[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6498931,"mediaKeyId","5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d","parentId",5579498,"title","Votes at a glance: planning board continues The Villages hearing; grants one‑year extensions on three subdivision approvals","audioSeconds",114,"startMs",1948000,"endMs",2062000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d&start=1948&end=2062","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d/thumbnail_1948000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6498931/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-planning-board-continues-The-Villages-hearing-grants-oneyear-extensions-on-three-subdivision-approvals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498931-cdba28843ac84e97c53fcbfb7d9cbc2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196805&Signature=Hv22S5QZ37jt-uw4p7mZFGOBEZ4hbrS-ixE4eYeNz3u075GUWB2K9M5DK80WTtozP6hqTft7P3UQWeqep4dC409o5gtsRbzrhr-UrpbTyZq32lNK~-D-1DeTM~aNqJhaG-h2PHuFXHIty~5IS3B1ycjp9uUTdRdN5sdYX5ObDJg2rRgJ3lvMREz1V4hygZWpBDAegXZwdEN~zqg80EBczFiB0X175F056HTg9wPnNkEyBxay5CiBB-4ZXemtWLKndihUEn2j1j08eTRntmjqwdirH4oVjVKDU6e~2LzHBHOHwewQWJETsqQQ1A1I9Lbo2i5fwvtmCTJbO0T-pQYw4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Charlton","date","2025-08-14T06:10:59Z","article","The Town of Charlton Planning Board took several procedural votes at its Aug. 13 meeting. Key outcomes:

- Continued public hearing: The Villages, 35 North Main Street (GM Properties LLC).
- Motion: Continue the public hearing for The Villages (35 North Main Street) to the board\u0000s Sept. 3 meeting.
- Mover/Second: not specified in the record; motion seconded on the record.
- Vote: Approved by voice vote (recorded as unanimous: \"Aye. Aye. Aye.\").
- Notes: Applicant to provide revised plans and additional materials for the Sept. 3 hearing.

- Extension (one year) granted: Rockaway Village Trust / G and Jill Development (duplexes and single‑family homes off Center Street/Depot Road).
- Motion: Extend subdivision approval for Rockaway (extension to 08/23/2026 requested).
- Vote: Unanimous approval by voice vote (\"Aye. Aye. Unanimous.\").
- Outcome: Approved; extension granted to 2026‑08‑23.

- Extension (one year) granted: White Development Corporation, Tucker Farm Estates (5‑lot reduced lot special permit).
- Motion: Extend annual special permit approval to 08/23/2026.
- Vote: Unanimous approval by voice vote.
- Outcome: Approved; extension granted to 2026‑08‑23.

- Extension (one year) granted: Reduced‑frontage lot special permit (Casey Road / Old Sturbridge Road).
- Motion: Extend special permit through 07/22/2026.
- Vote: Unanimous approval by voice vote.
- Outcome: Approved; extension granted to 2026‑07‑22.

- Procedural scheduling: Hammitt Woods subdivision as‑built acceptance to be placed on the warrant for a public hearing (target Sept. 17) and staff noted timelines for town and attorney review.

All motions recorded in the meeting minutes matched the board\u0000s roll‑call/voice votes recorded on the transcript (no dissenting votes recorded).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Board Meeting August 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Town of Charlton Planning Board on Aug. 13 continued the public hearing for The Villages at 35 North Main Street and approved several one‑year extensions for subdivision and special‑permit approvals.","taxTitle","Town of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",54464,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498936,"Board seeks tighter decommissioning and battery‑storage rules; town attorney to confer with NextEra counsel",240,2146000,2386000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d&start=2146&end=2386","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d/thumbnail_2146000.jpg","/articles/6498936/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Board-seeks-tighter-decommissioning-and-batterystorage-rules-town-attorney-to-confer-with-NextEra-counsel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498936-333762c7a1835671d2a289466373bcd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196805&Signature=eNIvqXXDw6E-3u4frpOtyDWOiQkUHpvPtIjIR0iiYNVpkii0BHU-3Ify2mzq0chaPiO1s92fwebFAwvI04p8FGnkX2Du~or211GPp744-MpXOBaz7ArG5DNyP1VdHFfdUdNlJ0ldZ6c85cmXQMdKZ19m5v6FRT-SJT82yLjcnz2NkhC6xOeSYNDE8~qFvtx-5N3g1PHyyg88E4bISN8-V97yoprdAfH5RVMrC5Kz4gryQ7OQfTiL9DrGL~onjUrx5u32t0m32mtl-1o2BJtKdflXWBfRAksMgtKGNhxiJLk76BwFUZuOSi5ht34bTzqYxR6cStJP2oEGw1QKRD903w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Charlton Planning Board on Aug. 13 reviewed outstanding decommissioning details for NextEra Energy projects and discussed drafting tighter bylaw language addressing battery storage, annual reviews and surety levels.

Board members and staff said the current decommissioning surety language in the bylaw does not provide the clarity the board seeks. Planning staff suggested asking the town attorney to meet with NextEra\u0000s counsel to negotiate specific decommissioning plan line items and an annual review process. The planning staff identified needed items including: annual utilization reviews, strict approval requirements for any changes to equipment (including batteries that must be UL approved), and clearer surety language addressing annual depletion.

