Planning Department

• Address: Town Hall Room 116 Main Street, Room 204
  

• Contact: Richard L. Harris

• Phone: (413) 538-5011

• Fax: (413) 538-7565

• Email: planning@southhadley.org

• Members: Joan Rosner (Chair), Thomas Callahan (Vice-Chair), Mark Cavanaugh, Ralph Blank, Ann Griffin, Helen Fantini (Associate Member)

• Description of Services: Responsible for developing and administering the Town's Comprehensive or Master Plan, maintaining and administering the Town's Zoning By-Law and Subdivision Regulations, GIS mapping of Town Statistical Data, Site Plans, Special Permits, work on grant applications and economic development.

WORK COMMENCES ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 

(visit the Comprehensive Plan Website): www.vhb.com/southhadley

PLANNING BOARD SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR 2008:

The Planning Board meetings are regularly scheduled for the 1st Tuesday and 3rd Monday each month at 6:30 p.m., through June 30th, unless posted otherwise. Beginning July, the meetings will be scheduled for the second and fourth Monday of each month unless posted otherwise. Accordingly, the meetings for the months of May and June are currently scheduled for the following:

Tuesday; May 6, 2008

Monday; May 19, 2008

Tuesday; June 3, 2008

Monday; June 16, 2008

SUBMITTAL OF ITEMS FOR AGENDAS

Contact the Town Planner as to the deadline for submittal of items for Planning Board agendas.

Generally, any application for Site Plan Review, Special Permit, or Subdivision (Definitive or Preliminary) must be submitted at least 35 calendar days prior to the date of the meeting at which the hearing is to be held. Requests for items not requiring review by departments or public hearings should be submitted at least 7 days prior to the date of the meeting.

NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING: Monday, May 19, 2008 6:30 p.m.

DECISION AT MAY 6, 2008 PLANNING BOARD MEETING

John Houle Garage/Warehouse - East Street - Modification. At the May 6, 2008 Planning Board meeting, the Planning Board approved, with conditions, to modify the March 17, 2008 Decision regarding the Site Plan Review application by John Houle/Houle Welding and Fabrication.  This modification will allow the applicant to construct an 2,550 square foot warehouse for use by the applicant's welding business instead of the 1,800 square foot buiding previously approved.  This modification does not alter any other conditions to the March 17th approval and was granted after notification of all abutters of the request to be considered. Property location is at 187 East Street and is depicted on Assessor's Map #32 as Parcels #78 & #98.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES

No Public Hearings have been scheduled at this time.

Town Meeting Warrant Articles

The Planning Board has generally taken the position that it would not propose new bylaws or amendments while the Comprehensive Plan is being developed.  However, the Board is proposing two articles for the May 10, 2008 Annual Town Meeting:

Stormwater Management Bylaw - This is a proposed General Bylaw to fulfill the Town's requirements under the Clean Water Act Amendments to regulate land disturbances involving one or more acre of land.

Special Permit Moratorium - This is a proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment which would impose a moratorium on processing of applications for Special Permits under Section 5(D) and Section 7 of the Zoning Bylaw with limited exceptions for properties located within the South Hadley Falls Economic Opportunity Area.  The moratorium would be effective retroactive to April 11, 2008.  The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee has voted their endorsement of this measure.  The moratorium is proposed by the Planning Board to support the CPAC's efforts to develop a new Comprehensive Plan which will then provide guidance in making Special Permit and other land development decisions.

*** DEVELOPMENT STATUS REPORT *****

To view or download the Development Status Report Please click on this link:                                                                           

http://64.182.36.230/artman/uploads/devstatus012808.pdf