001Good evening everyone and welcome to Ashlin Planning Board meeting of Thursday, March 27th. A reminder to everyone that the meeting is being broadcast and recorded. I will call the meeting to order at 7:22 p.m. And the first item on our agenda is the clerk's report. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, there has been no correspondence to the planning board since the last meeting. Okay, easy enough. Slow week. Um, next then is public comment. We will open public comment either for people online or in the room. Um yeah. just everyone online. We're having a little difficulty here in the room. So, please hold tight. Yeah, they're just sit over there. Mark, why don't you just sit over in the corner and and just use that mic? Yeah, our our agenda is fairly light tonight. So, okay, this
002one's on. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. This Okay. Sure. When I want to speak, it breaks. Okay. Media mark 119 Main Street. This seems a little weird doing it from here. Um from the company plan was shock. Zoran board found out for sure to tonight. Ashan is losing a planner. Mr. Peter going the brain tree. It's Ashan's loss. Brain trees gain. and avaro decent size feet to fill. I'm I'm I'm basically saying um I'm ve very happy to have known Peter for what he has done with me hearing me behave and teachable and make sure the information I have is coming from the source and this town has gone forward because of the team that is there is Peter and Avaro and and the whole development board up here and Um, yeah. I know
003everybody's going to say it this way, but yes, you got to be missed at least by me because I have nobody else. No, Avaro. No offense to you. You're going to be next with the air burning and the brain melting. And um I appreciate the time that you had here. Way too short, but it's worth it's worth having. It is spring. You're going down the brain tree. They should they should be real glad to have you. And to end my participation for this time, rest Oxy Snowber. They won tonight. They got 182 to see what happens. Thank you, Peter, for being here. Miss you and good luck. Thank you, Mark. Uh I will miss you too as as a resident that attended all the meetings. Uh it's been a pleasure to meet you, to work
004with you, and um and I hope you continue to come to the to the planning board meetings and the zoning board meetings and the comprehensive plan meetings and um keep obviously putting your your 100% effort forward. Thank you, Mark. All right, seeing no more public comments, um we will move on to the first item on our agenda, which is a public hearing for the House Street Scenic Road. Um can you give us the intro to that, Peter? Sure. So, right now, um I'll introduce uh Matt um from Eversource. Um so, this is kind of an annual um application we see sometimes by annually. Um, and so before I jump into the public hearing pro the to read the public hearing notice on the agenda, um, Matthew from Eversource is our regional representative from Eversource. He's
005a certified arborist. Um, and so he's here to present um the plan that is going to is is going to be presented here tonight is that they Eversource is looking andor by annually looks to prune um their circuits, right? Um and so this year the how street circuit andor the circuit um that Eversaurus maintains that runs along how street which is a scenic road is um is up for maintenance. Um and so with this said um Eversource is looking to I believe trim back any trees within 10 feet of the wires. um meeting with Eversource. And before we hand it over to Matt to give his presentation, uh they will be removal of no trees. It is to my understanding. Uh this is this removal of any um small branches that are within proximity of
006the wires. Um so with this said um Matt from Eversource, do you want to please um come to uh come step up in front of the planning board and uh tell us a little bit about the application that you are here to present tonight. Absolutely. Uh thank you Peter. So my name is Matthew. I am the Eversource arborist uh for the area that Ashlin falls under. Um I have been working for Eversource as an arborist either directly or as a contractor for around 7 years. Uh before that I studied forestry and environmental science at the University of Vermont. Uh like Peter said um house street the circuit on house street is up for our regular maintenance pruning. Um uh our clearance around the wires uh is usually is 10 by 10 by 15 ft. that
007is 15 feet above the wires, 10 feet to the bottom of the very top wires on the pole, um, and 10 feet to the sides. Uh, but as Peter just alluded to, um, we, this pruning is intended to target smaller diameter growth. Uh, we, um, we don't have any intention of pruning, uh, established leaders, leaders of significant size, uh, unless the leaders, the limbs themselves happen to be dead. Um, and we do this to maintain a safe distance between the tree growth and the electrical wires, both for a worker safety um, standpoint for our line workers as well as reliability generally uh, in the town of Ashland as well as general public safety. Um, if we do not prune these wire, if we do not prune these trees and they grow up into the wires,
008they can catch on fire. That's very dramatic and definitely not something we want to be seeing happen. Um, uh, yeah, I think that's about it. Sorry, Matt. Can you just go over again? Just It's really just from my understanding. It's 10 feet to the sides of the wire. Is that right? Yeah. The very top wires on the pole. So, there's a whole bunch of pole. There's a whole bunch of wires on the pole. Okay. Um, it's the ones at the very tippy top of the pole that we are pruning around. So, the ones at the top, you do 10 ft to the side, so horizontally, and then 15 feet down and 15 feet up. Uh, 10 feet down and and 15 feet up. 10 feet down. 10 feet down from the top wire or 10
009feet down from the bottom wire. 10 feet down from the top wire. Um, and this distance is uh an industry standard for the Northeast. um that takes into account the average growth rate of your average uh New England tree species over the course of four years uh which is our site which is our cycle. Uh and one thing I did forget to mention is that um this is our this is just maintenance pruning. Uh this is the same spec the same specifications the same work that we did four years ago and four years ago before that etc. Um in that sense there is no new work being proposed. Um we are maintain we are uh maintaining the clearance that has been already established. Okay. And so there's nothing in particular that um you've scoped it
010out. There's nothing uh Peter I said there's there's no tree actual trees coming down. So there's nothing in particular that's out of that's unusual in this uh maintenance this year. No. And uh if there's if there's a large leader for some reason that I think should be pruned, that would be something I would go to Peter um and work with the town uh to see if that's something we could get permission for or not. Um as well as any removals, but at the moment there are no uh tree removals being planned for House Street. Okay. And just a note, you know, Matt um Matt myself, I don't know if you were with me out that day, but Becca Solomon, our tree warden, you know, we do meet on site, you know, we walk take a
011look around obviously and and if there was something to come up, if a major leader did have to come off, if there was a tree that was identified as a as a hazard, Matt's obviously going to reach out to myself, she's going to reach out to Becca Solomon, the tree the tree coordinator, uh the tree warden, and to start that conversation. Does anyone have any questions? Um, I do have a question. I I think I couldn't find our last um decision, but I was happy to see. So, we we did I remember us batting around that ANC300. So, that should be in our decision. They actually applied stating that. But, um, one of the things I'm pretty sure we had in a condition previously was notice. So I think what kind of notice is going
012to the people and what their plan is for that notice for the people that live along that route. Yes. Okay. Uh so normally we have an automated um letter notification system uh that's currently down for maintenance. Uh so instead of automated letters being sent out through the postal service, we are actually handd delivering uh pruning fires, laying out the um uh what our intentions are and letting people know that we will be in the neighborhood. And there is a call back number um to call um and if anybody uh if anyone calls that number and the uh the general Eversource customer service rep is unable to answer your questions about the work being done, they forward that uh they forward your contact information to me directly and then I will usually arrange a meeting uh
013to take a look at the trees. You know, I said that our clearance is 10 x 10 x 15. Um, as long as folks are generally reasonable about the fact that some pruning has to take place, uh, for general safety and reliability, um, I'm very happy to have some come come to some sort of compromise, um, where everyone is as as happy as possible. Um, as far as how far in advance people get the notice, that's a hard question to answer. Uh, these circuits can be quite large. Um, if you get if I if the notifications go out a week before the contractor starts the circuit, if you're on the other end of the circuit, uh, from where they started, you may not see them for a month. Um, but like I said, if people
