The meeting began with the unanimous approval of an ANR for Robert Coocher for the conveyance of parcel 7 by the Coocher Revocable Trust to Aaron J Bower Incorporated, resulting in one contiguous parcel on County Road. This procedural step is part of the land development process in Massachusetts and ensures that the division of land does not require a full subdivision control process.

Following the ANR discussion, a representative from Pioneer Valley Planning Association presented information about a District Technical Assistance (DTA) grant awarded to Southampton for work on water supply protection zoning bylaws. The project’s scope includes reviewing existing town plans, drafting revisions to the water supply protection district, and engaging with the public for their input. The goal is to update the water supply protection district bylaw and map to reflect community priorities and best practices. A debate emerged concerning the delineation of Zone 3 and the availability of its data on the MassGIS platform, which is a vital resource for geographic information in Massachusetts.

The board expressed their intention to have a bylaw that could be easily endorsed and supported by the planning board by the end of December. They discussed their commitment to taking a proposed bylaw amendment to the town meeting for consideration, while clarifying that the board cannot ensure the town meeting will vote in favor of it. The board also deliberated on the valuation of volunteer time and approved the Community agreement for the grant, which included a motion for the work to be completed with up to a 5% match of $375 from the budget. There was some debate regarding whether the Community agreement required vetting by the Board of Selectmen.

A key portion of the meeting was dedicated to a public hearing about proposed changes to the zoning code bylaw table one use regulations. The board deliberated on the necessity to approve the changes and the process of forwarding them to the town meeting for adoption. During the discussion, there was mention of an upcoming solar ground mount hearing on Strong Road and the approval of warrants for payment invoices.