BELLINGHAM PLANNING BOARD

 

 

2 MECHANIC STREET

BELLINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02019

(508) 657-2892 FAX (508) 966-2317

PlanningBoard@bellinghamma.org

 

March 20, 2008 Meeting Minutes

Master Plan Discussion

 

 

·        Present at the meeting:

Brian J. Sutherland (BJS) Chair

Glenn C. Wojcik (GCW), Vice Chair

Stephen Bartha (SB) Secretary (absent)

David Brown (DB)

Patricia Buckley (PMB)

John Sexton (JS) Associate Member

 

 

Other officials:  Stacey J. Wetstein, (SJW) Town Planner

                                                                                                         

BJS opened the meeting at 7:05 PM.

 

BJS stated that the purposed of this meeting was to discuss the process for beginning the Master Plan, which is required by the Town Charter to be reviewed and updated every 10 years, but first the Board would review some older meeting minutes.

 

GCW: Motion to approve the November 8, 2007 minutes.

DB: Second.

Vote: 4-0, Approved. 1 Absent.

 

GCW: Motion to approve the December 13, 2007 minutes as amended.

DB: Second.

Vote: 4-0, Approved. 1 Absent.

 

Thundermist Car Wash update

 

BJS has a letter from Mr. Lussier to Denis Fraine in which Mr. Lussier is requesting not to be compelled to come to the March 27, 2008 Planning Board meeting.  There is one outstanding item that needs to be addressed with regard to the project and that is the south egress onto Arthur Street.  BJS suggested and presented materials on inexpensive removable speed bumps as a potential compromise so that Mr. Lussier would not have to redo the entire curb in that area.  The Board generally felt that these speed bumps would be a good compromise for the safety of the residents and meeting the written condition of the decision.  DB pointed out that although the speed bumps were removable that concrete strips would need to be installed in those areas for bolts and that Mr. Lussier would need to do that when he does the finish pavement coat.  BJS will contact the Town Administrator to ask him to talk to Mr. Lussier about the speed bumps and attending the meeting on March 27th.

 

SJW prepared an outline of topics to help the Planning Board determine a course for initiating the Master Plan review.

 

SJW suggested that the Master Plan review could be managed entirely by the Planning Board or that a steering committee could be organized.  She pointed to a memo prepared by consultant Phil Herr during the first Master Plan preparation that suggested the members of the steering committee (2 each from Planning Board, Board of Selectmen, and School Committee; 1 each from Affordable Housing Committee, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Parks Commission and ZBA; Liasons would be the Town Planner, Town Administrator, DPW Director and a Finance Committee representative).  To that list, the Board recommended adding someone from the assessor’s office, Disabilities Commission and Board of Health.  Glenn Wojcik and Dave Brown volunteered to be the Planning Board members.  It was suggested that the committee meet by the beginning of June and that the process of reviewing and updating the Master Plan should take between 12 and 18 months.  SJW will prepare and send a letter to all the Boards and Commissions notifying them of the Master Plan review and requesting members for the committee.  The steering committee will provide periodic updates to the Board and the Board can direct the steering committee further as needed.  In addition, other interest groups can be brought in during visioning sessions and at other times during the process.

 

The Board suggested that the steering committee use the existing Master Plan format, but that the content will need to change.  Things such as adding in Smart Growth, green building techniques etc can be added to many different chapters of the Master Plan and can be dealt with by the steering committee. 

 

DB: Motion to adjourn.

GCW: Second.

Vote: 4-0, Approved. 1 absent.

 

Minutes Accepted on: _______________________      ______________________________________

                                                (date)                                      (prepared by: Stacey Wetstein)

 

 

__________________________________________    ______________________________________

Stephen Bartha                                                              Brian J. Sutherland

 

 

__________________________________________    ______________________________________

David Brown                                                                  Glenn Wojcik

 

 

__________________________________________

Patricia M. Buckley