014have questions, uh, there is a number, um, that they can call to get in touch with me uh, after a few steps. All right, any other questions? Okay. So, um this is something that uh No. Okay. This is something we need to vote and approve and there's a decision or so typically uh what we typically do is write a memo. Okay. Um like an approval memo just a one pager. I can't remember. And so, um we can do that. I think traditionally I I don't know if the whole full chair even signed that. I think it could have just been you Trisha. Um I can go back and look, but next week obviously if it's approved, we'll draft up a memo. We'll send it around and um and the pling board can kind of come
015in and and sign the memo um and go from there. Okay. Any other questions? Should we make a motion for the memo? I think yes. Make a vote. Uh I was going to say seems pretty straightforward to me. Approve it in light of the fact that the tree is being removed and it's fairly minimal. So I'll make a motion to Approve the petition by Eversource Centering Post Street. I make a friendly amendment for that subject to um conditions of minimum oneweek notice, no trees being removed, um notification town if there has to be removal hazardous ANC 300 um pruning. And I think it's not a bad idea to put that size as well that they said that size the size the 10 by 10. Okay. I mean it's in the not sure that has to
016be but the other the 10 foot the sides and bottom. Yeah. And 15 above. Yeah. Okay. So include include the specifications from the description of relief. That's reasonable. That makes sense to you. Yeah. Okay. So, um, so one week notification dimensions dimensions 300 and then if a tree was to be determined a hazard that they would notify the town. Is that correct, Kate? Before prior to removal. Y. Okay. So, those things would be added to the memo. Um, we can have that Um, we can have we can have a memo circulated to the board. If if there's no changes, then we can come in and sign it. Yeah. Okay. Um, can we do that in two weeks or do they don't do they need it sooner where I'll just sign it? Hey, Matt. Um, just
017just out of curiosity, the board just wants to talk about timing. Now, it was to my understanding, what when do when does Eversource plan to come into Ashland? Uh, that's a good question. Um, this is the only circuit that we have in Ashland this year. Uh, I would expect um it would happen at some point over the summer. Um, but that can change uh depending on what's going on with other towns. Uh, for example, one of our biggest hurdles is police detail availability. Uh, so um that can't that that may change, but I would imagine it would be at this point it's going to be in the summer. Okay. So if we so if we plan the that we'll sign it at our next meeting that we'll have the have the document and sign it
018at our next meeting then um that would just be two weeks from today. Is that that's acceptable I assume? Yeah, I'll just answer that question. Matt, I think the plenty board's talking about writing a memo and then we'll approve and sign it two weeks from today and then um and then you guys will be able to put this on your on your work schedule. Does that work for Eversource? Uh that is perfect. Okay, great. All right. So, we'll do that memo, but we might as well just um uh take the vote now so that we can um if there's any issue, we can just get it signed. So, I'll make a motion to approve the edition as amended. All right. Roll call vote. Oh, second. I Trisha Kendall. Okay, that is approved. We'll have that
019for you in two weeks. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you, Matt. All right, you all have a good evening. You too. All right. Next on our agenda are the proposed bylaw changes. Um we had the U forum um two weeks ago when we talked about these. So, we just wanted to go through obviously the remaining questions and anything that was hanging out there um that wanted to be resolved before it then gets submitted to what what happens next. Alvaro um newspaper. Yeah, I will submit it simultaneously to the newspaper and to um Jen for to the the warrant. Can I ask a quick question about the overlay, the flood plane overlay? Do we need oncom to comment on that at all or is that is that done? Yeah. Um I sent it to Becca to review
020because the one change that we had from LA one of the changes that we had it was to see we could take out some of the zones since they didn't apply to the geography of Ashland. So she did review it. sent me an email uh saying that it was good from Becca or from like con commission itself conservation commission itself or I guess I conservation agent I guess I'm asking if we need to give it to the conservation itself I think I think if the plenty would want to reach out asking the question I think in in the time being you know I think we've worked with Becca she's kind of helped us kind of mold this bylaw to make sure it kind of she has no concerns and she has no concerns. Um so
021if you want us to I think in the process as we obviously put it in the newspaper and get ready for the public hearing if you would want to get consensus andor an opinion from the conservation commission we are more than happy to submit this to if there's time I don't think that would hurt to just kind of formalize because it's believe it's concurrent jurisdiction on this with them. So I don't think it's I mean we don't have time to go in front of conservation commission and no you know so they can look at it once it's in the paper but um but we're not public I'm guessing we're not publishing the text of the paper. No but it's on file with the town clerk. Okay. Yeah. So to please you're not you're not you
022don't change it. Are we having a public hearing at some point on it? Yes. So what's the harm of giving it as a courtesy to oncom so if they want to hear public hearing so seems like we have plenty of time to basically say to them hey we're having a public hearing on this you have some comment you want us to consider please submit it for the public hearing yeah it it just can't be changed the wording will be set by that it will be sent to the newspaper by the 4th I believe is the max I mean it's better than nothing is what I'm saying so yeah no it's fine So, um, that was my only comment on that one. Yeah. And most of this is about about what has to get a special
023permit. It's kind of about that. Everything on here has to go through concom anyway. Like, you know. Yeah. So, they they no matter what we do here, it all goes through concom. Yeah. Anything that happens on the flood plane will be their it's already their jurisdiction. Yeah. No, I get that, but we're changing the bylaw. So, anyway, moving on. It sounds like we're going to hand it to them informally. So, is that what we're we're looking Let's let's go through that first. Is that what we're looking at first? Is the flood plane? That seems to be the first one in the orders. So, the use regulations 8.1.4 and then that 8.1.6 got added and it's it kind of conflicts. So, I'm not sure how that all works because you're like, "Hey, agricultural use are fine
024and in 8.1.4 and then you go to 8.1.6 and it's like, h, no, you might need a permit." And I don't that just seems odd the way that's written. Well, I don't think so because the first one is about use of the land such as farming, grazing, I don't know what truck farming is, horiculture is actual the plants like you're planting stuff there, but um in 8.1.6 it's it's called it's um placement of agricultural facilities like buildings like you know structures you know things that aren't plants, right? So um the first the first thing is all just about planting water plants wildlife management you're not actually you know fishing you're not actually doing anything to the land I mean I guess I would say if you're farming you might have a fence and that's where
025I saw and then it does say 8.6 8.1.6 Six is a fence, not just a building, right? But a fence isn't an agricultural use. Farming is agricultural use. Growing things, right? But constructing something falls under something else. So you would need to That's why these are in two sections. If you're just just planting some stuff, you do this. If you're trying to erect something, you're doing you're you have to look at the other one. Um so and actually there's three levels here. The the one the 8.1.4 4 is like I said is the planting the forestry and nursery whatever 8.1.5 is where um is the real like special permit ere building or structure that's erected constructed substantially improved reconstructed all those things comes before the planning board for a special permit. The third thing 8.1.6
026Six was what we were talking about that gosh does the planning board really want someone to to hear something about a fence or a post or a sign? My vote was no. We have a lot of other I think things that we could or should be doing with our time. And so if things fall in that then 8.1.6 six says that it goes um to an FPOD work permit which would be issued by the building commissioner so that we're not having to deal with those things and but even things in 8.1.6 go in front of conservation a fence goes to conservation. So um so they're going to pick up everything even if we're only going to focus on the big stuff. So, um I think that was the biggest kind of change in there. Yeah.
