===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, Member Lunenburg, MA 01462 Erik Torgers en, Member Adam R. Burney Land Use Director Marjorie J. Boggio Administrative Assistant Minutes March 28, 2022 Meeting Posted: Yes Place: Town Hall, 17 Main Street, Lunenburg, MA Time: 6:00 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 state of emergency. PUBLIC COMMENT: M. Allison noted that on Sat urday March 26 th the Select Board held a site walk at the Village at Flat Hill concerning the ongoing drainage issue. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 225 & 259 Leominster Shirley Road- See separate minutes. Hearing closed. A draft Decision would be prepared for the next Board meeting. A. Burney noted he would remove the Condition specifying installation of drainage system prior to construction based on discu ssion at the initial hearing. 780 Northfield Road - See separate minutes. Hearing closed. M. Allison made Motion to approve the scenic road application for 780 Northfield Road as presented, P. Bertram Seconded, Roll Call Vote - M. Brenner, aye; P. Bertram, aye; M. Allison, aye; E. Torgersen, aye; T. Cole, aye. Passed unanimously. A Decision would be prepared for the next Board meeting. DECISIONS: 1255 Lancaster Avenue- The Board reviewed, edited, and endorsed the Decision. Unitil- The Board reviewed, edited, and endorsed the Decision. DISCUSSION: Zoning, Infrastructure and Master Plan- M. Allison requested this agenda item. He inquired as to the status of the proposed 40B on Howard Street. The applicant requested to extend water and sewer 2 -3 miles beyond where it currently exists for the benefit of supplying services to the proposed 40B . M. Allison felt the residents in that area should be made aware of the possibility of the 40B going through and how it could affect them. He was of the opinion that the line should be made available to all residents located along that 2 -3 mile stretch. If the line is to be “forced” on the Town, the Town should look at how (the expense) to make it a fully serviced line. Board members commented that was a question for the Sewer Commission. A. Burney added that if it was a “private” line (strictly for the proposed 40B), the installation would be the developer’s financial obligation; this would prevent any other connections. If the line was “publi c” (available to all residents along that line), the financial obligation would fall to the Town. If public, it would ha ve to meet the betterment standards for the residents along that line and it would have to be wanted by at least 75% of the people on that line. The Town would also have to vote to approve extending the SSA (sewer service area ). T. Cole noted if the line was public and all the residents along it could tie in, it made a significant impact on development of the parcels in that area. At this point, there was not enough information for continued discussion. The Board would wait to see whether the State approved or denied the 40B. MINUTES APPROVAL: P. Bertram made Motion to approve all minutes listed below, M. Allison Seconded, Roll Call Vote- M. Brenner, abstained; P. Bertram, aye; M. Allison, aye; E. Torgersen, aye; T. Cole, aye. Passed unanimously. 3/14/22 3/14/22, 225 & 259 Leominster Shirley Road 3/14/22, 780 Northfield Road 3/14/22, 1255 Lancaster Avenue 3/14/22, Unitil Reliability Project ===PAGE 2=== Minutes 03.28.2022 Page 2 COMMITTEE REPORTS: Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee- Some prior m embers of the Building Reuse Committee attended the meeting and provided their input/expertise. The Committee hoped to meet every other Monday. Agricultural Commission- The results of the vendor survey indicated they would like the Market to be held every Sunday. The Market would open on June 12th and run through late summer/early fall (exact date TBD). Storm Water Task Force- A website update is in process. The CEI contract was reviewed. Open Space Ad Hoc Committee- No report. Capital Planning Committee- No report. Economic Development Committee - A survey w ould go out mid -April; the results w ould guide the direction of the Committee. The Committee hoped to have a meeting with the Lunenburg Business Association for a discussion on ways to sup port business activities in Lunenburg. MRPC- No report. M. Brenner stated that due to current health concerns he would not be able to represent the Board . The Board would reorganize after Town Meeting. MJTC- No report. M. Brenner stated that due to current health concerns he would not be able to represent the Board. The Board would reorganize after Town Meeting. DIRECTOR’S ITEMS: Warrant Articles for Annual Town Meeting - The three proposed Board Articles were submitted to the Town Manager. The Water District Superintendent would be in attendance at the Board’s hearing on April 11th for the Articles. Zoning for MBTA Communities - Legislature passed requiring any MBTA community to have a zoning district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing would be permitted as of right. A minimum density of 15 housing units per acre was required. If an MBTA community d id not comply it would no longer be eligible for funding from the Housing Choice Initiative, local Capital Projects Fund and Mas sWorks infrastructure program. Lunenburg was considered an MBTA adjacent community as Fitchburg, Leominster and Shirley ha d MBTA stations. Lunenburg would be required to have a district of 50 acres that would support 15 units per acre. This would provide a minimum of 750 housing units. The Board was provided with the timeline for compliance. By the end of 2022, DHCD w ould have to be notified that Lunenburg was not in compliance, but a plan would have to be submitted as to how Lunenburg would reach compliance. For comparison, A. Burney informed the Board that Emerald Place had 8 units per acre on 22 acres. The requirement would be more than twice the size and density of Emerald Place. A. Burney recommended the Town work towards compliance and in the meant ime he and the Town Manager would explore the financial impact of the grant programs that would be shut off from Lunenburg if it did not comply. MEETING SCHEDULE: April 11- Hearing for Board Warrant Articles. April 25 ONGOING ITEMS: Pond View Commons, LLC Master Plan BOARD COMMENT: P. Bertram informed the public that she w ould not be seeking another term on the Board at May town election. M. Brenner expressed his thanks to the Board for the coverage it supplied while he was battling health issues. ADJOURNMENT: P. Bertram made Motion to adjourn, M. Allison Seconded, passed unanimously. Adjourned 8:02 p.m. Documents used at meeting: Decision, 1255 Lancaster Avenue Decision, Unitil Minutes: 3/14/22 3/14/22, 225 & 259 Leominster Shirley Road 3/14/22, 780 Northfield Road 3/14/22, 1255 Lancaster Avenue 3/14/22, Unitil Reliability Project MBTA Community Multi-Family Housing Law DHCD Compliance Guidelines for MBTA Multi-Family Housing Law