A. 
General. Any person who wishes to record a plan in the Registry of Deeds or in the Land Court and who believes that the plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law may submit the plan to the Board accompanied by documentation, as set forth below, to show that the plan does not require approval.
B. 
Criterion. A plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law if it does not show a subdivision, as defined in MGL c. 41 § 81L.
[Amended 10-22-2025]
A. 
Number of Copies. The submitted application must include:
(1) 
Two original Mylar copies, with signature block;
(2) 
Three large (24 inches by 36 inches) format black line copy; and
B. 
Required Information. An applicant must submit:
(1) 
Copies of the plan, as described above;
(2) 
A properly executed application form; and
(3) 
Evidence showing the basis upon on which the applicant claims that approval under the Subdivision Control Law is not required.
(4) 
An electronic copy of the application material in both PDF and CAD format.
C. 
Information on Plan. Approval not required plans must have the following information:
(1) 
Title block containing the name and section designation, if any, of the proposed development;
(2) 
The name of the applicant, and the property owner if not the same;
(3) 
The name, address, and imprint of the professional registration stamp of a professional engineer or land surveyor responsible for the preparation of the plan;
(4) 
A visual scale and a North arrow, the direction of which must be the same for all sheets;
(5) 
The date of original preparation and the date of each of any later revisions, with the revisions noted;
(6) 
Space for endorsement by the Board, with room for the signature of each member, and the date of the endorsement below the signatures;
(7) 
A legend denoting any signs and symbols used on the plan and not otherwise explained;
(8) 
The names of the owners of all abutting lots and parcels as they appear on the most recent Real Estate Tax Commitment List prepared by the Board of Assessors;
(9) 
All lots and parcels affected by the proposed change in property line(s);
(10) 
All existing and proposed property lines, lot frontages, lot areas, and easements that may affect access to a lot. Each lot must show both the street address and street number if assigned, as shown on the Assessors' property maps. Proposed lots must be numbered and parcels be lettered for identification;
(11) 
The name of the street providing frontage and access to the lots; the width of the right-of-way and the width of the street pavement, including any variations in width, along the frontage of the lots which are being subdivided;
(12) 
The status of the street along the frontage of the lots, i.e., whether the street is a public way, a way shown on an approved subdivision plan and constructed according to that plan, or a way in existence on April 4, 1948. If the street changes from one status to another, the line at which the status changes must be shown by means of dimensions from a reference point that can be readily determined;
(13) 
The location of all permanent bounds, markers, and monuments clearly differentiated as to whether existing or proposed;
(14) 
The words "Planning Board approval under Subdivision Control Law not required" must appear above the space for the signatures; a line for the date of the Board's action and the words "The endorsement above is not a determination by the Planning Board as to compliance with the Zoning Bylaw" must appear below the space for the signatures.
[Amended 10-22-2025]
A. 
Action on Application by Planning Board. Within 21 days of receipt of a complete application, and without holding a public hearing, the Board must determine whether the plan requires approval under the Subdivision Control Law.
B. 
Action on Application by Planning Director. If the Board does not meet within 21 days of receipt of a plan which an applicant believes does not require approval, because no Board meeting is scheduled, or if a scheduled meeting is canceled or postponed due to lack of a quorum or weather conditions, the Planning Director is authorized to act for the Board and must note the authorization on the plan. He or she must first:
(1) 
Review the plan with the Chair or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chair of the Board;
(2) 
Determine whether the plan constitutes a subdivision as defined by MGL c. 41, § 81L; and
(3) 
Either endorse the plan or not endorse the plan, in which case he or she must notify the applicant and the Town Clerk of the reasons for not endorsing the plan.
A. 
Endorsement. If the Board determines that the plan does not require approval, the majority of the members must endorse the plan with their signatures. If the Board is not able to sign the plan at that time, the Board may authorize the Planning Director to sign the plan, and such authorization must be noted on the plan. If the Board endorses a plan not requiring subdivision approval, it may add notes indicating why approval is not required.
B. 
Endorsement is Not an Approval. Endorsement of the plan is not an approval of any subdivision or a determination by the Board as to conformance with the Zoning Bylaw. It is only an endorsement that the plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law.
C. 
Plans That Do Require Approval. If the Board determines that the plan does require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, it must, within 21 days of receipt of a complete application, give written notice of its determination, stating its reasons, to the Town Clerk and to the applicant.
D. 
Failure To Act within 21 Days. If the Board, or the Planning Director as provided in Section 4.3B, fails to act upon a plan considered to be complete or fails to notify the Town Clerk of its reasons for not endorsing the plan within the required twenty-one-day period, the plan must be deemed not to require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. The applicant may then request, and the Town Clerk must issue, a certificate that the plan is approved because of the Board's failure to act.
E. 
Procedure and Time Allowed for Recording. The applicant must record the endorsed plan within the time provided for in the Subdivision Control Law at the Registry of Deeds and must furnish the Planning Office with a certified copy of the plan, as recorded.
A. 
Criteria. The Board must determine that approval under the Subdivision Control Law is not required and must endorse the plan if and only if each lot and parcel shown on the plan either:
(1) 
Has at least the minimum frontage on a street required by the Zoning Bylaw; or
(2) 
Is to be joined to an abutting lot and the following note appears on the plan: "Parcel X is to be joined to Lot Y and is not to be considered to be a separate lot."; or
(3) 
The note "For the purposes of the Subdivision Control Law, Parcel X cannot be used for the site for a building." appears on the plan.
B. 
Existing Buildings. Notwithstanding the criteria above, the Board must endorse a plan where every lot or parcel on the plan:
(1) 
Contains a substantial building which existed on April 4, 1948; or
(2) 
Is to be joined to an abutting lot and the following note appears on the plan: "Parcel X is to be joined to Lot Y and is not to be considered to be a separate lot."; or
(3) 
The note "For the purposes of the Subdivision Control Law, Parcel X cannot be used for the site for a building." appears on the plan.
C. 
Frontage on Unaccepted Street. An unaccepted street not shown on a plan approved under the Subdivision Control Law must meet the standards for streets and ways described in Section 7.2 of these Regulations to provide the frontage required in Section 4.5A.
D. 
Frontage on Subdivision Street. An unaccepted street shown on a plan approved under the Subdivision Control Law must meet the following conditions to provide the frontage required in Section 4.5A:
(1) 
The construction of the subdivision street has been completed, has been approved by the Town Engineer and the Board, and the surety being held for completion of the subdivision has been released; or
(2) 
An ANR plan may be submitted to change the shape or size of lots shown on a previously approved subdivision plan, provided that the approved way is built or a performance guaranty is in place.