===PAGE 1=== TOWN OF LUNENBURG Office of the Planning Board Matthew Brenner, Chair Timothy Willsmer, Vice Chair Amanda Reid, Clerk Adam Burney, Member Anthony Nicastro, Member Tel: (978) 582-4146, opt. 5 Fax: (978) 582-4353 960 Massachusetts Ave Lunenburg, MA 01462 Stephen Wallace – Director of Planning and Economic Development Leigh Bain – Administrative Assistant 06/08/26 Minutes Roll Call: M. Brenner, T. Willsmer, A. Burney, A. Nicastro Absent: A. Reid 1. CALL TO ORDER • M. Brenner @ 6:01pm 2. BOARD COMMENT • M. Brenner let the public know that all hearings that have Special Permits will be continued due to the lack of quorum. • A. Burney said that with the recent failure of the over-ride and with the public discourse and vote that the board is essentially mandated to relax the commercial zoning bylaws, expand the commercial zones, encourage revenue positive development. The town needs positive economic development and to encourage commercial development. M. Brenner strongly agreed. • M. Brenner asked the board to stay after; to go over summer calendars so that we can plan accordingly. He also explained that calendar discussions do not fall under open meeting law, as it is scheduling and also not a good idea to go on public tv and announce when you are not home. 3. CHAIR / DIRECTOR’S REPORT • M. Brenner welcomed newest elected Board Member, Anthony Nicastro • S. Wallace stated he is working on the 4 zoning proposals; Cluster Housing, Inclusionary, Senior Housing, and Site Plan Review. The Site Plan Review is geared towards economic development. He needs to get a handle on what the Town currently has for zoning so that he can plan future zoning efforts. He was able to secure a grant through the regional planning commission so that we can update our year 2000 build out analysis maps. Only Adam provided feedback, moving forward to get the drafts together and out for review in a couple of weeks. Would like to have working sessions- ===PAGE 2=== real time, face-to-face discussions. These sessions will be published and open to the public. Is hoping to have one session at a regular scheduled meeting. 4. APPOINTMENTS • MRPC and MJTC Appointments See below motion • Board Officers and Appointments After discussions A. Burney made the motion to Nominate slate of Officers and Board Appointees to stay the same as they were last year. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) 5. APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED (ANR) PLANS • 260 Falulah Rd., (ANR-26-5) David LeRoy (Hannigan Engineering) representing the applicant, Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority, explained this project is in both Fitchburg and Lunenburg. They will be going to Fitchburg next. It meets Fitchburgs requirements. S. Wallace asked if the access and frontage are in Fitchburg. D. LeRoy answered yes. A. Burney asked if there was already a house on lot 1. D. LeRoy replied, no. M. Brenner asked how it works when all the access and frontage are in another town? S. Wallace explained the project frontage and access will have to meet and approved by the town they are in. When the property is in two towns, applicant is required to go before both and get endorsements from both. A. Burney moved to Endorse. A. Nicastro, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) • 171 Arbor St., (ANR-26-4) Justin LeClair (McCarty Engineering) representing the applicant, Scott Perry explained this is a land swap from lots 2 & 3; the property lines are being moved to maintain deeded access. A. Burney moved to Endorse. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) 6. DE MINIMIS CHANGE • 171 Arbor St., Request for Modification to A Site Plan Approval (PMOD-26-2) Justin LeClair (McCarty Engineering) representing the applicant, Scott Perry. Explained since the Special Permit and Stormwater Permits were granted, lot 1 was sold to an abutter who has no desire to develop the land. The back lot is currently under agreement with a separate buyer that also has no intention of developing the land. The changes are to eliminate the 2 lots, construct a 3700 sq foot home (a slight increase), associated driveway, grading, septic, and change the driveway apron. They are keeping the common driveway. Previously were allowed to remove 80,000 cubic square yards of materials and they have only removed 40,000 and there is no intention of removing any more. A. Burney confirmed that lot 3 is under agreement with a separate buyer, and lot 1 is a similar situation. A. Burney stated a bigger concern is the relocation; it is closer to the neighbor, now on a slope, new is below slope, essentially a new stormwater system. This is not a de minimis change; you are redesigning grading, rotating the house, and increasing the house size. J. LeClair said the grading was completed per approval; minor change is to slope in corner, still maintaining/ adding retaining wall. M. Brenner is worried about calculations and bigger changes; this is not a de minimis change and will want confirmation the calculations are correct. Ed Sweeny (builder) asked to confirm what they want reviewed; the plans were previously reviewed by Graves Engineering. A. Burney stated the board wants the new calculations confirmed. A. Burney moved this is a De Minimis change. T. Willsmer, Second Verbal Vote: NAY (4/0) 7. PRELIMINARY CONSULT ===PAGE 3=== • Sunny Hill Rd., Shared driveway Justin LeClair (McCarty Engineering) representing Ed McSweeney, who was in the audience, explained project went along with a prior, larger project. They are ready to proceed with this portion and wanted to see if the board has any concerns prior to them submitting a new Special Permit for the common driveway and a new Stormwater Permit for each lot. There is an existing gravel road that goes down to a dead end. The land is steep slopes, an undeveloped wooded area. There is currently a drainage easement. They feel this would be the most viable option, building off the existing gravel road. He has spoken with the DPW director, and he is in favor and that a common driveway makes sense. A. Burney asked if there would be any shared drainage? J. LeClair said yes, there would. A. Burney explained it is one Stormwater Permit for all the lots that share the drainage. J. LeClair stated there will be an HOA. A. Burney explained the Board will require a phasing plan to be submitted that will be included in the permit. Also explained that the phasing plan needs to be explicit as it will allow for lots to be released while others are still under construction. A. Burney stated the biggest concern is a turnaround for fire trucks. A. Burney suggested they investigate a “U” loop for fire truck access. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS • Continued from 11/24/25: 30 Summer St., Stormwater Permit (PBSW-25-6); Site Plan Review (PBSA-25-8); Special Permit (PBSP-25-9) Ryan Proctor (Dillis & Roy) sent a letter prior to the meeting requesting to be continued until the next meeting. A. Burney motioned to continue until 6/22/26 at 6:05pm. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) • 10 Parmenter Rd., Stormwater Permits,(PBSW-26-12 & PBSW-26-13); and Special Permits (PBSP-26-3 & PBSP-26-4) Gregory Roy (Dillis & Roy) sent a letter prior to the meeting requesting to be continued until the next meeting. A. Burney moved to continue until 6/8/26 at 6:05pm. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) • Continued from 3/16/26: 860 New West Townsend Rd., Site Plan Review (PBSA-26- 1); Stormwater Permit (PBSW-26-1) Special Permit (PBSP-26-1) Letter to continue received Gregory Roy (Dillis & Roy) sent a letter prior to the meeting requesting to be continued until the next meeting. A. Burney moved to continue until the June 22nd meeting at 6:05pm. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) A. Burney asked S. Wallace to pass along to applicant that he strongly encourages an answer to the request to explore altering the common driveway into a needle eye or something other. If they have and it doesn’t work, what was explored and why it didn’t work. • 934 Mass Ave., Stormwater Permit (PBSW-26-14) • Ting Chang (TF Moran, Inc) and the applicant, Nate Sherwood, Unitil explained the project involves upgrading the existing electrical substation through the construction of a new facility immediately adjacent to the current one. Once the new substation is energized, the old one will be decommissioned and removed. They are seeking an Order of Conditions from the Conservation Commission as the site is quite wet and believes they are at the tree management portion. Stated, the only impervious material will be the ===PAGE 4=== roof and a concrete pad; it is a reduction because they will be replacing asphalt with gravel. It does slightly increase runoff; however, it will be clean runoff. Explained the lot is roughly 6 acres, and a majority of the land is wetland or wetland buffer. S. Wallace stated it is very constricted, asked where they are with Conservation. T. Chang stated that they are waiting for DEP approval. S. Wallace asked how they will be responding to Graves' comment regarding a retaining wall. T. Chang replied that there is currently a fence there that they will move over roughly two feet and will add a retaining wall and that she will be submitting the changes to Graves. A. Burney stated he is not ready to approve but doesn’t see any problems. T. Chang asked the board if they could approve with conditions? A. Burney said, not with the Conservation Commission outstanding. M Brenner agreed that the Conservation decision is needed. A. Burney moved to continue to 6/22/26 @ 6:05pm. T. Willsmer, Second Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) • 757 Chase Rd., Site Plan Approval (PBSA-26-4) and Stormwater Permit (PBSW-26- 15) Applicant Brian Lafferty, Empire Management Corp., and via zoom, engineer Jim Almonte, Land Design Collaborative, presented the project. Jason the General Manger was also present. J. Almonte explained they were approved for the permit three or four years ago, but the project got shelved, and the permits expired. Stated they will be going before ZBA on June 10 to have that permit reissued as well. Conservations permit will expire in August, and they will be requesting an extension. The building and branding are outdated. M. Brenner commented on the parking as changed over the last 5 years. A. Burney mentioned that they had previously been hesitant to do soil testing and asked if they still expected that condition. A Nicastro asked what the differences are if any? J. Almonte explained the same plan with changes to the setbacks, curb cuts; landscape island is bigger. There were no public comments. A. Burney moved to close the Hearing. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) A. Burney moved to approve with standard conditions along with the condition Soil testing shall be done at the location of the infiltration system before the system is installed. All soil testing results shall be submitted to the Land Use Department for review and approval by the Planning Board’s consulting engineer for compliance with the designed system shown on the approved plans (see also Condition #18). And; Once the new building receives its Occupancy Permit and becomes operational, all vehicles for sale shall be loaded/unloaded within the property boundaries and not take place in the road right-of-way. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) 7. DECISIONS and BUSINESS • Master Plan – Discuss/Approve M. Brenner stated it has not been sent out and will move to next meeting 8. BOARD DISCUSSIONS 9. COMMITTEE REPORTS • Master Plan Steering Committee Has not meet since our last meeting • Open Space Committee Discussing/reviewing current direction the committee is going ===PAGE 5=== • Municipal Bldg. Design Committee Missed the meeting. There is a questionnaire going out to Department heads • Capital Planning Committee Met once since our last meeting, nothing new to report • Economic Development Committee Moved to next week, working on ribbon cutting ceremonies • Storm Water Task Force Met, primarily reviewing consultants and developing questions • Montachusett Regional Planning Commission N/A • Montachusett Joint Transportation Committee N/A 10. MINUTES APPROVAL • 5/11/26 A. Burney moved to approve. T. Willsemer, Second. Verbal vote: AYE (4/0) 11. MEETING SCHEDULE • 6/22/26, 7/13/26, 7/27/26, 8/10/26 12. BOARD COMMENT M. Brenner spoke about an idea he has; to speak to the state representatives about the (known) lack of/shortage of qualified people to fill municipal roles. He feels it could be fixed legislatively, fairly easily by reduced tuition or student loan payback; some type of incentive. A. Burney agreed there is a shortage but believes the qualified people are choosing the private sector due to politics, attitude from citizens, for better pay and less stress. The citizenry does not understand how municipal government works, and they feel entitled to berate the town's employees. S. Wallace agreed that the treatment of municipal employees by citizens has gotten worse over the last ten years. 13. ADJOURNMENT A. Burney moved to adjourn. T. Willsmer, Second. Verbal Vote: AYE (4/0) @ 7:58pm