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Planning Board Keeps Cease‑and‑Desist in Place for 142 Blackstone Street, Cites Outstanding Bills
Summary
After reopening the public hearing for 142 Blackstone Street, the Planning Board said most site work is complete but withheld lifting a cease‑and‑desist because required trees/stabilization and significant unpaid engineering bills remain.
The Town of Blackstone Planning Board reopened a public hearing for 142 Blackstone Street and voted to recommend that the building department keep a cease‑and‑desist in place until developers demonstrate full compliance and payment of outstanding fees.
Chair Owen Smith reported a recent site visit with the town engineer, saying most construction work appears complete but that erosion stabilization and additional plantings have not yet established. The board said that some required plantings are difficult to install this time of year but that the developer’s engineering team has not produced required as‑built plans or final grading documents.
The board also discussed the project account’s finances. Members said the project account has been overdrawn by about $9,000 because staff continued paying consultant invoices while awaiting developer funds. The board told the absent developer (identified by the board as Ahmed and represented as Grasshopper) that staff has asked him for roughly $20,000 to cover remaining consultant work; board members said outstanding invoices (including an as‑built review estimate of about $6,000 and other bills near $2,000) plus the $9,000 already covered by the account leave more than $15,000 unpaid.
Planning staff said the town engineer will not perform final reviews until his firm is paid up to date. After discussion the board voted to recommend that the cease‑and‑desist not be lifted until the developer provides the required documentation and pays the outstanding bills. The board also agreed to continue monitoring the project and to ask the selectmen to ensure town involvement at the final closeout stage.
