Planning Board public hearing

Jack_LeMenager-6

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday evening, February 4, beginning at 7:00 PM in person in the Select Board room for the purpose of considering two minor zoning bylaw changes. As always, any such changes must be approved by two-thirds of Town Meeting.

The first matter concerns the Subdivision Rules and Regulations. The Board would like to codify its normal practice of allowing the Town Planner to review ANR’s (approval not required) prior to the Planning Board’s review.

The purpose of the amendment is to formalize the existing process, streamline Planning Board meetings by ensuring only compliant proposals are reviewed, and improve the accuracy and the efficiency of the ANR application process.

The second item on the public hearing docket concerns the current fee structure of the Center Business District (CBD), the MBTA Overlay District (approved by Town Meeting last spring), and the North Main Mixed-use District (also approved by Town Meeting last fall). State law allows the Town to recover some of the costs of reviewing development proposals.

This change will seek to align the fee structure across the three distinct zones to bring them in line with current costs.

Jack_LeMenager-6

There are some errors in the foregoing post.

The purpose of the hearing is to review the rules and regulations for subdivisions, the CBD, the MOD (3A), and the MSMD (North Main). These approvals do not need to go through Town Meeting because the Planning Board is empowered to change its own rules and regulations. The design guidelines are outside the bylaw. The meeting was originally planned to accept the design guidelines for the MSMD, but in the context of a public hearing, they decided to expand it to address a few other topics as well.

Jason_Roeder-5

URGENT

Hi all.

This is a call to everyone to please engage on the Planning Board process regarding 10 Converse Place (renamed 33 Mt. Vernon).

Tonight I attended the PB meeting and a waiver was granted which will allow the developer to avoid creating a physical model, as otherwise required in bylaw. The rationale for this waiver is that the developer has created a digital modal (think google street view-like). This model is accessible via the WinCam recording of the meeting and there will be 1-2 sessions for the public to interact with the modal in the coming week or two. See here for the meeting materials, which will get you started: https://www.winchester.us/DocumentCenter/View/12967/2025-11-04_PB-Meeting-Packet?bidId=

This development would likely have a huge impact on the town center and the PB is really struggling with what to do. They need input from the public. Please consider providing that input ASAP.

Thanks.

Jack_LeMenager-6

Thank you, Jason. In fact, the applicant is going to be sharing the digital model again for any interested Town Meeting members or citizens on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 2-4 in the Mystic Valley Room.

Additionally, the latest iteration of their proposal, which was not included in the materials found online, can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/huc5amth.

If you would like to view the video of digital model presentation from the Planning Board's Nov. 4 meeting, it is available here: https://tinyurl.com/3k479u3e. Click on the blue “12:45” below to advance forward to the beginning of the demonstration.

Brian_Vernaglia-4

Jack_LeMenager-6 Thanks Jack.

And as a reminder, our Public Hearing on 10 Converse will continue on Nov 18th at 7PM, likely in the Select Board room, but stay tuned for the location. All are welcome, of course.

Jason_Roeder-5

Excellent, thank you both.

Brian_Vernaglia-4

FYI: The Planning Board public hearing for 10 Converse Place originally continued to Dec 2nd will be further continued to Dec 16th. On Dec 2nd the public hearing will be opened for the sole purpose of continuing to the 16th. The agenda will be updated tomorrow to indicate as much.