Hubbardston planning board authorizes submission of site-plan rules and floodplain bylaw, accepts minutes

The Hubbardston Planning Board on Tuesday voted to authorize staff to submit a draft Site Plan Rules and Regulations warrant article and a Floodplain Bylaw warrant article for consideration at the annual town meeting and to schedule public hearings, and it accepted the meeting minutes.

Planner Alec, speaking to the board, said the intent of the site-plan rules is to “take the more administrative functions out of the zoning bylaw and put them into a rules and regulations document,” allowing the board to amend administrative details with seven days’ notice and a public hearing rather than putting such changes before town meeting. Alec said the board’s packet included a five-page draft of rules and proposed revisions to the site-plan sections of the zoning bylaw.

The board also discussed the Floodplain Bylaw. Alec told members that Federal Emergency Management Agency map revisions require towns to adopt updated, compliant floodplain bylaws to maintain eligibility for the National Flood Insurance Program and to preserve access to certain federal disaster-relief funding. He said the model bylaw developed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and FEMA is being used as the basis for Hubbardston’s draft and that the effective adoption deadline tied to the new maps is July 8, 2025.

Alec told the board staff will distribute a Microsoft form to collect individual board questions and comments; staff and DCR review will follow any board-requested changes. He asked only for authorization to submit the two articles and for the board to schedule public hearings; the board will not be asked tonight to adopt final language. Alec said Leanne has been coordinating with the DCR representative to ensure the floodplain bylaw will be compliant.

A motion to submit the two warrant articles and to schedule public hearings carried on a voice vote. The board previously discussed a slate of additional proposed warrant articles (battery energy storage and accessory dwelling unit—ADU—regulations) and was reminded those will be considered at upcoming public hearings; no votes on those items were taken tonight.

The board also voted to accept the minutes from the prior meeting by voice vote.

Board Chair Chris closed the administrative business by confirming next steps: staff will publish the draft articles publicly, circulate the Microsoft comment form on Friday, and return with answers and any revised language at the public hearing(s) scheduled for the board’s next regular meeting.