Planning Board
Town of Princeton, MA Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
April 5, 2023
Town Hall Annex and GoToMeeting
Board Members present in-person: Ian Catlow, Rud Mason, and John Mirick, and Alternate Members Corey Burnham-Howard and Lisa Drexhage
Board Members present, remote: Ann Neuburg
Absent: Tom Sullivan
Public Participation, in person: Larry DeBlois, Fee Fandreyer, Lar Greene, Roland Meunier
Public Participation, remote: none
Call to order: 7:30 PM
Public Hearing on Accessory Apartment Relocation, 72 Beaman Road
Fee Fandreyer and Roland Meunier presented their application to relocate their existing accessory apartment from their residence into the separate garage. In the absence of Tom Sullivan, the Chair designated Alternate Member Lisa Drexhage to be the fifth member of the panel for the hearing.
The Board had issued a special permit for an accessory apartment in 2020 when the Applicants were renovating the 200+ year old house at 72 Beaman Road. The Applicants have since removed the falling down separate barn and built a new garage at that location with two vehicle bays and approximately 750 square feet of additional ground floor space into which they propose to relocate the accessory apartment. They plan to move the kitchen appliances into the new accessory apartment. The old accessory apartment would become part of the living area of the house. The new accessory apartment would be tied into the existing septic system. The proposal met the criteria of Section XVII. No one appeared to oppose the application. Several neighbors were present and would have spoken in support of the application, but the Board did not feel any need for supporting statements.
MOTION to approve a special permit to relocate the accessory apartment
Motion: Ian Catlow; second Rud Mason
Vote: unanimous
The Chair will draft findings and a decision for review at the April 19, 2023 meeting.
Public Hearing on Backlot Development at 175 Brooks Station Drive
Lar Greene presented the application of Pickoff Properties for a special permit for a backlot development at 175 Brooks Station Road. In the absence of Tom Sullivan, the Chair designated Alternate Member Corey Burnham-Howard to be the fifth member of the panel for the hearing.
The Chair observed that Section XV Backlot Development was adopted by the Town in 2008, as one of the recommendations of the 2007 Master Plan, but that this was the first application for a backlot development. Section XV allows a backlot development by special permit on lots that may have reduced frontage or area if there is permanently protected open space separating the dwellings from the road.
The property consists of approximately 6.79 acres with 385 feet of frontage on Brooks Station Road and an existing single family house. The proposal is to subdivide the property into two lots, each with approximately 3.4 acres. The lot with the existing house would have 225 feet of frontage. The other lot would have 160 feet of frontage. Both lots would use the existing driveway for access to Brooks Station Road, with a new driveway to the new backlot house connecting to the existing driveway approximately 140 feet in from Brooks Station Road.
The Board asked what the Applicant proposed for open space contiguous to Brooks Station Road, and observed that the existing house appeared to be about 200 feet from Brooks Station Road, rather than the 250 feet referenced in Section XV.5 (A). The Applicant stated that the existing house is somewhat visible only when there are no leaves on the trees, and that the Applicant was open to planting appropriate screening as a condition of a special permit. There would not be any further development between the existing house and Brooks Station Road. The Board suggested that the boundary for the open space could be the edge of the area cleared for the existing house on that lot, and 250 feet back from the road on the other lot, with the border marked by appropriate monuments. The Applicant will prepare a revised plan accordingly.
Section XV.5 (A) outlines several approaches to permanently protecting the open space. The Applicant felt that the best approach was a Conservation Restriction. The Chair observed that from his experience in working with the Commonwealth, the Applicant will need to have a valid special permit in hand when the Applicant starts the process to obtain a Conservation Restriction. A special permit could provide that no construction or site work could commence until a Conservation Restriction had been recorded.
In addition to permanent protection of the open space, Section XV requires various other documents, including a deed restriction against further subdivision, Section XV.4(F), agreements for maintenance, repair, snow removal, and liability for the common driveway, Section XV.5(B)(5), and easements for use of the common driveway, Section XV.5(B)(5). While the Applicant will need to have a special permit in hand in order to have a Conservation Restriction approved by the Commonwealth, the other required documents could be drafted now for review and approval by the Board. The Applicant agreed with that approach.
The public hearing was continued to April 19, 2023, at which time the Applicant expects to present a revised plan and the various documents for review by the Board.
Discussion of proposed zoning amendment for solar systems
The Board reviewed two drafts that used different definitions of “large-scale” and “small-scale” solar energy systems. It was the consensus of the Board that specific definitions should be used. The Board also felt that the by-law should deal with the possibility of solar energy systems mounted on carports, which do not meet the definition of “building” under the zoning by-laws. The Chair will work on a new draft for review at the April 19, 2023 meeting.
Review and approve meeting minutes of March 15, 2023
MOTION to approve minutes
Motion: Ann Neuburg; second: Corey Burnham-Howard
Vote: unanimous
Review and discuss Rules and Regulations for ANR endorsements
The Board briefly reviewed and discussed the provisions in the “Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in the Town of Princeton” dealing with ANR endorsements, and decide to wait on further discussion until Tom returns from traveling. Corey suggested that the ANR provisions should be added to the ANR application so that all land surveyors know what Princeton requires. The Chair will pass along that suggestion to Kolette Carleton.
FAQ Sheet for Marijuana Referendum
M.G.L. Ch. 40G requires a paper ballot referendum to approve the Town Meeting vote in May 2022 adopting zoning by-law amendments restricting marijuana cultivation and processing. Against the possibility that residents will be surprised by the referendum questions and may have forgotten the discussion at the May 2022 Town Meeting, Corey has drafted a FAQ sheet. This will be reviewed at the April 19, 2023 meeting.
Discussion of Mountainside Café expanded liquor license
The Selectboard has asked the Planning Board to review the proposal from Mountainside Café to expand the area for its liquor license to include the carriage house and the outdoor seating area, using the site plan review criteria of the zoning by-laws, and to provide the Selectboard with a recommendation for any conditions for such the use of such expanded area. The manager of Mountainside Café, Katherine Huck, has provided some plans and a copy of the lease from the Commonwealth which contains some relevant conditions. She will come to the April 19, 2023 meeting.
Princeton Tree – Ball Hill Road
The Zoning Board of Appeals found that the firewood processing operations of Princeton Tree (Allen Hawthorne) constituted agriculture and was allowed in a residential-agricultural zone. The cease and desist order from the building inspector was dismissed. Princeton Tree has asked to discuss informally with the Planning Board if site plan review is required. This will be scheduled for the April 19, 2023 meeting.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Board will be Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 7:30 in the Town Hall Annex, and will include the public hearings on the relocation of the accessory apartment and the application for a permit for backlot development/.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
MOTION to adjourn passed unanimously
Respectfully submitted,
John Mirick
Documents reviewed: Accessory Apartment Application 72 Beaman Road
Backlot Development Application 175 Brooks Station Road
4/3/23 drafts (2) for Solar Energy System By-Law
Chart comparing draft provisions
Draft minutes for 3/15/23 meeting
Rules and Regulations concerning ANR endorsements