027And that kind of falls into line with the state was looking for and also what other communities are doing as well. Oh, I did have one more question. Overall, we were we kept wondering um about that um recreational vehicle thing. Oh, so we did email um email the I did email the um waterways our area waterways. So I think again I gota I gota I gota look into I gota look this is a little bit tricky right an AE all recreational vehicles or campers to be placed on the site must be elevated or anchored in accordance with the zone regulations or for uh for foundation and elevation requirements or be on the site for less than consecutive days or be fully licensed and road ready. So, if your RV Actually, I just noticed something. Um,
028didn't uh didn't Becca told us to take out A and EA zones because we're not in them. Right. Those weren't in our zones. Isn't that right? Or are those are those zones still in? Those still we have A and AE. We do Oh, those are still in. Okay. Yeah, we don't have V. I think B is out, which is a velocity zone. I was thinking about which is more of a coastal kind of a dune. We took out sand dunes, but also a velocity zone where waves obviously hit obvious if if you're thinking like thinking situate, right, in the big storms, right? Those are velocity zones where you have to build up on stilts. That's a velocity zone, right? Okay. So, when you talk about Sorry. So, A&E, I'm sorry, I was Excuse. So when
029you're talking about a recreational vehicle, so number one, if you're l if you're Wnebago, right, is fully licensed. So is fully licensed and road ready that can stay on the property, right? Because in the event of a flood, it's drivable. You can get it out of there, right? And I think that's where it comes into then you're looking at the second part. You say, "Okay, um to be on a site for less than 180 days, right?" So you're saying if your site is going to if your RV I'm going to say Wnebago is going to be on the site for greater than 180 days and is not licensed and is not road ready then yes you have to create a um excuse me anchor andor foundation. So what they're saying is yes you have to
030build a foundation and bring it up to the elevation of that flood zone. So it's basically if you're using one of these maybe as a home. Correct. And then it has to be Yeah. And then that one the zoning will play into account. So this building inspector will have to look at the zone where they are located and then based on that they can decide what is the actual elevation. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Because I know we were looking at the term anchor and I'm throwing out oh anchor you know is this like a like a moring or what's going on? But really it's a foundation. You have to attach it to the ground. in the word anchor foundation, but that's only in the instance that a it's not roadw worthy, it's not licensed, and hasn't
031moved off the site for 180 days, and it still rests within that flow. Okay? And so with confidence, I say we're we're most likely there's not there's not any of these in nor slim to none within Metro West that that's actually going to fit into this exact qualification. So I think it's we're taking the words for the state proposed, but that's how you would theoretically implement that that that definition. Okay, does that make sense? Yes. Okay. Yes. Thank you. Any further questions on on that before we uh what what do we need? We don't really need a formal vote on these. We're just we're sending them off. We're just sending the final wording off and submitting them to the warrant. We're submitting them to the warrant. Start the public hearing process. Okay. Um, you know,
032Alvo will start the public hearing process which is obviously um newspaper notifications budding town. I think technically we should vote for each one to go on to the warrant. That's fine. Right. We need I mean I don't have any changes to the flood plane or the accessory dwellings, but we need to talk about the I do. Yeah, you want to do one at a time. So I'll make a motion to send the draft flood plane overlay district um section 8.1 of Ashlin zoning bylaw changes on to next step of this to be on the warrant. All right. Second roll call and a test kendal. Okay. So, that one's gone. Accessory dwelling unit. Um, so there were a few little I mean from last time we basically added on the definitions. Yes. Which I hope someday
033will be will come out of here and be placed in the definition section of the bylaw, but for right now we we can't do that. We need them within this bylaw. Um, so the definitions were added on there. Um, Kate, I saw that you had a few edits that came through. Um, so yeah. So I had I mean they're in this clean version, the ones that kind of had to be made. Um, the ones that I think are still left. Um, so the 7.64 64 exterior appearance and size. So I feel like the two and the three two where the where the ADU has an entrance on the front facade of the dwelling and ADU entrance shall be secondary appearance. Um the and the stairways on the front um maybe it's actually another one. No,
034just those two. So you're not supposed to be making any rules that were more restrictive and would ask for those are so I I don't know that they I mean Lisa me looked at it but that doesn't mean it would be accepted but it doesn't mean it won't but I I feel like it's not great to put um a situation like we I I think we should be doing what the state asked to make these streamline and doable and so the only way someone can do it is like appeal and say you're you're making it more restrictive and that costs money and time to the average regular homeowner. So I I feel like we have to seriously say why are we asking I drove by houses night that don't right there's houses single family or
035maybe multif family homes that have stairs that aren't enclosed. Right? That's a that's an expense we're asking people to do in um 7.4.3 that you wouldn't have with a single family. and we're expressly prohibited from doing it. Now again, Lisa me said fine. So it's up to somebody who doesn't want the expense and try to challenge and lawyers are expensive offense. Um so I think that we should try to clean this up and keep it streamlined in keeping with intent. Do not ask for anything you wouldn't be asking for a single vote. Yeah, I think in the bylaw I think they do allow for wanting the wanting the ADU to fit into the single family zoning district. So, um well, they there's a some quite a few dispensations for historic that you actually can make.
036don't currently have a historic they're considering. So we didn't go that angle and split this for the potential historic district. Um it's so it's pretty clear um about not making something. I mean that's that is in the wording if you go to the state website. Um yeah, I mean I think that's um you know it's kind of pretty extreme uh interpretation kind of of that. So I don't know. I think um I don't know you know Lisa me looked at this thought it was okay if the state crosses it out they cross it out I don't know what the Lisa's looking you know um you know um I mean no offense but Lisa and me had some wrong stuff last that's fine yeah I know I get to take a chance once in a while
037on something right I will say this though you know reviewing what other towns are looking to do right this is very streamlined. Our bylaw, proposed bylaw here is very streamlined and um in other bylaws in other communities that I've seen are very are much more restrictive when it comes to architectural design, how things back, interior stairways and so I think if I think these are probably on the the the least side of restrictive is anything but but so 7.3 what is 7.6.4.3 43. What is the justification? When I drove here today, just from my house getting here and saw houses that had stairways not enclosed going up to their second and so it just seems bizarre that we're pushing something more restrictive. I would say that it is against maintaining the single family character of
038neighborhoods containing ADUs which is in 7.6.1. So that would be my argument. Even though we currently Yeah. Yeah. And how do you feel about how they look? Does it add to the character of the town? I think that it's kind of making I mean housing and affordability is kind of the primary thing, right? That's why that law, right? It is the primary thing. So that's why we have all of these things allowing ADUs by right. But we also don't allow as many ADUs as you want by right. You know, we don't um allow them to be bigger than a certain size. So there's there's definitely restrictions on them already that aren't on single family house. So, um, you know, we took out we stripped everything else out of there, you know, but I think my
039concern is, um, that, uh, that one way of doing this would be to, um, take your third floor, make it into an ADU. Great. Great. If you can do that, but I don't think you can do it at the expense of the neighborhood. you know, I think there needs to be there, you know, there's some consideration about the best way to add an ADU to your property. So, um so that that's where I'm coming from on this. I I would even have a stipulation on there unless um with the stair unless um reviewed by the planning board. I don't know if we can do that. Um uh so um yeah, so it might not be that we can't do that. So if we otherwise we leave it in as is you know we technic I
040mean I don't think we want to because that's not in keeping but we actually could ask for site plan review of that's allowed but I'm I'm not asking but I'm saying we could um the other thing I I think I don't quite understand um why the setbacks got absent from here. I know there was the setbacks about smaller lots but I'm not Um, I'm wondering if we want to consider just I think we had I think it got written out. It just said it had to meet the setbacks, right? Yeah. I think that got written out on this version. Yeah, the the one with the smaller lots. No, I think we had something that it had to meet setbacks anyway. Like are just standard. We're trying to keep it simple and I think that got
041taken out of this version. I see. Yeah, there was language that said the ADU shall be fully located within the dimensional setbacks of the Sonian district and then it went to this we have to add that first sentence back in that's a good catch. Okay. And number two. Yep. Yeah. Because you know what's funny and Albero can explain a little bit better is that the state rolled out their final regulations on Febru on January 26th of 2025 and then on the 20 on the 31st they issued another set of final regulations. The change was they deleted this 10,000 square foot um uh this the second sentence here says except that a detached uh ADU located on the lot which is 10,000 ft or less may have a side rear set back of 5T. So I
