Planning Board
Town of Princeton, Mass. PLANNING BOARD Meeting
Minutes Aug. 4, 2021 7:30 PM -- Remote Participation provided
Present were: Chair John Mirick, Ian Catlow, Tom Sullivan, Rud Mason, and Ann Neuburg; alternate Corey Burnham-Howard. Alt. Lisa Drexhage was absent. Selectboard Chair Karen Cruise was present.
7:30 PM Chair opened meeting; group voted all in favor to approve the minutes of July 7, 2021.
John reported that the site plan for Red Cardinal LLC, the firm proposing a cannabis retail operation at Mechanics Hall, was held up at the Registry of Deeds for lack of an appeal period certification from the town clerk. The registry was also requesting Book & Page be added. John suggested that wording be added on site plans explaining how a site plan is not a permit.
The group completed a signature form to be returned to the Registry of Deeds. Lisa will be asked to come in and sign as both alternates may be necessary in upcoming actions or endorsements involving the Princeton Land Trust, as three Planning Board members are on the trust and would recuse themselves. John described those potential plans as the Bice property (Hall Field) and the Cusanello property.
8: PM After some discussion, the Board voted all in favor appoint John as chair, Tom as vice chair and Ann as clerk for the upcoming fiscal year.
A request has come in from Candid LLC for information about development of a cannabis grow outdoor facility on land owned by Gary Griffin on Old Colony Road at the Hubbardston line. The project principles will attend the Aug. 18 meeting to discuss what’s needed—state requirements include a community outreach meeting and a host community agreement from the Selectboard.
Long-Term Goals Group discussed affordable senior housing and Ann reported that she and selectboard member Matthew Montcrieff had met with CMRPC. A comprehensive survey has been completed which can help a future project, although finding a site for some kind of cluster or multi-unit development is the immediate challenge. Group discussed the Princeton Center site and costs--considering the building’s ultimate demolition. Karen C. noted that the survey responses didn’t lean toward affordable senior housing development, and more toward inlaw/accessory units. Group discussed 40B development in general and potential for a “friendly” 40B as the practical solution for attaining anything “affordable,” which (under 40B) is gauged by economic factors in individual communities. Rud noted that any developer would need an economy of scale for a project to be cost-effective (profitable). John pointed out that when many senior citizens opt to “scale down” it doesn’t necessarily mean “affordable.”
The issue of promoting business development was addressed, with more mixed-use overlay districts considered. With so little available land zoned Business or Industrial, the most likely development may be expansion of the Home Occupations provision in the Zoning Bylaw.
Group discussed possibility of encouraging commercial solar electrical generation, and possible responses to state goals for renewable energy. PMLD will be invited to a future meeting on this topic.
9:05 PM. Adjourned
Respectfully submitted: Marie Auger, land use coordinator
Next meeting: Aug. 18, 2021