TOWN OF GROTON Zoning Board of Appeals - PERMIT APPLICATION PROCEDURES
[Pursuant to Chapter 53 of Acts of 2020]
On Friday, April 3, 2020, Governor Baker
signed into law Chapter 53 of the Acts of 2020, An Act to Address Challenges
Faced by Municipalities and State Authorities Resulting from COVID -.
Section 17 of the Act modifies state and local laws governing the submission
and process of permit applications for the duration of the State of Emergency
declared by Governor Baker on March 10, 2020.
The Town of Groton is implementing
Chapter 53, Section 17 as follows. Portions of the Act are summarized below.
Please see referenced sections for complete text.
§17(a) Definitions
"Permit": a permit, variance,
special permit, license, amendment, extension, or other approval issued by a
permit granting authority pursuant to a statute, ordinance, bylaw, rule or regulation,
whether ministerial or discretionary.
''Permit granting authority'' (or
“PGA”), a local, district, county or regional official or a local, district, county
or regional multi-member body that is authorized to issue a permit.
PERMIT APPLICATIONS §17(b)(i) –
For so long as the State of Emergency remains in effect, the Act governs the
submission of permit applications. Permit applications may be filed as set
forth below (if the applicable permit granting authority is not listed in the
chart below, please submit to the Town Clerk and it will be forwarded):
“An application for a permit shall be
deemed duly filed and accepted as of the date of the filing by the applicant if
filed with and certified as received by the town clerk.” Applications to Permit
Granting Authorities may be filed either:
1.
By
first class mail: Application to the Town of Groton Town Clerk, 173 Main St.,
Groton, MA 01450, and copy of Application and all submission materials,
including application fee, to the appropriate permit granting authority. Please
send an email alerting the PGA that an application has been mailed to both the
Town Clerk and the Zoning Assistant.
2.
Electronically:
Attachment of the requisite application form and supplemental materials by
email to the Town Clerk with “cc” to the appropriate permit granting
authority and receipt by first class mail of a check for the applicable
application fee. Online payment is not available at this time.
BOARD ELECTRONIC FILING:
townclerk@grotonma.gov
with cc to: kcruikshank@grotonma.gov
HARD COPIES:
Town of Groton Town Clerk
173 Main St.
Groton, MA 01450
About
The Board (often called the ZBA) acts in a quasi-judicial capacity on:
- the issuance of certain special permit applications
- petitions for variances from the requirements of the Groton Zoning Bylaw
- appeals from the acts of the Building Inspector, or from the failure of the Building Inspector to act in response to a complaint from a citizen
The Board also has jurisdiction to act on applications for comprehensive permits for subsidized housing, in which it coordinates review of all other local boards except the Conservation Commission. The Board has power to receive testimony under oath. Most decisions of the ZBA may be appealed by an aggrieved to the District, Superior, or Land Court.
The first members to the ZBA were appointed in 1950.
Comprehensive Permits (Chapter 40B)
Heritage Landing (Cow Pond Brook Road)
On January 20, 2022, the Groton Select Board received a letter from MassHousing regarding a Project Eligibility application for construction of approximately 40 housing units on Cow Pond Brook (Parcel 248-42).
In accordance with Chapter 40B, the applicant is proposing 30 units at Market Value and 10 units of AMI 80% Affordable. All units will be ownership.
MassHousing issued a Project Eligibility Letter to the applicant on July 5, 2022. The applicant has two (2) years from the date of the project eligibility letter to submit a Comprehensive Permit application to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Town Comments Request Letter – Heritage Landing – 01-20-2022
Revised Site Eligibility Application – Heritage Landing – 02-02-2022
Groton Comments – Heritage Landing – 03-24-2022
Project Eligibility Letter – Heritage Landing – 07-05-2022
Groton Farms (500 Main Street)
On June 29, 2022, the Groton Select Board received a letter from MassHousing regarding a Project Eligibility application for construction of approximately 200 housing units at 500 Main Street (Parcel 216-95). In accordance with Chapter 40B, the applicant is proposing 150 units at Market Value and 50 units of AMI 80% Affordable. All units will be rentals.
MassHousing issued a Project Eligibility Letter to the applicant on September 15, 2022. The applicant has two (2) years from the date of the project eligibility letter to submit a Comprehensive Permit application to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
On February 23, 2023, the applicant filed a comprehensive permit application with the Zoning Board of Appeals. The comprehensive permit application can be found in the following section titled “Groton Farms (500 Main Street) Comprehensive Permit Application 02-23-2023”.
All pre filing documents may be found in the folder below.
Groton Farms (500 Main Street) Comprehensive Permit Application 02-23-2023
The electronic versions of the documents can be accessed and viewed with the links below.
A paper copy of the documents can be accessed and viewed at Groton Town Hall.
