The Rochester Planning Board used several minutes of Tuesday night’s public meeting to discuss the progress of the Plumb Corner Village housing development where it concerns its March 17 request for the town’s judgment of “substantial completion” so Units 1, 2, 21, 22 and 43 can become occupied.
Based on engineer Ken Motta’s peer-review letter, septic inspection occurred on Tuesday, and other necessary work was scheduled for completion on Wednesday.
According to Planning Board Chairman Arnie Johnson, Motta suggested that the board should condition the letter to the building inspector the developer’s submission of the spacing plan before conveyance of the units requested is authorized.
According to Johnson, Phases 2 and 3 of the project cannot start per the agreement until Phase 1 is 100 percent completed with the exception of topcoat paving. Phase 1 includes the community center, landscaping, basins, etc. “I think they’re finally catching on that the project has a lot of eyes on it,” he said.
“I noticed that they gave us the schedule that we asked for,” said board member Ben Bailey.
Johnson said he was lacking the Plumb Corner narrative from the ZBA decision on parking spaces and any kiosks planned for the parking lot.
A construction schedule came in Tuesday, according to Town Planner Nancy Durfee, who also noted that Plumb Corner Village developers are due to pay the town $6,000 toward its peer-review account.
The board voted to approve John Hall’s Approval Not Required (ANR) application seeking to create a second lot on 66 acres of woodland and upland property located at 453 Snipatuit Road.
Durfee told the board that she has gotten her grant-writing applications out of the way and can now write a presentation to Select Board and Planning Board regarding the MBTA project that is due by the end of May.
Ben Bailey told the board that a MBTA representative was disrespectful to the town in the past and recommended consulting with Town Counsel Blair Bailey in upcoming meetings. Johnson, also put off by MBTA representation in the past, advised Durfee to put her time into local rather than state issues.
The Planning Board reviewed the draft decision approving the solar array approved for Renewable Energy LLC at 109 Neck Road and recommended only minor tweaks. Applicant Henry Quimet sought clarification on the groundwater-protection permit; Johnson explained that there are two permits requiring separate votes. The vote will take place at the board’s next meeting after Town Counsel Blair Bailey has reviewed the decision. The board reviewed the draft decision and made only minor tweaks.
The board members signed the Matthew Fernandes ANR decision.
Industrial Tower and Wireless LLC’s site-plan review application proposing the construction of a 190-foot, monopole design cell-phone tower at 0 High Street was continued to April 12. The matter was on the March 22 agenda by mistake.
In other business, the board approved payment of three invoices to Field Engineering: $2,750 for peer-review consulting for the Plumb Corner Village project, $2,000 for peer review of the solar project at 109 Neck Road and $375 for the solar project on Old Middleborough Road.
Durfee announced that the town has hired Dawn DeMaggio as the board’s new administrator. Dawn DeMaggio, who is the wife of Planning Board member John DeMaggio, is scheduled to start on March 30.
Durfee also told the board that an evaluation of her computer led to advice that it needs to be replaced for lack of operating capacity.
The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, at 7:00 pm.
Rochester Planning Board
By Mick Colageo