even when you do that like if we zone for hotels it doesn't mean the hotels will come right so the public doesn't always understand that zoning and reality don't always happen together. Yeah. And it's especially interesting because unlike Peter's position who was the town planner, Jasmine's position is town planner and economic development director. Great. So these types of things about how do you bring those businesses in? This is in your wheelhouse too, right? And you have and you have experience in doing that. Yeah. And in dealing with businesses. Yes. eventually down the line. It sounds like you already have a lot of committees and I would love to talk to Beth to see what she's already got in the works obviously because I haven't even got my foot in the door. So
036there could already be something very similar to this. But I love the idea of having another type of committee that has you know people within the planning fire um highway members of um of the public and also stakeholders within the community just to see you know obviously business owners see those business models a lot better than we do. We technically don't tend to have the type of um software that we need to collect that type of data. So I tend to rely very heavily on who's in within the community. So they know what's selling, what's happening. So a lot of times we'll lean on those people to see, you know, if you're marketing or if you're building, what types of things are you looking for? What types of sites are you looking for? And they
037tend to give such valuable feedback. And they also tend to have connections. Oh, I I know somebody who just did a hotel here and and they have a friend that's doing it here. And it just it really brings a cohesive plan together if you can get Yeah. And this is why having someone like you on the comprehensive plan committee is important because like the subcommittee was talking about hotels and we were like all right how do we recommend a hotel resoning for downtown to the comprehensive plan committee when we don't have the economic expertise to necessarily know what size hotel what kind of hotel and one of the subcommittee members said well imagine a Marriott downtown. What would that feel like? What would that would that fit Ashland? Or are we talking are we talking
038more about like a bed and breakfast a small boutique hotel? How do we zone for that? How do we know what the market is? And we were like, we don't know. We really don't. What we know is that right now a developer coming in can only build apartments or or offices, they cannot do a hotel. So, you know, we have to figure out when we go back to the comprehensive plan committee, if we're going to put hotel resoning into our comprehensive plan or if we as a planning board start working on it, which ideally should like we don't want to just do it without the comprehensive plan committee wanting it, right? um or we want to at least get positive feedback to the concept. But anyway, if we do that because it's 105 year plan,
039we do need to decide what kind of hotel zoning are we kind of suggesting. Are we just saying hey hotel zoning let the implementation committee figure it out later or are we going like saying this kind of hotel? So this kind of detail is where I'm just like thrilled that you guys are willing to be on it because we just lack the expertise to assess or have the language to say this kind of thing will succeed relative to our current zoning. This sort of thing we need to think about. Yeah. Yeah. So okay. So we've uh have now um a second member for you for conferencing plan. So we check that. Yes. And um and we will send that. I was just gonna add Camilo, I think you'll have to go get sworn in for
040that as well. Oh, okay. Twice. All right. Yeah. Yeah. When you join a committee, you have to swear in for that one. There's a lot of swearing going on. Okay. I'll go I'll make I'll make sure I'll Okay. Wednesday, I'll do the swearing. Well, I don't think you can do that until you've been appointed by the select. So, the select board will need to vote you in on Wednesday and then you'll and then I'll be able to and you can go and participate. You just what? You can't you just can't whatever official vote. I have no idea. Um he's got two weeks. He can do it. He'll do it the next Wednesday. That's all. Yeah. Yeah. So, right before the Okay. So, the other thing I want to just take make sure we take care
041of on that um again on item number four. Um well, we did have the the Metro West Regional Planning Council. Is that the one? Yes. Um and we were looking if anyone had an interest in doing that. What do we say? It's once a month. Um it's once once a month typically via Zoom and I want to say every three months is a meeting in person. So is that something you have attended? I've always attended those. I've actually never had a planning board member attend. Maybe maybe that um well maybe um maybe that's not how it's supposed to be. No, do I have the abbreviation wrong? Metro Collaborative. Alvaro and Peter had been attending that. The next one is the Thursday the week you start. Oh, lovely. And um but maybe I mean, I think
042there are when I attended, there are v various members of select boards or planning boards that that do attend. Oh, I'm more than happy to have somebody attend if and and in fact, uh, Yolanda, who's our select our select board chair, is actually the chair of that committee at the present time as well. Oh my goodness. Okay. So, um, so yeah, I think and she is always encouraging someone from the planning board to be a part of that organization as well. Perfect. That would be great. So, um, I will plan on attending, but the more the marrier. Okay. Yeah. I mean I think either barring other you know things coming up that would you know something obviously precedent but yeah I mean Deepa did you have an interest in that or is that just something
043you're considering to see how your job goes right now? I know it's your job is very new um and may not be settled yet. I mean it's if it's online I can always work around it so that works. Um I would definitely be interested in being part of that. They are generally online, but they're usually during the day. Is that okay? They're usually It's like at 8 a.m. to be It's like an 8 a.m. It sounds like at least that's what I remember Yolanda sharing with us. So, work. I just wanted you to make sure that it was I wanted you to know it was an evening meeting. Yeah. Yeah. Do um I mean I I don't want to push you into anything, Deepa, but if you're interested, we can kind of officially put you
044in that role. Yeah, I would definitely attempt to make sure. I mean, it sounds like it's more like Fridays and kind of those days. I think that should work for me. Do we need to point? Do we need to make a motion? I guess I'll make a motion. Let's make a motion and then we can But if someone can ever not fulfill their um commitment on, and this goes for any committee. If someone says, "I just can't do this anymore." Just bring it to the board, right? And we'll and we'll deal with it at that time. So, okay. Uh, so I'll make a motion to appoint DEA to the Metro West something collaborative something regional collaborative. I have a hard time with that. Okay. All right. A second and a roll call vote starting with
045Deepa. Debo and I can and Trisha Kendall. All right. So that is filled. And then um and thank you for that. And then last is um is uh back to the clerk's position. Anna actually found that in mass general law. I did not know or did not remember this. You're nodding like you know something, right? Um that planning boards are supposed to have a chair and a clerk. Yes. So I asked Alvaro about that. I said, "Who's the clerk?" And he was like, "Huh?" A good question. Because actually it's strange because for I don't think the board had a clerk that I remember that didn't comply with state law that I and this is before you know. Yeah. You know um and and partly it's because complying with state law. Well, Kate, the former clerk.
