Planning board tables rule change to require abutter notification for conceptual discussions

The planning board held a public hearing on proposed edits to the town’s development regulations that would require conceptual discussions to be held before the planning board (instead of only the town planner) and would expand abutter notification for certain conceptual phases.

Grant, the planner, outlined two options: option A would generally require planning‑board conceptual review and broader abutter notification; option B follows state statute language more narrowly. Board members expressed divided views: some favored greater transparency and abutter notification to surface neighbor concerns earlier, while others warned the change would add steps, time and cost for applicants and could duplicate later public hearings.

After detailed debate over waiver language (who can waive phase A — the applicant or the board), scope of conceptual comments vs. design review, and whether public testimony would be allowed at the conceptual stage, Jared Williams moved to table section 8 and have staff redraft language reflecting the board’s discussion. The motion passed; staff will circulate revised text and schedule a new public hearing once the language has been rewritten and reposted.

The board emphasized that the redraft should clarify which topics are appropriate for conceptual discussion (master plan consistency, broad site access) versus detailed design issues (stormwater, architecture), and should explicitly state the notification and speaking rights for abutters and the general public in the design‑review phase.