Major subdivision plan review shall be required of all applications for subdivision approval subject to these Regulations, unless classified as an administrative subdivision or as a minor subdivision. Major subdivision plan review shall consist of four (4) stages of review: (1) pre-application, (2) master plan, (3) preliminary plan and (4) final plan. The Planning Board may vote to combine review stages and to modify and/or waive requirements. Review stages may be combined only after the Planning Board determines that all necessary requirements have been met by the applicant. The Planning Board is required to hold at least one public informational meeting at the master plan stage and one public hearing at the preliminary plan stage.
Any applicant requesting approval of a proposed major subdivision, as defined in these Regulations, shall first contact the Administrative Officer and follow the procedure and criteria provided below:
One or more pre-application meetings shall be held before the Planning Board for all major subdivision applications. Pre-application meetings shall allow the applicant to meet with the Planning Board for advice as to the required steps in the subdivision approval process. Where appropriate, town officials, boards and/or commission, may be notified of the pre-application meetings and invited to provide comments on the proposed subdivision plan.
An applicant wishing to obtain subdivision approval shall first contact the Administrative Officer to arrange a meeting with the Planning Board at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. The applicant shall submit all the information required by Appendix C - Checklist for Major Subdivisions. The Administrative Officer will review and comment on the checklist information and, if determined to be complete, will schedule the application to appear before the Planning Board. At the pre-application meeting, the applicant may request the Planning Board for an informal concept plan review for a development. The purpose of the concept plan review is to provide the applicant with Planning Board input in the formative stages of subdivision concept design. Pre-application meetings shall aim to encourage information sharing and discussion of project concepts among the participants. Pre-application meeting should include a review of the physical character of the land, and any environmental or physical constraints to development. Meetings should include a discussion initiated by the Planning Board regarding what form of land development may be appropriate to meet the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan with regard to preserving the character of the land, the natural environment and the ability of the Town to provide essential services. Pre-application discussions are intended for the guidance of the applicant and shall not be considered approval of a project or of any of its elements. No formal action need be taken by the Planning Board at the pre-application meeting. At the conclusion of the pre-application meeting(s) the applicant may proceed to prepare and file a master plan as required in § 5.3.
[Amended 1-4-2022]
Any applicant requesting approval of a proposed major subdivision, as defined in these Regulations, shall first submit to the Administrative Officer the plans and supporting materials provided in Appendix C - Checklist for Major Subdivisions.
Editor's Note: Appendix C- Checklist for Major Subdivisions may be found as an attachment to the Code Appendix C, Subdivision Regulations.
The purpose of the master plan is to provide the applicant with the opportunity to present an overall plan for a proposed project site outlining general, rather than detailed, development intentions. The master plan describes the basic parameters of a major development proposal, rather than giving full engineering details.
Requirements for the master plan and supporting material for this phase of review shall include, but not be limited to: information on the natural and built features of the surrounding neighborhood, existing natural and man-made conditions of the development site, including topographic features, the freshwater wetland and coastal zone boundaries, the floodplains, as well as the proposed design concept, proposed public improvements and dedications, tentative construction phasing, and potential neighborhood impacts. (See Appendix C).
Initial comments shall be solicited from (a) Town boards, commissions and departments including, but not limited to, the Conservation Commission, the Fire and Police departments, and others deemed necessary by the Planning Board; (b) adjacent communities; (c) state agencies, as appropriate, including the Departments of Environmental Management and Transportation, and the Coastal Resources Management Council; and (d) federal agencies, as appropriate. The Administrative Officer shall coordinate review and comments by local officials, adjacent communities, and state and federal agencies.
The application shall be certified complete or incomplete by the Administrative Officer within ninety (90) days of its receipt.
The Planning Board shall review the master plan in accordance with the following procedure:
a. 
Informational Meeting. A public informational meeting shall be held prior to the Planning Board decision on the master plan if the preliminary plan approval as provided in § 5.4 will be acted upon separately. The public informational meeting shall be optional if the master plan and preliminary plan approvals are being combined. In the latter case, review stages may be combined only after the Planning Board determines that all necessary requirements for all stages so combined have been met by the applicant.
Public notice for the informational meeting is required and shall be given at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation within the Town. Postcard notice shall be mailed by the applicant to all property owners within two hundred (200) feet of the subject site.