046Oh. Oh. Oh. Okay. And I think it's also partly because uh you know I think historically the clerk's role was about meeting minutes and making sure things are submitted um like to you know timelines. Yeah. And a lot of that we we don't do ourselves, right? But that said, we do uh need a clerk. Um so, everyone kind of now has a job. Um which is great and I thank everybody for that. So, the clerk really, a lot of the things that Kate has been doing, keeping track of projects, um, answering email when it comes in, um, has, uh, kind of crossed over a little bit into into my role. And as I did a little research, there's no there's no problem with me having both roles if someone if no one wants to step
047up and do that clerk role. I don't see it as a big I don't see it as a big thing. Um so uh that keeps everyone focused on what they're doing that can just be absorbed into my role. Have you ever had that? Yes. Because it's like you said generally a lot of that is done inter office now. it it's become either assistant plan or office administrator role largely and usually the planning board is it's usually that person is the one who's checking in with the office typically making sure that the deadlines the extension was received they asked for an extension at this public hearing did you receive that letter making sure the meeting minutes are in and approved and stamped in with the town clerk things of that nature right it's usually just kind
048of like more of a collaborative role now I think right right yeah so a lot of that I' I've been doing as part of my role as chair anyway to make sure that keeps rolling a little bit less than what sounded like Kate was doing because she did like a whole bunch of list stuff. She was doing things she was doing things that were a little different. She was um keeping she had made um like she a checklist for projects. Yeah, she made a checklist for projects which helpful. I don't think it's here but we have and you also have a certain timeline for each project. This was the to-do list. I don't know if we have her checklist in here. I do remember this is the task list which she also created but there
049was a separate document that we created that would go in front of every project which is just very nice because you can make sure they had Alvaro did talk about it so you're just making sure that they all the requirements of the bylaw essentially as you're going through it making sure they've submitted everything you have requirements usually A through K or whatever it might be and you just check those off. Hey, we struggled as a board and we may not with the new planner, but we struggled as a board to like what have we done in this project because the projects would go on forever. So Kate's visual was here's a document that's a checklist that goes in front of our binders for every project, but the clerk's job is then to actually be the
050one to record everything, right? I liked that role for someone like Kate because she was so detail oriented. I I think it's awesome if you're willing to do it yourself, um, Trisha, but it seems like a lot. That's all I'm just kind of throwing out there that I think that was a value ad and yeah, I don't see I mean, now that the the form is made, right? And that was kudos to her traction. We can all kind of do it together at any kind. Well, I think that was kind of the point that we all have it in our binder and we all keep track of it. But um but there's a lot of communication on a not even the just the weeks I mean multiple times a week I am in communication right
051with Peter with Alvo about you can kind of track it about the status of projects. Can we still kind of make it official though meaning like the beauty of a clerk was like there was someone who at each meeting could say I've got the official list. So, so that was one thing she was doing that Oh, I think it does need to be official that if it's state law, it'll be official that I'm filling that role as well. But what I'm saying is that it's kind of it's half what I've been doing already as chair to keep track of projects. Um um and the the thing that she had also been responding to email um on a normal basis, as you know, we don't get a ton of email. If we have a big project,
052we might um but most of those answers are st standard planning response which we have already agreed to several years ago. Yeah, I mean I read them anyway. Other ones um other emails either are responded to and this is behind the scene things that weren't a standard email that you would have received the email but if it's not a standard reply that either goes to me and or the planning director. So Peter and I would be taking care of those, sometimes him, sometimes me, and to respond to those people that were that were writing. So that's why I say it's kind of Yeah. It's already part your wheelhouse. It's part of what I've been doing. Yeah. Do you want to continue? You know how at the beginning of each meeting, we would have a clerk's
053report where Kate would say, "Hey, we've gotten these five things. We've responded to them." almost like a are we still visualizing doing that kind of thing where you would basically as both chair and clerk you would kind of go okay I'm putting on my hat as clerk this is what we got this is where we are I think I I think so because I think um as one of the reasons Kate did that is she wanted to give the feedback to residents that hey we received four letters and we are telling the public that we received four letters and we read them you know we didn't we didn't list out the letters or anything like that but just that little back to the public. I'll probably change the title to chair clerk's report so it
054doesn't seem kind of confusing. Yeah, that's what I was trying for. But yeah, just so that we have that that three minute report right at the beginning of at the beginning of every meeting. To give you some background, we started with Kate's push to do like a public public comment more routinely at the start of the meeting. Oh yeah. Open up. Yeah. So, uh, and then that kind of backfired at one point because we had people show up that were we zoom bombed. We got zoom. We got zoom by the taste and lights and we got a lot of Yes, it was it was um, so we kind of shifted how we do it, but it's still kind of out there as something for us to maybe rethink and come back to. Well, have you
055ever considered instead of Zoom doing webinars because there's a lot more control and they can't they can't do anything. Oh, what happened with webinars? There's been consideration. I don't know the whole details of Hawaii. It was not gone to um I think it had something to do with the way that we share the different Zoom accounts to manage all of the different boards. Yes. Um can answer that more. Okay. I did notice that there's a really interesting um when the zoning board of appeals starts a meeting, John Trafan, the chair, um reads this extra little blurb that is about um uh about it being broadcast and and uh online, but if there is an inappropriate interruption, he says the the broadcast and the um and the Zoom will be shut down, right? But the meeting,
056he said, will continue in its absence. And it kind of maybe Yeah, there is a way to do that. Yeah. So he announces that I'm like and I was like, "Oh, that thing that we should be saying at the beginning. We're like shut you down." Right. Right. I went to an AG's office, attorney general did like this thing for for this kind of thing. Like how do you how do you There's like a anti-semitic or whatever task force thing. talked about this kind of thing because it's a regular occurrence of public meetings in Massachusetts and all across the country. Um, but there are legal ways to do that where we can still have a public comment but cut it off, right? I do think we need to come back to it because like one bunch
057of sorry you know, I'm being recorded showing up should not prevent us from having public comment with me. Yeah, I wanted to um touch base with John about that because I assume the specificity of his comment um came from somewhere and so I was going to ask him about that. Um and uh and that's on my to-do list to find out where that came from and if if that's partly a recommended strategy and implementing. I can try to find my notes from the AG things that I attended to. Sure. That's great. Thank you. Okay. So, um, so to wrap that up, um, you do you want me to appoint you? I need I need someone to nominate. So, I'll make I'll nominate and make a motion to appoint Trisha to be both chair and clerk.