Presentation
03-22-2023 ZBA Open Hearing Presentation
Cover Letter & Application
500 Main Street – Cover Letter 2023-02-21
500 Main Street – The Groton Farms – ZBA 40B Application 2023-02-23
Exhibit One – Preliminary Development Plans
500 Main Street – Civil Plan Set 2023-02-09
500 Main Street – Landscape and Lighting Set 2023-02-09
Exhibit Two – Existing Site Conditions
500 Main Existing Conditions 2023-02-14
Exhibit Three – Preliminary Architectural Plans
500 Main Street – Street Renderings
500 Main Street – Architectural Submission ZBA 2023-02-01
Exhibit Four – Preliminary Subdivision Plan
500 Main Street – Subdivision Plan 2023-02-09
Exhibit Five – Jurisdictional Requirements
500 Main Street – Deed – All Parcels 2021-09-09
500 Main Street – Groton Final PEL 2022-09-15
Exhibit Six – Waivers
500 Main Street – Waivers 2023-02-22
Exhibit Seven – Financial or Ownership Interest
500 MG LLC Financial – Ownership Interests
Exhibit Eight – Affordable or Residential Experience
500 MG LLC Prior Affordable Housing Experience
Exhibit Nine – Abutters List
500 Main Street – Certified Abutters List
Exhibit Ten – Stormwater
500 Main Street – Post Dev 2023-02-10
500 Main Street – Pre Dev 2023-02-10
500 Main Street – Stormwater Report 2023-02-10
Exhibit Eleven – Traffic Impact Analysis
500 Main Street – Traffic Impact Analysis 2022-12-09
500 Main Street – Traffic Impact Analysis Appendix 2022-12-09
Exhibit Twelve – Environmental Analysis
500 Main Street – Phase 1 Report 2021-07-08
Contact Information
Selection: Appointed
Term In Years: 3
Remuneration: None
Members
Bruce Easom
Chair
Term Start: 2022-07-01
Term End: 2025-06-30
Daniel McLaughlin
Clerk
Term Start: 2021-07-01
Term End: 2023-06-30
Jay Prager
Term Start: 2022-07-01
Term End: 2025-06-30
John, “Jack” G. Petropoulos
Vice Chair
Term Start: 2021-07-01
Term End: 2024-06-30
Krzysztof Jezak
Term Start: 2022-07-01
Term End: 2025-06-30
Michael McCoy
Associate Member
Term Start: 2022-07-01
Term End: 2023-06-30
Tom Peisel
Term Start: 2023-03-13
Term End: 2023-06-30
Zoning Board of Appeals Documents
-
- Prior_Affordable_Housing_Experience_03-16-2023.pdf
- Cover_Letter_500_Main_Street_2023-2-21.pdf
- 500_MG_LLC_Financial_-_Ownership_Interests.pdf
- 500_Main_Traffic_Impact_Analysis_Appendix_2022-12-9.pdf
- 500_Main_Traffic_Impact_Analysis_2022-12-9.pdf
- 500_Main_Street_Renderings.pdf
- 500_Main_Street_-_ZBA_Presentation_Open_Hearing_2023-03-22.pdf
- 500_Main_Street_-_The_Groton_Farms_-_ZBA_40B_Application_2023-2-23.pdf
- 500_Main_St_Certified_Abutters_List.pdf
- 500_Main_Groton_Phase_I_Report_2021-7-8.pdf
- 500_Main_-Stormwater_Report_2023-2-10.pdf
- 500_Main_-PRE-DEV_2023-2-10.pdf
- 500_Main_-POST-DEV_2023-2-10.pdf
- 2023-2-9_500_Main_Street_Subdivision_Plan.pdf
- 2023-2-9_500_Main_Street_Landscape_and_Lighting_Set.pdf
- 2023-2-9_500_Main_Street_Civil_Plan_Set.pdf
- 2023-2-22_Waivers_500_Main_Street.pdf
- 2023-2-14_500_Main_Existing_Conditions.pdf
- 2023-2-1_500_Main_Street_Architectural_Submission_-_ZBA.pdf
- 2022-9-15_500_Main_Street_Groton_Final_PEL.pdf
- 2021-9-9_500_Main_Street_Deed_-_All_parcels.pdf
-
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2022-07-13_id-13184.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2022-06-15_id-13078.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2022-06-01_id-12978.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2022-03-16_id-12804.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2022-03-02_id-12740.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2021-11-03_id-12432.docx
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2021-08-18_id-12315.pdf
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2021-07-14_id-12126.pdf
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2021-05-26_id-12042.pdf
- Zoning_Board_of_Appeals_approved_minutes_2021-05-12_id-12022.pdf
- Access additional meeting minutes and agendas at the Meeting Center
- Application_Packet_2016.pdf