Town of Princeton, Mass. PLANNING BOARD
Minutes -- Regular Meeting – June 15, 2016
7:30 PM Chairman Tom Daly opened the meeting with John Mirick, Rud Mason, Richard Bisk and Tom Sullivan. Group considered written request submitted several weeks ago (undated) from Clayton Mosher to extend the deadline for completion of his subdivision Isaac’s Way. It only needs topcoat on roadway pavement and is on hold, as won’t be applied until house construction is underway or thereabouts. According to minutes of Jan. 15, 2014 the board had voted to extend the definitive subdivision plan for ‘The Knoll’ to Jan. 31, 2016. The board voted all in favor to extend Isaac’s Way (The Knoll) again to Jan. 31, 2018.
Board discussed new home construction by Richard Rys at 128 Mountain Road. A public hearing is scheduled with the ZBA for June 30, as Bldg. Insp. John Wilson has determined that an elevated walkway from (just below) street level to a top-floor door is in violation of the 50’ front setback requirement in the zoning bylaw. The applicant is requesting a variance. The Planning Board reviewed the specifications of Zoning Section VI. 1. (D) and definition of “Building” in Section X. They voted all in favor to forward their opinion to the ZBA regarding this issue, concluding that if the walkway had no roof, it would fall under the exemption in the bylaw for “uncovered steps” and would be allowed by right.
7:50 PM Charlie Wyman from Mass Audubon was in for the Fieldstone Farm ANR lots. With John Mirick and Tom Sullivan on the Princeton Land Trust, they both recused from the Planning Board.
Audubon will be the interim landowner after the June R.E. closing, and plans to divide two building lots from the land south of Hubbardston Road and sell directly to developer Don Peterson. One of the Peterson lots is big enough to be divided to create a third building lot, but that division will have to comply with OSRD (not more than 4 buildable lots within two years).When the proposed APR is in place on the farm land south of Hubbardston Road, there will be only three buildable. 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.
The board voted all in favor to endorse each of three separate ANR plans dividing the entire Smith farm property into the sections mainly determined by future ownership. Lot B1 incorporating the farmhouse has 450’ of frontage and four acres cut from Lot B2 (remaining 38 acres). Parcel “C” cut out a three-acre houselot (C-1) with 239’ frontage and split the remainder into 17.5 acres for Princeton Land Trust and 15.5 acres of backland for Audubon. The largest parcel of all remaining land was represented on four plan sheets: A1 – A4.
Fees were waived by unanimous vote, as some parcels were owned or restricted by Town of Princeton, and the entire project is in the town’s benefit according to its Master Plan.
8:25 PM Group turned to zoning issues, and John M. reported he had surveyed signage regulations from nearby communities. Princeton’s sign bylaw is relatively simple—the Holden bylaw very complex by contrast. Also, consider the very restrictive 2 sq.ft. limit on signs in R-A district. John suggested getting local business owners in for their opinions, and have John Wilson in to air his concerns and interpretations of the Business Zone sign regs. He will be invited to the July 13 meeting.
8:35 PM Board voted all in favor to approve minutes from June 1.
8:40 PM Board voted all in favor to adjourn.
Respectfully Submitted: Marie Auger, Admin. Assistant
Referenced Documents: Docs/photo for 128 Mountain Road; Clayton Mosher request
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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