Town of Princeton, Mass. PLANNING BOARD
Minutes -- Regular Meeting – May 4, 2016
7:30 PM Chairman Tom Daly opened the meeting with John Mirick, Rud Mason, Richard Bisk and Tom Sullivan plus alternate member Ann Neuburg. Plus, Charlie Wyman and Deb Cary from Audubon were in attendance for the Fieldstone Farm Working Group.
Board voted all in favor to approve minutes from April 6. They signed Registry of Deeds form in anticipation of Annual Town Election, as no changes are anticipated.
With John Mirick and Tom Sullivan on the Princeton Land Trust, they both recused from the Planning Board. The Fieldstone Farm working group presented plans for parcels that are being marketed to raise some cash for the final purchase. Conservation restrictions (CRs) or agricultural APRs will ultimately prevent development of most of the former farm. The Fieldstone Farm working group expects to seek ANR endorsement of three plans .
The first plan will be a 35 acre parcel located farther west on Hubbardston Road from the farmstead will be split with the rear land going to Audubon and the front land going to PLT, divided along an old cart road. One corner of the PLT portion is subdivided as Parcel A and is a 3-acre ANR to be sold as a house lot.
The second plan will be the land around the farmhouse divided into farm land (ultimately with an APR) to be purchased by a farmer, a parcel at the back of about 4-5 acres going to Audubon, and a lot designated as Parcel B consisting of the farmhouse and about 4 acres with 450’ of frontage plus about a half-acre around the cement pond across the street. The illustration of wetlands and other land features on an ANR plan was discussed, and all agreed it would be helpful, as no more than 50 percent of the minimum lot size can be wetlands. Charlie noted that the DEP wetlands GIS layer can be added to the ANR plans.
The third plan will be the land on the south side of Hubbardston Road. About 132 acres will be acquired by the town, held in fee simple with a CR on it held by DCR and Worcester Water Dept. The fields off Hubbardston Road will continue as farm land (ultimately with an APR) to be purchased by a farmer. Parcel C is 7-8 acres at the corner of Calamint Hill Road, to be sold as a single lot but could be subdivided in the future. The board had a lengthy discussion about the requirements of the Open Space Residential Design (OSRD) which kicks in if five or more ANR lots are subdivided within a two-year period. The CR on the Town owned land or an APR on the farmland will make those lots unbuildable, but an APR from the state can take over a year to be approved and applied. Parcel D is set back from Hubbardston Road
but will have sufficient frontage and will be connected by a 50 foot wide strip. The Selectboard has proposed that the Town purchase Parcel D for municipal use.
It was noted that the Rural Overlay zone requires site plan review for any construction activity within 300’ of the road frontage on this section of Hubbardston Road.
8:35 PM Board voted all in favor to adjourn.
Respectfully Submitted: Marie Auger, Admin. Assistant
Referenced Documents: Maps of sections of Fieldstone Farm
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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