===PAGE 1=== TOWN OF L UNENBURG Office of the Planning Board Tanner Cole, Chair Tel: (978) 582 -4147, ext 5 Matthew Allison, Vice Chair Fax: (978) 582 -4353 Paula Bertram, Clerk 960 Massachusetts Avenue Matthew Brenner, M ember Lunenburg, MA 01462 Erik Torgers en, Member Adam R. Burney Land Use Director Marjorie J. Boggio Administrative Assistant Minutes Public Hearing 780 Northfield Road March 28, 2022 Meeting Posted: Yes Place: Town Hall, 17 Main Street, Lunenburg, MA Time: 6:14 p.m. Present: Tanner Cole, Matthew Allison, Paula Bertram (arrived 6:05 p.m.) , Matthew Brenner, Adam Burney Erik Torgersen participated remotely under the Act relative to extending certain COVID -19 measures adopted during the stat e of emergency. The Hearing continuation was to hear and review a request under M.G.L. Ch. 40, Section 15C, Scenic Road Designations and under M.G.L. Ch. 87, Section 3, Cutting of Public Shade Trees to remove trees and a 50 foot section of stone wall fo r a new driveway at 780 Northfield Road (Map 038, Parcel 00 17), Lunenburg, MA . Owner /applicants were James and Allison Lattanzi, 331 Marshall Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420. J. Lattanzi requested T. Cole recuse himself from the hearing under M.G.L. 268A C onflict of Interest regarding a perceived financial interest. T. Cole declined to recuse himself, stating he did not see a financial interest. Board members conducte d a site walk on Monday March 21 st. Subsequent to that site walk , J. Lattanzi submitted an updated plan showing where the proposed driveway would be located. The proposal was the removal of 40 f eet of stone wall and three trees. At the site walk T. Cole requested the applicant remove only 30 feet of stone wall. The applicant opined that th e 40 feet would be safer to allow for the turning radius of farm equipment coming from a narrower roadway entering onto Northfield Road. One of the proposed trees to be removed was within the 10 foot area T. Cole did not want disturbed. The applicant opi ned the tree , if not removed, would impede the entering of farm equipment even if the drive was reduced to 30 feet. P. Bertram asked for clarification on the turning radius of the farm equipment as she also felt 30 feet would be sufficient. The applicant responded that a hay bailer and hay wagon was upwards of 80 feet in length. Northfield Road was narrow so a wide entrance would be needed for swinging into the site. T. Cole noted the land has been in agricultural production and already had an existing access. The applicant noted with the change in ownership, the type of equipment has changed. The applicant viewed this as a safety issue. M. Brenner stated his home proximity to the site and questioned if he should recuse himself; A. Burney responded he lived well outside the radius and it would not be necessary. Nancy Yasko, 146 West Townsend Road- She inquired as to the proposed use of the property. She went on to note that in 2018 earth removal took place on the site. At that time there were issu es with pollution, air quality, and dust. She had the understanding that more earth would now be removed from the site ; she did not want residents on Northfield Road to go through what she did in 2018. T. Cole responded that this hearing was strictly for a scenic road, but that he would steer N. Yasko in the right direction for her concerns. ===PAGE 2=== Minutes, 3/28/2022 780 Northfield Road Page 2 Tom Alonzo, 284 Lancaster Avenue (also a Select Board member) - Due to safety concerns; he was in favor of permittin g the scenic road permit. The applicant, in response to N. Yasko , noted that he intended to continue with the farming use on the site. There was no intention of earth removal. T. Cole reiterated his concern with the proposed drive width. P. Bertram inquired as to the amount of land disturbance that would be required to put in the road. J. Lattanzi responded the roadway would be a maximum of 50 feet wide for approximately 225 feet. Although P. Bertram would prefer a width of 40 feet instead of 50, she would not withhold approval if J. Lattanzi felt he needed 50 feet from a farm perspective. M. Brenner opined that every time something is approved on a scenic road, it becomes less of a scenic road , but not having any farming knowledge, if J. Lattanzi stated the equipment needed 50 feet, he was in agreement. M. Allison made Motion to close the hearing, P. Bertram Seconded, Roll Call Vote - M. Brenner, aye; P. Bertram, aye; M. Allison, aye; E. Torgersen, aye; T. Cole, aye. Passed unanimously. Hearing closed 7:00 p.m. Documents used at meeting: Scenic Road Application