058Thank you. Is there a second? All right. And roll call vote. And it just I kind. So, I heard up there. So, so we're good with that. So, um we will need to go through the um the meeting minutes, but other than that, um other than that, everything on here is a little is a little bit loose. One thing I did want to go just go through briefly so prepared for next week and then I'll open up whatever other time we want is I just wanted especially um for the new members um just to talk about um the processes that we have um coming up at the next meeting. So, in the binder, and we can send this through email as well, or you can take the binder with you, but um in the binder,
059there's both a section under five for special permits, which is the bylaw for special permits. And these are also online as well. Yes, they are. Um and uh I thought there was site plan review. Yeah, site plan review is is the next page. And so the project um for the that we will be talking about um uh in two weeks, these are soccer fields located at Community Church down the street on Pleasant Street. And now I can't remember off hand if it's both the special permit and a site plan review. Do you remember Anna? Was it both or I thought it was both. I'm looking it up. I kind of think so too. Okay. Um but I I can't quite remember. So what the what these two documents um outline um is a list of
060um in the case of special permits there's um criteria and I have that underlined and and highlighted um oh do we have do we have you are so on top of things I thought we had we had it online but I don't seem to find Wait maybe I'll find it are we officially the special permit granting authority Is the planning board that authority? We are for um we are for this type of for this type of um application. Yeah. Not not for everything. Sometimes special permit does go to the zoning board of appeals. For this type of application, it could come to the planning board. And so mostly what I wanted to I mean to highlight under those things is is this criteria which I've underlined and um bolded in both um under both special
061permit it comes up really quickly in 9.3.2 in special permit I think it comes up or sorry in site um site plan review it comes up at the very end. Oh no, that's 9.46. Sorry 96. Yes, sorry. 9.4.6 um where there's 12 criteria. Um, so those are the things um that when we get to when we get to the end of a process, these are the things that are checkboxes to see if we should be approving um the application according to what the bylaws is asking. Um so it would be good before the meeting just to be familiar with them going for a violence. don't know how much they change community to community and Camilo and um Jasmine probably have a lot more information about that if these are Yep. same everywhere or if they
062vary greatly per for per community. It's interesting special permits are kind of more boilerplate because it's based on mass general law where site plan review has no mass general law. So those tend to vary a little bit more between community. But a site plan, the interesting thing about a site plan is it's actually not uh it's not an approval permit. So you actually can't deny a site plan. So you can condition it. You can say it's incomplete, but you can't deny a site plan. So if it meets these criteria, then you approve it or you could prove it with conditions or you say it was incomplete, but you can't actually deny a site plan. Um but these are pretty general standard what you would see. Um, do you typically have any involvement with historic or
063open space on your site plan? Uh, like um, so it's not usually part of your criteria, but some communities just they have an interest and they would like to be involved in our as a courtesy. So number three is the historic pictures. Number one, uh, I think we've usually kind of dragged it in through these. Okay, we found ways. So, you know, we've identified case by case. Yeah, I think we've done it more by case by case. In other words, I think what you're asking is is there a formal uh site plan criteria because we have a lot of control as a town to res to change this. Is there something formal that requires us to go to? I was asking more is there an informal of somebody that usually likes to be invited even
064though they're not all here. So that's no we no I would say that we have never okay about that we've done we've done like conversations with different groups historical usually more it's different community to community usually it's just you guys checking it out and then fire you know police things like that but there have been communities that I've been in where open space or conservation wants to sit in on every site plan whether it's a criteria or not so we would just invite them as courtesy We do tend to work closely with conservation or we want to know what we want to know what conservation said about it, you know, kind of thing before we sign on the dotted line. Yes. But it's interesting for the other groups because we have we have brought other
065groups in to talk to us about how how we overlap and how we work together um and as a way to like to intertwine various boards. So it might be something that we look into more more as as we go forward. siloed. Yeah, we do get uh occasionally for big projects, you will get a lengthy letter, okay, from another group or committee that does happen like the the folks involved in the trail the trail committee on many many big big development projects will get a long three-page letter from one one member or two, okay, or a few that will be like, "Oh, you forgot this and you forgot that and please don't forget, you know, there's a bike trail here, right?" Um, and and sometimes I do wonder what what else have we missed, right?
066You know, one person is paying attention and they're grabbing it, but um it's not that people don't care about the what the planning board does, but they don't always notice. And by the time we're almost done writing it, they're like, "Wait, yes, it'd be good to figure out like earlier on in the project, what are the groups in Ashlin that might have some detail that we're missing on these criteria?" Well, and one of the things we had talked about, Jasmine and I, and you guys know this already about my desire to kind of go through the bylaws, feeling that they really need a good kind of cleaning, you know, in a way, not not changing the intent, but and I and I think all that becomes a part of that, like how can how can
067this be more clear? How can this be more um yeah interactive between different between different um committees? one of this is one of those opportunities where we can clearly tie some of these things to the master plan, right? And so when we talk about open space uh preservation, but also when we talk about connectivity amongst those open spaces that maybe when we talk about specific projects, that's when we can be very clinical. In some instances, that's where it matters and that's the thing that we will be looking at. In some other instances, maybe that's not the priority. And so these are the things these are the type of criteria that we can these are the tools from a zoning perspective that allow us to tie ourselves to the master plan. There's also one more piece
068that I don't know how different it is from law or remind me do uh which is the design criteria on 9.67. So we do have the design review committee and I don't know how different this is from your communities but there there is a a committee that technically supports us the design review committee and there's a whole set of things that projects go through with them that are touching upon open space and heritage item three and four um and we have had an evolving relationship with the design review committee I think there's been some clarification over the last couple years as to what their role is versus our role. And we as a planning board have gotten, I think, quite good at being precise in our memos to them. Like, this is what we're looking
069for. Could you please answer these things? Okay. Um, but I think there's still opportunity there for more evolution of that relationship, if you will, between us and them. And it it could lead to what you're talking about kind of more of that like who else what else are we missing? How can we engage maybe with design review committee or other committees? But they're a big piece of this. Is that also done in low or in do or is that more Ashlin like the and we and other communities I've been in they've usually generally been smaller. So we've only done a design review committee for a larger project together for a specific project. We didn't cover them for every site plan. Okay. How about in LOL Camila? No, we don't have a committee per se, but
070we do get uh asks for reviews depending on the size of development where the planning department makes general comments, but they're not binding comments. They're more recommendations. And we don't have we don't have open space criteria for private development. We have our open space and recreation plan where we have our own design criteria and how we do our parks. Um so it's pretty much the same. It's it's it's it's more on a case- by case basis, right? Yeah. And I think the design review committee because this has been something that has been coming up you know over the years. The design uh review committee was formed u by two women in town Paula Parker and Sarah Hines. Sarah Hines is an architect. Um and uh Paula Parker has had a number of roles but is
071very much a community um activist in a way like getting people to together um and for good things. Um and um I think their thought having conversations with both of them informing that committee is that there are times um in the past years our our board has been very designer heavy. Okay. But there are there are times when there are there are no designers sitting on the board. Um when I like when I joined the board I was the only one that had any design experience. So especially in th those times um that the design review committee is more specifically geared that it is supposed to be filled with designers and engineers and graphic designers and landscape architects and um so it's a it's a a support system for a board that may not have
072a lot of design experience. We have a lot of other types of experience but not design experience. No, absolutely. Um, but we haven't I feel like over the years we haven't quite got that relationship as as what isn't was intended as strong. We need to evolve in the relationship. It's a nice way to say what trying to avoid saying be more symbiotic. Yeah, I think I mean honestly with a new planner and new members, maybe we should do another kind of co- retreat with the design review committee. We haven't done one of those in a while to kind of reignite this new energy. new members, new planner, meet all the design committee people and talk about this because um we could do better than we've been doing and better we have a more designerheavy board
