Planning Board Meeting: August 6, 2025

Attendance

• Planning Board Members present in-person: John Mirick, Corey Burnham-Howard,
  Larry DeBlois, Scott Peoples and Alternate Members Ann O’Connor and Ryan O’Meara
• Planning Board Members present, remote: none
• Planning Board Members absent: Ian Catlow
• Other Participation, in person: Kathleen and Robert Packard
• Other Participation, remote: Ann Neuburg and an unidentified person who listened to a portion of the meeting

Call to Order

7:30 PM

Review and Approve Site Plan Review Decision for an ADU at 9 Stagecoach Road

The Board reviewed the 7/22/25 draft of the Site Plan Review Decision. There was a
clarifying edit to refer to the ADU as a one room studio apartment with a bathroom.
With that clarification, the Board approved the draft.

Motion: To approve the Site Plan Review Decision for an ADU

Motion: Larry DeBlois; second: Corey Burnham-Howard
Vote: 4-0
Board Member Ian Catlow voted on July 16, 2025 to approve the ADU but was on vacation on August 6, 2025 and did not vote on approval of the written decision

Sign clean copy of Site Plan Review Decision for Public Safety Building

John Mirick, Corey Burnham-Howard, Larry DeBlois, and Scott Peoples signed a clean
copy of the Decision

Discussion of Bomba ANR Plan for Westminster Road

John has had some communication with Attorney Jonathan Silverstein about the Bomba
ANR plan that the Board reviewed on May 21. Attorney Silverstein had suggested that
the plan was constructively approved but was unaware that the plan had been
withdrawn by Mr. Votrubo who was not familiar with the provision in Section XIV.3 of the
Zoning By-Laws that limits ANR approvals to no more than four lots every two years.
Attorney Silverstein suggested that Section XIV.3 was contrary to Wall Street
Development Corporation v. Westwood, 72 Mass. App. Ct.844 (2008). The Board
discussed Attorney Silverstein’s suggestion and concluded that Westwood case was
limited to situations in which zoning by-laws required discretionary special permits for
any development of large parcels. Section XIV of Princeton’s Zoning By-Laws provides
incentives for an owner to apply for a discretionary special permit for Open Space
Residential Design projects. The incentives include one building lot in addition to the
number of lots that can be created through ANR plans, and discretionary reduction in
frontage, and the use of common driveways. In exchange, a portion of the parcel must
be permanently preserved open space. These incentives had been informally
discussed with Mr. Votrubo on May 21. An owner can proceed with an ANR
development of a large parcel but is limited to the creation of 4 ANR lots every two
years.

Kathleen and Robert Packard abut the Bomba property on the northerly side and were
interested in the discussion. There was nothing before the Board that required any
action.

Discussion of Possible Revised Amendment for Common Driveway Criteria

The Board reviewed the 8/6/25 draft and made minor edits to Section 7.(C) on signs
and to the Section 7.(D)(13) specifications for gravel subbase. With those edits, the
revised amendment is ready for a public hearing in early 2026 in preparation for the
May 2026 Annual Town Meeting.

Discussion of Meeting with the Selectboard on AG Modification to ADU By-Law

John reported that he had met with the Selectboard to discuss the Attorney-General’s
modifications to the ADU by-law, and particularly the striking of the requirement that an
ADU be part of an existing primary dwelling or an accessory building. After discussion,
the Selectboard voted not to appeal from the modifications.

The meeting with the Selectboard had been posted as a Planning Board meeting as
well as a Selectboard meeting. Because there was not a quorum of Planning Board
members, no Planning Board meeting was held and no minutes will be prepared.

Public Comment

No one appeared.

Review and Approve Minutes for July 16, 2025 Meeting

MOTION to approve minutes
Motion: Corey Burnham-Howard; second: Larry DeBlois
Vote: 4-0
Board Member Ian Catlow was on vacation

Next Meeting

September 3, 2025 at 7:30 pm.

Meeting adjourned

approximately 8:20 PM.

Documents Reviewed

• Draft Decision for Site Plan Review for ADU at 9 Stagecoach Road
• Clean signature page for Site Plan Review Decision for public safety building at 18 Boylston Avenue
• 8/6/25 Draft of possible substitute language for common driveway design criteria applied to pre-existing common driveways
• 8/4/25 email from John Mirick to Jonathan Silverstein
• Draft minutes for 7/16/25 Meeting