Planning Board Meeting
October 22, 2007
Minutes
These minutes are not verbatim – they are the secretary’s interpretation of what took place at the meeting. – Open Meeting Law – Section III.
Board Members: Malcolm MacGregor, Marc Garrett, Paul McAlduff, and Larry Rosenblum
Staff Members: Lee Hartmann and Valerie Massard
Recording Secretary: Eileen Hawthorne
6:30 Administrative Notes:
Paul McAlduff moved for the Board to approve the administrative notes as follows; the vote was (3-0-1) with Larry Rosenblum in abstention.
The Board approved the minutes of October 1, 2007 as presented.
The Board approved a bond reduction for work completed in the B438 – Bramhall Estates subdivision in the amount of $75,350.00.
The Board approved a bond reduction for work completed in the B473 – Applewood Estates subdivision in the amount of Five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) plus all accrued interest, thereby retaining Five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) in the account.
The Board endorsed a waiver of notification of a Public Hearing for the Town of Wareham.
The clerk endorsed the following Form A’s plans:
A4276 – Pinehills LLC, Rebecca’s Landing – Subdivide Lot A-165 (13.15 A) on Map 78D into Lots A-187 (9.33A) and A-188 (3.82A)
A4277 – Pinehills LLC, Five Lanterns – Subdivide Lot A-169 (9.87A) on Map 78C into Lots A-189 (2.51 A) and A-190 (7.36A)
A4278 – Pinehills LLC, Market Block – Subdivide Lot A-185 on Map 77D into Lots 10-422 (0.62A), 10-423 (0.41A), 10-424 (0.81A), 10-425 (0.87A), 10-426 (0.11A) and 10-247 (0.25A)
The Board discussed the following proposed changes to the Charter language:
4-8-1 The Executive Board shall appoint a Planning Board of five (5) members for five-year (5) overlapping terms.
4-8-2 The Planning Board shall exercise such powers and duties as prescribed by general law, except as otherwise provided herein and by applicable Town bylaws.
Section 9 Strategic Planning Board
4-9-1 The Strategic Planning Board shall include the Mayor, a member of the Executive Board as designated by the Executive Board, and the Chairman of the School Committee, who shall hold office ex-officio, as well as four persons appointed by the Executive Board who shall be appointed for rotating three-year terms. In making the appointments hereunder, the Executive Board shall endeavor to appoint persons with backgrounds in the following areas: strategic planning, urban planning, environmental, economics, and public policy and education. Further, the persons holding the following positions shall have a voice but no vote in the proceedings of the Strategic Planning Board: the Town Manager, School Superintendent, Director of Public Works, and Director of Planning and Development. 4-9-2 Powers and Duties The Strategic Planning Board shall
serve as an advisory body to the Representative Assembly with regard to goal setting, long-range planning and policy-making with respect to planning of the physical, environmental, and community and economic development of the Town, including redevelopment, revitalization and rehabilitation activities, as well as regional area planning, and shall have such other powers and duties as set forth below:
1. The Strategic Planning Board shall make recommendations to the Representative Assembly on major courses of action, including, but not limited to, comprehensive planning initiatives, preservation of natural open space, and community and economic development and redevelopment. The Strategic Planning Board shall make recommendations to the Executive Board relative to adoption of policy directives and guidelines which the officers, boards, committees, commissions and employees of the Town shall implement in economic and land use planning and development.
2. The Strategic Planning Board shall develop and maintain a comprehensive master plan (CMP) and shall update the CMP periodically to address current issues concerning the physical, environmental, community and economic development of the Town, including planning strategies for Open Space Preservation, Land Acquisition, Village Centers Development, Economic Development, Housing, and Historic Preservation. The Strategic Planning Board shall report annually to the legislative branch as to all updates to the CMP and any implementation measures that may require approval of the legislative branch. The Strategic Planning Board shall solicit public comment and participation throughout the CMP process, and shall adopt and or amend the CMP only after a duly noticed public hearing.
3. In making recommendations on matters within its jurisdiction, the Strategic Planning Board shall require all Town boards or agencies considering or otherwise involved with such matters to report regularly on the status of such plans, contracts, acquisitions, or development at such intervals and in such form as determined by the Strategic Planning Board.
