The Rindge Planning Board is considering multiple amendments to the zoning ordinance to go on the ballot in March, including loosening restrictions related to phased development.
During their meeting on Tuesday, board members discussed several potential amendments, which are still being drafted. One issue the board was split on was the town’s current phased development ordinance. Currently, the ordinance defines a major subdivision as a subdivision that creates four or more new dwelling units. Any development adding four of more units must be phased over multiple years.
Four to six units must be phased over two years, with half allowed to be built each year. Seven to nine units must be built over three years, 10 to 20 units over four years, 21 to 40 units over five years, and over 40 units over six or seven years, under the current ordinance.
The ordinance was first put into place in 2007, during a housing boom, and was designed to ease strain on community services such as the school, road maintenance, fire and police and waste disposal. Planning Board Chair Roberta Oeser noted the housing market has changed significantly in 2007, and the town is seeing much less building than it once was, and suggested the restraints could be loosened.
Kelen Geiger, an alternate acting as a sitting member on Tuesday, and Tom Coneys, the Select Board ex-officio, said they didn’t see a pressing need to amend the ordinance, as it already has a clause allowing the board to grant leeway in circumstances where it makes sense to do so. Geiger said she didn’t have a strong objection to changing the ordinance, but would also not object to leaving it as it stood. Coneys said it was a “tool” for the board, that allowed for leeway when circumstances allowed.
“I hate to see us throw a tool away,” Coneys said.
On the other end of the spectrum, member Doug Seppala said he would support getting rid of requiring phasing at all.
“I’m not in favor of any phasing. The market’s going to dictate it,” Seppala said.
Member Max Geesey agreed, saying that the ordinance could be discouraging developers who might be interested in building in Rindge from even applying, noting that while relief could be granted from the phasing requirements, developers might not want to take the risk. He said he would support some kind of compromise amendment, that eliminated some of the phasing requirements for smaller numbers of units.
“I’m with you,” Geesey told Seppala. “But if we have to have this evil, I want as little evil as possible.”
The board agreed to draft a compromise amendment, that would allow up to 10 units to be built per year without phasing. The board did not take any votes on the amendment, beyond agreeing to draft it for further discussion.
Other potential amendments discussed by the board were related to camping permits. Currently, the town allows unoccupied campers, travel trailers and motor homes to be stored in all districts. Oeser said there have been instances of multiple vehicles, some not owned by the same person, stored on a single property, which she said was not the intent of the ordinance when it was written. The proposed amendment would allow unoccupied campers, travel trailers and motor homes owned by the property owner to be stored.
The board is also considering an amendment to the acreage requirements for multifamily dwellings. The current ordinance requires two acres for each dwelling unit for multifamily. The change would require two acres for the first unit, and one acre for each additional dwelling unit after that.
The board is also considering substantive regulations around short-term rentals, including through sites such as Airbnb and Vrbo, after receiving multiple complaints around rental properties in town. The town currently allows short-term rentals with few restrictions. The board is considering a combination approach that includes requiring a site plan review with the Planning Board, and having the Select Board create a licensing and regulatory process to better control parking, occupancy limits and noise concerns.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.