At the public informational meeting the applicant, or his or her representative(s), shall present the proposed development project for the benefit of the Planning Board and the public. The Planning Board shall allow oral and written comments from the general public. All public comments shall be made part of the public record of the project application.
b. 
Decision. The Planning Board shall, within one hundred and twenty (120) days of certification of completeness of the master plan application, or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant, approve the master plan as submitted, approve with changes and/or conditions, or deny the application. The Planning Board shall notify the Town Council of its decision.
c. 
Failure to Act. Failure of the Planning Board to act within the period prescribed shall constitute approval of the master plan and a certificate of the Administrative Officer as to the failure of the Planning Board to act within the required time and the resulting approval shall be issued on request of the applicant.
d. 
Expiration of Master Plan Approval. Approval of a major subdivision master plan shall expire one (1) year from the date of final approval. Vesting may be extended for a period of one (1) additional year for good cause shown, if requested by the applicant in writing and approved by the Planning Board. The applicant, or his or her representative(s) shall appear before the Planning Board for the annual review. Vesting may be extended for a period beyond one (1) year, for good cause shown, if requested by the applicant in writing and approved by the Planning Board. Master plan vesting shall include any applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance that were in place at the time of approval, conceptual layout and all conditions shown on the approved master plan drawings and supporting materials. The initial two (2) year vesting for the approved master plan shall constitute the vested rights for the development as required in the Zoning Ordinance.
[Amended 1-4-2022]
Any applicant requesting approval of a proposed major subdivision, as defined in these Regulations, shall first submit to the Administrative Officer the plans and supporting materials provided in Appendix C - Checklist for Major Subdivisions.
Editor's Note: Appendix C- Checklist for Major Subdivisions may be found as an attachment to the Code Appendix C, Subdivision Regulations.
The application shall be certified complete or incomplete by the Administrative Officer within sixty (60) days of its receipt.
Prior to a Planning Board decision on the preliminary plan, a public hearing shall be required, in accordance with Article 8, § 8.5, for a major subdivision, or where a street extension or creation requires a public hearing for a minor subdivision.
Proposed arrangements for completion of the required public improvements, including construction schedule and/or financial guarantees shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board at the time of preliminary plan approval.
The Planning Board shall, within one hundred and twenty (120) days of certification of completeness of the preliminary plan application, or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant, approve of the preliminary plan as submitted, approve with changes and/or conditions, or deny the application. The Planning Board shall notify the Town Council of its decision.
Failure of the Planning Board to act within the period prescribed shall constitute approval of the preliminary plan and a certificate of the Administrative Officer as to the failure of the Planning Board to act within the required time and the resulting approval shall be issued on request of the applicant.
The approved preliminary plan shall be vested for a period of one (1) year and vesting may be extended for a longer period for good cause shown, if requested in writing by the applicant and approved by the Planning Board. The vesting for the preliminary plan approval shall include all general and specific conditions as shown on the approved preliminary plan drawings and supporting material.
[Amended 1-4-2022]
Any applicant requesting final approval of a proposed major subdivision, as defined in these Regulations, shall first submit to the Administrative Officer the plans and supporting materials required Appendix C - Checklist for Major Subdivisions, in addition to any material required by the Planning Board when the application was given preliminary approval.
Editor's Note: Appendix C- Checklist for Major Subdivisions may be found as an attachment to the Code Appendix C, Subdivision Regulations.
The application for final plan approval shall be certified complete or incomplete by the Administrative Officer within forty-five (45) days of its receipt.
The Planning Board shall determine whether or not an application for final approval meets the conditions and requirements set forth by the Planning Board in its approval of the preliminary plan of the subject site and by other provisions of these Regulations. The Planning Board shall, within forty-five (45) days after the issuance of the Certificate of Completeness of the application for final plan approval by the Administrative Officer, or within such further time as may be consented to by the applicant, approve or deny the final plan as submitted.
Failure of the Planning Board to act within the period prescribed shall constitute approval of the final plan and a certificate of the Administrative Officer as to the failure of the Planning Board to act within the required time and the resulting approval shall be issued on request of the applicant.
The final plan of a major subdivision shall expire one (l) year from the date of approval by the Planning Board unless, within that period, the plat or plan shall have been submitted for signature and recording as specified in Article 8. The Planning Board may, for good cause shown, extend the period for recording for an additional period, if requested by the applicant in writing.