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Planning Board approves ANR to create three‑acre lot at 43 Birches
Summary
The Town of Hubbardston Planning Board approved an Approval Not Required plan to split a three‑acre building lot from an existing 13.645‑acre parcel at 43 Birches, authorizing the chair to sign the plan and noting the lot will later require conservation filings under the Rivers Act.
The Town of Hubbardston Planning Board approved an Approval Not Required (ANR) plan to create a three‑acre lot from a larger parcel at 43 Birches during its meeting, which began at 6:32 p.m.
The plan, presented by Ed Blanchard on behalf of owners Stan and Beth Su Husky and explained by engineer Trevor Fletcher, proposes a new roughly three‑acre parcel with access from Burch's Road. Fletcher told the board the parent parcel is about 13.645 acres, most of which is constrained by river and wetland areas, and that soil testing on the new lot "looks good for development." He said the proposed lot meets the zoning district minimum upland/area requirement (roughly 80,000 square feet) and exceeds the minimum frontage requirement, with frontage calculations on Burch's Road totaling about 357 feet.
Alec, the town planner, said he ran the application through the ANR checklist and recommended approval. "I recommend the board approve the plan, finding that it constitutes a lawful ANR," Alec said, while also reminding members that ANR approval only confirms the lot meets frontage and technical ANR standards and does not constitute an endorsement of zoning conformance. He advised the board that the presence of structures within a front‑yard setback could be addressed later by the building commissioner when and if a building permit is sought and recommended additional monumentation at a northern point near the town line to reduce future title disputes.
Board members asked about conservation coordination and whether the Rivers Act or conservation‑commission review would apply. The applicant said conservation paperwork and a Notice of Intent under the Rivers Act will be filed after the new lot receives a tax map and lot number so permitting for the planned septic replacement on the existing house and the new lot do not overlap.
A motion to accept the ANR and authorize the chair to sign on behalf of the board carried on a voice vote; the chair was authorized to sign copies for registry submission. The board discussed registry formality and dating of the signed plans before closing the item.
Next steps: the applicants will obtain a tax map/lot number, file required conservation paperwork (including a Notice of Intent under the Rivers Act), and pursue building‑permit approvals as applicable. The board’s approval of the ANR does not relieve the owners of subsequent permitting or zoning review.
