Planning Board
Town of Princeton, MA Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
February 21, 2024
Town Hall Annex and GoToMeeting
Board Members present in-person: Ian Catlow, John Mirick, and Ann Neuburg, and Alternate Members Corey Burnham-Howard and Larry DeBlois
Board Members absent: (Rud Mason resigned in November) and Tom Sullivan
Other Participation, in person: Gary Gaffin, Victoria Taft
Other Participation, remote: none
Call to order: 7:30 PM
ANR Applications
Gary Gaffin from Sholan Holmes presented a plan to divide about 16 acres on Old Colony Road (surrounding an existing lot with a house at 43 Old Colony Road) into four lots. The plan shows that each lot has sufficient frontage and area, exclusive of wetlands. Three of the lots will use a common driveway to be constructed in the easement shown on the plan.
MOTION to give an ANR endorsement to the plan.
Motion: Ann Neuburg; Second Ian Catlow
Vote: unanimous
Informal Discussion on possible Accessory Apartment
Victoria Taft discussed with the Board her tentative plan to build a free-standing garage with an accessory apartment on her mother’s property at 33 Thompson Road. Victoria is her mother’s primary care giver and wants to be closer to her. Her mother’s house has an accessory apartment in the basement for which her mother received a special permit in 2010. Victoria understands that the Zoning By-Laws allow only one accessory apartment on a lot. Her tentative plan is to rough in plumbing for an accessory apartment when the new building is constructed, and then at some future date to relocate the existing accessory apartment to the new building.
The Board informally advised Victoria that the Board had issued a special permit in 2023 for such a relocation for 72 Beaman Road, and that her plan appears to be a similar situation. Under the Zoning By-Laws, it was the sense of the Board that she could build a separate accessory structure and could install water and a toilet, but that she would need a special permit and site plan approval when she was ready to relocate the accessory apartment. The Board suggested that she meet informally with the Building Inspector to discuss her plans and find out if he has any questions about the concept under the Zoning By-Laws.
Request to Amend Special Permit for Backlot Development at 175 Brooks Station Road
John reported that when Attorney John Fitch met with the Conservation Commission on February 21, there were questions about what would be involved, and a request for a site visit. When a date for the site visit is selected, members of the Planning Board may also be present. Until it is clear that the Town, acting through the Conservation Commission, will accept ownership of the land, the Board will defer any action on the request to amend the Special Permit.
Discussion of Standards for Common Driveways
Ian has been reviewing design criteria used in other towns. It was the sense of the Board that approval of a common driveway used by two residences could be left to the discretion of the Highway Department, but that it would be prudent to have specific design criteria for common driveways to be used by 3 or more residences. If a common driveway is to be used by more than eight residences, it was the sense of the Board that the driveway should be built to meet public way specifications. Ian will pull together proposed criteria for discussion at the next meeting. Once the Board has worked through criteria, the Board will try to arrange a meeting with the Highway Department.
High Density Zoning
John has not heard anything further from CMRPC on a meeting with DHCD on the proposed by-law that was submitted a year ago.
Possible Flood Plain By-Law
John reported on a Zoom call with FEMA and DCR. They are comfortable with a complete prohibition of constructing buildings in a flood plain, but want the by-law to refer to FEMA plans. They will supply some specific language. They may be comfortable with a provision that all other activities in a flood plan will require that a Notice of Intent be filed with the Conservation Commission. They want to have a specific reference to a designated Flood Plain Administrator, who could be the Building Inspector. They are concerned with the impact of flood plain activities on downstream properties. John will draft a revised by-law for their review.
Housing Implementation Committee
Ann has completed a review of available records and found references to 19 accessory apartments. She is signed up for a webinar on accessory apartments. She is comfortable that our existing by-law does a pretty good job of addressing Princeton’s needs.
Discussion of Master Plan
The Master Plan Committee is meeting with the Town Administrator next week. Ann’s feeling is that the Phase 1 effort from CMRPC is a mess and should be redone. It’s not clear whether the Committee will decide to move forward with Phase 2, or to wait until Phase 1 had been revised.
Review and Approve meeting minutes of February 7, 2024
MOTION to approve minutes.
Motion: Ann Neuburg; second:Larry DeBlois
Vote: unanimous
Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
John Mirick
Documents reviewed: ANR Plan for Old Colony Road Site Plan Review Decision for 221 Beaman Road
Draft minutes for 2/7/24