Planning Board Approves Zoning Bylaw Changes

In this report: Key decisions · Next dates · Full report · Sources

What happened

The Planning Board unanimously approved zoning bylaw amendments required by House Bill 5555, extending special permit construction-start windows from six months to two years and raising non-use abandonment from two to four years, while requiring the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow residential use variances anywhere in town and weigh housing-production benefits in variance decisions. The board voted unanimously to continue review of the 55 Tilton site plan project to November 12 pending peer review responses.

Key decisions

• 📜 Zoning bylaw amendments for HB 5555 compliance. Approved amendments to Zoning Bylaw Chapter 282 extending the special permit construction-start window from six months to two years, raising non-use abandonment from two to four years, and requiring the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow residential use variances anywhere in town and weigh housing-production benefits in variance decisions. The amendments take effect immediately as local law. (Vote Unanimously; Next: Nov. 10). Read case details
• 📋 55 Tilton site plan review continued. Approved continuance of the 55 Tilton site plan project review to November 12, pending the applicant's responses to peer review comments. (Vote Unanimously; Next: Nov. 12). Read case details

Next dates

• Nov. 10: Town Meeting votes on zoning bylaw amendments
• Nov. 12: Planning Board continues 55 Tilton review

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Full meeting report

The complete, section-by-section account of the meeting, 2,334 words, for members.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.