042think adding that you are correct Kate to add that first that first that first sentence back in Yeah, I don't think that's a big ask with the with the stairs. It's just saying don't put it on front. Don't come have it coming out of front window. It can be on the sides, you know, and and and unless otherwise required by applicable provisions of the state building code. So like if if there's no other way to do it, say, you know, the the building code would still say you have to have a second means egress. And so, you know, I I think that's just a barely asking for something. I agree. I concur. You know, yeah. So, it's just a you know, I don't think it's a it's a small I think it's a small ask
043for what this bylaw is. Um, and I think especially in relation to other communities bylaw regulations about ADUs and and I think it also it goes back to the intent of of 7.6 61, right, is to maintain a single family uh character of the neighborhoods. And I think I think the residents of Ashland in single family houses would would support that clause uh more than anything, you know, as this gets uh you know, put on to the state to all our communities through the through the housing bill. So, I think it's a I think it's a I think it's I think it's I think I think Ashton should keep it in. I can go either way. I think we're trying to do we're trying to revisit. I think it's good as is. I can But
044I think also if you keep it in and if it it doesn't pass the the sniff test by the AG's office, have them red flag it. But I think yeah, I think you got to keep it in to meet that purpose. Um because look every and I think the other thing is it's Ashland is is a majority a single family community you know and you want to keep that character feel about I can see this is also something at town meeting the way town meeting works that you could there could be a motion to eliminate number three would there not there could be on town meeting floor you could edit I mean, you could eliminate, but you couldn't not add, right? You know, and and so I think if it's if it's if it's that
045big of a discussion point, open it up for a public hearing and then I mean, you know, go to the public hearing with it in and then go to town meeting floor and if there's amendment on town meeting floor, take it take it take that angle. I mean, generally, I think we did a pretty good job of stripping out and clean, which is what the intent and I think makes the sense want to believe in it provide potential provide housing. So I you want you want no just leave it alone. I got we need all the edits I sent today and the one tonight though. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think we took we took those were great edits. No, it was great to to incorporate those. Yeah. So we'll put the deleted. Okay. So we'll
046leave it in. We'll leave it in and we'll see like I'm fine if it goes up for discussion later. If the AG's office says nope and crosses out, it gets crosses out. Yeah. You know, um so and we'll we'll put back in the ADU should be fully located within the dimensional setbacks. Yeah. So that goes back in. And then on the next page something that I caught, which I think Kate also noted, and I I said I I couldn't believe I didn't see this before. In parking, all motor vehicles owned or maintained by occupants. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. was supposed to be one like one so that um um Yeah. So, we're going to just put one motor vehicle. The clean the clean version has that already. Oh, sorry. I'm looking at
047my old version. Okay. Sorry, I was looking at my edited version. Okay, great. And then obviously the def the definitions that are in the current section of definitions will be taken out and this will all be um self-contained. So is there any other any other comments or changes we want on that? So I I can make a motion to approve with Kate's changes. She emailed right theory dwelling the clean version when we did tonight. Great. So with that change to get the accessory drawing unit section 8 of chapter 15 move forward to second and Trisha Kendall I okay so that's taken care of and then the last one simplest that one was just 9.4.5 4.5 site plan review, but that one had no comments from nobody on the board from last and that's moving the
048the 30 days to 65 days to match up with the special permit requirements. So here you're just on the sheet you're giving everything but the the actual change the actual bylaw is just um in section three. Yeah, it's in section three or you're because we're not taking all this out and yeah, all this stuff stays, right? So, it's just one and two stay. Oh, like putting it on the war and that's just Are we aren't we like Yeah, we are on the warrant. I guess I just gave it for context. Okay. The whole thing it's going to be three. Yeah. And it's just putting bush all the public hearing. Um I believe in the I think we have a we have a the current language I believe is fact factf finding right a factf finding
049me exactly public hearing obviously within 65 days and then we also add um notification shall be provided in compliance with m master law chapter 48 section 11 that is what we do already today this that's the newspaper 14 days prior two that's notification within 300 of the locust. Um, and so obviously we're just verifying that with So in the 65 days of the receipt of the application, is that like receipt of the do we have do we have it in the same way that the receipt of the complete application or um it's it's in I think it's it's verbatim. It's the same the wording. Yep. For the special project. Okay. Yep. All right. Everyone's good at that. seems that way. Um I make a motion that we accept the um modification for section 9.4.53 procedures
050for site plan review to pass along next steps for town. I'll second that. I Katherine Jersey and Trisha Kendall. Okay. So bylaw changes are on their way. Yay. Um, next discussion and comments for 61 Waverly Street 40B comprehensive permit application. So, this was for the second 40B project. The zoning board of appeals. Oh, um, I mean, oh yeah, we can do that. Um Peter just made me aware that um the applicants for number seven 100 Chestnut Street um for the signage are on and so we might as well take care of that first to as not leave them waiting. So we will skip down to number seven Chestnut Street Asher development. Um this is regarding the signage there. Correct Peter? Correct. So um the Asher development uh 9 100 Chestnut Street the last ph of
051the village Americas. Um Mr. Roy McDow uh is here tonight. And um and so in accordance with the 100 Chestn Street special permit site plan review special condition five, the planning board review the proposed installation of the tenant directory sign at the entrance of 90 and 100 Chester Street. If you remember a few months ago, I believe it was right prior it was kind of leading up to the holiday break, we reviewed uh two signs um for the residential development. Um I'm happy to say that, you know, we poured the development. Um it's getting very close to completion. Um actually we we issu the town issued temporary occupancy so the leasing office could get opened up and so people they can start kind of that leasing effort. But with this said, we're here tonight to
052discuss the proposed tenant directory sign that you can see um on the on the map here and then on the back page. And this would be um obviously uh sitting along Chestnut Street and it would be an area where the tenants uh taking up that 10 and a half thousand square feet of commercial space um their businesses could be listed. Um this this this sign is not internally lit. It's going to be up lit from a landscape lighting. Um and it will sit facing Chestnut Street. Um, furthermore, economic development director Beth Reynolds um has has also uh supplied us with a letter. Uh, and I just kind of want to make note of that. Um, so without any more interruption, I believe Mr. Roy McDow is here tonight. um Roy and or whoever is on
053from the McDow group. Uh please feel free and uh unmute yourself and um fill the board in with any information that I may have uh skipped over. Peter Roy McDow here this evening. Yes, we had met with Peter the building inspector and with Beth. Um, we've had a number of showings for the various spaces that we have and the first comment everyone has is can there be a sign near the street so people even know we're here and just give a listing of the various uh commercial users that would be on the property. So it gives a sense of synergy between the players. It's relatively speaking it's small. The letters are only about three and a half inches tall. So it's it's not a a large sign. That's really just moreformational. Yeah. The the other
054sign that we discussed previously, um it's it's on the corner, right? Um yes, it's directly opposite this one, right? On the corner coming up the hill, I think I can see it on the drawing. Is also Oh, and there's one on the as you enter, there's the one on the right hand side, too, that just says the Asher or something like that. Yes, correct. And they're both the same color theme, so we're not mixing and matching, right? I I I remembered that from the previous um submission. Okay. Any comments? Um I don't think that meets the requirement of our bylaw, right? Our signed bylaw size. I think there's a size in our in our um regulations. I think it's actually quite smaller than most commercial signs in town. Do we have that? Do you have
055the I didn't look at that before the meeting. Do we have the bylaws sitting there? It seems to me actually it's only 5t tall. It seems quite uh 5 by four. It seems um five I think it says five three and a half by four feet. Um I I think ours is four square. It actually calls it 4 foot square, I think. Um, we're looking at the bylaw right now. Obviously, the the sign's going to have to be issu a signed permit is going to be have to issu is going to be issued by the building commissioner. Um so a building permit does have to be pulled and so Doug is going to have to review this to make sure it fits in with that bylaw. Um yeah uh sign permit shall be subjected to
056the filler restrictions. No sign shall exceed four square feet in size. No more than two sign shall be u attached to a It doesn't say four. What? It can't say four square feet. Can I think it's four feet square? Okay, that's what I was wondering. Oh, it says No, it doesn't. It says no sign shall exceed four feet square. Um, four square feet. Yeah. Four. It says no sign shall exceed four square feet in size, which means it's 2 by two. Yeah, that can't be right. No, that can't be right. That can't be. There's no sign in Ashlin that's like this. 2 by two. I mean, yeah. Yeah. So, there's something strange about that. Um, okay. Let me ask you, would you consider approving it subject to the approval of a permit by the building
