Northborough, Massachusetts

Town Planner/Planning Board

Northborough continues to remain a very desirable community in which to live and to do business. This past year has not only brought us new residential development, but more importantly new and expanded economic development.

The Planning Department and the Planning Board continue to review submittals for the creation of new residential lots. In 1995, twenty-seven (27) Form A applications creating eighty-nine (89) single family lots, one Form B preliminary subdivision plan creating twelve (12) lots, and three Form C definitive subdivision plans creating seventeen (17) lots were submitted for review and approval. Applications for four common driveways, one scenic road, and three site plan review petitions were also submitted. Based on this development, the Planning Department collected $10, 472.00 in the related sale of zoning bylaws, map, lot releases and subdivision regulations. The filing fees for the lots are collected by the Town Clerk

The Form A application creates lots which obtain frontage from an existing street. These lots are not part of a subdivision and therefore do not require a public hearing. The Form B application is for a preliminary subdivision of land. This allows input from the various boards, departments and abutters before the plan reaches the definitive stage of development. The Form C application is the final step for the creation of subdivision lots. A public hearing is held with the Planning Board and abutters are notified by certified mail. Upon completion of this process, the developer then obtains building permits.

Since 1990, twelve (12) residential subdivisions have been approved by the Planning Board. The approval of these subdivisions resulted in the creation of two hundred one (201) single family lots. The development in this community continues to exceed the figures of the late 1980's real estate boom for this area.

With each development, a subdivision bond is required as part of the process. These funds are utilized by the Town in the event the developer defaults on the project. The bond is then used to complete the roadway work within the subdivision. We are presently maintaining a subdivision bond account of $817,789.

The process for, approving a subdivision plan is determined by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A and the development of the subdivision is governed by Chapter 41. Our local zoning bylaws and subdivision rules and regulations are based upon these two statutes. When a preliminary plan is filed, the Planning Board has forty-five (45) days to make a decision. When a definitive subdivision is filed following a preliminary plan, the Board has ninety (90) days to hold a public hearing and make a decision. If no preliminary plan was filed, the Board has one hundred thirty-five (135) days to hold a public hearing and render a decision.

The development of several industrial and commercial properties has kept this department very busy this past year. With the Town's focus on improving the tax base and attracting new businesses, several efforts involving this department and others, have resulted in new development and the re-use of some vacant industrial buildings.

An extensive project was undertaken by the Town Planner, the Assistant Town Administrator and the Town Engineer to create a Development Guidebook to be used as a guide to Northborough's project review and approval process. The Guidebook summarizes each department involved with the development and approval process, provides a contact person, lists the various permits and regulations each board/department is responsible for and summarizes various state and federal statutes that may be applicable to the project. This report is available free of charge to any interested resident. The feedback has been extremely positive from the parties who have utilized the Guidebook The Guidebook is available in the Administrator's office and the Planning and Engineering offices.

We continue to make use of our informal development meetings which include the applicant and applicable staff members. These meeting serve to review vacant parcels and building with an applicant, along with any previous filings on the property, the various permits that may be necessary, a review of our regulations and to answer any questions.

We receive very favorable feedback from the applicants regarding this process. Having access to all pertinent staff and files at one time and in one location is of great benefit to a developer and through this process, we have been able to assist in the development of some of the vacant properties.

This department also maintains an inventory of available industrial land and buildings for development. This listing contains map and parcel, address, availability of water & sewer and the contact person for the site. This list is available through the department and has been utilized by many developers.

Based upon these efforts the following businesses have located in Northborough this past year. Mass Electric, InSports, American Reclamation, Marlborough Savings Bank, Peterson Spring, Staples, Pierce Leahy and Great Dane.

Regarding other economic activity, the Town Planner has been involved with the review of a mitigation package from New England Development, the developers of a million square foot mall in Berlin and Marlborough. Included in this package are the redesign of the Solomon Pond Road and Hudson Street intersection, additional signage for the aqueduct and a sidewalk plan for parts of Hudson Street, Pierce Street, and Blake Street. The mall is scheduled to open August 8, 1996.

In conjunction with the Engineering Department, the Town Planner and the Town Engineer are pursuing the purchase of a GIS system for the Town. GIS is a land based data management computer system. This will greatly assist in the time spent retrieving information from various files, departments and other sources. The Tawn's mapping will now be automated at one scale and contain various layers of information. This impmved mapping will greatly assist the staff, applicants and residents.

The Town Planner and the Chairman of the Planning Board have also been involved with the updating of the Open Space and Recreation Plan, under the direction of the Conservation Commission. In accordance with state guidelines, this plan should be u every Ave years by the community. Along with various board members and a citizen's advisory committee, the plan is scheduled to be completed within the next six months.

The Planning Board and the Town Planner belong to the New England Chapter of the American Planning Association, the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors and the Massachusetts Federation of Planning Boards. All of these organizations serve as valuable sour' of information.

As Town Planner, I would like to thank all of the board members with whom I have the pleasure of working. Thank you to the Planning Board, the Redevelopment Authority and the Housing Partnership. I appreciate your dedication and your assistance in helping to make my job easier and more enjoyable. I would also like to thank Debbie Grampietro, department and board secretary, for her dedication and support

Katbryn A. Joubert, Town Planner
Kevin E Hunt, Chairman
Phyllis Togas, Vice-Chairman
Mark Foster, Clerk
Alan Obsbatkin
Ricbard Currier