Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday set December 30 and January 9 as its next two important action dates.
The board scheduled a site visit of BWC Snows Pond LLC’s plan to build a 12.55-acre solar array along Cushman Road for December 30 and continued the project’s hearing until January 9, 2024.
Engineering consultant Andrew Hamel reported his firm filed its response to the town engineer’s peer review of the project very recently, leading him to request both the continuance and a scheduled time for the Planning Board’s site visit.
Board Chairman Arnold Johnson noted that additionally, JC Engineering, Inc., is requesting approval of the substantial completion of The Village at Plumbs Corner Phase III development, Hayley’s Circle. He asked if the board would like to visit that site as well on the same date. Board members said yes and set December 30 at 8:00 am to visit The Village and 8:30 am to visit the Cushman Road site.
The board also continued until January 9 its hearing into JPF Development’s plan to build a 15-acre, self-storage facility at Kings Highway and Route 28. It then set a public hearing for that date on a zoning-district change that will be on the warrant before voters at the January 22, 2024, Special Town Meeting.
Johnson said the zoning update is a minor one, but a public hearing is still required. The Cranberry Highway Smart Growth Overlay District that covers the Route 58 and Route 28 end of town must be altered because the owner of a liquor store there wishes to move his establishment to land that the overlay district does not yet encompass. It is merely a matter of adding one lot, Town Planner Nancy Durfee said.
In other action, the board reviewed the notices from the owners of 0 Bishop Road, Lots 71 and 72, and 0 Featherbed Lane to release their properties from 61A Agricultural Land Protection. The panel ultimately voted to recommend to the Select Board that the town not exercise its right to purchase the properties.
The board also reviewed zoning bylaw changes that will be proposed at the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting. Chief among the edits the panel recommended are building uses such as lodging and boarding homes, and convalescent homes will be changed to require a special permit so the board can have better oversight of the permits. Home occupations that do not involve other employees will not require a permit.
The Rochester Planning Board will meet next on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Planning Board
By Michael J. DeCicco