Town of Princeton, Mass. PLANNING BOARD Minutes --– May 17, 2017
In Town Hall Annex. Present were: John Mirick, Tom Sullivan, Rud Mason, Ian Catlow along with alternate Ann Neuburg.
7:30 PM Board was asked to sign an amended ANR from the Fieldings for 35 & 37 Leominster Road. The plan moves some lot lines to create a 3-acre lot around an existing house and leave about 11 aces in the remaining parcel. It also moved a lot line over next to the house to accommodate a new septic system. The first version which was signed on April 19 didn’t pass muster with the Registry of Deeds because of the parcel overlapping the Sterling town line. The registry required Ch. 41, Sect. 81X certification by the surveyor, which is noted on the amended plan. The board voted all in favor to sign the amended copies.
As this was the first meeting since the Annual Town Election, new officers were then addressed. The board voted all in favor to elect John M. as chair; they voted all in favor to elect Rud M. as vice chair and voted all in favor to elect Ian C. as clerk. They voted all in favor to appoint Ian as the town’s representative to CMRPC and voted all in favor to appoint Ann N. as PB alternate member. The BOS needs to confirm the appointment. The board agreed to recommend Tom Daly to fill the seat left open when Richard Bisk left the board to serve as selectman. They plan on meeting with BOS at their meeting on June 12 to vote jointly to fill the seat.
John M. distributed a ballot from CMRPC for the annual meeting that included a slate of officers and the group went over each item; filled in a hard copy to be mailed back. Ian agreed to complete the electronic version and email it back.
The group turned to goals for the coming year. John M. suggested that action on revising the sign bylaw can start right away, and wants the Advisory Committee in for a joint meeting, maybe June 7—they will be contacted. He also suggested that zoning changes may be considered that encourage senior/affordable housing. Rud suggested the group review the 2007 Master Plan and see what has or hasn’t been accomplished. Ian noted that creation of a new environmental committee was approved at annual town meeting and he suggested the PB find ways to support it. He further noted that if this committee recommends adoption of the Green Communities Act zoning changes may be needed and PB should coordinate these changes with the EC and BoS.
8 PM Tom S. reported that the ANR recently signed by PB for Krashes family on Rhodes Road raised questions for Assessor Kathy Stanley. It created a 50’ corridor to back land, and the frontage of an adjoining lot was subsequently reduced by 50.’ That may have compromised that lot in meeting the zoning minimum of 225.’ As these lots are all owned by family trusts, they can get re-configured if need be, but the assessor still needs to know which are meeting zoning minimums as building lots. More research needed.
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8:10 PM Tom S., Rud M., and John M. then voted all in favor to approve minutes of April 19 and May 3. Ian C. abstained from this vote as he was not a PB member at the time of these meetings.
8:15 PM Voted all in favor to adjourn.
Respectfully Submitted: Marie Auger, Admin. Assistant
Referenced Documents: ANR plan for Fielding property; CMRPC ballot; ANR plan for Krashes on Rhodes Road.
Upcoming meetings: June 7; June 21
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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