MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
January 16, 2007
6:30 P.M. 1130 Main Street
Holden Senior Center
MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Kohlstrom, Co-Chair; Michael Wronski, Co-Chair; Cheryl Owoc,
Joe Giotta, Celeste Duffy
ABSENT: David Lindberg, Kimberly Ferguson
Element Leaders: Steve Mentzer, Ed Benoit, Judy Haran, Richard Sheils, Paul McManus,
Scott Carlson, Rosemary Johnson, Wendy O'Leary, Ed Starkus
STAFF: Pamela Harding, Town Planner
CONSULTANTS: Brian Barber
LAND USE The Committee collectively reviewed the Land use Section. All Committee members believed that this section was the most lacking and still needed a great deal of work. The Land Use section is going to be a basis for a lot of future decision making and it is important that it be thorough. R. Shiels stated that it did not touch on the Subdivision Control Regulations or current regulations that are in place to slow growth. B. Barber stated that the would request B. Giezentanners attendance at the next meeting.
TRAFFIC Element was reviewed. Traffic on Main Street was a reoccurring issue discussed during both Community Forums. If we propose to expand on businesses on Main Street the Committee is concerned that traffic along this already congested route will increase. It was discussed that it was uncertain how much traffic would be alleviated from an I-190 Connector and a completely different concept of a bypass should be discussed. S. Mentzer stated that a conceptual discussion occured many years ago regarding a bypass located North of Peter's Pond. Mass Highway has investigated this in the past and Main Street was constructed wide enough to support a four lane roadway with simple re-striping of lanes.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT was reviewed. Additional areas of economic development opportunity were discussed. A desire for gathering spaces and small shops/restaurants was expressed at the Visioning Session. Possible areas for Economic Development were discussed. Identifying uses currently permitted in the existing by-law which are not desired by the Town was also discussed ie. prohibiting big box retail and adopting design review by-laws.
PUBLIC SERVICES was reviewed. E. Benoit felt that a comprehensive and thorough job was done. Perhaps a look at the old and new sewer lines can be mentioned. Also a greater emphasis on the Towns sewer capacity and problems with privately owned pumping stations should be mentioned. Stormwater management utilities and the role of homeownership associations responsibility in maintaining detention ponds was discussed, there is speculation that the State will require Towns to take responsibility of maintaining stormwater utilities.
The next meeting will be on January 18, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss the remaining elements.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
| 
