Planning Board Meeting Minutes

 

                

                                        

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mrs. Terry. She stated that the meeting was being recorded and asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting.

PLANNER’S REPORT: 7:00 pm

1. Tuckers have sent in a request to withdraw their Special permit without prejudice. They indicated they will reapply in the future.

2. The Arnold family will be submitting an Approval Not Required (ANR) for an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) for a 2 acre lot to be created from a 24 acre parcel on Berkshire Avenue. Mr. Slessler said he had a conversation with Mass. Agricultural Department regarding the ANR.

3. Kathy Cohoon submitted a plan for an addition to her home on 46 Will Palmer Road. It was suggested she submit the plan to the Board of Appeals.

4. John Arata will be submitting plans for the second solar site on Congamond Road after negotiations with EverSource.

5. Baxter Stand and Gravel, the owner of 421 Feeding Hills Road, inquired for a potential use of the 195 acres in the Residential Zone and the Agricultural Zone.

6. There was an inquiry into #76 Tannery Road for a possible Dog Kennel which is prohibited in the Residential 40 (R40) zone. A Special Permit may be required in Industrial Restricted (IR) zone.

7. Attended the PVPC Valley Development Council meeting on May 26, 2016 where topics discussed were Stormwater Permit update, zoning reform bill, a simple majority vote rather than a super majority, extend Special Permit bylaw to 3 years, and mandatory master plans within in ten years and no funding.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:  7:05 pm

There were no public comments.

 

Mrs. Terry said that Kathy Mc Cabe is going to talk to the Board about the Town Overlay and the Master Plan. She said the Board has been trying to decide which they should work on first. Mrs. Patterson suggested that Mr. McCabe tell the Board a bit about her background. Ms. McCabe said she is the founder of McCabe Enterprises which is a Economic and Planning firm that has operated for about 25 years. She said the smallest Town she has worked with consisted of 59 people. She said she is presently working with the Town of South Hadley development authority. She said she has done master plans and downtown centers. She said she has a broad range of experience with Towns in Massachusetts. She said that master plans are required in many states. She said that zoning is one of the many implantations for the master plan. She said the master plan is a road map of where the town wants to go. She said an overlay district can be part of a master plan. She said that some Towns have an interim overlay district because of a pressing issue that needs to be addressed to guide good development. She said she did the master plan for the Town of Foxboro. She said it is a Town that wants to preserve its character. She said the issue is how to foster the appropriate development and still protect the water supply and agricultural areas. She said keeping the rural aspect was a real issue and she said she suspects it is a real issue for Southwick. She said it is important to have development along the corridor that supports the tax base and provides services for people who live in Town. She asked how to maintain the balance with the cultural character desired in the Town of Southwick. Mrs. Terry said that the Town is considered a recreational community and one of the key characteristics. Mrs. McCabe said that the Town wants the redevelopment to reinforce the Character of the Town. She said there is always development pressure. Mrs. Terry said that the Town has done a good job through CPA funds of preserving land. Mrs. McCabe said that one of the reasons to make a master plan is that it would provide compliance but the more critical it helps community members to get behind some shared goals. She said that good master plans take a strong community process and it involves local Boards, residences and business owners. She said because of the required elements having all these participants in the process is key. She said the Master Plans must have: compliance, shared goals, involves multiple Boards, land use plan, transportation, housing element, open space, capital facilities, agricultural elements, utilities element, implementation plan, academic element, sustainability, official maps, future roadway maps and services. She said that most of Southwick’s development is in the College Highway corridor. She said it can take three years to create a Master Plan. Mrs. Terry said Mrs. McCabe mention several pieces that the Southwick Planning Board has dealt with as a reaction to coming changes. She said solar is an example. She said as soon they were aware the Board wrote a solar bylaw. Mrs. McCabe asked if the Board had a copy of the Town Master Plan. Mrs. Terry said the Board had a copy of the current Southwick Master Plan dated 1967. Mrs. Terry said it is hard to get people to give time to develop a Master Plan. Mr. Slessler said it is a lengthy process and involves engineers and many technical persons. Mrs. McCabe said she is not your neighbor. Mrs. Terry said that it has to be marketed by the Board and others Boards and community members in Town. Mrs. McCabe said the most expensive part is not the maps but is the process. She said she usually involves people from a multidisciplinary team including the Town Planner, Architect, Engineers, Transportation and Utilities. She said you have to get into details. She said they started with a 7:30 a.m. meeting for the business community. This allowed them to discuss the Master plan. She said they scheduled a meeting so Town Employees could talk about their thoughts. She said parents came by with their children after school. She said residents dropped in at different times of the day. She said it allowed people to have conversations. She said they did the listening first. Mrs. Terry said she does not know what people want in Town. When asked they usually say it is fine just leave it that way it is. Mrs. Terry asked how the Town can be protected to keep it the way it is. She said there are always changes coming along like solar panels that have to be addressed. Mrs. McCabe said no ones crystal ball is perfect to see what threats might be coming. She said there are different responses. She said the whole issue of on line shopping creates limited small retail but there may be a need for delivery and drop off points. Some municipalities do not need as much retail as they once did. She said that some strip areas have vacancies. Mrs. Terry said it is hard for a small town to support small business. The Board suspended the Public Hearing for a few minutes to take care of the next agenda item.

 

Mrs. Terry read a letter submitted the applicant Freda Brown requesting a continuation of the Public Hearing for 41 & 51 John Mason Road. Mrs. Brown said the applicant expects to be ready for the next meeting date.

