Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, Feb 16 for Madalene Village

DATE: Feb. 14, 2017

TO: Mr. Bruce Hunchard, Chairman
Franklin Zoning Board of Appeals

FROM: George Russell, AICP
Conservation Agent

RE: Comprehensive Permit Application, Madalene Village
21 Peck-180 Cottage Streets

I have read the minutes of the Board concerning the above project.

Neither my office nor the Conservation Commission members have been contacted by the applicant concerning this project. Further, until a formal application is presented to the Commission, no comments over and above what have been transmitted to the Board by my office can be made without prejudicing the Commission on an application upon which they must decide. The minutes of 11/17/16 state:

. . . ConComm doesn’t want anything to do with it until they file. Mark: I always take the position that, if someone requests a waiver from a local ConComm rule, we ought to get what the ConComm thinks. Chairman: Their agent responded that they didn’t want to look at it until they file. . . .

Although these minutes have been accepted, I need to go on record that my office has repeatedly indicated that the applicant should be discussing this project with my office. I in fact do “ . . . want to look . . .” just as would happen at a tech review meeting. What must be avoided is compromising the Commission from taking a position before the application is filed.

It is still my opinion that at least some preliminary discussions on the project concerning the wetlands issues are warranted and should have already taken place and that the waiver of the local wetlands by-law is not in the best interests of the Town.

Please let me know if you need any additional information.

Letter From Conservation Commission
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0wjbnXDBhczajZ2YWZESXJGUjlFUUZteUZSUkMtSE92a25j

Flyer
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0wjbnXDBhczdzktaHRvYlI3U1RFWENFM1B0bHU5ZnUwTTgw

Town Engineer letter
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczREF1UFJEN0s4Z191bUtXdFlkZ1lfWUxTdXpj/view?usp=sharing

Spruce Pond Brook is proposed to be rerouted for the development