| Joanne Cole |
The Planning Board circled back and wrapped up two pending applications at their most recent meeting, on May 21. The first, a six-lot addition to an existing subdivision on Oz Drive, Sabbathday Road and Mayall Road, saw applicant Oz Associates back before the board after fine-tuning their plans.
Consulting engineer Brandon Binette of Sevee & Mahar explained to the board that lot lines had been further adjusted to comply with the zoning ordinance’s lot size requirements and that buffers and no-cut areas were clarified, among other changes to address board questions at a prior review meeting.
Board members ticked through the approval criteria in the ordinance, culminating in a vote for final approval. Chair-for-the-meeting Steve Libby declared, “5-0. Done. Great.”
The approval adds five commercial lots and one residential lot to parcels totaling 15.6 acres in the Residential Commercial District and Groundwater Protection Overlay zone (Map 2 Lots 36-3 and 36-4). Oz Associates first appeared at the board for a preliminary conversation in September and had made several visits since.
The second item, a new single-family house at 300 Interval Road, sailed to approval. The location, Map 7 Lot 49-B in the Village District, is on the edge of the Historic Overlay District. That meant the project had to undergo site plan review to ensure that the home’s design, materials, siting and other elements are compatible with the character of the area and neighboring houses.
However, the owners had received a building permit prematurely and begun construction before the error came to light. At a meeting earlier in May, an apologetic Planning Board gave owner Connor Smith the news that a review and additional information were required.
Additional submissions, notifications to abutters, review by the Historical Society and a second Planning Board meeting quickly followed.
Updated application and plans in hand, the board spun through the required elements at the May 20 meeting, granting waivers on several items and finding little occasion for discussion or further delay.
After a last apology to owner Connor Smith for the erroneous information he’d initially received, the board voted to approve the project. Smith expressed appreciation for the help he’d received after the error came to light, and he apologized graciously for not getting it right the first time. “I’m going to take my ‘Yes’ and run,” Smith said with a smile.
Watch video of the Planning Board’s May 20, 2025 meeting at this link and find the meeting agenda packet at this link. Find links to other meeting agendas, minutes and related documents on the Planning Board page at this link.