A MOTION was made by Mr. Utzinger and seconded by Mr. Phelps to continue the Public Hearing for 41$51 John Mason Road to July 12, 2016 at 7:15 pm. The motion passed unanimously.

 

The Public Hearing was continued for the Town Center Overlay/Master Plan. Mrs. McCabe said she functions on a flat fee. She said that listening and raising questions to the community is real important. She said that open Houses could be really helpful. Mrs. Patterson said that Southwick is a little Town sandwiched between bigger communities. She said that Southwick is a pass through community and people do not stop here. She said we are a recreational destination and not economical destination. Mrs. McCabe said the Town has more than people realize. Mrs. Terry said that we do have more to offer. Mrs. McCabe said there are excellent farm stands. She said in Southwick there is a class registered golf course and no place to stay. There is no hotel. Mr. Terry said the discussion started because small businesses in a house wanted mixed use with an apartment up stairs. We do have a set of guidelines as to how everything should look. She said it is not mandatory. She said the Board is stuck because they do not which way to go. She said there is no public transportation at all and if you ask the community they do not want public transportation. There is some transportation for seniors. She said there is a Housing Authority. She said there are three directions we could go. We could table everything and waits or the master plan. She said we could work on something so we have a little bit of control or we could make a quick change. Mrs. McCabe said one of the reasons to do a Master Plan is it defines the community. She said if you have a master plan and are working on projects the funding will come if the project is part of the master plan. Marcus said we never get many points for Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Mr. Phelps said we have not gotten enough community interest to work on a master plan. Mr. Slessler said they went to the SelectBoard 5 months ago and there was no interest in a master plan at that time. Mrs. Terry said at the budget hearing we did advocate for ourselves. Mrs. Patterson said you have to sell something and we no vision. Mrs. McCabe said there is a Western Mass. Community Foundation that has people based in Southwick. She said that this is an important project. She said it might be a way to augment your budget. She said having a mixed use might be a stop gap. You have told me it was not controversial. Mrs. Terry said the Board was reluctant of doing something piecemeal again. Mrs. McCabe said if you do a master plan you may want to come back and tweak it. She said sometimes the stress for perfection is the enemy of completion. Mrs. Patterson said we are losing the quintessential feeling of the Town. Mrs. Terry said we need to find a way for people to live and work in the Town of Southwick. She said the Board needs to be careful not to sound like we are trying to change things but are trying to keep things the same but improve. Mrs. Terry said they have tried surveys and they don’t work. Mrs. McCabe said things have to be fun and life is really busy. She said people do not want to go to a lot of meetings. They need to feel their time will be well spent. She said she thinks the Board is getting ahead of your selves. She suggested the Board make zoning tweaks. Mrs. Terry said that if the Board wants to come into compliance for a master plan what would it cost? Mrs. McCabe estimated costs from $100,000 to $160,000. Mrs. Terry said divided over three years makes it a much more doable project. Michael McMahon, Chair of the Economic Develop Committee, joined the meeting. Mrs. Patterson explained that Mrs. McCabe was a professional who is talking to the Board about a Master Plan. Mrs. Terry said an Economic Development Committee would be part of the Southwick Master Plan.  Mrs. McCabe said that all the small projects the Board has worked on are the types of projects that would put in the Master Plan. Mrs. Patterson said we have to have and identity that could convince the SelectBoard to see the need for a Master Plan. Mrs. Patterson asked Mrs. McCabe what is the next step for the Planning Board. She replied that the Board should move the project on ahead as is happening.  She said the Board should think about phasing in a budget. She said master plans are a big project both financially and time wise because there are so many Boards involved. Mrs. McCabe said the plan should span over a decade since a master plan is a long range document. Mrs. Terry said the SelectBoard did not give permission for a Request for Proposal (RFP). Mr. Slessler said the SelectBoard indicated there was no funding at this time and is not on their present list of accomplishments. Mrs. McCabe said that most consultants will not get involved unless there is an RFP in place. She said the consultant is not going to do everything and this means more work on the part of the Town Boards. She said that means more money may have to be found for employees to work extra time. She said the Town needs to use what you already have. The Board discussed the Phased Growth. Mr. Slessler said the PVPC cannot give the Board financial support. Mrs. Patterson asked if it was possible for Mrs. McCabe to write a letter to the SelectBoard in support of the Master Plan. Mrs. McCabe said the Board and the Town needs to work on the plan themselves to be credible. She said that the Board needs to do their homework before getting any one else involved. The Board thanked Mrs. McCabe for the discussion.

        

 

Mrs. Terry said there is a letter to the SelectBoard asking that Mr. Phelps not be appointed to the Conservation Committee again.                                                                           

 

 

A MOTION was made by Mr. Sutton and seconded by Mr. Phelps to accept the minutes of May 24, 2016. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Mrs. Terry said that Mrs. Patterson did a fine job of redesigning the Sign Application form. She said there are a few minor changes to be made and we will review it again at the next meeting.                 

Discussions:

 

Mrs. Terry said that although the Board does not have to have Chapter 185-23.3 removed from the Town Code Book she said the Board might want to discuss it and the same for the Phased Growth Bylaw which has expired.

Being no further business to be brought before the Board, A MOTION was made by Mr. Sutton, SECONDED by Mr. Phelps to adjourn at 9:10 pm  Vote was unanimous.

Respectfully submitted,

Ruth Preston

Planning Board Administrative Assistant