The meeting kicked off with the unanimous approval of an Approval Not Required (ANR) plan for a property on Howland Road, which proposed the subdivision of an existing parcel into two distinct lots. The plan was presented by John Romanelli on behalf of property owner Frank Ashley. This approval came after a court judgment resolved a right-of-way issue that had previously complicated the property. The board members had no questions or concerns about the plan, which assured smooth passage.

Attention soon shifted towards A discussion on inspection requirements for a proposed building on Harding Street, a project led by Lex Development, Inc. The board engaged in a debate regarding the necessity and extent of construction inspections, particularly the role of independent peer review engineers. Some participants argued against the redundancy of having multiple engineers conduct overlapping inspections, emphasizing that the applicant’s engineer should suffice. A participant voiced frustration, stating, “It seems silly for me to pay two engineers to do the same thing,” reflecting concerns over cost efficiency and potential delays.

The board weighed the benefits of intermediate inspections versus relying solely on final as-built reviews. While some argued that intermediate inspections could prevent costly errors by catching issues early, others contended that many discrepancies would only become apparent upon project completion. The board also discussed the practicality of requiring constant oversight at every construction stage, which could lead to unnecessary project delays. Concerns were raised about the potential impact on financially constrained project stakeholders, with a participant noting, “Most people are cashing in their retirements to do something like this.”

Further examination of conditions for stormwater management at the Harding Street site revealed a need to modify certain requirements. One point of contention was a condition mandating the completion of all drainage facilities before issuing a building permit. Participants suggested a financial assurance mechanism, referred to as a “shity,” to ensure compliance without halting construction progress. The board agreed to amend this condition to facilitate project advancement while maintaining oversight.

The board also tackled items related to the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy and the requirements for recording site plans at the registry. Discussions highlighted the need for consistency in recording procedures, with particular attention to the formatting requirements and potential legal implications. The board decided to conditionally approve the 10 Harding Street project, pending town council feedback on the recording requirements.

In addition to these discussions, the meeting addressed amendments to the town code zoning bylaws, notably concerning site plan review applicability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations. The board unanimously recommended approval of these amendments at the upcoming town meeting. The proposed changes aimed to streamline processes by aligning local bylaws with state regulations and removing outdated requirements.

Other administrative matters included nominations for board leadership roles and a review of past meeting minutes. Michelle McKan was nominated as chair, and John was retained as vice chair, with both nominations receiving approval. The board also discussed a performance guarantee release for a property on Main Street, which was conditionally approved pending final confirmation from Apex.

As the meeting drew to a close, the board discussed the need for updated road acceptance standards and signage compliance issues. A memo on signage was reviewed, highlighting concerns about advertisements for businesses not located on the premises. The board agreed to address signage as a recurring agenda item, emphasizing the need for input from the zoning enforcement officer.