Planning board approves estate subdivision; Lot 2 to go to longtime coal user pending deed descriptions

The Templeton Planning Board voted to approve a plan to divide three parcels from the estate of Richard Charter and to allow one preexisting nonconforming lot to be deeded according to the decedent’s will, contingent on completion of required deed descriptions.

Christophe, who said he is executing the estate of his cousin Richard Charter, told the board that a prior transaction transferred a 17‑square‑foot triangle to the town and that the remaining land consists of two preexisting nonconforming building lots and a long, narrow parcel behind them. He said his plan would add the narrow parcel to Lot 1 to make that lot more conforming and leave Lot 2 — which contains a coal bin used by Ernie Turcotte — as a separate preexisting nonconforming lot to be deeded to Turcotte per the will.

Christophe said he had recorded the town’s earlier 17‑square‑foot purchase at the registry of deeds and that he has an attorney lined up to prepare deed descriptions. He told the board he would provide the exhibit A (property descriptions) to the attorney and expected the paperwork to be ready within days. Planning members noted the board has up to 21 days to render a decision, and they asked that the Form A/exhibit A descriptions be filed within the board’s procedural window.

The board reviewed checklist items, confirmed four copies of the plan were submitted, and located documentation in the zoning board of appeals filings included with the packet. A motion to approve the plans as submitted with the contingency that the Form A/exhibit A descriptions be provided passed on a roll‑call vote. The recorded votes were: Dennis — yes; Frank — yes; Michael — yes; and one additional yes recorded by the chair, yielding an approval.

Board members instructed staff to withhold final paperwork release until the required descriptions were received and to record the Mylar and deeds once the descriptions and deeds were completed. Christophe said he would bring the plan to his closing attorney the next day if the board approved and sought to move the matter quickly to complete estate administration.

The approved plan implements the will’s division for the estate’s parcels and clarifies record ownership for three parcels; final recording is contingent on completing the deed descriptions and the routine administrative steps at the registry of deeds.