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Planning Board Meeting
May 11, 2009
Minutes
These minutes are not verbatim – they are staff’s interpretation of what took place at the meeting. – Open Meeting Law – Section III.
Board Members: Marc Garrett, Malcolm MacGregor, Paul McAlduff, Larry Rosenblum, and Bill Wennerberg
Staff Members: Valerie Massard
At 7:00 p.m., a presentation on StormSmart Coasts was attended by the Planning Board.
At 9:00 p.m., Marc Garrett opened a meeting of the Planning Board, and welcomed the Kingston Planning Board to the meeting (Kingston also opened their meeting). All of the Kingston Planning Board members were in attendance with the exception of their Chairman, who was unable to attend due to family matters. Also present was Tom Bott, Town Planner of Kingston, and Sandra MacFarlane, Chairman of the Kingston Board of Selectmen.
The Board members introduced themselves. The two boards discussed their common border, and some of the recent and pending projects in this region, including the new Route 44, the Cordage 40R, the Kingston 40R, Independence Mall, and Colony Place. Both boards acknowledge that there are regional concerns, that traffic impacts for the north-south corridor are key issues for the two communities, and these matters include the state with respect to Route 44, Route 80, GATRA, rail connections, Route 3 and Route 3A. The boards had a dialogue about the need to identify specific items where they may seek each others’ support and/or could work cooperatively to approach the state about infrastructure planning. The boards stated that they can agree to disagree, and discussion is a necessary starting point. The Plymouth
Planning Board will reorganize shortly; once that is done planning staff is asked, in both communities, to facilitate a meeting between the two board chairmen to start this process.
The Kingston Planning Board adjourned at 9:25 p.m., and left the room.
The Planning Board took up the matter of the petitioned article for the June 2009 Town Meeting from Viking Development to rezone a parcel from RR to HC behind Home Depot Plaza. A draft Article 27 recommendation to Town Meeting reflecting the 3-2 vote from the May 4, 2009 Planning Board meeting was discussed.
All of the Board members discussed concerns about when and how the MOU language would be made available for their review. Larry Rosenblum and Malcolm MacGregor presented a memorandum which outlined issues they felt needed to be included in the Article 27 recommendation to Town Meeting. The members expressed concerns about future petitions following similar paths through the Planning Board to Town Meeting. Larry Rosenblum expressed concern that the Planning Board maintain its credibility with Town Meeting on zoning articles. Valerie Massard asked the Board to consider time constraints when working with petitioned articles, and outlined some of the limitations that staff has with respect to these constraints. The Board reached a consensus that in future, recommendations to Town Meeting with a 3-2 vote should
contain not a minority report, but instead should briefly summarize the concerns, pro and con, that were considered in the deliberations of the Board. The Planning Board also indicated that in the future, if information is not provided by a town meeting petitioner about a zoning request sooner in the process, they will not support the petition moving forward for that particular town meeting due to the need for more time to evaluate the information when it is available.
With respect to the draft Article 27 recommendation to Town Meeting , Bill Wennerberg made a motion that the 3-2 vote of May 4, 2009 included clearly stated expectations that an MOU acceptable to the Planning Board would then be made available for review by Town Counsel. No MOU language is available for the Planning Board to review, and without this information, the Board will not sign an Article 27 recommendation to Town Meeting provided, regardless of content, due to lack of information from the petitioner. The motion passed unanimously (5-0).
Mr. Garrett stated that he will attend the meeting of the Precinct Chairs on Thursday evening with Lee Hartmann to present the findings of the Planning Board from tonight’s meeting.
Paul McAulduff moved to adjourn at 10:15 pm; the vote was unanimous (5-0).
Respectfully Submitted,
Valerie Massard Approved: May 18, 2009
Senior Planner
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