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<span style="font-size: 16px;">Thanks John, that makes sense. I'm not familiar with
<i>Commercial Occupancy Permits </i>but </span>I<span style="font-size: 16px;"> assume that is what The PB is doing when they say the
</span>Special<span style="font-size: 16px;"> Permit <i>runs with the applicant</i>.</span></div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:</b> John Cruz <john@cruzweb.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, December 20, 2024 11:14 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Star Atkeson <Star.Atkeson@townofcharlemont.org><br>
<b>Cc:</b> ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com <ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com>; Town Planner <townplanner@wnewbury.org>; Mass Planners <massplanners@masscptc.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] what is a minor change to a Special Permit</span>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">In my experience, there are two types of special permits: those granted to the property and those granted to a business.</div>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">If the special permit applies / is granted to the land, then it carries over regardless who the tenant is and new hearings aren't needed for new uses as long as the occupant follows the guidelines of the special permit and doesn't
wish to amend.</div>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">If the special permit is granted to a specific business, then a new commercial occupancy permit cannot be issued to a new business operating in the same space until a new special permit is issued following a public hearing. </div>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">You'll need to check to see exactly how the special permits are worded as they're passed by the public boards and double check with your legal council, as this varies all across the US based on whatever the local municipal policy
is. </div>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">-John</div>
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<div style="direction: ltr;">On Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 11:03 Star Atkeson via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" id="OWA7020c276-126f-c2fd-f0ed-7d58f7cec4d3" class="OWAAutoLink">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:</div>
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Thank you everyone for the very informative replies. Our Chair has a related question—we have, in the past, had a case where a new business has taken over the space of a previously permitted business that ran with the property. They followed the original conditions
of the special permit in regards to lighting, hours, sign size, parking, but the business was different. In our case it was a sports shop that became a smoke shop, so it continued to be retail, (it got the required licenses etc from BOH and whatever other
agencies require them) and in this case the owner was the same. The Planning Board back then was told by the zoning enforcement officer that a new special permit was not needed (hence no new hearing.)Members of our PB believe that changing the business is
a substantial change, and we often hear/use the phrase "change of use." Is change of use not a planning Board issue? Or is retail retail, restaurant is a restaurant and within those uses there can be change as long as all the conditions of the original permit
are followed?</div>
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Thanks so much, </div>
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Star</div>
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Charlemont Secretary to the Boards</div>
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<div id="x_m_-2573309022061585872divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:</b>
<a href="mailto:ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com" id="OWA4c3e037a-0f6b-6913-a4a3-f17b8cee5a1c" class="OWAAutoLink">
ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com</a> <<a href="mailto:ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com" id="OWA57e1f8d2-139a-1a74-f7da-035fb93525e1" class="OWAAutoLink">ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, December 20, 2024 10:17 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Town Planner' <<a href="mailto:townplanner@wnewbury.org" id="OWAcd4bed7d-8465-b487-0e45-438911f7ce04" class="OWAAutoLink">townplanner@wnewbury.org</a>>; Star Atkeson <<a href="mailto:Star.Atkeson@townofcharlemont.org" id="OWAde1b5184-0fb3-0566-f005-8fae0d4c91eb" class="OWAAutoLink">Star.Atkeson@townofcharlemont.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" id="OWAe9bceeb7-0f54-ec49-3db2-42ffa08bbb1b" class="OWAAutoLink">
massplanners@masscptc.org</a> <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" id="OWAd2ef7e52-5a1e-10c6-df03-67620c1470dc" class="OWAAutoLink">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> RE: [Massplanners] what is a minor change to a Special Permit</span>
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<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Hi, Star:</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Perhaps it’s evident by now that modification of the special permit in a substantive way triggers a return run-through of the original process. The advice that Dan Fortier gave a few days ago sounds
wise to me. Leave the special permit in place but enact stricter restrictions via the board of health. Never mind what the special permit allows, the stricter restriction will control.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Best,</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Jeff Lacy</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Rural Planning Associates</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/896+Graves+Road+%0D%0A+Conway,+MA+01341?entry=gmail&source=g" id="OWAa1f3ca9b-4f83-3ac4-c90d-43f6c82bb47f" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">896
Graves Road</a></span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/896+Graves+Road+%0D%0A+Conway,+MA+01341?entry=gmail&source=g" id="OWA42a035c0-78fe-cb7d-6a08-187e7844299f" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Conway,
MA 01341</a></span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="mailto:ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com" id="OWAf0e2d912-4653-c227-b55a-026f2367435a" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com</a></span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">(413) 230-9693</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
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<p style="direction: ltr;"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org" id="OWAe3bd5577-923f-80fc-cdf9-aaf7a12d1127" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Town Planner via MassPlanners<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 17, 2024 8:01 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Star Atkeson <<a href="mailto:Star.Atkeson@townofcharlemont.org" id="OWAaf34af36-48aa-8ac7-7af0-d6cbb5b3886b" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Star.Atkeson@townofcharlemont.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" id="OWAe8b1b349-544b-7780-16b5-2e19a5943c9d" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
massplanners@masscptc.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] what is a minor change to a Special Permit</p>
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<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">Hi Star,</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">If you are amending a condition of a special permit (or creating a new condition), I would view that as a substantive change (major). </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">It’s a good idea to list all the changes the board will deem “non-substantive” in the decision to make it clear what will require a public hearing in the future. Items included in past decisions I have been involved with are: small
changes to the site plan, shifts in layout, changes in landscaping materials, etc. </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">Good luck.</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script"; font-size: 12pt;">Katrina O’Leary</span><span style="font-family: "Kunstler Script"; font-size: 16pt;"> ,</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">AICP</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">Town Planner</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">West Newbury</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><a href="mailto:townplanner@wnewbury.org" id="OWA95cbaf3e-1911-87f3-2bc9-0acd54c92823" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">townplanner@wnewbury.org</a></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">(978) 363-1100 x125</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;">M-W, 7AM-3PM</p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
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<p style="direction: ltr;"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org" id="OWA4f8e799b-5f1d-ec23-2198-4e5cb37723fc" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Star Atkeson via MassPlanners<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, December 16, 2024 3:11 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org" id="OWA0cc8b282-f442-9e37-b194-267a8edb6869" class="OWAAutoLink" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
massplanners@masscptc.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Massplanners] what is a minor change to a Special Permit</p>
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<p style="direction: ltr;"> </p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Hello Planners,</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">We have a wedding venue in town who wants the Planning Board to amend their special permit to limit the number of events, as a (previously agreed) way to
satisfy the Board of Health, that they do not need to be a public water supply. The change would be a sentence limiting the number of events to 60 per year, they currently only do about 20 anyways. There would be a second minor change to the specific
<i>public water supply</i> condition in the permit.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Would you consider this a minor change, since nothing would tangibly be changing at the venue except they wouldn't need to use bottled water? Or is it a
significant change, since it is stipulated by another board who seems to be looking for a legal document.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">The applicant does not want to do the hearing process. In other recent Planning Board business we have held hearings for similar minor changes on more controversial
situations, so on one hand we want to be consistent, on the other, if it is legal to go for it without the hearing, that is what the applicant would like.</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Thank you for your advice,</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Star</span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<div id="x_m_-2573309022061585872x_Signature">
<p><span style="font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 10pt;">Star Atkeson</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 10pt;">Secretary to The Boards</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 10pt;">Town of Charlemont</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 10pt;">(413) 339-4335 ex.8</span></p>
<p> </p>
</div>
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