The purpose of this article is to provide for individual detailed
review of development proposals which have an impact on the natural
or built environment of the Town in order to promote the health, safety
and general welfare of the community; to ensure adequate parking,
safe and accessible pedestrian and vehicular circulation; and to minimize
traffic impacts. The permit granting authority is the Planning Board.
[Amended 5-24-2021 ATM by Art. 12]
A. The following types of activities and uses require site plan review
by the Planning Board:
(1)
Any new building(s) or construction which contains more than
2,000 square feet of gross floor area which is undertaken on land
within the Town of Groveland or results in the requirement of five
or more new or additional parking spaces;
(2)
Any construction which results in the addition of more than
2,000 square feet of gross floor area to an existing structure, or
results in the requirement of five or more new or additional parking
spaces;
(3)
Any construction, site improvements, new uses in existing structures
or developments which contain new processes not normally associated
with the existing use and which result in changes to pedestrian and
vehicular traffic circulation, public services and infrastructure,
abutting properties, and stormwater drainage onto or off of the site.
(4)
Any construction of any new wireless service facility on a previously permitted facility as set forth in §
50-6.3B(2) of the Wireless Communication District use regulations, subject to the provisions of § 6409 of the Federal Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and implementing regulations.
B. Single-family residential use and two-family residential use are
exempt from compliance with this bylaw.
C. Minor site plan review. Applications for permits to build, alter
or expand any nonresidential building, structure or use in any district
where such construction will exceed 500 square feet but not exceed
a total gross floor area of 2,000 square feet, or will not generate
the need for more than 10 parking spaces, or result in residential
development of more than four dwelling units shall require minor site
plan review.
Applicants for site plan approval shall submit 10 copies of
the site plan to the Planning Board for review, and within three days
thereafter shall also submit a copy of the site plan to the Board
of Health, Department of Public Works, Building Inspector, Fire Department,
and Conservation Commission for their advisory review and comments.
The Planning Board shall review and act upon the site plan, with such
conditions as may be deemed appropriate, within 90 days of its receipt,
and notify the applicant of its decision. The decision of the Planning
Board shall be upon a majority of those present and shall be in writing.
No building permit, use permit, or certificate of occupancy shall
be issued by the Building Inspector without the written approval of
the site plan by the Planning Board, or unless 90 days lapse from
the date of the submittal of the site plan without such written approval.
A. Application for building permit. An application for a building permit to perform work as set forth in §
50-13.2 available as of right shall be accompanied by an approved site plan.
B. Application for special permit or variance. An application for a special permit or a variance to perform work as set forth in §
50-13.2 shall be accompanied by an approved site plan; in the alternative, any special permit or variance granted for work set forth in §
50-13.2 shall contain the following condition: The work described herein requires the approval of a site plan by the Planning Board pursuant to Article
XIII of the Zoning Bylaw. Any conditions imposed in such site plan approval shall also be conditions of this special permit/variance.
C. Where the Planning Board approves a site plan "with conditions,"
and said approved site plan accompanies a special permit or variance
application to the Board of Appeals, the conditions imposed by the
Planning Board shall be incorporated into the issuance, if any, of
a special permit or variance by the Board of Appeals.
D. Where the Planning Board serves as the special permit granting authority
for proposed work, it shall consolidate its site plan review and special
permit procedures.
E. The applicant may request, and the Planning Board may grant by majority
vote, an extension of the time limits set forth herein.
F. No deviation from an approved site plan shall be permitted without
modification thereof.
G. Minor site plan review. A request for minor site plan approval will
be made to the Planning Board with documentation to support the request.
The request will be stamped by the Town Clerk. The request will be
placed on the agenda at the next regularly scheduled Planning Board
meeting. Final action on the site plan shall be taken by the Planning
Board within 45 days of the date of the application was stamped by
the Town Clerk.
[Added 5-24-2021 ATM by Art. 12]
The contents of the site plan are as follows:
A. Ten separate plans prepared at a scale of one inch equals 40 feet
or such other scale as may be approved by the Planning Board. Each
plan may contain multiple sheets. The Planning Board may allow one
or more of the plans to be combined on a single sheet if the size
and complexity of the project warrants it. The plans are as follows:
(1)
Site layout, which shall contain the boundaries of the lot(s)
in the proposed development, open spaces if any, proposed structures,
drives, parking, fences, walls, walks, loading facilities, and areas
for snow storage after plowing. Appropriate setbacks to the property
lines shall be shown on this plan. The first sheet in this plan shall
be an area plan, at a scale of one inch equals 100 feet or other scale
approved by the Planning Board, showing the entire project and its
relation to existing areas, buildings and roads for a distance of
1,000 feet from the project boundaries or such other distance as may
be approved or required by the Planning Board.
(2)
Grading plan, which shall contain existing and proposed structures,
existing and proposed pavement, existing and proposed topography at
two-foot intervals, benchmarks, erosion and sediment control features,
wetland boundaries, including floodplain areas, streams, brooks, ledge
outcroppings, and other existing and proposed physical features.