4. The Strategic Planning Board shall be provided access to all Town books and records necessary for the performance of its duties, to the extent consistent with law.
5. The Chairman of the Strategic Planning Board, or the Chairman\’s designee, may address the Representative Assembly prior to any action on the operational budget as it relates to the Strategic Planning Board, Director of Planning and Development, Town Planner or Strategic Planner.
6. The Strategic Planning Board shall make recommendations to the Representative Assembly on all matters concerning the planning of the physical, environmental, community, and economic development of the Town as prescribed by general law, this Charter, and applicable Town bylaws, and specifically with reference to the consistency of such matters with the current CMP.
7. At the request of the Strategic Planning Board any Town board or agency dealing with significant public improvements relating to the physical, environmental, community or economic development of the Town, shall report the status of such plans or development to the Planning Board so as to be evaluated and included in the CMP and in the Strategic Planning Board\’s recommendations to the Representative Assembly and the Executive Board.
8. In carrying out its duties under the Charter, the Strategic Planning Board shall consult with persons with expertise in the areas of economics, engineering, and planning, as well as with persons who may have expertise relative to a particular project, and with financial and planning staff. The Strategic Planning Board shall appoint an Open Space Committee and such other standing or ad-hoc committees as may be necessary or appropriate to assist and advise the Strategic Planning Board in carrying out its duties. Failure of the Strategic Planning Board to appoint such committees shall not relieve the Board of its responsibilities to fulfill all the duties enumerated under this charter.
9. The Strategic Planning Board shall have the following long-term strategic planning functions: (a) all powers, duties, and responsibilities of the planning board pursuant to the provisions of G.L. c.40A, §5; (b) all powers, duties and responsibilities of the planning board pursuant to the provisions of G.L. c.121A; (c) all powers, duties and responsibilities of the planning board pursuant to the provisions of G.L. c.41, §81D and Section 4-10-2(b) of this Charter; (d) all powers, duties and responsibilities of the planning board pursuant to the provisions of G.L. c.41, §81E through 81H; and, (e) all powers, duties and responsibilities of the planning board for other strategic, long-term planning functions as may be assigned to the Strategic Planning Board by this Charter or bylaw.
The proposed language change as outlined above would eliminate the election of Planning Board members.
The Board was not supportive of replacing the elected Planning Board with an appointed one.
Paul McAlduff moved to have Malcolm MacGregor attend the Charter Commission meeting on Thursday, October 25, 2007 to address the Commission regarding the Board’s preference to retain an elected Planning Board; the vote was unanimous (4-0).
6:35 Presentation
Community Preservation Committee – Town Meeting Articles
William Keohan, Community Preservation Committee (CPC), presented the following articles to the Board:
Article 16 – Open Space – Purchase Camp Dennen, Hedges Pond Road
CPC funding and/or borrowing of $3,150,000.00 would be utilized to purchase Map 55, Lots 32A, 33A and 34 and Map 60, Lots 30, 31, and 32 consisting of 90.42 acres, currently known as Camp Dennen. At a future date, 30 +/- acres with the existing 78 cabins would be sold to the Friends of Hedges Pond. The Town would retain ownership of 60+/- acres, which would provide access to Town residents to the beach area. In the future, the YMCA proposes providing access to the 60+/- acres via Long Pond Road in exchange for access to the pond to operate a sailing facility. The YMCA would have to go through an extensive State permitting process in order to erect a dock on the pond.
Paul McAlduff moved for the Board to support Article 16 as presented; the vote was unanimous (4-0).
Article 16D – Affordable Housing
Mr. Keohan presented the above-mentioned article that is a request to provide $155,000 to Plymouth Community Housing Inc. to be used for the creation and support of Low or Moderate income housing (four units) on three parcels of land located at 26 Murray Street (Map 14, Lot 45B), 1294 Old Sandwich Road (Map 51, Lot 11-4 and 10 Alpine Road (Map 56, Lot 71-323).
Marc Garrett moved for the Board to support Article 16D as presented; the vote was unanimous (4-0).
Paul McAlduff moved to adjourn at 7:30 p.m.; the vote was unanimous (4-0).
Respectfully Submitted,
Eileen M. Hawthorne Approved: October 29, 2007
Administrative Assistant
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