073than we have in the past. On the other hand, we as a planning board don't really want to spend time figuring out the perfect way to design one little element of the project, right? Um and so it's like efficiency. It's tempting for us because we have the ability. We used to have three design people. Now we have two or three if you put a planner. We still Yeah. So, but like architects. Yes. From that perspective, we now have two. And it's really tempting when we had two or three to be like, let's talk about this for 45 minutes. And I always liked it because I was like, it's really good that Deepa and Trisha and Marcelo want to get this right, but more from like the policy perspective as an attorney. I was always like,
074wait, there's all these policy things that we're we it's almost like, let's give this to designer review committee. Let them figure out these little kind of perfect details and let's focus on the policy piece because the policy and the planning is where our jurisdiction lies almost that we're kind of it's only it's only going to work if we have the designers on that committee. Right. Right. who can. So, so anyway, it's a bigger question, but things that we're kind of throwing out there, I guess, given that we're in struggled with over the last couple years. Do you have Yeah, you got just a couple of different questions on this whole process. So, why would somebody apply for the special permit because a schedule of use? So, each town in your bylaw, you have a schedule
075of use of allowed uses in different areas within town. So, each, you know, your town is broken up into different zones. So as you go through the use table, it will tell you this is allowed by right. This is required by special permit. This is special permit through the planning board. This is special permit through the zoning board of appeals. And that's all determined by your building commissioner. So somebody comes in with a building permit. They go to the building commissioner. They'll look at this and say, "Oh, this is a really cool idea. You need a special permit and a site plan review through the planning board. An example of one that has happened." Well, like say um the Pond Street Overlay District, right? Pawn Street Overlay District. If you have a site there, you
076you look at the schedule of uses and it says, you know, I okay, I want to put up a an office building. It says yes, you can do an office building by right. You don't need Yeah. You you need a site plan review, but you don't need a um special permit. However, in the in the in the bylaws, if you want to do a mixeduse building, if you want to do businesses on bottom and residences on top, that's mixed use. That's a special permit from the planning board. Cool. So thank you for that. Okay, next question. When you get into these site plan Python 946, you said you can't deny because of these because you didn't say it's incomplete. You can say it's incomplete. So largely my role before you even get this, I should
077make sure all of this is here before this even makes it to you. All of this should be complete before you receive it. So essentially, you'll never receive an incomplete application is ideally the way it should be. And essentially the reason why you can't deny site plan review is because it it's not it's not um an approval permit. It's you're literally reviewing the site. You're not saying yes, you're allowed to have this use or no, you're not. The use is there. This is nothing to do with use. This is simply design of the site. So traffic flow, pedestrian access, lighting, where is the uh where is the snow removal plan, where is the dumpster located, is there screening for the dumpster? So all those make a lot of sense to me. things that don't necessarily
078one make sense to me or obstruction of scenic views. Um how do you maximize or minimize tree vegetation and so removal? What constitute a steep slope? Like a lot of these seem kind of nebulous and kind of like you can just say whatever you want and like you know your example of or you know your what a scenic view like my scenic view may be the standing on top of a mountain with overlooking you know the Grand Canyon and yours might be the weeded lot next to your house right like I like what some of that stuff and there is some case law out there we can find kind of there's these do occasionally go to court because when you can create an unreasonable condition, right? And then because you have to grant them by
079right, but then as a planning board, you can be like, well, we're going to decide this is the slope and then they go to court and the court says this is arbitrary and capriccious. Can't do that. So there is case law that will define what the slope is and what this is, which which is why ideally as a lawyer I should bring that here more, but I don't. Usually we kind of we seem reasonable. Do we have the Blatman book in the office? I don't think so. I don't know if we have. We haven't had a lot of issues with those and maybe because we don't have a lot of those scenic views so therefore so therefore they're hard to block. In my experience, scenic views have to be in a deed. So it's something
080that's in your deed and they're very hard to come by and you don't usually see them in communities that aren't coastal or mountains. In my experience, we do have scenic scenic roads which is different which is a completely different zoning section. Yes. Where we have to protect scenic roads walls or certain trees and things. Becca has a question or an answer maybe. And as far as the steep slopes go, I don't want to put words in yellow, please. But we also refer to that in our storm water management bylaw. And that some of it's 15%, some of it is 20%, but that's the slopes you're normally looking at. So, I imagine when you guys are talking steep slopes, you're using somewhere in that same range. And and Becca, I didn't say this at the beginning,
081and I uh but I I want to make sure that we really respect your expertise, and you should consider yourself not just as someone who has been stepping in to help our board while we have had empty seats. But, um but as a professional and and just jump into the conversation when you when you want to. I I really appreciate you being here. All right. And I'm sorry I didn't say that earlier. I'll probably still raise my hand if I feel awkward interrupting. Slow by all means. Sorry. One last question. Yes. Don't be sorry. And how long does this or how often does this slow down the process of the builder able to get through it? Like is this a lot of variables? How long do your site plan? Usually site plan is about three
082months from start to finish depending on the size. If it's a large site like a large industrial site, it could be anywhere between 8 to 12 months. But a lot of it depends on the developer and their willingness to work with you. But what's what do you special permits have gone here for years? For years, not years. Well, I would say a year. A year. A year. Well, I mean, I'm thinking about I'm thinking about the the milk projects that kept coming in. That's talking about that scale. The mill project took years. But say but say 100 Chestnut Street like 100 Chestnut Street which is now built I think was about a year. What is that? I'm so sorry. 100 Oh um it's a 180 180 unit four the Asher. Yeah on um on Chestnut.
083Oh did tell me that but Amy said it was called the Asher. I didn't Yeah, it is the Asher. That's the official name. I just go by the address. That's what we That makes sense. Yes. Trisha's thinking as a as a planning board member address. But was your question about how how long holds up development? Yeah. Were you asking like does So So we heard about the one at the Mill Street taking a really long time and then they just walked away and then came back as a 40B. So like in my complicated it's complicated. I'm sure it is. And I don't mean to make it sound like it's just one thing, but like I know if I was a developer and I was walking in and out of meetings for a year, I would
084it would be frustrating. Frustrating also. And so I know you're raising your hand. So one of the let me just say one thing. One of the things that I really appreciate about K, a former planning board member, she was obsessed with this idea that it's not fair to the developer or the planning board because what happens is when the developer comes with a plan and we keep, well, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you start a blame game where the developer is like, well, the planning board kept this on forever. And the planning board is like, well, you weren't prepared. And it's a blame game and it doesn't it that's what happens. And so Kate's obsession with a checklist was precisely to address your where
085the idea was they provide an application. The planning department has a clear checklist. If nothing if all the checklists don't match, she's not even going to bring it to us. She's going to work with them behind the scenes to work through all of the stuff they're supposed to have before they even come. That way when they come, they're ready and we're not risking. Yeah, I think there's more to it even than that. I think there can be a whole checklist, but in the planning board and particularly say with that project, there were things that just as a board did not work for us that we, you know, did not work for the public, didn't work for the steering radius to make sure that the fire truck has the ability to get into the site and
086make it safely around the building. You're looking at um egress on the building. You're looking at where the parking is located. Where are they putting snow removal during the winter time? Are you blocking those parking spaces? Are your drainage on site? What are you using to take care of the snow removal? Are you using sand or salt? And where is where does that drainage base out? Because that determines what you can use on the Those things all sound really good to me. Yeah, that isn't what I read when I read the first five or six. No, those things minimize the use of wetlands, steep slopes, flood planes, and hilltops, obstruction of scenic views. Yeah, those things like you said are really more you have to use like preserve unique natural or historical features like historical
087but what's a unique natural you have a 500y old willow tree on your property and somebody's like we want to chop this down to put a gazebo there you might say can you maybe consider it years old what if it's 80 like what like well this is why you have the five of us right it out um it's also important to remember that those larger projects also tend to be a special permit and a a site plan review simultaneously. Which is why just at the last town meeting, we changed our site plan review to match special permit. So those calendars go in line. Yes. Because a lot of times they you're get they're getting both. They're separate approvals, but you have to have both to to do your project. And so sometimes it's not the
