Planning Board

Town of Princeton, MA Planning Board Meeting Minutes
March 16, 2022
Town Hall Annex and GoToMeeting

Board Members present in-person at Town Hall Annex: Ian Catlow (IC), John Mirick (JM), Tom Sullivan (TS), Alternate Corey Burnham-Howard (CBH), Alternate Lisa Drexhage (LD)

Board Members present via Go-To-Meeting: Ann Neuburg (AN),

Absent: Rud Mason (RM)

Public Attendees present via Go-To-Meeting and in-person: approximately 12 public participants in the Annex and several on Go-To-Meeting.

Call to order: 7:35 pm

PB Chairman JM Opened the Public Hearing

Public Hearing Notice was read by JM.

PB proposed Bylaw would allow indoor cultivation in Business Industrial districts (BI) of up to 5,000 square feet of canopy with Special Permit from the ZBA. JM reminded all that none of the proposals put forth by the PB impact personal cultivation allowed under the state law.

JM gave background on medical marijuana (MM) statute and Town Counsel opinion that MM has to be allowed in Princeton Bylaws. If the Town voted to ban in all zoning districts it is likely the Attorney General would disallow the Bylaw.

JM invited public comment:

Larry DuBlois: Question – has any Town passed a Bylaw with an outright ban and has that Bylaw been turned down by the Attorney General. JM replied. Comment from Larry – outright ban has had broad public support at public meetings – therefore Princeton should pursue the outright ban. Larry provided example of odors at cultivation facility at Routes 2 and 31. JM comment on 5,000 square foot size limit and indoor only being proposed by the PB.

Phil Gott: Proposed limitation to indoor only should control odors. Town has the tools to regulate and shutdown if facility is not in compliance. Phil is comfortable with Bylaw as proposed by the PB.

Kathy Downing: Resides on Wheeler Road in BI district. Question: how would the Town differentiate between recreational and MM cultivation and what is canopy? JM replied canopy is growing surface and described how MM is regulated under a different statute by the State.

Tim Hammond: Commented he understood the proposed Bylaw and rationale for it. Stated Princeton’s BI is in reality, mostly occupied by residential homes and would suffer the same impacts as homes in RA and B districts.

JM closed the Public Hearing after inviting additional comments.

PB Deliberations: JM invited PB members to discuss and propose how we move forward. JM made it clear public could participate in discussion.

TS asked about Town Meeting process for the three RA, B and BI proposed amendments to Bylaws and how confident we were about achieving the necessary 2/3’s majority to pass. Steve Jones asked about typical attendance noting that about 400 people had signed the petition to the Selectboard. IC commented he is confident people will turn out to pass at least the RA amendment.

JM commented on why allow MM in BI question from Tim Hammond. Amendment aligns with limitations on manufacturing and these are in BI section of Bylaw.

IC commented on Route 2 and 31 odors after looking up canopy size of this facility. It is 20,000 square feet.

Tim Canfield commented the PB has done their best to reflect the desire of the Town as evidenced in public meetings and he supports the PB amendment.

IC and TS offered comments on overlays or setbacks as an approach to further limit in BI. JM read setback requirement in Adult Entertainment Bylaw. Perhaps PB should consider these for MM.

TS to review BI parcel inventory spreadsheet developed during Green Community process in early 2021 and circulate it to PB members.

Town Meeting Warrant is open until first week in April. Therefore, PB has time for additional deliberations.

PB to continue deliberations at next meeting to be held on March 23.

Minutes of March 2 PB Meeting:

Voted to accept as written.

Discussion of Noise Bylaw Report:

JM draft of PB report to Selectboard following the March 2 PB meeting has been circulated to PB members. JM will accept comments until Friday 3/18 and submit to Selectboard early the following week.

Master Plan:

No new discussion.

Other Topics:

CRRPC to use a portion of Princeton allocated mapping time of Worcester Road sidewalk project.

PB discussion of possible solar farm at former Princetonlandfill site. JM will represent PB on ad hoc team working with PMLD on this.

PB discussion of implications of Princeton being a MBTA Bordering Community and possible requirements for a multi-family housing zone. CBH circulated links to State websites for information. Topic for next meeting.

Upcoming meetings: March 23, 2022

Next Agenda Items

Public Meeting

• Administrative Business
  • Review and approve regular meeting minutes of March 16, 2022
  • Review any mail
• Consider any ANR plans
• Continue deliberations on Medical Marijuana Bylaw – finalize Town Warrant Articles
• Consider Long-Term Planning Projects:
  • Town Master Plan update
  • Housing Production Planning
  • MBTA Communities

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

MOTION to adjourn.

• Motion: AN; 2d: IC; Vote: 4-0.

Respectfully submitted,

Tom Sullivan