The intent of this procedure is to fulfill the action plan noted
in the Growth Management Plan for the Town of Lunenburg and to facilitate
the recommendation of the Executive Office of Communities and Development
for defining permitting processes.
A.
The purpose of this document is twofold: to serve the Town and the
applicant (who by virtue of landownership is also the Town) by simplifying
the permitting process through coordinating and centralizing the review
of an applicant's permit in a timely fashion and to aid all departments
by means of an information flow that will promote the facets of review
and permitting that are in relationship to each other. A secondary
purpose is to accommodate the community's interest so a citizen can
view all materials in a project review and construction.
|
Zoning Bylaw
|
Permitters
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
4.2.
|
Residence and Outlying District
|
Planning Board (frontage/ANR), review includes Building Department,
Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Fire Department and Sewer
Commission (subdivision, PRA and other development). Planning Board,
review includes above-named departments, plus Police, Water Department
and District.
| |
|
4.3.
|
Recreation District
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission.
| |
|
4.4.
|
Limited Business/Residential District
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, ZBA, Sewer Commission
| |
|
4.5.
|
Retail Commercial District
|
ZBA, review includes Planning Board, Conservation Commission,
Board of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission,
ZBA
Telecommunication towers: Planning Board.
| |
|
4.6.
|
Commercial District
|
ZBA, review includes Planning Board, Conservation Commission,
Board of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission.
Assisted-living residence: Planning Board and above departments.
| |
|
4.7.
|
Office Park and Industrial District
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission.
| |
|
4.8.
|
Floodplain District
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission.
| |
|
4.9.
|
Water Supply Protection District
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Sewer Commission.
| |
|
5.4.
|
Mixed residential development
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Police Department,
Sewer Commission.
| |
|
5.5.
|
Planned residential area
|
Planning Board, review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Police Department,
Sewer Commission.
| |
B.
The above use regulations may invoke all or some of the following:
|
Zoning Bylaw or Regulation
|
Board or Official
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
5.1.
|
Lot area
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
5.2.
|
Setbacks and yards
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
5.3.
|
Building height
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
6.1.
|
Off-street parking and loading areas
|
Building Commissioner, Planning Board
| |
|
6.2.
|
Lot monuments
|
Building Commissioner, Planning Board
| |
|
6.4.
|
Driveways and entrances
|
Building Commissioner, Highway Department, Planning Board, Fire
Department
| |
|
6.5.
|
Signs
|
Building Commissioner, Planning Board
| |
|
6.6.
|
Performance standards
|
Building Commissioner, Planning Board, Fire Department
| |
|
7.1.
|
Nonconforming lots: change, alterations, extension
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
7.2.
|
Buildings, structures and uses already in existence: repair
and restoration
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
7.3.
|
Nonconforming uses
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
8.1.
|
Permits
|
Building Commissioner, Planning Board, ZBA, Fire Department,
Select Board
| |
|
8.2.
|
Enforcement; violations and penalties
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
8.4.
|
Site plan approval
|
Planning Board (review includes Conservation Commission, Board
of Health, Building Department, Fire Department, Police Department,
Sewer Commission, Water District)
| |
|
Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land[1]
|
Planning Board; input from Board of Health, Conservation Commission,
Fire Department, Building Commissioner
| ||
|
Zoning Bylaw
|
Permit
|
Reviewer or Process
|
|---|---|---|
|
4.2.
|
Division of land for frontage, ANR plan - procedure application
|
Planning Board; presented to Planning Board, 21-day review period,
registration with Registry of Deeds;
|
|
Building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Driveway permit
|
Building Commissioner, Highway Department, Planning Board (Scenic
Road Common Drive)
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Sewer connections
|
Sewer Commission
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.3.
|
Recreation District
| |
|
Development plan review
|
Plan submittal to Planning Board; development plan review summary
present to the ZBA.
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
ZBA
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structures - building permits
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Driveway
|
Building Commissioner, Highway Department, Planning Board
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.4.
|
Limited Business/Residential District
| |
|
Development plan review
|
Plan submittal to Planning Board
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
Planning Board
| |
|
Septic and well permits (new or review)
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structures - building permits
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Driveway
|
Building Commissioner, Highway Department, Planning Board
| |
|
Fire protection systems
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.5.
|
Retail Commercial District
| |
|
Development plan review
|
Plan submitted to Planning Board (size)
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
ZBA
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structures - building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.6.
|
Commercial District
| |
|
Development plan review
|
Plan submittal - Planning Board (size)
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
ZBA
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structures- building permits
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.7.
|
Office Park and Industrial District
| |
|
Development plan review
|
Plan submittal - Planning Board
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
Planning Board
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Sewer permit
|
Sewer Commission
| |
|
Structures - building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.8.
