Hamilton Planning Board Flags Facebook Post, Advances Senior Housing Permit Review

HAMILTON — December 7, 2021 — Hamilton Planning Board holds internal session on Chebacco senior housing permit, flags member's Facebook post. The board, meeting without the applicant or public participation, learned that subconsultant Tata & Howard had withdrawn from the peer review of the blasting and hydrology plans for the proposed Chebacco Capital Partners development at 133 Essex Street, a setback Town Planner Patrick Reffett estimated could delay the process by one to six weeks. Fire Chief Ray Brunette walked members through the blasting permit process, governed by 520 CMR 1.00, and noted he has not received a formal FP-296 complaint against a blaster in 32 years. The board reached consensus to require the applicant to delineate steep slopes at 18 percent grade — consistent with MassDEP standards — on a single 100-scale plan sheet, and reclassified several bylaw compliance checklist items from satisfied to information needed. Board Chair Jonathan Poor required member Richard Borough to post a public correction to a Facebook statement that incorrectly described the special permit process as site plan review, and to bring a copy to the next meeting for the record. The board unanimously approved the November 16 meeting minutes as amended and continued the November 9 minutes to December 21.