088site plan review that's holding you up. It's the special permit which is you're asking you know the special per you're asking for something special. Yes. That's the whole thing is a special permit. You're asking for something special and so there is more there is more of a push and pull with that. So I will say a good developer with experience will come in with an attorney who will essentially write all of this out in the initial applications is non-issue. I would love to see more of that. You have a she keeps raising her hand. I'm sorry. No, it's fine. So, I just wanted to add in like also to that like the wetland steep slopes and everything. First of all, anything that goes to your site plan review is also going to go to conservation
089because one of our triggers for the storm water bylaw is the second it hits your site plan review. So, it will always go to conservation and we'll be looking at that as well. Mhm. And um a lot of that first one is honestly the wetlands protection act is going to be covering wetlands and flood planes. The storm water handbook especially with the new revisions that they're working on are going to strongly regulate what you can put on steep slopes. Um and working on steep slopes also affects your storm water. Um so that's where that part comes in. And then unique natural features can also I mean in in my scope of conservation we're normally talking vernal pools right and and and other rare habitats and things like that and those are also protected in their
090own way but they're not so protected by the state as they are by the local bylaws. Um, so that that's something that maybe the intent at some point also was to include that. And then the same thing with the tree and vegetation, soil removal, grain changes. That also goes back to storm water. It goes back to your air quality and water quality and all of that because once you start touching those things, you affect all of that. It's all one big system. Um, so it's all important in its own way. when you get into the technical details, you cut a certain number of trees, now you have to provide even more storm water because trees provide better water retention than a lawn and things like that. So, that's where that's all coming through and that's
091what you get peer reviews to help you with and what I'm sure Jasmine will will give you details on as well. Um, but hopefully that helps clarify why those might be on there as well too. And you'll see from develop from project to project too how you know you might say something like you want to minimize you know the obstruction of the scenic views. You might have a site somebody has a house right there and you're putting up a condo. They're putting up directly in front of a house. They've got 10 acres. Can you just right 30 ft maybe so you can preserve half of their view? And they say yeah sure we can do that. Or they say actually there's wetlands right there and we can't do that. And that's why we put it
092here. And then you go, "Oh, okay." And you've tried your best, but sometimes it is just sometimes you just have to eat the sour grape. You know, you try your best to do what's best for the community, but also at the same time the developer wants to site and they do have certain rights with certain things. So, you always try to make the best decision, but you're not you're not always going to get your way every time, but you just have to use your best judgment. Gotcha. And I'll butt into also at the beginning of each of those bylaws, you also have your purpose section, which I have on the screen now. And that is really your guiding document of what each of those criteria are really deriving from. And so if you're ever like,
093what does this mean? You can always refer back to your purpose line and it might provide that clarification to of what were they actually trying to do. Now that said, in all this discussion, it doesn't mean that the bylaws the bylaws we have now are ones we have to adhere to, right? That's our job. But u but that doesn't mean they can't be changed. Absolutely. They get changed through town meeting. And um I think there's a number of things that as we have gone through the years that that things seem like they need to be tweaked, if not at least discussed to to see if you would like to tweak them, right? But they you you kind of come um at times where we're just up against something that seems like it's strange to be
094up against, right? It doesn't really make sense, but yet these are the bylaws. So um so that's why again like part of what I want to do especially with the new tone planner who seems enthusiastic about the idea as well is to help go through these bylaws and and you know I mean Becca was involved with the the storm water one recently that went through planning board but she's the only one who probably truly understood it right so so an example might be instead of minimized use of wetlands you might change that to must conform to the storm water bylaw and refer to that section instead And now that it's the same intent, but now it's specific and it's more tangible. And that might be some things you see as you go through the bylaw
095that I now that you've worked with, you see the intent, but you feel it could be written better to be understood better by either the applicant or a resident. I mean, these were last updated in 2010, I think, but not all of them. Not all parts. So, some of these could have been written 20 years ago, and just development changes. Everything changes. So sometimes the intent was clear when it was written and we just need to change it to how it meets our needs today. I will add that your point about how long these things take is is an important um because it's a loss for everyone when it takes a long time. Nobody's happy about that. I would say most developers I would say probably walk in expecting at least probably eight months to
0968 to 12 months for a special permit depending on the project. Most developers have for special but for baked into their construction costs and part of their application because they have a whole team on the construction side that says we have to apply for this special permit for this use here. So that's baked in part of their legal process. So some of it is just a standard it is but it's not ideal. I I will say the public does not like it because from what I recall and you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong when we publicize a public hearing it's the first meeting that there has to be notification to all the abutters. I don't think with every continuence the public has no notification. they can still they can still see the agenda
097and show up. But a lot of the time from the public's perspective, these projects that take 8, 12, whatever months get there's like a a sense of frustration because they show up at the first one, they say a lot, they get notified and then they have to like watch forever to see what's going on and no one has kind of patience. Not when they have jobs and kids and everything else. And so that's the other complaint we've gotten over the years that like the developers are not happy because it takes forever. We're not happy because there's some piece of it that we feel the developer could have done better. Sometimes the public is not happy because by the time we're done, they feel like it's different from what they said at the beginning. The whole
098thing doesn't quite make people happy. And part of it is just uh us controlling ourselves, too. like the keeping our comments short and to the point and not repeating ourselves, right? And that because that makes meetings go on and then you get, you know, you don't get as much done in a meeting, right? I did I think Oh, go ahead. I forget that you're there. Sorry. No, I think what Scott is also trying to say is is the the unpredictability of of permitting something adds to the costs of it. And if in the master plan we're talking about affordable housing, is our permitting process conducive to that? Right? And so maybe we are saying we want something but we're doing something else. And so it may be worth to review those those bylaws to be
099a little bit more specific for the sake of everybody, right? for the sake of the developer having clarity on what the rules are for the sake of our own review process so that it's not that subjective and for the sake of the community to be clear that when we talk about XYZ design guidelines or or bylaws that they are also clear about what they are expecting to see from developers if it's it's ambiguous today I think it should be changed I I think the comprehensive plan totally feeds into again like that we change our bylaws to reflect the comprehensive plan and and make sure they support each other. So, um I did want to point out um that under section four in the binders, I know Camille, you don't I don't know if you have
100yours in front of you, but um I don't this was in here last time, but there is a planning board checklist for the 240 260 Pleasant Street Metro West facilities. That's the soccer field. So, it's the third page after number four. Um, and that's Kate's checklist that she created. Sorry, where is it? Number four. The third page. And so, site plan review, it says yes. Special permit review, it says no. So, so that is just a site plan review. So, we will not be looking at the special permit part of the bylaws. we will only be looking at the site plan review um part of the bylaws um when we uh when we talk about that. Um the other thing I wanted to go through just in terms of what is coming up I think
101is under section it's under this is missing it get the the checklist so yeah I have it did I take it maybe I still I will double check that see how it is listen you know me right everybody it's called It's called amazing. This is your initiation ceremony. See if they can notice. Yes. What what what is immediately after that on yours? Uh what do you have is the third page under number four. Your letter No, letter to you from the land design collaborative. We just kind of took everything that was in there before and moved it to the back for this meeting to put back after. So Oh, maybe we'll be going through it again. Yeah. But um Oh, is that it right there on the back? Right there. That very last page. Yours
102was just out of order. Is that it? that green. No, that's that's task different. Yes. So, so we'll make sure. Can I get that to you? I understand. Here's Scott. I don't want you to read my Yeah. Well, just so you know what that checklist is, right? you know um that you know to help us kind of we actually um we made the checklist and then we haven't gotten a lot of big projects come through to kind of test the checklist you know what I mean right um but I think it's going to be a great tool you remind us Jasmine is the decision due date is that applicable to site plan or only to special permits so site plan it's typically within your bylaw so I haven't looked at your bylaw to see when
