MARSHFIELD DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD MINUTES

Approved Minutes of August 23, 2005

Board Members present: James Arisman, Tom Daley, Jon Groveman, Martin Johnson, and Gary Wilson. Also attending: Zoning Administrator Bob Light, Val Currier, Joe Currier, Matthew Boucher, Sarah Morin, Dave Rogers, Anne-Marie Rogers, Jean Codling, Joe Codling, Paul Codling, Kathy Codling, Brad Ruderman, Rick Davis (an attorney appearing for Olivier Landa), and Larry Babic.

At 6:45 pm the Board convened for a site visit at the property of Joe and Val Currier on Pleasant Ave, a private drive off the Groton Forest Road. They then returned to the Planning office, and at 7:30 pm opened the Preliminary Hearing on the Curriers’ application for a Planned Residential Development. The Curriers have two adjoining lots, with a single residence on one of them. They seek to redraw the lines between these lots, and wish to construct a new residence on the resulting lot further up Pleasant Ave. Because this site is in the Forest and Conservation zoning district, which doesn’t permit year-round residences, they are pursuing approval for this project as a PRD.

Joe described their proposal for the Board, and went through various objectives contained in the Town Plan, offering his view that their plans were consistent with each. He stressed that there is a two-unit PUD across the drive, established after he built his own home in1988, and another home even further past theirs in the Forest and Conservation district.

After a few questions from the Board, Chairman Groveman prepared to close the hearing. Tom reminded everyone that this was a Preliminary Hearing, as required by the Subdivision Regulations for PRD review, and that we would need to hold a Final Plan hearing on this matter as well. All Board members agreed, however, that they had all the information needed to make a ruling on this particular application, and holding a follow-up hearing would be an unnecessary expenditure of time and money. The Curriers requested that the Board waive the requirement for a second hearing; in its deliberations on this matter, the Board will look into whether they have the authority to do so. Hearing closed at 8:10 pm.

At 8:15 pm the Board opened public hearing on the Site Plan application of Paul and Kathy Codling and Joseph Codling. Paul Ruderman presented the plans he had drawn up of Jean Codling’s property on Maple Hill Road, which feature a proposal to add two additional homes to the lot. Upon questioning, Paul agreed that a proposed well featured on the drawing may be too close to the property line, but could be moved. The drawing does not indicate the area of the lot recently leased by Jean to Verizon, Inc. for some communications equipment. And nobody was able to tell the Board the total acreage of the lot, though Jean indicated that she has been paying taxes on it as a “six acre lot” for many years. Bob stated that he had been up to visit the lot, and that there were no slope issues or other obvious physical impediments to the Codlings’ plans. Hearing closed at 8:33 pm.

Tom reported that he had received a written waiver request from M Anne Reed. Anne is the intended recipient of a small parcel of land from her neighbors Danielle LaFleur Brooks and Susan Hand. Danielle and Susan have applied for Subdivision approval to permit this conveyance, which is essentially a mutually agreed-to boundary adjustment between the adjoining lots. Because of the modest scale of the project, they would like to be relieved of the obligation to have the entire source parcel surveyed, in order to minimize their costs. Jon moved to grant this waiver, and require only a survey plan of the land to be conveyed to Anne. Seconded by James, all approved.

At 8:40 pm the Board met with Lawrence Babic. He and Patricia Joslyn have applied for Conditional Use approval for a new home on their property on Clarence George Road. A Conditional Use permit is required because the septic system would be installed in an area where the existing slope is greater than 15%. Larry plans to leave the state in a matter of days, and will be gone for months and possibly years. He wishes to proceed with his application but, in his absence, would like to have his septic engineer represent him at the hearing. Jon explained that this is permissible, with the caveat that there may be holdups if questions arise at the hearing that his representative is unable to answer. James suggested that, in that event, we could accept additional information from Larry in written form, or by telephone. With that understanding, the Board agreed to set a hearing date for Thursday, October 6, 2005 at 7:15 pm. They will also make a site visit to the property on Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 9:00 am.

At 9:05 pm Jon moved to accept the minutes of July 7, 2005 and July 28, 2005 as drafted. Seconded by James, all approved.

The Board then went into closed session to deliberate on the two hearings held this evening. At 9:50 pm Martin moved to adjourn the DRB meeting. Seconded by Jon, all in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Tom Daley