057commissioner? Um, yeah. I mean, I'm a little surprised by our bylaws here if that that that they're that off because there's I mean I mean every school sign is bigger than four square feet, right? So there there's obviously and and yeah, there's obviously a issue and and I think that's just the point. I mean this sign does not seem unreasonable. I I will not vote for it. I will be abstaining because we need to clean up our bylaws are we cannot it doesn't say or as the planning board decides I get what you're saying but we can't we can't do anything on with the three board member and one person abstaining right this evening. So um that's that's vote to abstain right but that means that there's a no that we can't do anything with
058it because we only have two members. No, because it's present and that's a vote. Yeah, we have a ships pass. Yeah, I don't see I don't see why not. I think, you know, we do have a quorum and we can vote. I also would suggest this should be a quick fix next. Yes. So, I agree. Yeah, I agree. I if we I would suggest we send a memo over to I don't know if we want to give this design review. Someone should be delegated to investigate a better way. I mean I I would agree and I I appreciate Beth's letter and I don't think that sign is I just in conscience am not if it said planning board can decide that's a different story. So I think the economic development group would probably be appropriate
059to be part of that. But I think when things are black and white, we wrong or not, that the expectation is we follow them. So why don't we create an do we need a decision on this? What do we do? I think so. Why don't we why don't we put in the decision that I think it's going to be approval by the you know approved with approval by the building commissioner. Sure. Yeah. Contingent on that. contingent upon that. And we could also put in there that we're going to prioritize amending the bylaw if we wanted to to kind of make it cleaner for the future is weird that we're just sort of doing whatever it is we want to do. Oh, that's one of those things where the bylaws is just it's Yeah, it's glitchy.
060Yeah. I mean, I think we talk a lot about like let's clean up the bylaws, but we don't necessarily have time. So this would be a great way to kind of do it like hey we have comes up let's let's approve this but also let's get this on our agenda for the next round for the fall. Do you have a do you um have in front of you how big the other sign is across the way that we approved? I can uh I'm just curious like what what it's about it's about 5 by seven feet. Yeah. And it's interesting because this question was brought up at that time and there was something relative to the I think it was the length of the frontage and something else where we more than qualified. I'll give you
061an example over Cirrus the sign over there is 6 by 7 and 1/2 ft. Oh 44 44 square feet. Yeah. I I have no doubt about anything like that. What I'm what I This was actually a design question like I'm wondering okay if this this one's five feet high. is the one across the other one. You said five by seven. So, they're similar height, right? That's what I was asking. Similar height and half the width. Yeah. Yeah, that's all I was asking. This is it's a design question. So, the matters of the bylaws um are someone else's mistake in the past and our task to clean them up. So, um, so yeah, I I I'm comfortable with that, like because that's what we've been doing all up till now is sending it to the building
062commissioner and, um, and another thing we'll have to fix. We'll get on that one right away. Okay. We want to do we need a motion. Sure. So I'll make a motion to approve pasture development proposal for the sign contingent on building commission and inclusion in our decision that will prioritize by change. Next not the one second. All right. I Katherine Jersey abstain. Commissioner Kendall. I So all right. So make sure we have those couple notes in the decision. Yep. Is that a decision or is that a memo? It's a memo. A memo in the memo. Okay. It just it will val it just uh validate. That's an should be an easy one to clean up. If not actually looking at the signage would take longer. Cleaning up those little things will take a little bit
063more time but um needs to be done. Okay. All right. Thank you. Uh, thank you, Roy. Thank you, board. Thank you. Why don't we Okay, so the res sorry the resigning number eight and I'll get back to that in a minute, but the resigning of the approval not required. Is that behind me right now? Yeah, that's behind us. Um, and and that can wait till the end of the meeting. Um if we want to I kind of in a way want to get it done so that we don't get distracted. Yeah. And we can go up there sign it. Okay. Um get it done because this discussion then we can just focus on we're signing now. Yeah. We're going to sign now just get out of the way. Yeah. Just to to tell everybody what
064happened is I wrote the wrong date on the plan that we all signed at the last meeting. So I wrote May 13th instead of March 13th. And so, um, so we do not re, uh, record a plan with the with the with the wrong date. Um, the applicant has submitted a new ANR plan that we can sign right now. Set it up and we'll come sign it and then we'll get on with our agenda. Lowanging fruit, you know, this feels good. While Peter's setting it up, do you want to talk about other item or you just want to Oh, good. How was it? Oh, yeah. So, Okay. And do you need more than three on there? Are you going to have to chase anyone down? Okay. All right. So, you should put it on there
065so it's all complete. March Otherwise, you'll get distracted and put a different date on it. Okay. All right. So, that's done. That's done. All right. So, we can uh Yes. So, um the things on the agenda left are is this discussion of 61 Waverly, which is important but not um doesn't have a deadline and um we obviously need to do the meeting minutes and then under administrative a there's a little bit of discussion about um the the search for a new town planner and the information I have on that. So okay um if you want to take care of the easy stuff and go back to 61 Waverly. Sure. Um we can I had no changes to the minutes. We want to talk about the minutes. Get that out of the way. Frankly, I didn't
066even look at them. So, give me just a minute here. Too busy reading bylaws. Is this now on a different uh letter head and stuff? Is it Did it officially change? Yeah, it should officially change its letter head. Are you sure you want to leave? We got new letterhead here. Tempting. I know. Okay, good. Make a motion to accept the minutes from the March 13, 2025 planning board meeting as presented. I'll second that. Roll call vote. I Jersey and Trisha Kendall search. Yes. So, um, okay. So, um, Jen Ball contacted me last week, I think on Tuesday, um, to, um, talk about the process for finding a town planner. They were planning they're following the same process that they did um when they went through finding Peter and also for a recent member of the
067oh I guess um of the board of health. So that would have been for the board of health director position director position. Okay. Um so and that is that the position will be posted. Do we did you put that posting in the um in the binders? Okay. I think I have it. Um, I printed it with me. Um, did you get Did you get it? Okay, I have it. Just we can we can see it. It's the same It's the same one that went in last time. Um, so it is already on the town website. It's on Indeed, which is where I saw it. It's on um let's see here posted on the town website indeed.com mmma which is the Massachusetts Municipal Association uh website mass AMA the American um planners association um so or
068sorry APA mass APA Mass APA which is the Massachusetts chapter the American Play Association. Thank you. I can't get that one right. Yeah, it's a it's a MMA is the Massachusetts Municipal Association. That is where typically all municipal jobs are posted. I told you you know anywhere from a um you know a uh DPW to a town manager job. Uh that's where typical stuff uh municipal jobs are posted. Okay. So the position is posted. I think overall is getting uh copies of that posting. So um basically uh Jen is setting up an interviewing committee which we consists of her the assistant town planner um sorry she is the assistant town manager be consists of her Katherine Bird who is the HR director um and two members of the planning board. So, one of them um
069as the chair was going to be myself. The other one is open um to whoever can fit what will be daytime interviewing into their schedule. Um that interviewing could be just a like a single day. they would try to put things all in one day or to combine as quick, you know, as condensely as possible that so that someone didn't have to try to get out of work or stay home from Boston um uh too often. Right. So, um like I said, the position is posted. They are getting applications in and it would be but the deadline is really just until the position is filled. It's not we're going to stop at this time and just choose one of the candidates. It has to be a candidate that obviously fits um that that is a
070good candidate for the town. So, um when a number of good when we have maybe four or five good resumes or qualified candidates, that's when the um interview committee would kind of go into effect when there's that many qualified ones that fit the qualifications. Um those candidates would be interviewed and then the um the one or two depending how many the group decides to put forward will then be put forward uh to the town manager as a recommended recommended candidate or candidates. Um, so I think what would be helpful would be to obviously we don't have um we don't have Amanda here but um and Deepa is not here so we'd want to see who has interest in serving on that. I also um would like to get um possible questions from the board about
071what we what we would want to ask um the applicants um kind of like we did for the associate position or you know to ask the same question to each applicant. Um and other than that I'm looking for feedback on that on that process. So okay do you want questions from us by particular date how do you want to go about this I mean we can discuss questions in another meeting I don't know how quickly I don't think we know how quickly these like um interviews will happen yeah or or suitable candidates will be our next meeting is April 10th do we have enough time bring our questions to that meeting I think so but I can keep you know, I mean, we'll still have to even find a a second person if a second