103it gets you get that the 120 day because we have to make decisions within a certain amount of time, right? So, special permits within the 90 days plan review is either um I think it's 120. It has to be said said in the bylaw. If not, you technically have an unlimited amount of time, which is dangerous, but we usually try to give it the same amount of time as a site plan, a special permit if we don't have it specifically stated. That's what we just changed it to. We just changed that the two would be the same. And which one is um which one's controlled by the state? the the uh special permit. I think it's 120 days for us from February 18th on this example. So that's also like helpful because every time we
104agree to a continuence, we have to be aware of what we're doing. I know everything has a different timeline. I'll actually when I come in, I'll just send out because there's so many new people on the board, I can just send out just the timeline of everything because an ANR is only, you know, 20 days. You only have 20 days from the time it's been received to review it and make a decision whether it's approved or not. True. So, we just have to really keep track of timelines because if not, you get what's called constructive approval which just essentially means it was approved how it was submitted and you get no say in it because you didn't respond. Exactly. This one says June 18th. Is that bad that this says that it's due? I think
105that is that that deadline has been uh has been significantly actually I think the full clock reset on that project because it had to be relisted. That's right. Yes. Because um even a site plan Yeah. Even a site plan review needs uh three Yeah. three votes. Um Right. But there's specific postings that have to take place for public hearings. We have to publish it in the newspaper seven and 14 days prior to the public hearing. We have to notify the abuters usually a week before the public hearing. We have to post it with a town clerk who post it in a conspicuous place within the town hall. And if any one of those things doesn't happen, it's a clerical error, but we have to restart that process on our end because now we've not met
106our legal obligation. So tiny errors can create big problems in these types of things. Yeah. So um so that but when when we relisted that project the date was updated it. Yeah I mean I think this is that was probably the old checklist. Um so that project was relisted because um there was one change in the project going from natural turf to or to and because of the board change. Um otherwise uh you the two of you the two new would not be able to engage or vote in the project because you hadn't seen the beginning. So that's put the applicants at a disadvantage because now they need all the three of us to be yeses. There can't be any nos, right? So it's to their advantage to relist it to make sure they have
107five members voting of which they only need three to get an approval. Does that make sense? Okay. Did you say it changed from natural to official? Yeah, but we'll get to that when we actually discuss the project. Isn't there like a date law that's in the process being passed or something that says you can't have I would caution just because it will be something you need to deliberate on. Yeah. Yeah. We can't talk about a project if it's not on the agenda in too much detail. Just broadly a good broad statement about righting violations are things we try to avoid. Yeah. So, we're kind of just talking in general so that we can hit the ground running at the next meeting. kind of educ we probably should talk I don't know if if this is
108on the agenda but we should probably talk about open meeting violations and what it means well there is training that they'll that they go through um finished his what I know Camila finished his well he's probably a lot more familiar with it as well you know so speaking of trainings every year the planning association or whatever they're called does this thing in Worcester I used to go every year it's been a while but it's awesome it's really really I think it comes around in March. So, and then I think they also do like lunch and learns or whatever. Yeah, there's citizens playing and trainer collaborative that does a lot working institute. I've been meaning to look into like the next ones that are coming if the fall that are coming up. I would love to
109share them with all of you actually. That would be really great. Fun for us to go as a board bonding experience a real retreat. The other thing just under this topic that I wanted to bring up is should be under number two in the binders and that is cell towers because we will be dealing with two cell tower applications. Now in Ashland I think we have three cell towers. We have one at the DPW, we have one on Cedar Street on the water tower and the third one is on it's on the Framingham line. something way dry. What? I think there are three cell tower locations. I don't know that one. So, um but anyway, two of them we have two that are coming and basically these are companies that want they have they already
110have uh radio units whatever on top of their cell on top of the cell tower and they're swapping out the units and they're basically swapping them out for 5G equipment, right? and we just keep getting them, getting them, getting them as they're just swapping out their equipment. So, the bylaw is under two. And this is one of the ones that um this is a long, tedious bylaw. And I I've been told, and I also suspect, though I have no details, that it's crazily outofdate and and too long and and unneeded. And this is this are you seeing this? That's extremely long. Most wireless spywise are two maybe three feet. Right. So ours is a good I don't know seven or eight. 16. 16. Yeah. Front and back. Maybe 15 because there's like a half a
111page of the above things, right? Yeah. And I'll send out some more information on this too. You don't really have to read this whole thing. Um because the important thing to know about cell towers and I want to send out some background information. uh so that you can look at it in the next two weeks is that because of um the federal middle class tax relief and job creation act of 2012, there was um a um part of that regulation basically said that planning boards and towns cannot prevent um this is a federal regulation cannot prevent um wireless wireless communication from updating their equipment. unless it significantly changes the mass of the tower or you know there's something significantly different about it. And um and so we we've gone through a bunch of these and
112um we had Lisa me our town attorney has provided a letter describing the different court cases or I have I have um kept kept track of those and downloaded the cases and saw the verbage myself. I'll be passing those off so everyone can keep it in their folder for whoever's interested. Basically, it ties our hand. So, as long as they're not um significantly changing something, we can't deny. So, you know, why does it come before us? Because sometimes it's like, hey, this is a compact area. Are the trucks going to like my kids play right there? Are the trucks going to be in the way while this, you know, while the the towers are being changed or um, you know, is anything at the bottom of the tower being refur structural integrity of the water
113tower? We came up like, well, we're putting these new tow, you know, these new things on, is that tower water tower still able to hold those cell units? So those kind of questions and that's why we review them, but we will be dealing with two of them that'll come up um on the next meeting. Right. So um I'll send out I'll send out this background information to whoever's interested and also I was thinking about sending out a a typical decision that which is our approval document that does change from time to time and that might be something you're interested like this. Um, so you can see what one of those looks like for a cell powder. Sure. Um, so I just that's kind of it that kind of summary of if anyone has any questions,
114but I just wanted to kind of get that out there so that when these things appear in two weeks, we're not coming at it, you know, any questions either online or Okay, I'm good. Thank you. Oh, yeah. Really? You're good. I'm I'm good. Thank you. Okay. Um yeah, so that was the review of the permit process and bylaws that I wanted to go through. And the other I think um number two on the list was discussion of existing and new task list. That was that green form that um and I don't know. Oh yeah. So providing it's right in front of number one. And this this was a a task list that um Kate put together from re various retreats that we had. I kind of took it and um started to uh um started
115to go through it again. Um but it's obviously a little updated. We've already done the accessory dwelling unit that got passed at our last last town meeting. So, it's already already a little up to date, but it's a way of us keeping track of things that we had talked about that we wanted to talk about when we have time. Perfect. So, um, so again, we wanted to just kind of keep it in in the binder. We want to keep an agenda a line on the agenda that's always on there to discuss this because sometimes at the last minute we have projects that continue and now suddenly we have a half empty agenda and then we could talk about something off of this list because it's on the agenda. Now most of the time we don't
116have time and we just skip right over it and don't talk about things but it's there if we need have the opportunity. If we have the opportunity. Right. Yeah. So, um, but it was interesting because I think in our discussions already, we've been talking about a lot of goals. I think some of them are on the list already, but we've talked about it in more detail. Some of them, you know, will be added in um as well. But if you know for whatever time we want to spend, if anyone has anything that they would like to add in new, I think this a time really for talking maybe about new thoughts that people had. I'm looking forward to finally making the hotel thing happen. We started talking about that. We're going to meet again now
117that you got an official email. Talk about Kate's obsessions. Here's yours, Anna. The hotel. This is mine. The Anna hotel concept. However, as I said to the subcommittee of the comprehensive plan, I do want to make sure that it's aired out as part of the comprehensive plan conversation. It can't just be like, oo, the planning board happens to be working on this. So, I think it's important to kind of throw it out there. And just discussing it at the committee was insightful because again, it was like, how big? Well, however big we allow currently. Okay. Well, are we talking Marriott or smaller boutiki or not? What about, you know, is it how do we feel about the difference between apartments versus a hotel? Transient population or permanent? How do we kind of think about that?
