GM Properties (also described in the hearing as "The Villages") returned to the Charlton Planning Board on Jan. 7 with a substantially revised multifamily site plan. Joshua Lee Smith, outside counsel for the applicant, and the project engineer described changes made since earlier submissions: density has been reduced and site design revised to address peer-review comments.

Key changes the applicant reported include reducing the total units to 33 (10 units on the northerly portion and 23 on the southerly portion), widening the internal drives to keep two-way flow and adding sidewalks (4 feet wide) along Drive A and Olga Lane. The applicant also reported increasing on-site parking to 99 spaces to reduce reliance on tandem garage parking.

The conservation and wetlands footprint emerged as the meeting's central dispute. Board members and multiple residents said much of the proposed construction remains inside 50- and 100-foot wetland buffers. The chair warned that waivers that encroach into those buffers for large multifamily projects could set a town precedent the planning board might not accept without conservation commission sign-off.

The project team described drainage measures: infiltration trenches, CDS stormwater filtration units, detention chambers under driveways and an on-site strategy designed to meet the town's stormwater standards (the team said the peer reviewer agreed the design will infiltrate a high percentage of runoff). Residents pressed for details on culverts and downstream capacity; the project team said no increase in peak off-site runoff is proposed and that the peer reviewer had largely cleared their drainage approach pending a few minor items.

After extended public comment and internal deliberations about process (closing the hearing would bar new evidence from conservation/sewer), the board voted to continue the hearing to Feb. 18, 2026 so the conservation commission and sewer authority can complete or update their reviews. The board asked the applicant to pursue concurrent conservation and sewer review and to return with any revised materials or conditions necessary to resolve buffer and drainage questions.

What happens next: The board will accept conservation and sewer feedback before making special-permit findings; the project remains under review and no approvals or denials were issued.