Groton planning commission denies Blacker text amendment after public hearing

The Town of Groton Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously July 28 to deny REG A26-0004, a text amendment that would add a new category called "open space common interest communities" to the zoning regulations. The commission cited two primary reasons in its motion: the amendment proposed delegating authority over permanent zoning decisions to nearby property owners in ways staff and the town attorney said state law does not permit, and the submission was incomplete under the regulations' submittal requirements.

Applicant Kevin Blacker presented the text amendment and said he aimed to balance housing and business in walkable developments while protecting farmland and drinking water. "Groton and Leggett are the regional water supply," Blacker told the commission, urging the body to consider drinking-water impacts in rulemaking. Town staff told commissioners the applicant had submitted a track‑changes draft based on an earlier proposal that did not reflect the final text the commission adopted on June 9, and staff flagged missing narrative on plan consistency and possible typographical/section-number errors.

During deliberation commissioners and staff repeatedly described the applicant's draft as confusing and incomplete. Staff member Deb emphasized that this proceeding was a text amendment, not a site application, and noted the town attorney and Conservation Commission had raised questions about the neighborhood "buy‑in" provision and deed‑restriction approach. After debate a motion to deny the amendment was moved, seconded and carried unanimously. The commission directed staff and members to continue reviewing issues raised in the hearing in future rule‑making work; staff said incorporating requirements from a recent public act would be a near‑term priority.