118What are our thoughts about that? Some people in the public may not like what a hotel brings as far as like different kind of presence. And I'm like, well, I never thought about that. I I didn't consider that some people would look at a hotel as like attracting pride. I think of hotels as attracting my family members to come visit me. So, do you know what I mean? So, these little things that need to be aired out of the comprehensive plan committee prior to us just being like, "Oh, let's resone for a hotel." Um, I am kind of hesitant though to be like, "Oh, if the comprehensive plan committee didn't want it, we're not going to do it for 10 years." That also troubles me because if there's ideas that were not top priority of
119the comprehensive plan, it doesn't mean that we can't do them until we have another comprehensive plan. Like we still have jurisdiction to reszone, etc. Well, it's interesting because that's sometimes where a special permit comes in, right? Because you could say hotel, but if it's a specialist permit, you always have a little in to say to control that a lot more. Yeah. Than just saying, "Hey, you get to do it by right." Exactly. Yeah. Which is what we would think. So I think we kind of got on the same page that we're both really interested in it and uh we just need to get together and actually do the work, right? So that I think is going to be an actual thing. Now there's another planning board member who seems equally obsessed with oriental. Maybe not
120obsessed. I'm obsessed, but you're interested, which is good. Yeah. Yeah. I think adding options to bring in development. Yeah. Is always a good thing. I mean, it's not financially possible for the company. They're not going to do it. You know what? I mean, like just because we put a zone there doesn't mean they're doesn't mean there's a market for it. And like but I think by doing a special interest like really something you may have to watch out for is those like um sometimes like motel get used by the state for like yeah that's what people so like you can change like some of the bridge and stuff of that nature. Um that's what people also besides housing for people who need it. So yes that's what I mean. It's like a I work you
121know. Yeah, that's a financial tool. There's a couple different programs that Massachusetts does right now, you know, that helps people get back on their feet. It's not just like situations where people can abuse it like, you know, very strict time limits. They have to like do time for like savings to save 30% of their paycheck to set them up for when they move into an apartment and like a lot of like really cool stuff that helps people in a lot of different situations get back on our feet. So, absolutely, I'm all for it. Could be good stuff. Agree. That's good that you're into it. Yeah. Some minutes, Trisha. Yeah. I mean, it's 9:00. I don't think, you know, I think we can go through some meeting minutes and I think the discussion was really really
122good. Like I said, I'm really excited about the board and it's a lot of food for thought. I think we got through what I hope to get through. Do we typically do through number five like through the reports or is that just more like if somebody had something they want to bring in? There isn't always a report but since you did just attend that meeting I didn't mean to derail this approving. No, no, no, no. Not and I wasn't trying to end the meeting and we didn't think that you were trying to continue the meeting. Like, hey, you didn't give us I'm just thinking it's 9:00. Unless we start drinking, it's not a retreat. But I do think I do make a mean margarita. But I do think you had that. The meeting was on
123June 3rd. We had um so and it was so was Scott's first meeting there. Yeah, we had two two things that came in front of the comprehensive uh sorry the community preservation committee. Uh there's a group in town historical one working on the cemetery behind the church across the street. Um they requested very specific amount of funds. We asked them to um ask for more and um we also approved them 5,000 because we can approve up to $5,000 of administrative funds right away. Um so we approved that because they can use it to part of their plan was to use to hire a liar company to scan the grounds because they were finding a bunch of like sunken gravestones and they don't know if there's extra bodies there and stuff like that. So they're going
124to use that funds to come up with a better idea of what they need to do so they can ask for the right amount of money to you know correctly right you know revive not reviving a cemetery is not the right words but you know um you know um bring it bring it together bring it I don't know what to say the word is but to um to fix it I guess is a better word rehab yep rehab Um because I guess like 10 years ago the town spent 25 $26,000 in that same one to do some of this work, but it it wasn't enough for a revival. Well, not well clearly not enough. Um I guess so I think you brought it up to one level and this is to try to bring it
125up to a higher level and they're using a lot of volunteers which is doing stuff which is awesome but it's just like come and ask for the right amount to like get the project right. What you don't want to do is try to have to go in front of town meeting three times in a row asking for another 10 grand or another 15 grand. Just be like, "Hey, we have these funds, you know, let's if it's 75, then ask for 75." Um, so we approved them. They have $5,000 to get the LAR because they had a quote for like $4,900 or something to get that in there to go scan the ground, I guess, and tell us what's there. Wow. Um, and then there was another proposal for $25,000 sponsored by the D the head
126of DPW to change the dirt on a women's softball field at the high school because I guess when we originally built it, we put in really top quality dirt, like Fenway dirt, but the problem with that is you need like Benway maintenance to keep the Fenway dirt as dirt and not as concrete. Um because it's very clay heavy. So it hardens. So it hardens and like people have described it as hard as concrete and like sliding you can really get hurt and stuff. It's just it's the same with the men's the baseball diamond, but it's not as bad. Um, I guess there's other issues with the men's one, but they're just and he's like, I just want to do this one because we can just get the project done and it's like a six day
127project to and they can do it after the town meeting. So, like it will be ready for the spring season for the girls. So, um, that got and now he gets to bring it to the we'll do the fall town meeting. The fall town meeting. So, yeah, it's kind of interesting. And then I learned a lot in a lot of different good stuff, but we don't have another meeting until September or I'm like I want I have ideas and then they're like well you can always call a meeting. So I don't think anybody's really excited about me calling a meeting but um but I've been doing some other ideas. So working through some stuff because I want to replace the I know it's kind of plan meeting but like some stone park stuff. Um I
128myself want to redo the not me but to redo the baseball field. You might have to I'm you might have to do it yourself. So I airating. So we have the funds for it but then you know I reached out to that is one way an architect friend of mine and he helped me like kind of set me in the right direction to like what to do and who to get some support. So probably reach out to upper youth baseball and stuff like that and start because our Prince Seal fields are amazing, right? you know, when you're little league and then you go from that to like literally the worst field in the Tri Valley. Like my boys both played on it and it's like other towns come in and they make fun of our
