At its Tuesday, September 22 meeting, the Rochester Planning Board delayed judging a special permit application to divide an existing parcel into two separate housing lots at 72 Marion Road after learning the land is in a groundwater protection district.
Project representative Matthew Leone explained the plan is for land on the south side of Marion Road. The total parcel is just under eight acres. Lot one will be two acres; lot two will be 5.96 acres. The plan, he said, is to create an additional single-family lot and retain the existing home on the other lot while building a 25-foot access across an existing road.
He then noted that the land includes some wetlands and riverfront area. In response, Planning Board Chair Arnold Johnson said that meant the project was in a groundwater protection district and might need a separate special permit because of that. Leone answered that he was busy just getting the lots approved before planning the exact design and what additional permitting may be needed.
Johnson responded he first had to think about what permitting the project specifically needs.
“Usually a project like this is filed concurrently with a Groundwater Protection District special permit request,” he said. “That permit might not apply here. But it might. Town counsel might need to be called.” Johnson then motioned to, and the board approved, continuing the hearing to October 13.
In other action during the brief meeting, the board also continued to October 13 its site plan review hearing for Walnut Plain Road Solar, 0 Walnut Plain Road.
The board additionally continued to October 13 the site plan review hearing for High Street Solar, site B, which is within the northerly portion of the 20-acre project on High Street close to Mayflower Lane.
The Rochester Planning Board’s next scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, October 13, at 7:00 pm at the town office building, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Planning Board
By Michael J. DeCicco