\"I think the best solution might be for our attorney, Jonathan Zoloszyn, to reach out to their attorney so they can discuss something that everyone can live with,\" a planning staff speaker said during the meeting. The board indicated it is unlikely to accept anything less than a high level of surety for decommissioning; staff used the phrase \"100% bond\" as the company's preference and discussed requiring greater line‑item detail in the decommissioning plan.

The board also discussed timing for bylaw amendments. Staff proposed drafting a narrower set of bylaw changes this fall focused on decommissioning, battery storage and any identified regulatory gaps, with a public hearing to follow if necessary. Members set internal deadlines to review draft language at the board\u0000s Sept. 3 meeting so a public hearing could be noticed for Sept. 17 if timetable allows.

No formal decision to change the bylaw was adopted at the meeting; the board directed staff to prepare draft language and asked the town attorney to open direct discussions with the applicant\u0000s counsel to resolve outstanding decommissioning conditions.","The planning board discussed decommissioning obligations and bond terms for NextEra Energy projects and signaled plans to tighten bylaw language for battery storage and decommissioning; staff and the town attorney will confer with the company's counsel and pursue bylaw updates this fall.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498939,"Planning board presses developer on traffic, parking and density for The Villages at 35 North Main Street",1448,430000,1878000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d&start=430&end=1878","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5579498-f28bb1904d5932729b92882e3920dc3d/thumbnail_430000.jpg","/articles/6498939/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Planning-board-presses-developer-on-traffic-parking-and-density-for-The-Villages-at-35-North-Main-Street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498939-c9ad27fc97bfe6084bc5c9b466d018b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196805&Signature=hSkLplmaFmUMX1FpcYNU81KCNufbbdFtC9ujzGTo~9vkqE0Q8MaUWHBA0Gts6nGN1JjUqqH-wRJiXPbGOM8gjpLp2eWm5DW3hqCdGebYTchNHg878vn0bBYpTjd7S~eMa9EhZNYEZbNltkIlGSXJCaxx4U14k0Y0wvIDqp3r0t79M1-NUCl13IY-~SniQZb0U4XlXf6qIGLszsMp~DAAfAiqsJyq-V0NNqGfYaZUgAUJDKMyDU1voU4cvjZfwEAYWOeRJRt9mpuETuJvBJqbGDtLqXipYarOMOW77RQ7mKThlI-TvPSqrgaLQ-PxyDNLb8EbbUpKz2gOe9qldVjFug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Charlton Planning Board on Aug. 13 continued the public hearing for a proposed multifamily development known as The Villages at 35 North Main Street to the board\u0000s Sept. 3 meeting, after an extended discussion about traffic, parking and site density.

Board members and neighbors pressed the applicant on whether a single private driveway and a proposed one‑way circulation plan would be safe, whether the project provides adequate parking, and whether the layout encroaches on nearby wetlands. The applicant\u0000s representative described minor grading and plan corrections since the prior submission and defended a one‑way design as safer in practice than a two‑way layout on the narrow lot.

The planning board\u0000s concerns centered on three interlocking issues: traffic and sight distance at the North Main Street accesses; whether garage/driveway configurations should count as two parking spaces per unit; and proximity of the proposed roadway to wetlands reviewed by the conservation commission. A resident of L. Stevens Road told the board that the approach is \"a deep downhill\" and recounted near head‑on encounters at the corner; the planning board asked staff to evaluate sight distances and the need for a traffic study.

The applicant\u0000s representative provided the development\u0000s trip estimate used in earlier reviews, saying the project is based on 7.5 daily trips per townhouse/condo unit (the applicant used that rate even though the units are proposed as rental). Using a rounded figure of 30 units for easier math, the representative said the site would generate roughly 225 trips per day and about 22 trips during a morning peak hour (in/out combined). The representative said the project team measured sight distances at several access points and proposed three on‑site measures at the driveway exit (\"no‑enter\" signage, a painted stop line and directional arrows) to reduce driver confusion.

Multiple board members said on‑site parking as currently drawn is inadequate. One planning board member said: \"You can't count 2 lots per for a driveway in a garage. My opinion.\" Board members argued that counting a garage plus a stacked driveway as two spaces will frequently result in cars left in the lane or on the private road because a resident must move a car to retrieve the other. The board also noted several townhouse footprints less than 21 feet deep, shorter than many pickup trucks.

Board members and staff also noted the conservation commission requested the applicant pull building and pavement edges back from wetlands in several locations; the applicant said the one‑way alignment allowed them to shift some pavement away from the wetland but that a two‑foot width change would move surfaces closer in spots.

After argument and questions from board members and at least one nearby resident, the board voted to continue the hearing to the Sept. 3 meeting so the applicant can supply revised plans, answer parking calculations and (if the board requests) provide a traffic study. The board\u0000s motion to continue was seconded and approved by voice vote.","At an Aug. 13 Town of Charlton Planning Board hearing, board members raised safety, parking and drainage concerns about a proposed 35‑unit multifamily development at 35 North Main Street and voted to continue the public hearing to Sept. 3 for further review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: planning board continues The Villages hearing; grants one‑year extensions on three subdivision approvals

Board seeks tighter decommissioning and battery‑storage rules; town attorney to confer with NextEra counsel

Planning board presses developer on traffic, parking and density for The Villages at 35 North Main Street