072I assume we would like a second person. So, my whole thing I'm more than happy to participate if it's during the day if they're all like squeezed into a half day or something uh and there's some notice in theory I could I'm off from work and be there ideally if they're spread out and it's like midday like lunchtime depends how many we're talking about like 10 like I don't know. I I think she was hoping for just based on other things like hoping for four to five and and and putting it into a maybe not a half day, but a Thursday, you know, kind of thing. Um and and be able to do them ideally all at the same time, but it could be two different afternoons just so that you can really Yeah. compare
073candidates versus trying to remember over succeeding weeks about what that might be. Um, I mean if we can if we can get for the next planning board meeting like a proposed a schedule or something figure out which one of us is available come up with the questions might be helpful send our questions to Alvaro prior to have him together for our next discussion. I'm just kind of trying to think of a process that might work. Yeah, I think it um we'll just have to in in a way see um where we are in that in that two weeks. It's like obviously you don't know the rate at which applications would come in. Apparently, unfortunately, there are four four maybe other planning board director positions also being advertised out there. So, there's maybe a lot of
074there's a lot of openings for people. Yeah. all moving around. I have no idea. I just want to make a note that I think if you're going to send questions, I think they're probably better off going to either Trisha Hind or Jen Ball directly, you know, or HR director Katherine Burke. Um, just to make obviously they are the professionals, you know, human resources officer that's we're going to running this search. And so I think if you were going to send questions, I think to to to alleviate Alvaro to have to collect, I think you're better off sending them to Jen. But I think we need to agree. The planning needs to agree what questions we have to ask first before they get so I would say send them to the point is we would send
075it to either send them to me. That would be a violation potentially of open meeting law. So right I don't think sending them to you is a good idea. If we all send them to you we're having off thereord. I think what we need to do prior to the next meeting is if we have feedback, we as a planning board, it sounds like what I'm hearing is we as a planning board may have questions we want to ask. We need to get our questions board together and agree to them as a planning board which means we send them to Albero for our next meeting. Can't send them to you then we're having record all individual violations. No, it's only if I take your information and I give it to Kate and I No, because it's
076like it's not my reading. It's a serial communication. We're all communicating with you about the same page, but it's not a serial communication. It's all one way. The serial communication is when So my reading of the AG's opinion is is fact opposite that if she speaks to you about the same thing that I'm speaking to you about, that is now you met aumor on a subject. All right, separate emails. I I will confirm that. I will confirm that. But so why don't everyone just get their questions ready? I don't even know what the time frame will be. Like I'm not sure I'm not sure that in two weeks. I'm not sure I'll be able to say, "Oh, our timeline is this. We're interviewing on Wednesday." I don't think it's going to be that cut and
077dry. So I think I I do um there will probably be there should be like obviously a few days notice, but it may not be, oh, I need two weeks notice before I can take a day off. That probably won't be the case. It's probably going to happen a little quicker than that. So, or a little once we get the applicants that we have to uh make it happen a little quicker than that um and be more flexible. So, um so but I'll I'll know more about that at that time. So, we're kind of just on the beginning process of it. But, um but questions would be good. So, yeah. So, I guess so send them to send them to Alvo at this point. He can at least compile them without names. Um, and then
078it keep trying to save you some burden as you start taking over more and more stuff. Um, so okay. So any other questions about that? That's about all I know about it at this time. All happened really rather quickly. quickly. Quickly. All right. And obviously I'd like to get uh you know um Amanda and especially Deepa in on that process that Deepa has a lot of longevity on the board. Okay. Nothing else on that topic. All right. Okay. So then uh next oh okay so we're back to 60 one Waverly. So 61 Waverly um uh John Trafedan zoning board of appeals has asked for input um regarding input comments um regarding the development. Um and so this past Tuesday night the zoning board of appeals opened the public hearing to start the public hearing process.
079Um so for the next 180 days the zoning board of appeals would be reviewing this project. Right. It's uh 226 units um at the same location, 61 WL Street. Um it is a new applicant, the Gutierrez Company out of Burlington. Um in most prominent is that the plan changed um from a from a structural from a organizational standpoint um not from a unit count standpoint. Um the Gutierre's company did receive um a letter from approval from Mass Housing to transfer the the eligibility letter, the PEL letter um to this project, 226 units. Um and as you can kind of read between comparing the two plans is that um the previous plan was made up of four buildings, two fivetory, two fourstory. Um there was no connection to Union Street. Um and the site was almost
080kind of depressed. So if you came down Union Street, the building looked like a I believe that was going to be a four-story building that looks like a three-story building. um at the proposed plan. Um you can see is that um number one the it's one building um moved into the middle of the site and um there is a access to Union Street. So uh there there there remains access to um Waverly. However, there is going to be access to Union Street and it is within proximity of the high school entrance and exit. I think that is the high school entrance it is closest to. Um, and I'm just looking at the plan over Trisha's shoulder. Um, but yeah, that is the the biggest change um in this application. I mean, I think that I
081mean, yeah, so it's it's hugely different obviously than many of the things we liked about the other one. Um so we should just figure out how we want to break it down and comment on it. [Music] Um the difficult thing you know looking at the you know looking at the egress onto um uh East Union um the I I just don't see that as a it's it would work as a um you know, you can take a right going in. You'll never Well, depending on what time of day it is, you just you just won't be able to make a left out of there. Um it's going to be Yeah. I mean, that line is just all it's completely filled. So during the, you know, beginning of the day and end of the day with
082with school. So Yeah, that was brought up um just kind of I'm sure it's Yeah. Yeah. And and like this is kind of the it it was the start of the the process, right? And so at this point the the zoning board opened it up and they continued it for I think a month out and so their next meeting with this applicant on this process is going to be on April 22. April 22nd. Um with that said, the planning the zoning board of appeals did accept the consultant review um MDM transportation who's doing the trans who's doing the third party review for 10 to 16 Main Street. They are also working on this 40B with the town of Ashland. Um and then also from a a civil engineering standpoint, Hancock Associates is also working in
083on the peer review for this civil um peer review. this civil peer review um it is it's going to have to go through conservation it does fall within conservation jurisdictions um including I believe a vera poolool um so all these items regarding traffic civil um they are going to be put under the microscope uh through peer review um but obviously at this point ZBA is collecting all board comments um as they kind of start the process Just to make note, obviously this information is all up online, same website. Um, same kind of avenue that we always put the planning board stuff, all the pling board information up online. Um, so obviously we're trying to get the word out there. Okay. So, we don't have um I think we had it last time, the letter that
084we wrote, but it really was much, you know, um different. I'm just wondering if the letter that we wrote can break it down. So previously when we've commented on 40bs it's been in my recollection wrong it's been due to our prior experience project we did that on main street right this particular one we don't have necessarily prior experience Am I imagining? Wasn't this the one that we were going to reach out to what feedback wanted? I confused different 40b project. Um well, we did provide our initial letters to the state. Okay. You know, so um I can print Do you want me to print off the the letter that we sent to this to Mass Housing? Sure. Okay. that might be instructive. So today, what what we're really looking for is something we would bring
085to the zoning board. I think we're looking for if we want any input into this project, if the planning board wants any input into this project besides us being individuals sitting on the meetings, then what is it that we would like to say? I mean, I I'm just going to start because I think that I'm sticking to the five stories which I don't think people actually like anyway if you listen to residents. We need to get them to come to the table to update zoning. But if you're getting five stories, the trade-off was somebody said, "I'm going to get some amenities." Which could make it a feel like a community, like a little neighborhood community. it could potentially keep um some traffic because your your little trip to the coffee shop was now you walk
086downstairs. So I would adamantly say that if it's five stories, you need to come through with the first story commercial that that is like in in the ZA stand up. That's um probably the biggest when we get the letter I think we did have something we did. I'm just saying on because it's dramatically different. Yeah, we may we may be uh pairing down what we say, but I I think that's um that that would be a given for me. Um, oh, is there more than one? Just just all one copy. Okay. I thought maybe I had your copy. Okay. So, we already gave this to the zoning board of appeals. Yes. All right. I see. I see. I did not I did not sign that one, so I must have been out, which is why
