Town of Otis
Planning Board Meeting Minutes January 8, 2024
Call to order 7:00 PM
1. Roll Call:
Mark Anthony – Chair
Hal Kobrin
Terry Cook-Visser
Barb Gallagher
2. Approval of November 13, 2023 minutes
Terry motion to accept, Hal second, all in favor.
3. Approval of December 11, 2023 minutes
No quorum, will approve next month.
4. Form A: 981 Becket Road
Surveyor here representing property owner, last lot on the road with power, combining small lots, splitting.
Mark motion to accept, Hal second, all in favor.
5. Any other business old or new.
New resident, recently moved here, bought property on Otis woodlands, has questions about building a garage, near Benton brook and abutting wetlands, cannot find boundary of wetlands
Do I need to file a determination of applicability to conservation, have to start with a survey and have them designate where wetlands are, and then go to building department with your plan, need to prove to conservation that you are outside of wetland buffer zone, if you are within the buffer zone can do a determination of applicability to get a waiver to be within the 100ft buffer zone and can be 50 ft. Survey of wetlands is first step.
Mark, wanted to discuss the need for the planning board to buy a laptop to run zoom meetings through.
Hal, note buying computers have been separate from the planning board budget in the past.
Hal, follow up from last month’s discussion, continue to increase communication with select boards and reach out to them more on things we need and are working on.
Mark, new approach on working with select board on what they are interested in pursuing before we start work on something.
Hal, in the past we did have this communication, like with complete streets select board was very involved in the entire process and now the select board is not using it.
Barb, who receives the money from the grant?
Hal, the town receives funds, concerns are if the town does not use the funds from the grants, we will not receive money from future grants.
Barb is going to selectboard meeting tomorrow, will ask for an update on the STR bylaws.
Mark, another thing to discuss lots of questions on zoning with D&J and this information was not shared to us ahead of time. D&J was told to go to zoning, but we never received a response. Need to make sure information is shared with the entire board in the future.
6. Mark motion to adjourn 7:33 PM. Terry Second. All in favor.