(3)
Utility plan, which shall include all facilities for refuse
and sewage disposal or storage of all wastes; the location, size,
type, and slope of water, sewer, and drainage pipes; the location
of all fire hydrants, fire alarm and firefighting facilities on and
adjacent to the site; all proposed recreational facilities.
(4)
Architectural plan, which shall include the ground floor plan
and architectural elevations of all proposed buildings and a color
rendering.
(5)
Landscaping plan, showing the limits of work, existing tree
lines, and all proposed landscape features and improvements, including
screening, outdoor lighting, planting areas with size and type of
stock for each shrub or tree, and including proposed erosion control
measures.
B. The lighting plan shall be in conformance with the following:
(1)
The goal of exterior lighting is to make the development feel
safe and accent key elements of the project's design without adverse
impacts to the abutting properties.
(2)
Lighting poles and structures should be appropriately scaled
and styled for the project. Pedestrian areas should have poles 12
to 14 feet in height. Parking areas should have poles 20 to 25 feet
in height. The pole heights should determine the overall spacing of
the poles to provide a consistent illumination across the area. Higher
poles may be allowed for lighting large areas such as athletic fields
with review and approval by the Planning Board.
(3)
The fixtures shall be of the cutoff luminaries' type.
(4)
Off-site illumination to adjacent properties shall not exceed
0.2 footcandle as measured at the property line.
(5)
Building-mounted or pole-mounted floodlights are not allowed.
Parking and pedestrian light fixtures should be compatible with the
building lighting to provide for a contiguous appearance of the project.
(6)
A photometric analysis of the site and building lighting shall
be prepared by a registered engineer or a lighting consultant.
(7)
Streetlighting shall comply with the Groveland Subdivision Regulations.
C. The site plan shall be accompanied by a written statement indicating
the estimated time required to complete the proposed project and any
and all phases thereof. There shall be submitted a written estimate,
showing in detail the costs of all site improvements planned.
D. A written summary of the contemplated projects shall be submitted
with the site plan indicating, where appropriate, the number of dwelling
units to be built and the acreage in residential use, the evidence
of compliance with parking and off-street loading requirements, the
forms of ownership contemplated for the property and a summary of
the provisions of any ownership or maintenance thereof, identification
of all land that will become common or public land, and any other
evidence necessary to indicate compliance with this bylaw.
E. The site plan shall be accompanied by drainage calculations by a
registered professional engineer. Storm drainage design must conform
to the Town of Groveland Subdivision Regulations.
F. The Planning Board may require a narrative statement detailing the
impact of the proposed use on municipal services and the environment.
G. Certification that the proposal is in compliance with the provisions,
if applicable, of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Massachusetts
Architectural Access Board.
H. The Planning Board may require a traffic impact analysis if the project
generates more than 250 vehicle trips per day or if deemed necessary
by the Planning Board.
[Amended 5-24-2021 ATM by Art. 12]
A. When, in the opinion of the Planning Board, the alteration or reconstruction
of an existing structure or new use or change in use will not have
a significant impact both within the site and in relation to adjacent
properties and streets, on pedestrian and vehicular traffic, public
services and infrastructure, environmental, unique and historic resources,
abutting properties, and community needs, the Planning Board may determine
that submission of a site plan review application is not required.
B. The applicant must request a waiver from site plan review in writing
and will be required to submit supporting documentation that site
plan review is not required. The waiver request will be discussed
at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board. The
Planning Board will issue a written decision.
Site plan approval shall be granted upon determination by the
Planning Board that the plan meets the following objectives. The Planning
Board may impose reasonable conditions at the expense of the applicant,
including performance guarantees, to promote these objectives. Any
new building construction or other site alteration shall provide adequate
access to each structure for fire and service equipment and adequate
provision for utilities and stormwater drainage consistent with the
functional requirements of the Planning Board's Subdivision Rules
and Regulations. New building construction or other site alteration
shall be designed in the site plan, after considering the qualities
of the specific location, the proposed land use, the design of building
form, grading, egress points, and other aspects of the development,
so as to:
A. Minimize the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees
six-inch caliper or larger, the length of removed stone walls, the
area of wetland vegetation displaced, the extent of stormwater flow
increase from the site, soil erosion, and threat of air and water
pollution;
B. Maximize pedestrian and vehicular safety both on the site and egressing
from it;
C. Minimize obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations;
D. Minimize visual intrusion by controlling the visibility of parking,
storage, or other outdoor service areas viewed from public ways or
premises residentially used or zoned;
E. Minimize glare from headlights and lighting intrusion;
F. Minimize unreasonable departure from the character, materials, and
scale of buildings in the vicinity, as viewed from public ways and
places.
G. Minimize contamination of groundwater from on-site wastewater disposal
systems, stormwater, or operations on the premises involving the use,
storage, handling, or containment of hazardous substances;
H. Ensure compliance with the provisions of this bylaw, including parking
and landscaping.
Site plan approval shall lapse after one year from the grant
thereof if a substantial use thereof has not sooner commenced except
for good cause. Such approval may, for good cause, be extended in
writing by the Planning Board upon the written request of the applicant.
The Planning Board may require the payment of reasonable administrative
fees and technical review fees for site plan review.