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Hubbardston board discusses site plan review administrative rules, asks staff for departmental sign-off checklist
Summary
The Planning Board reviewed its recently approved site plan review administrative rules and asked staff to create an internal sign-off/worksheet so department reviews (Board of Health, Conservation, police, fire) are recorded and retained with applications.
The Hubbardston Planning Board discussed implementation of its site plan review administrative rules on Oct. 1 and asked town staff to produce an internal sign-off worksheet to record circulation of applications to relevant department heads and to capture whether departments returned a comment or had no comment.
Alec, the town planner, reminded the board that the administrative rules and related forms had been drafted and are ready for enforcement and that the town could begin applying them to new applications immediately. He told the board that although the zoning bylaw only requires transmission of applications to other departments, the board could supplement that process with an internal form to keep a clear record that departments had been notified and whether they responded.
Board members raised concerns about ensuring the process does not conflict with the bylaw's notice-only requirement or unintentionally delay an application if a department did not sign a form. One board member suggested the form capture sign-offs from Board of Health and the Conservation Commission specifically and recommended the form be stored with each file so there is an auditable record that officials reviewed or were asked to review an application.
Planner Alec recommended that the town's administrative assistant or administrative services coordinator develop a practical form for internal use and track circulation. The board agreed and directed staff to produce the worksheet and report back at the meeting following the next (the planner said the Oct. 16 meeting would be busy and asked for the subsequent meeting for a report). Alec also said he will prepare a planner's report for future applications summarizing department comments and public input.
Why it matters: having a standardized internal sign-off worksheet would create a durable record that departments were notified and had the opportunity to comment. Board members saw this as a measure to guard against administrative error and to make files more robust if staff assignments change.
Ending: Staff will draft the internal circulation/confirmation worksheet, implement it as an internal cover page for site-plan applications, and return to the board with a recommended form at the meeting after Oct. 16.
