Planning Board
Approved sign application for 19 Main St.; Planning Board selected Stantec for a stormwater peer review of the historic-preservation redevelopment at 80 Haverhill Rd.; the Board set performance bonds and released the covenant for 14 S Hunt Rd. and accepted erosion-control bond and covenant actions for 39-41 Hillside Drive.
The Planning Board opened with administrative actions and proceeded through a mix of site-specific hearings, sign review, and multiple covenant/bond actions. The Board approved a two-sign application for 19 Main St. with a condition that the building-mounted sign be re-centered within existing trim and noted no additional allowable sign area remains at 29 Main St. The preapplication-turned-public-hearing for 80 Haverhill Rd. (historic-preservation special permit and site plan review) drew detailed design discussion: the proposal would renovate the existing house, recreate a connector, construct a rear barn with four units and parking, and requests multiple waivers for lot area, setbacks, stories, and open space. Staff reported upcoming Technical Review Committee and Design Review Committee reviews, and the Board voted to retain Stantec for a stormwater peer review; the hearing was continued to the January 13, 2025 meeting.
Several administrative but consequential project actions were taken. For 14 S Hunt Rd. the Board released existing erosion-control bonds, established replacement performance bonds (combined cash $63,373.75 and a $350,491 surety), and authorized release of the covenant once the new performance bonds are recorded. The Board reviewed a Chapter 61A notice to sell for 22 Woodman Road and voted (5-1) to recommend that the City not acquire the property. For 39-41 Hillside Drive the Board accepted an erosion-control bond ($6,522) and endorsed a staff-revised covenant. The Board also accepted a covenant for 2 Merrimac St. with two conditions: peer-review comments from August 2024 must be satisfied prior to applying for a building permit and any changes required by the Chapter 91 license must be incorporated. Public comment on 80 Haverhill Rd. raised concerns about unit type (condominium vs. apartment), stormwater management and maintenance, snow storage, and perceived density; the applicant and engineer addressed these concerns and agreed to peer-review scrutiny and potential condo-doc provisions to manage snow removal if needed. General communications noted staff work on solar-facility zoning for the Meadowbrook site and state-level EIR review related to MBTA zoning in the Rocky Hill neighborhood.