Hubbardston Planning Board votes to submit ADU and battery-storage warrant articles, schedules April 17 public hearing

The Town of Hubbardston Planning Board voted to authorize submission of draft warrant articles for proposed revisions to Article 23 (battery energy storage systems) and Article 24 (accessory dwelling units) and to authorize staff to prepare and file the warrant language, the board agreed by roll-call vote to schedule a public hearing for April 17, 2025.

Planner Alec requested the board’s approval to submit the two draft warrant articles and to allow planning staff to finalize and file the language. The board’s motion to “submit provisions to articles 23 and 24 and further authorize the planners to prepare and submit warrants on your behalf” passed by roll call: Miss Stack, aye; Mister Steiger, aye; the chair, aye.

The board discussed timing for additional drafts that remain in development. Planning staff said two additional articles (site plan approval standards and floodplain-related revisions) need more time for review; members agreed to defer those to a subsequent meeting in order to meet the town’s warrant timeline. Alec told the board the public hearing on the two submitted drafts would be held April 17, 2025, and that the board would return at its next meeting to review presentation materials and any edits before the hearing.

Why it matters: Scheduling and filing are the formal steps that place bylaw changes on the town meeting warrant and trigger public notice and comment. The submission gives planning staff permission to continue drafting and to coordinate outreach (including graphics and informational materials referenced by staff) ahead of the hearing.

What the board approved: authorization for staff to prepare and submit warrant language for Articles 23 and 24 and scheduling of the public hearing on 2025-04-17. Board members asked staff to prepare visuals and outreach materials ahead of the hearing and to bring substantive questions back to the board at the next meeting.