087I don't recall it. I think that's exactly right. So, thank you for the clarification. I mean, to me, we already gave this to the zoning board of appeals, I think. Hold on. Yeah, the project. Maybe not. Maybe we didn't. Maybe we just gave it to the state. And if we did, the project substantially different. Yeah, it's more it's different from what we commented on June 20th. Yes. A comment on this on this plan. Gota second plan. Yeah, because the comments will go to the CBA if they would have come and filed to start the process. So I suppose we can go through this memo and see what has changed and essentially make changes to the memo on the spot and hand over to Board of Appeals a new version of this. two I have two
088first pages. Is anyone missing one? Says memo of the Ash Planning Board on the front. I got you. Okay. Maybe the I mean the the whole just to pare it down. We do not need to be talking about any of the SHI at this. Yeah. That can just go away, right? The key zoning parameters haven't been changed. I mean, I'm just kind of suggesting how we go about this. Key zoning parameters haven't been changed. The height and mixed use considerations, that section doesn't change because that entire section talks about three stories versus five. Context and site. So, the prior plan, it seems like there were several large buildings, varying angles. What do we have now? one big building. We have one big one. So, it seems like the context of site section we may need
089to rethink. So, the planning board at the time had encouraged the team to rethink and create a more fluid connection the buildings and natural contours of site that would be gentler to the land, more sustainable rather than standards. Raised site converted into plateau for large masses. development could feel integrated into the landscape. I don't think we have all the um details of that, but but the because I remember I like they were making like a big bowl where I don't they're doing that. But do we think this is better? I guess what I'm suggesting is like No, I think it's needs to be rewarded. It's the plateau part I don't think is it just it doesn't fit in it. It doesn't fit with the natural environment like having one one blob giant giant blob building,
090right? What would be an alternative? It seems to me like that is literally the only section of this memo that we're changing. So, if we can if the three of us can kind of come up with how we would frame that. So, we're going to one big block. I mean, I imagine it has some safety concerns the way that building is sort of for accessibility of fire and those kind the new design like to get fire equipment there does it doesn't yeah it doesn't appear like not quite right that situation yeah I mean in the middle obviously like you know where does so I mean I I guess that would be in keeping with like making it not one but also like those are our purview under planning specifically like fire department more weigh in.
091But like public safety is part of our zoning and that to me this just doesn't Yeah. I mean on the one thing on the one hand we can we can say that but building codes allow this all the time and so the building is going to be sprinklered and it's going to have different hose pipe connections and and you know and it's going to meet all the building codes that allow all kinds of buildings like this or more dense to get built, right? Um the building code takes care of that. So, um, it's not really a matter of, you know, safety in a way because I mean, my biggest reaction to this design is have this kind of standard approach to building where you're just kind of looking at a bunch of parking and is
092there a way to design this in a way that's what does it mean to be more fully integrated to the land? I suppose is there a way to design this building so that when you approach it you have more green more of the building and you have the parking more on the back I don't know I'm just throwing out ideas of being consistent with our prior com because our prior comment wanted that type of thought about the natural contours of the site what are your thoughts as an architect that um to me it's just So, um, symmetrical, stagnant, has this kind of grandiose thing about it, but being symmetrical is what makes it cheaper. No, I get it. But, but the point is our comments are meant to inform the zoning board appeals our thoughts
093and they can explore that with the applicant. So there could be room for them to negotiate even with a 40B project. Building one big structure might be cheaper, but maybe moving it in a way that allows more of that land landscaping and framing of it in the front is still doable. I don't know. So I'm just kind of that would be my my suggestion. My suggestion would be a softer approach than Yeah. Whether that means separating the buildings into two or putting it more towards the back of the site or putting the parking is what I mean towards the back of the site in way. I would think that that would be more cons attractive. What do you consider the back of the site? Um is that the high school side or the the other
094side? Because my my inclination would be to get more inclination would be to squeeze the parking like to have this be There's parking literally all around. That's what you see as you approach this building. Yeah. I mean, my um that's particularly attractive way to approach site. Yeah. I think my top thing would be to increase the density of the um of the trees like move the move the building back toward Waverly more so that you can have a bigger buffer along the high school and you have to you have to question that egress there I mean because yeah that's fair something like that at least at certain times a day. That that's not I I don't know how they would regulate that. That Yeah. Allow more greenery in the front and move some of this
095parking out back. I mean, I guess you want to keep the building as is. Yeah. I mean, most of the day I'm not driving up and down there. I mean, I drive on this road literally every day, but um most of the time you zip right by. So, and I imagine the tenants will learn very quickly that you don't make a left turn out of there between 750 and 8:20, right? You just won't you just won't make it. Um, and the same thing in the afternoon. There just hours where you you never you'll never make the left turn. Um, so and maybe that's just learning because likely a lot of the rest of the day likely it's fine that you could make the left turn. So all right. So, um, do you have this stuff
096on your thing yet? Um, I mean, I I don't have the draft, but definitely you want to take a stab at drafting that now. Time is it? I mean, I like your idea. What's it? I mean, I can try to put language Because I guess what I'm suggesting is this memo essentially gets edited and when we get to context and site these are our new ideas. Do you want me to send you the word version? Sure. I don't know how you want to do this. We can drop. How do you want it on the spot right now? Push it along a little bit. I think you were suggesting more more landscaping here. Basically, move this lot. I think there has to be a wider there has to be a wider section of vegetation there to,
097you know, because even what they're proposing isn't even as wide as what's on the high school. What is the street right here? East Union. Wider section of vegetation. Yeah. I mean, there's no sidewalk along that side. Um, they have a crosswalk to use the sidewalk on the high school side, which is Are you s Are you saying you're suggesting a sidewalk there or It would be to not necessarily to anywhere, right? If you just there Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think it would be better to have it be green and not a sidewalk and to cross the road to use the sidewalk because the sidewalk there is it's used, but it's it's but and but it's not heavily used, right? That sidewalk. It's a big path. It's a big It's a nice sidewalk. It is
098a nice sidewalk. Yeah. Yeah. It's a nice sidewalk on the other side of the street. And it's not like I said, it's not heavily used. It can accommodate more people. The connection is a key point. Yeah. So, I'd rather have more not put a sidewalk on this building side and plant more trees, have a more density of trees, um, and leave the sidewalk just on one side. So, um, so yes, it would be great to, you know, we talked in our first thing about adding commercial. We talked about those arguments. I think we can still make those arguments. Um, I don't see any of those happening because it's already gone through the state like this and the arguments didn't work the first time. So, um, well, I I mean that's interesting. They didn't we would
099have hoped they had more like forceful things, but they they sent it back to the town. We do have a chance to comment on this. Have a chance. Yeah, we can always comment. We're commenting to the to the zoning. Yeah. So, what I've got so far, the planning board would suggest would planning board sees less need for the sidewalk there. Yeah. I mean, and they they're not showing a sidewalk. Um, so it's not like but so I just don't want them to add more add a sidewalk instead of just vegetation. Further suggest considering to move move the parking parking spaces or to the back side of the building. That's all I've got. Very like high level kind of edits to the context of site. Or do we want to say anything about the the block
100building? Are we okay with that? I think so that goes along with it's it's the um Wildwood, right? It's supposed to kind of fit in. This is no attempt. I think we just Why Why not just no attempt to fit into Yeah, I think um yeah, it's kind of a complete disregard for the Yeah. For the Wildwood. for the Wildwood district. I'll start with that. Yeah. So, if you want to send those comments to to Peter El to Peter and Alvar now and I suppose well it it should it shouldn't be too hard to incorporate into MMO. It can looked at Do we need to do this prior to the next meeting? I'll look at it when I get a chance. And then project planning is the next section here. And it talks about building
101D, but we don't we don't have a building D anymore. No, there's all building very very high level edits here or both of us and uh you know I can I'm I'm just going to edit this letter. You know, I think I'll take keep in the main themes that still remain in this project and then um Yeah. Well, why don't you why don't um I'll take out obviously take out the big the big table. Yeah. Why don't you send the comments to me and I'll let me like uh because yeah, I wrote a bunch of it. I think you know we can call back Marcelo and send final. Yeah, Marcel said it too. I mean, so I I know most of our projects we spend a lot of time commenting on the look of it.
