Town of Otis
Planning Board Meeting Minutes
August 13, 2018
Town Hall Inspectors’ Office
Meeting called to order at 7:01 pm in the Otis Town Hall Inspectors’ Room. The meeting is recorded and a quorum is present.
Present: Michael Ernst, Jim Kauffman, Rona Knight, Jen Daily, Hal Kobrin, Terry Cook, Thomas Crowe, Mike Conboy, Larry Gould, Keith O’Neil, Michael Knight, Sonia Morrison, Frank Tolopko, Patty Strauch, Kathy Adams, Richard Moss, Stephanie Moss, Chris Guidette, Mary Jean Guidette, Jim Crandall, Matt Knodler, Ken Mayer, Katja Mayer
Approval of Minutes: The June 11, 2018 Planning Board meeting minutes were unanimously approved as written. Michael stipulated that D&J Development may need a new traffic plan due to the proposed snack shack by the boat launch. Rona made the motion to accept and Jen seconded.
Form A ANR for Map 2 Lot 50: Tim Shuipis of Hilltown Land Services was here to represent a lot split for the Deinards in order to gift the split out lot to the Dept. of Fisheries & Wildlife. Hal recused himself because he owns land near to this location. Everything was in compliance with the Zoning bylaws so Jen moved to accept, Jim seconded, and it was unanimously passed. The mylar and copies were signed and payment was received.
Site Plan Review for HR Farm, LLC, Map 16 Lot 44: Thomas Crowe wants to put up five metal accessory buildings for the business on the abutting lot for use as storage facilities with the garage door entrances in the back. Abutters were notified and the Notice of Public Hearing was published. Michael recused himself from this discussion. Rona moved to accept the plan, Jim seconded, and the Site Plan was unanimously approved. Lisa will create an approval letter.
Appoint BRPC Representative: Hal agreed to represent the Planning Board again this year and Lisa will send in the paperwork to BRPC.
Sewer Discussion: BRPC is once again offering their DLTA grants for municipalities in December. Hal would like to apply for it again for the purpose of creating a definitive plan of what we want and need to expand the sewer system up to Otis Ridge and the Grouse House. We were previously denied due to our Master Plan being out of date – we currently have an updated plan. Financing for implementing this definitive plan would then be a future grant application. Keith O’Neil, our sewer plant Chief Operator, said that would be well and good but the definitive plan also needs to include the costs involved for upgrading the sewer plant. DEP probably will not allow the town to expand the plant usage under the current permit without making plant upgrades. DEP will not allow us to accept anything else including gray water. The plant is currently running at the top of our threshold for capabilities for nutrients and BOD limits under our current permit. According to Keith, we do have the real estate if DEP should okay any expansion, but sewer expansion would cost the town hundreds of thousands of dollars to upgrade the chemical processing at the plant and could also force us to increase staffing levels.
Discuss a Recreational Marijuana Farm: No one from Bay State Canna Holdings was present at this meeting. The Community Outreach that was held in July had low attendance and because of that, the Select Board has requested another Community Outreach meeting be held so we can publish it around town for the next meeting. They are requesting light industrial zoning, not commercial. Since the last meeting, Lisa was able to contact the MA Cannabis Control Commission to understand what should be included in the applicant’s Host Community Agreement. Lisa was able to determine the town has the right to have a site plan review with Planning, address wetlands with Conservation, and address zoning with the ZBA, and Boston would prefer to have the results of these meetings included with the Host Community Agreement submission. Jen made a motion that we submit a letter to the Attorney General for a moratorium of 12 months so we can create a bylaw on Recreational Marijuana and Hal seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Other:
Harmony Hall: The Planning Board plans to invite the public to a meeting to discuss what the townspeople would like to do with the building in the future. September 10 would be the regular meeting date, but it was changed to September 17, 2018 at 7:00 pm so as not to conflict with a holiday. This meeting will be published in newspapers as well as advertised at Harmony Hall.
Medical Marijuana Moratorium: Michael noted that this bylaw was never brought before the townspeople for a vote so it never became a zoning bylaw.
Hal moved the meeting be adjourned, Jen seconded, and the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:28 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa D’Orazio
Planning Board Clerk
Town of Otis
List of Documents
- A copy of the Form A ANR for the Deinards will be filed with these meeting minutes.
- A copy of the notice of Public Hearing for the HR Farm Site Plan Review will be filed with these meeting minutes.
- A copy of the BRPC Delegate page will be filed with these meeting minutes.