Table of Contents
By Richard Rohan
Here is a run-down of the Planning Board’s agenda for their next meeting on Tuesday evening, August 22. The meeting will be remote access, so those who may want to participate in the public comment section should connect via Zoom using the link published in the agenda which can be found here. https://winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08222023-5060
Those who don’t feel the need to participate can view the meeting at WinCam.Org on their live stream or at a later date on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@officialWinCAM
Note: This will be the first Planning Board meeting for Taylor Herman, the newly hired Winchester Town Planner who began work on August 14.
Meeting Agenda:
- 7:15PM Open Meeting / Updates
On August 17, the Executive Office for Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) issued a second revision of the guidelines for compliance with the MBTA communities’ section 3A zoning overlay mandate to include mixed-use development district. This revision could be of interest to Winchester since so many parcels in the section 3A compliance zone of a half mile radius of the Winchester Center MBTA station are already zoned for mixed-use commercial and residential.
From the executive summary of the revisions:
“In response to feedback from municipal leaders in several MBTA communities, EOHLC is revising the Guidelines to offer MBTA communities a path to receive some credit for mixed-use development zoning districts.”
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/summary-of-081723-revisions-to-section-3a-guidelines
- Approve Meeting Minutes for: July 17, 2023, July 18, 2023, and August 8, 2023
- 7:30PM Continued Public Hearing for Waterfield Lot Development. Center Business District (CBD) permit #18
- Public Comments
The Planning Board will be considering scope and fees proposals from Toole Design (for traffic impact and access) and Weston and Sampson (for sewer, stormwater, and water system) as Section 53G Consultants (53G refers to the section of Massachusetts General Laws that controls the hiring of outside consultants) to conduct a peer review on the Waterfield Lot Development application. Section 53G consultants are hired by the Town but their fee is paid by the applicant.
- 8:10PM North Main Street Design Guidelines and Zoning and MBTA 3A Design Guidelines and Zoning Consultants Proposal Scope
The Planning Board will be considering a proposed scope and fee from Emily Innes of Innes Associates www.innes-design.com and Michael Wang and John Rufo of Form + Place https://www.formandplace.com to assist the Board in writing zoning bylaws and design guidelines for both North Main Street and for the MBTA 3A zoning overlay district for presentation to 2024 Spring Town Meeting.
- 8:40PM Update on ADU Bylaw Section 3.2.2 Amendment for 2023 Fall Town Meeting
- 9:00PM Goals and Objectives for Town Planner Taylor Herman
- 9:45PM Adjourn
Future meeting dates
Tuesday, September 12 at 7:15PM Planning Board Meeting, Remote Participation
Tuesday, September 26 at 7:15PM Planning Board Meeting, Remote Participation
Richard Rohan is a precint 2 Town Meeting Member.