129field and it's just a Stone Park is just not a nice baseball field like especially when you compare it to Marcel which is like amazing and has lights and like a beautiful infield and a pitcher mound that's actually off the ground and stuff. So yeah, I I told Scott that the role of having a planning board member sitting on that committee is to be on the lookout when you eyes and ears hear how that money can be spent because otherwise money is just sitting there. So it's it's supposed to be partly a a project feeder to kind of get these, you know, pro, you know, make these projects come alive so that that money can be spent. And there's a lot of money sitting there. And I'll throw in too, they're working on revising the
130open space plan, uh, which I'm assisting the open space committee with, and replacing like all of the fields or revitalizing them, things like that is on there. Um, DPW strongly push for it, all the residents strongly push for it, and that also opens up to grant funding to get that as well once the plan is approved. One of the biggest for the comprehensive plan was more fields better. Yeah. I'm just I'm just nervous that we're going to go after and it's going to be so big that it's gonna like I love how this guy walked in and said 25 grand just fixed the dirt at the the soft and got it right and then not it's not going to take seven years and $14 million or something crazy, right? Where like by the time it
131gets completed I don't want to watch baseball anymore. You know what I mean? Like I I get why kids can't, but like kids in town should have a like it doesn't have to be a whole other generation away to be able to use these things. So I'm kind of wondering if I can just chip away at some of these little mini projects. Well, one thing we can do if you're sitting on this board is we can give you some of the data we got as a plan because there's a lot of public spaces in Ashland that need some help and there's no I think part of it is the public is not a they can they can you know correctly ethically legally with certain you know standing push for this money as part of a
132group or committee. Yeah. and with their personal interest in the field. I mean, it it sounds like, you know, you could have a convers conversation with Rebecca at some point who might connect you to open space and just just to learn more about who else is in that in that group kind of already. Yeah. Do you also have a park and Rex committee? It's in the works. It's been a goal on the open space plan since the at least the 2017 plan, which was the last one. Okay. Um, right now DPW is all kind of together and there's people who are assigned to do that that function in that way to a certain degree, but they're not formally together with a cohesive plan or anything. So, okay, it's in the works. They're slowly working their
133way to it. Um, but it it needs a little bit more scoping out. Okay. Yeah. for things like that. Sometimes depending on insurance, you might be able to get volunteers to come help you. And when it's a local project, you find you get a lot of people that are willing to volunteer to either, you know, whether it's somebody that has to load in the dirt or somebody's, you know, stamp it or whatever it is that you do to a baseball field, somebody offers to come plant the grass for you. A lot of times people are committed to helping their community. So if you put it out that you're looking to do this, you might find that there are people out there willing to do the work and you might not have to pay for all
134of it. We had a whole roof done by donation in because the building meant that much to John. Well, I think we have the money. It just somebody to get it through. Yeah. Which is usually the opposite of what the problems. It's usually not the money sitting there. Yeah. That's the question there. I think the cover has printed out. It will help. Yeah. Yeah. It will generate some energy on those things. Yeah. So, okay. Sorry. No, those are my two things. I am glad that you reminded me of that. So, all right. So, um I don't think someone jumping if I'm wrong. I think we already we talked a lot about comprehensive plan. I don't think there's anything else on that list um that we need to do besides the meeting minutes. We all know
135the next meeting is June 26th and we will be doing real planning board stuff. Yes. I will say the second next meeting which is July 10th I am traveling for work and it will be very difficult for me to attend on the 10th. Um if there's an project where I will be voting I you know if it's a special project special permit project I think I can only miss a certain number of meetings before I lose my right to vote. Yes. So I don't know if Peter kept track of any meetings we've been missing that you've inherited on special. Remember that everything is start there are no projects out there that good. Everything start everything is starting fresh. Yes. So anyway on the 10th I may not attend. So if we do have a special
136permit project for whatever reason pop up for the 10th maybe I'll try to like be present for that section but I'm not going to be able to attend. You may miss and this is probably something good for you know as well Scott. You may miss one public hearing if you're doing um a special permit for a large project and it goes on for 12 months. You may miss one public hearing and you may at that point say you're going to read the meeting minutes or watch the Zoom recording and then you have to go to the town clerk and make a statement that you have in fact followed that information in order to be able to have your vote included on the file. So, we have a standard form that you write in, sign, and
137then the town of Clark stamps and it gets recorded down there and a copy comes upstairs. Sounds like you just gave me a way to get out of some of the meetings. One one just one or if you have a conflict of interest, you could always say that too. Hey guys, sorry conflict of interest, but Oh, yeah. All right. So then um meeting minutes are under number three. You do not have to have attended the meeting to correct vote to vote on the minutes which is a little strange. I always find that recorded because you can check your recording against the minutes. I think I I didn't have any changes. I had none. I had none to to show I read it as well. Okay, great. Thank you. Do we want to make a motion
138to approve both or just one time? Um, well, I I didn't comment on I only had one change on the second. Um, and that was on the second page under board reorganization under motion. My name is spelled wrong. It's spelled right at the beginning. But which page was that? The second page under board reorganization under motion. Uh, my first name is should be T R I C I A. Oh, I see it. Um, and that's otherwise I thought they were Yeah. Well done. So, I'll make a motion to approve the May 8th, 2025 minutes. Is everyone good with that? I'm sorry. Second. Okay. Sorry. I'm sorry. And which ones did you uh make the May 8th? made the motion deferred to May 8th. Okay. And there's Scott had seconded. So roll call vote. How may
139be the I I and Trisha Kendall I and then I'll make a motion to approve May 22nd, 2025 minutes with the change that Trisha noted under the motion board reorganization section. Is that where that is Trisha? Um yes. Okay. Yeah. So motion to approve 22 May 22nd minutes with that change. Second there's a second deep you want to start. Yeah deep and test minutes I let me just be the Trisha Kendall. Okay just so we're not have two people swaking at once. All right. So that's the meeting minutes. Um any other comments? Thank you everyone for being here either online um with traveling not feeling well people are here um Jasmine thank you so much for attending thank you for having me and Becca I don't know how I could have done it without you
140so thank you both of you getting such late hours I'm thrilled yeah great I really appreciate it so thank you very much thank you on that note we will motion to adjourn at 9:17 I got 9:18 yeah 9:18 there's a second roll I'll vote Deepa and get and it's the I may just and we leave the the unless you want it for something. For those online, I'm going to end the meeting. What's that? I'm gonna end the meeting for those online. Thank you guys. Bye everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you.