Planning Board
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
The Ashburnham Planning Board operates under the authority of the Subdivision Control Law enacted under Chapter 41, Section 81A-81GG of the Massachusetts General Laws. The Board is comprised of five elected members who are empowered to regulate the subdivision of land under the provisions of the above law for the purposes of protecting the safety, convenience, and welfare of the inhabitants of the Town of Ashburnham. The Board is also responsible for preparing careful studies pertaining to planning issues in the Town and recommending zoning amendments for Town Meeting approval.
During the calendar year 2004, the Board approved 27 "Approval Not Required" (ANR) plans of land as compared to 21 in 2003. Two roads from previously approved subdivisions, Whitney Drive and Cheshire Pond Road, were accepted as Town Roads at a Special Town Meeting held in the fall. The Board endorsed 49 building permit applications for new dwellings in 2004, compared to 37 in 2003.
The Board has performed 3 Scenic Road hearings in conjunction with the new Scenic Road Regulations. A total of 12 Site Plan Reviews have also been heard in conjunction with the new Site Plan Review process.
Over the past year a number of new by-law amendments have been approved at Town Meeting. One allowing "Open Space Residential Developments", which will help the Town preserve open space as well as encourage the development of low and moderate-income housing. Second approved was a Common Driveway amendment, and the third amendment that the Ashburnham Focus Committee developed was the LI-A, LI-B and Green Business Districts to help create mixed use zoning for industry and business.
As the work load for all town board's continues to increase, we look forward to hiring the towns first Town Planner. The Board has actively been working on a job description and we hope to have someone on board no later than June 2005.
We would like to thank Susan Dembek, the Land Use Administrator, for her assistance throughout this past year.
Respectfully submitted,
John MacMillan, Chair
Robert Salo, Clerk
Robert MacLeod
Richard Wright
Joseph Kalagher
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