|
Floodplain District
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
Planning Board (response necessary from Board of Health, Conservation
Commission, Building Commissioner)
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structures - building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection system
|
Fire Department
| |
|
4.9.
|
Water Supply Protection District
| |
|
Application for special permit
|
Planning Board (response necessary from Board of Health, Conservation
Commission, Fire Protection, Local Water Purveyor)
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Septic and well permits
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Structure - building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection systems
|
Fire Department
| |
|
Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land[1]
| ||
|
Subdivision submittal
|
Planning Board
| |
|
PRA/Subdivision submittal
|
Planning Board
| |
|
Special permit application
|
Planning Board (if applicable) (response necessary from Board
of Health)
| |
|
WWTP, subsurface systems, individual septic systems
|
Board of Health
| |
|
Sewer construction/connection
|
Sewer Commission
| |
|
Determination of applicability
|
Conservation Commission
| |
|
Structures - building permit
|
Building Commissioner
| |
|
Fire protection systems
|
Fire Department
| |
A.
Reviewing and permitting boards, commissions and departments request
submittals at the same time and communicate with each other to ensure
one requirement is not in conflict with another (e.g., if the Wetlands
Regulations or the septic placement conflicts with a dimensional regulation,
relief to accommodate wetland or septic borings can be granted by
variances or waivers).
B.
Reviewing boards, commissions and departments act as reviewing teams
whenever possible to streamline the process. Each discipline would
preside over its own jurisdiction. In many cases, in areas of the
development plan and subdivision reviews, the applicant can be working
with the Planning Board, Building Commissioner and the Fire Chief.
When an applicant submits a development plan review or a subdivision
to the Planning Board, copies are submitted to the Board of Health,
Conservation Commission, Building Commissioner, Fire Department, Highway
and Police (when applicable). The applicant can also be encouraged
to submit formally at the same time to the Board of Health or Sewer
Commission and the Conservation Commission.
C.
Work review, tech or work project meetings can be held with reviewing
teams or all reviewing and permitting boards, commissions and departments
to facilitate the process and ensure proper compliance for the Town.
This saves the applicant time and money (e.g., most developers bring
engineers and other expertise to the review process; Town utilizes
the statutes to ensure expertise peer personnel's aid with the review.
It is cost effective to consolidate time and efforts.).
D.
Where a special permit is granted by a permitting authority other
than the Planning Board, the Planning Board shall submit the development
plan review with its advisory directives and conditions to that authority,
both in status reports and review entirety to aid that authority.
E.
The community should benefit from a local permitting process by seeking
the status of reviews or ongoing projects in a central place. Each
discipline should keep its own records, but reciprocal copies of approval
or permits can be included in the files of projects that are subject
to a development plan review, subdivision submittal or special permit
(e.g., copy of a building permit, septic permit, order of conditions
could be placed in the file along with other data of a named project
at the Planning Office).
A.
The purpose of a pre-application meeting is for the Planning Director
(and/or the Chair of the Board) to meet with property owners, developers
and their consultants to discuss the development concept, potential
issues and concerns. This promotes better communication between the
Town and the owner/applicants without determining any substance issues
to be determined later in the official review by the Planning Board
and other permitting boards.
B.
Benefits are that the applicant receives a data sheet that identifies
all permits necessary in the process of review to gain approval. The
pre-application meeting is an opportunity to explain the permit processes,
requirements, timetables and the sequence of all boards' approvals.
It also determines any additional needed information and/or studies
that may be required. It clarifies the fee process for administration,
peer review and monitoring process for the project.
C.
The next step in the preliminary stages is an initial technical peer
review meeting that involves all land use and service departments
and appropriate reviewing agencies and consultant representatives.
This procedure defines the concerns that need to be addressed, such
as traffic, fire service accessibility, wetland problems, drainage
issues and roadway concerns. It familiarizes the applicant/developer
with the Protective Bylaw of the Town of Lunenburg,[1] Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land[2] and other regulations. It determines the completeness
of a submittal before the official filing of a proper plan.
D.
This procedure is considered "best practice" and helps the permitting
body and the tech team, through this process, to meet the needs of
multiple boards and commissions without conflict. It further assists
the owner/applicant in time saving and monies as the submittal presented
by them will be in compliance with the procedure before an official
review of the project begins. It also assists putting the project
on an appropriate timetable for all other permitting necessary for
the project.
E.
Tech team: Planning Board, Board of Health, Conservation Commission,
Building Commissioner, Sewer Commission, ZBA, Police Department, Fire
Department, DPW, Water District, peer reviewing engineer, Traffic
Engineer and any other professional input as deemed necessary.
