Town of Otis
Planning Board Meeting Minutes
July 12, 2021
7:00 p.m.
Online using the Zoom link provided below.
*This meeting is being conducted remotely through Zoom. You must check back within 24 hours of the start time for a link to join.
Pursuant to the Governor’s March 12, 2020 order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, Sec 18, this meeting is being held via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Every effort is being made to ensure that any member of the public may access the meeting in real time, via technological means. Agendas will be amended to show the link and participation code to access the meeting no sooner than 48 hours before. Recordings and/or draft proceedings of the meeting will be available on our website as soon as possible.
1. Roll Call- Call to order at 7:00 pm
a. Hal Kobrin, Chair
b. Jim Kauffman, Member
c. Barbara Gallagher, Member
d. Stacey Schultze, Clerk
e. Brittany Mackbach
2. Approval of Minutes. Approval of June 14, 2021 Planning Board meeting minutes.
a. Because a quorum of members who attended the June meeting were not present at the July meeting, minutes will be voted on at the August meeting.
3. Form A
a. Hal notes that the lot size and road frontage follow zoning laws and makes a motion to accept
b. Barbara seconds
c. All in favor
4. Town owned building spreadsheet update
a. Hal indicated that this is a good start but more information is needed. He would like to know what the use code stands for, the size of the parcels and if there are any buildings on the parcel. He indicated that that footprint of the building and square footage as well as the condition and current purpose or uses will help determine if the town should plan future use for the property or sell to regain tax revenue.
b. Stacey will continue building out the spreadsheet.
5. MVP & HMP Grants update
a. Website is live and survey is available online. The survey will come down soon and a series of 3, 2-hr workshops will take place in September. A representative from Otis Woodlands would like to attend the workshops. The subcommittee is awaiting the next meeting.
6. Complete Streets Grant update
a. Eamon Coughlin has taken a new position and is no longer at BRPC. He was our contact person, but will be replaced. Foresight Engineers should have a list of several projects with costs for the first round of fundable items. There are a few non-fundable items that they are hoping will be available for round 2. There has been talk between Boston DOT and Lenox DOT about adding bike lanes to route 8 and 23 that will be funded through DOT not through complete streets. Rona will continue working on this.
7. Wireless Communication Facilities Bylaw update
a. Hal is continuing to work on revisions and should have something to share with the planning board before next meeting. He is referencing Monterey’s bylaw with notes from the Attorney General and adopting or adjusting information to replace existing phrasing in our bylaw. The goal is to have the bylaw ready for an Oct Special Town Meeting.
8. Emergency communications services update
a. Stacey shared information she gathered from Blandford and the Sherriff’s department about the process. The Sherriff is willing to meet with the Planning Board and any other representatives from the town to review maps created 4 years ago to explore other options for increasing emergency communications coverage.
b. A September joint meeting with Selectboard and stakeholders will be arranged.
9. Short-term Rental Bylaw update
a. Jim and Barbara are meeting this week to work on this bylaw, also hoping to have it ready for the October Special Town Meeting.
10. Dark Sky Bylaw update
a. Hal is continuing to work through details of the bylaw, and plans to have it ready to follow the October Special Town Meeting schedule.
11. Any Other Business, Old or New.
12. Meeting Adjourned at 7:41 pm.
a. Hal makes motion.
b. Jim seconds
c. All in favor
The Public is invited to attend using the following Zoom link.
Town of Otis is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86465018784
Meeting ID: 864 6501 8784
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