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 and one appointed associate member, 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 2005, the Board approved 25 "Approval Not Required" (ANR) plans of land as compared to 27 in 2004. The Board endorsed 28 building permit applications for new dwellings in 2005, compared to 49 in 2004.
The Board reviewed four new subdivisions during the year. Lakeview Estates, comprising a conventional subdivision off of Holt Road, with two roads and 17-lots was approved by the Board. Lakeside Village Condos, an 11-lot 55 and over development off of Sherbert Road, with 22 dwelling units was approved under the Open Space Residential Development Bylaw, creating 17.78 acres of permanently protected open space. A three lot Open Space Residential Development was approved off of Rindge State Road (State Route 119), creating 12.32 acres of permanently protected open space. A 15-lot conventional subdivision known as Cashman Hill Estates, has been submitted to the Board and is still in the permitting process. Patriot Estates, a 7-lot subdivision off Hastings Road is currently under review by the Board.
The Board performed 2 Scenic Road hearings in conjunction with the new Scenic Road Regulations. A total of 3 Site Plan Reviews for commercial businesses have also been heard under requirements of the Site Plan Review process.
Common driveways were approved under the Common Driveway Bylaw on Depot Road, Hay Road, Sherbert Road, East Rindge Road and Williams Road.
During the year, a Town Planner Search Committee was formed for the purpose of interviewing and recommending an applicant for the Town Planner position. After the completion of interviews, the committee recommended Eric Smith for the first Town Planner position. Eric started with the Town in July of 2005. The Board wishes to thank those who were on the committee,
John MacMillan |
Planning Board |
Richard Wright |
Planning Board |
Robert MacLeod |
Planning Board |
Lorraine Desouza |
ConservationCommission |
David Perry |
Zoning Board of Appeals |
Janet Dolder |
Focus Committee |
Joseph Vondeck |
Citizen at Large |
Joseph Kalagher |
Planning Board - Alternate |
The Board would like to also thank Acting Town Administrator, Norman Thiediman for his assistance in hiring the Town Planner and to the Assessors for giving the Town Planner space in their office. In the short time that Eric has been with the Town, he has been a tremendous asset to the Planning Board and the other Town boards and committees. We look forward to working with Eric in the future.
The Board negotiated a new covenant with the current owners of the Bray Avenue subdivision. The Bray Avenue subdivision containing 13 lots, off of Williams Road, originally approved by the Planning Board in 1989 has lain dormant for many years. The agreement requires the owners to meet current standards for construction of the roadway and meet the requirements of the Conservation Commission.
Members of the Planning Board and the Board of Appeals attended the Massachusetts Citizen Planner Training Collaborative annual conference held at Holy Cross College. The conference is well attended and all of the seminars have proved to be extremely useful to those attending and for helping the Planning Board prepare Ashburnham for the future.
The Planning Board, in conjunction with the Fire Department prepared a house numbering bylaw that was presented and adopted at the May 2005 Annual Town Meeting. The bylaw has been approved by the Attorney General and the Town will start enforcing the bylaw immediately.
The Board is currently reviewing amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and will be recommending changes at the 2006 Annual Town Meeting. Some of these include overhauling the Site Plan Review process, Parking Regulations, improving the Open Space Residential Development process, a new land clearing bylaw, and driveway regulations.
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 (resigned December 2005)
Joseph Kalagher
Gary Howland, Associate member
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