[HISTORY: Adopted by the Planning Board of the Town of South
Hadley 1-14-2019; amended 4-22-2019. Subsequent amendments noted
where applicable.]
Applicants (and/or their representatives) must make requests
to continue a scheduled public hearing in a timely manner.
A.
If such a request is received by the Office of the Planning and Conservation
Department at least 72 hours[1] (excluding weekends and Town Hall recognized holidays),
the Planning Board will grant the continuation without the applicant
or their representative being present.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
B.
If such a request is received by the Office of the Planning and Conservation
Department less than 72 hours[2] (excluding weekends and Town Hall recognized holidays),
the Planning Board will consider the request at the scheduled time
of the public hearing but the applicant and/or their representative
must be present. If the Board denies the request, the public hearing
will proceed as scheduled and the Board will reconsider the request
after the public hearing has been reopened and persons present for
the hearing are given an opportunity to comment on the subject of
the public hearing.
[2]
Editor's Note: So in original.
C.
Whenever such a request is received by the Office of the Planning
and Conservation staff, the staff will make reasonable efforts to
provide public notice of the request and how it relates to this policy.
These efforts will entail, as time and resources permit, posting of
the request on the Town's website's calendar and agenda
pages, emailing the various departments that are notified of applications
for review, and mailing of notices to the certified abutters by regular
mail.
D.
However, if the applicant requests such a deferral/continuation for
more than two consecutive scheduled public hearings on the application,
the applicant (or their authorized representative) shall attend the
Planning Board hearing, at which time they may request the deferral/continuation
and explain the detailed reasons why the hearing needs to be deferred/continued.
If the Board denies the request, the Board shall immediately open
the hearing. The Board will make an exception to this requirement
if the reason for the request is due to the Town departments/consultant
not having completed their review of the application, or if one or
more members of the Planning Board have indicated they are unable
to attend the public hearing, or Town Hall is to be closed unexpectedly
at that time.