102It is not specifically in our bylaws. There's stuff design review, but so I I know we have to potentially have to be careful, but like um I'm sure there's some comments that could be made about about this. And I I um was on for part of the And I think that the residents did an amazing job of things very respectful and very succinct and reporting and and one of them was um you know this doesn't look like it belongs in Ashley to nobody not nobody that was on say um and the particular comment that I think was great was sort of like you kind of have a model across the street of something that people sort of like and looks like Ashlin the school and I I'm just throwing it out there because again we
103don't really have anything solid our planning board rules but since we do often comment on that I I throw it out there that's hard to tell like was were they trying to match like a brick color in some of it I'm not it's hard to say I didn't see the presentation so but the rendering looks a lot different than the elevations um well I guess not if you look at the I mean it seems like the school side. Oh, wait. Which is the school side? Yeah. Rendering from East Union Street. So, the East Union Street side looks to me like it has a lot of similar colored brick maybe as the high school. You know, I'm not sure. You know, it's obviously a little hard to Oh, no. It's spruce look fiber cement sighting. That's
104what it is. Yeah. So it's it's not the same. Just the rendering made it look like brick. Yeah. So I'm not I'm not sure. Um we had less comments on it with the site, you know, because it has no context besides the school. And I'm not sure, frankly, I'm not sure the high school is a, you know, it's a it's not a building that I mean, it serves Ashland well, but I'm not sure it's a um, you know, a highlight architecturally of the town, you know, that we necessarily need to emulate. On the other hand, it's there. This big building is a lot closer to it than the other. Well, there was one I think part of one building that was closer before, but this whole thing is kind of closer than it was before.
105So, um, yeah, having some kind of I think it's an appropriate comment to have it be somewhat look like it belongs here, you know, in some way. So how they do that um with that kind of footprint uh challenging I guess. So, but um yeah, so whatever if you want to take a first pass at it, Peter, and then hand it over to, you know, you guys take a first pass at it and send it to me and I'll work on this one. Okay. All right. So, we'll just get that taken care of. Little gardening. All right. So, um, is there anything else we want to talk about with that? No, I think that covers it. Is there anything on the reports um that we need? committee is in the process of working on strategies
106narrowing in on those. and I are on the subcommittee that's meeting one day other members comprehensive to help edit some of the strategies. We'll bring that to the next comprehensive that update. Um let's see. There's a breakfast tomorrow that I'm going to that It's a legislative breakfast tomorrow at MAPC Metro West Regional Collaborative. It's in Medidway, I want to say. I think we talked about it last time. Yeah. And uh so I signed up for that going over there to report back on that in two weeks. I haven't really thought about it since I signed up for it. So I traditionally go, but I I drop off my daughter at 8:45 and to get to Medway, I don't think I would be Yeah. You get there. I don't think I'll be on time, but it's
107always a good breakfast. I know I I I know it's always a legislative update what's going on. Um it's my understanding that um the governor hopefully will sign the Zoom um continuation um so communities can continue to use hybrid meetings for public meetings. Um I have not um I have not no one's confirmed to me that that is now law. Um but I know it was ing and it was um everyone was was holding tight to hope we have that signed by the 31st. All right. So, um just looking ahead, we will be needing a planning board hearing just at the end of April. Is that right? Is that or sometime in April? We'll be having the planning board hearing for these bylaws. The one hearing that we need to have. Other than that, um,
108other than that, we don't have anything new on the horizon that we know of. Yeah, really nothing new on the horizon for for big for for for projects. Okay. The um 240260 plus is going to the design review the 1, April 1st. So, I'm assuming that probably from then come back to us. Okay. So, we need to put together that little memo for them, but that should be pretty straightforward. if you want to do you have time to do a draft of that Monday. I'll I will try to get a Monday. Okay. Just to kind of put a note on that. It came up from the conservation commission uh Monday. They are trying they're now they're going to propose to install thin setic synthetic turf versus natural turf. Wait on what? On the fields the
109Pond Street I mean excuse me the Pleasant Street soccer field. Oh, that was going to be regular grass, not regular grass, that was going to be natural grass. They are now going to came in front of the conservation. They said, "We're going to try to do synthetic uh turf." Um conservation wanted them to do something. No, conservation did not okay push in any direction. It was in front of conservation and they said, "We thought about it since the planning board meeting. This is a change that they're are proposing." I was going to say, I think we talked about natural gas. Correct. We talked about natural we talked about natural gas, but when the project went to the conservation commission, they changed it. They since changed it to turf. Okay. So, just as that comes back
110to the planning board just to make sure no one's caught off guard, it does change the storm water calcs and they're going to have to redo all that stuff. Well, design review, I'm sure, is going to weigh into that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And they've submitted some renderings, so they are up online. um the renderings that we talked about on the on the meeting just kind of like showing what is the view from the street. So I I will be sending that tomorrow to the design review with the agenda. Um but yeah, they will give comments on that. Okay. We had that um cell tower uh the Verizon one that that that went away. Nope. That's going to come back to the planning board. The one on CH up on Cedar Street. Yeah. Nope. They're going
111to reapply and so they're working through their process. Yep. That that's going to come back and that's going to be working through process. Okay. I think we're at the end of our agenda. Do we Is there anything anyone wants to add? No. No. It's very unusual because we're I can make a motion to wrap up. Ready for I'm I'm good with that. All right. I'll make a motion to wrap up the meeting of the planning board at 9:11 p.m. Is there a second? Second. Kathy and Trisha Kendall. All right. Thank you everybody. Really? Thank you, Mike.