Middleborough planning board weighs stricter continuance policy, adds live website notices; three hearings continued to March 18

The Town of Middleborough Planning Board on March 4 debated tightening rules for hearing continuances and began using the town website to post last-minute continuance notices, and the board voted unanimously to continue three hearings to March 18.

Board members told staff they are frustrated that applicants routinely seek short continuances that force residents to return to multiple meetings. “If you're getting a continuance, you're not getting it for the next meeting... you're gonna have a month from the time you request a continuance till you get before the board,” said a board member during the unanticipated business portion, urging a policy that would require applicants to wait a full meeting cycle before returning if they request a continuance.

Planning department staff responded that many of the recent continuances reflect active peer review between consultants—“they are working back and forth. They are having meetings. They're having discussions. They're exchanging emails,” staff said—and that some projects require more time for revised drawings and additional calculations.

The board also directed staff to improve public notice of continuances. Planning staff said they tested a live update on the town calendar during the meeting and will post similar notices going forward; Nancy (role not specified) encouraged residents to sign up for the town’s “Notify Me” alerts through MCAM to receive calendar changes. “My unanticipated is for the good public to sign up for Notify Me with MCAM. Go to the website, the town website. Sign up for any department you want,” Nancy said.

Board members discussed scheduling mechanics—whether hearings should be listed to start at a single earlier time (for example, 6:45 p.m.) to reduce waiting if one item is continued—and agreed to put a policy change on a future agenda for formal consideration. No formal policy change was adopted at the March 4 meeting.

Votes at a glance - Payment of bills: Passed unanimously (no named roll call announced). - 25-1-SP Lot 1 Timber Drive, Campus 44 (VMD Industrial): Continued to March 18 at 7:10 p.m.; motion passed unanimously. - 24-3-40 (Taco Bell / Dessert Foods Inc. and West Grove Holdings LLC, amendment to residences at Pilgrim Junction): Continued to March 18 at 7:15 p.m.; motion passed unanimously. - 24-2-SP Rose Ridge (Open Space and Resource Protection Development): Continued to March 18 at 7:20 p.m.; motion passed unanimously.

The board scheduled the three continued hearings for March 18 at the times listed above; staff said those times are reflected on the town calendar and will be promoted through the website and MCAM notifications so residents can confirm whether a hearing will be held before traveling to a meeting.