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Planning board seeks guidance on Chapter 48 changes and moves to interview DRB candidates
Summary
Board members said state changes to Chapter 48 will affect variance and nonconforming‑use rules and asked legal staff for training; the board also discussed recruiting for two Design Review Board openings and agreed to have Adam Block and Justin McCullough help interview candidates.
A board member told the Planning Board on Aug. 4 that recent state changes to Chapter 48 will affect how zoning variances and nonconforming uses are treated, and the board asked legal staff to prepare an information session.
"The state made some significant changes to chapter 48 ... which are gonna impact this board, in terms of the zoning, in terms of the variance provisions and how, nonconforming uses are treated," a member said, prompting the board to request staff coordinate a training session with the town attorney (Chris Heap).
The board also discussed long‑standing vacancies on the Design Review Board. Members noted the difficulty of recruiting qualified residents who are not conflicted by professional work and considered candidate outreach and interview logistics. Adam Block said he and Justin McCullough would participate in interviewing candidates and asked staff to coordinate with the Design Review Board chair. The board noted the DRB primarily reviews signage and commercial site plans and discussed whether conflicts of interest for professional designers should bar service or be managed case by case.
Members agreed to have staff consult with legal counsel about appointment procedures and conflict rules before finalizing recommendations to the full board.
