Planning Board
Town of Princeton, MA Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
Joint Meeting with Conservation Commission
November 15, 2023
Town Hall Annex and GoToMeeting
Board Members present in-person: John Mirick, Ann Neuburg, and Alternate Members Corey Burnham-Howard and Larry DeBlois
Board Members absent: Ian Catlow, Rud Mason, Tom Sullivan
Other Participation, in person: Tim Sawyer, Nancy Sawyer, Ann Sawyer, Larry Sawyer, Scott Morris, and Sotirios Georgi
Other Participation, remote: none
Call to order: 7:30 PM
Public Hearing on Accessory Apartment at 61 Hickory Drive
The public hearing commenced at 7:30 pm. In the absence of Board Members Ian Catlow, Rud Mason, and Tom Sullivan, the Chair appointed Alternate Members Corey Burnham-Howard and Larry DeBlois to the hearing panel. Tim Sawyer presented a site plan, renderings, building plans, and related materials, described the project, and responded to questions from the Board.
The plans are for an accessory apartment addition of 875 square feet to the existing house. The addition is a one-bedroom apartment with bathroom, kitchen/dining area, and living area on one floor, with an entryway from a mud room shared with the existing residence, and a separate exterior door onto a deck at the rear of the addition. The addition will be built over a crawl space. The plans show a cathedral ceiling over the kitchen/dining and living room area, and unheated attic space over the rest of the apartment. Tim and his family will continue to live in the existing residence. His parents will live in the accessory apartment.
The accessory apartment will use the well and septic system that currently serve the existing house, which has four bedrooms. The Board of Health has reviewed the septic system. An additional trench will be added to the leach field.
The existing house is a single-family house on an 80,000 square foot lot with 225 feet of frontage. The lot met the area requirements in effect when the house was built. The proposed addition meets current setback requirements. There is an existing driveway to the garage which is attached to the northerly end of the house. A new driveway and parking area will be added at the southerly end of the house for use by the occupants of the accessory apartment.
There was no opposition to the application.
The Chair closed the public hearing at approximately 7:45 pm. The Board then deliberated and determined that the plans met the conditions of Section XVII. The Board voted unanimously to
issue a special permit for an Accessory Apartment with the usual conditions, and to approve the site plan. The Chair will draft a decision for review at the December 6, 2023 meeting.
Informal Site Plan Discussion for 32 Hubbardston Road
Scott Morris discussed with the Board his concept for a Texas-style barbecue restaurant at 32 Hubbardston Road. He plans to locate his smoker behind the building. He is not planning to make any changes to the exterior of the building. He may do some drainage and surface improvements to the parking lot. His current thinking is to be open Tuesday through Saturday for breakfast through dinner, and to close at 9:00 pm. The Board provided input and encouraged him to file a formal application for site plan review.
Informal Site Plan Discussion for “Captain Bob’s” in East Princeton
Sotirios Georgi discussed with the Board his concept to sell used cars in the parking lot at Captain Bob’s in East Princeton. He understands that this is a discontinued non-conforming use, and that re-establishment of this use will require a special permit from the ZBA and site plan approval from the Planning Board. The business will be only sales. Cars will not be repaired or serviced at the site. He does not plan any changes to grade or drainage. He does not plan to be open at night. The Board discussed what should go into the proposed site plan. The expectation is that there will be a combined hearing of the ZBA and the Planning Board. He was advised to submit applications for both the special permit and site plan review to start the notice process.
Possible Flood Plain By-Law
The Board continued the discussion of the new FEMA Flood Plain Map and the Massachusetts model flood plain by-law from the joint meeting with the Conservation Commission on November 8, 2023. As the Board understands the model by-law, it would allow construction of buildings in a flood plain through a permitting process. At present, there do not appear to be any buildings in Princeton in the area shown in the new FEMA Flood Plain. It was the sense of the Board that Princeton should not allow construction of buildings in a flood plain, although Princeton could allow driveways and access roads, constructed in accordance with the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act as administered by the Conservation Commission. John will draft some language for discussion.
Design Standards for Common Driveways
The Board discussed Corey’s rough draft of design standards for common driveways. It was the sense of the Board that the zoning by-laws should require special permits rather than site plan review for common driveways so that there is a clear appellate process if an applicant, or a neighbor, objects to the application of the design standards. There were concerns about how detailed the design standards should be, and what should go into the by-law as opposed to the Board’s Rules and Regulations. Adopting a zoning by-law requires a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting. Adopting a Planning Board Rule and Regulation requires a majority vote of the Planning Board. The Board will continue this discussion.
Discussion of Master Plan
This was deferred to a subsequent meeting.
Review and Approve meeting minutes of November 1, 2023
MOTION to approve minutes.
Motion: Larry DeBlois; second: Ann Neuburg
Vote: unanimous
Review and Approve meeting minutes of November 8, 2023
MOTION to approve minutes.
Motion: Corey Burnham-Howard; second: Larry DeBlois
Vote: unanimous
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
John Mirick
Documents reviewed: Site plan, renderings and building plans for 61 Hickory Drive
Site sketch for 32 Hubbardston Road
Site sketch for Captain Bob’s parking lot
Mass Model Flood Plain by-law
Draft design standards for common driveways
Draft minutes for 11/1/23 and 11/8/23