[Amended 5-1-2023 ATM by Art. 23]
A Planning Board is established under the provisions of MGL
c. 41, § 81A, with all the powers and duties therein and
in any existing bylaws of the Town, to consist of five members to
be elected as follows: duly elected or appointed, and current, Planning
Board members shall fulfill their existing five-year terms, and any
Planning Board member elected after the adoption of this article will
serve a three-year term, and so arranged that the term of at least
one member, but not more than two members, will expire each year.
Any appointments to the Planning Board for a vacated seat shall fulfill
the term of the seat vacated.
The duties of such Board shall be such as are stated in MGL
c. 41, §§ 70 through 72, and further to consider and
advise upon municipal improvements either at the request of other
officials of the Town or upon its own initiative. It shall consider
and develop a Town plan, with special attention to main ways, land
developments, zoning, playgrounds, parks and sites for permanent school
plants. The Board shall meet at regular intervals. It may hold public
meetings. It shall at all reasonable times have access to public documents
or information in the possession of any Town official or department.
It shall examine the plans for the exterior of any public building,
monument or similar feature, and for the development and treatment
of the grounds about the same before the adoption thereof, and may
make such recommendation thereon as it may deem needful. It may provide
for public lectures and other educational work in connection with
its recommendations. It may incur expenses necessary to the carrying
on of its work within the amount of its annual appropriations.
All plans of land for the site of any public building, and all
plans for the location, erection or alteration of public buildings,
shall be submitted to said Board for its opinion at least two weeks
in advance of action by the Select Board.