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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Our town of Hardwick has a Planning Board and a Select Board. A landowner (corporation) has presented the Select Board with a request for at least two zoning changes. MGL Chapter 40A section 5 lays out the process and timetable by which the SB forwards the proposals to the PB. As we understand it, after that the next steps are that the PB set a date for a Public Hearing to begin within 65 days of receipt of the proposal from the SB, post and hold and close the hearings and then possibly offer a non-binding opinion recommendation to approve or not approve the proposal. And then set a date for Special Town Meeting at which the proposals (non-housing related) would be adopted if 2/3 of voters approved. Any comments on our understanding of the process are welcome. </span>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">But there is one definite question I'd like to ask: <strong>40A sec 5 reads: No zoning ordinance or by-law or amendment thereto shall be adopted until after the planning board in a city or town, and the city council or a committee designated or appointed for the purpose by said council has each held a public hearing thereon, together or separately</strong>, at which interested persons shall be given an opportunity to be heard. </span>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Does this mean that the Planning Board cannot set and hold the Hearing on its own? </span>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks in advance.</span>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Bill Cole</span>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Hardwick PB </span>
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