[Massplanners] Planning Board Questions

[Joseph Laydon]

Hello Kathy.  Hope all is well in Northborough!

When I was in Grafton, we created a Submission schedule to provide applicants with advance notice on when material was to be submitted.  This was not only for new projects but also for ongoing projects.  See the link below.

https://www.grafton-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif4461/f/uploads/2021_submission_schedule_2.pdf

We did run into situations that material on new applications (primarily responses to Peer Review) were not submitted in time and the Applicant requested a continuation of the 1st public hearing and the Board granted that request.  No new abutter notification occurred, and we opened and continued the hearing.

For Applications that were submitted, I would review for completeness and notify the Board and Town Clerk of determining them incomplete.  If push came to shove, and they were not responsive to supplying information, I informed them that the board would then reject the application as incomplete.

For continued hearings, if material was not submitted, applicants knew what the process was and would request a continuation if material could not be submitted in time.  Having the deadline really did help set expectations of the Board and took the pressure off staff.

Regarding enforcement, I worked really closely with the Building Inspector (really for all towns I have worked in) to make sure that what was submitted and approved to building was what we approved.  We did not have non-criminal disposition in Grafton, but the threat of not getting a CO brought people into compliance.

Good luck.

Sincerely

Joe

_________________________________
Joseph Laydon
Town of Littleton
Assistant Town Administrator
37 Shattuck Street
Littleton, MA 01460
jlaydon at littletonma.org<mailto:jlaydon at littletonma.org>
978-540-2460



From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Kathy Joubert via MassPlanners
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2021 5:21 PM
To: massplanners at masscptc.org
Subject: [Massplanners] Planning Board Questions



**THIS EMAIL WAS SENT BY AN EXTERNAL SENDER**
Hello All - On behalf of the Northborough Planning Board, the Board has requested I pose the following questions:


  1.  If your Board requires applicants to send materials in advance of the next meeting, how many days in advance do you require the information?  If the material is not sent in advance of the meeting, does your board automatically continue the hearing to the next meeting and if so, do you notify abutters in advance of the date change?  Is this requirement regarding submission of additional information contained in your Planning Board Rules and Regulations? Do you find requiring a deadline effective in that once a firm’s project is continued for not submitting the additional information in a timely manner they are more compliant on the next project?  (This is for material after the initial public hearing.)



  1.  Regarding the adherence of site plan and/or special permit conditions, I’m assuming you find applicants generally comply with the conditions found in the decision.  If an applicant does not comply, do you utilize Chapter 40 Section 21D and enforce your bylaws and conditions through non-criminal disposition?  If so, have you found this to be effective or do you find the applicant paying the fine as opposed to complying with the decision?  I assume most communities have the staff meet with the offender on site, explain the situation, and generally the situation is resolved.  But for situations of non-compliance do you find the non-criminal disposition effective?


Thank you in advance for your responses.

Kathy

Kathryn A. Joubert
Town Planner

Northborough Town Hall
Planning Department
63 Main Street
Northborough MA 01532
508-393-5019
Mon Wed Thurs 8am-4pm; Tues 8am-7pm; Fri 7am-noon


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