Planning Board: Five member elected board whose duties include town planning, master planning, preparation of the official zoning map, review and submittal of reports concerning the layout, alternation or discontinuance of town ways and reviewing and endorsing ANR plans as required.
Current Members and their terms are:
Chair Richard Pierce 2009-2012
Craig Phelon 2008-2011
Skip Chapman 2009-2011
Timothy O'Driscoll 2010-2012
Laura Bauver appointed to 2011
The Planning Board meets each first and third Monday from 7:00-8:30pm. They can be reached by calling 413-357-8585, ext. 0.
Below are two links you may find helpful. The Bylaws take a while to download, so please be patient.
Propsed new Bylaw Passed at Annual Town meeting May 10, 2010
''The proposed amendments would add to the “Definitions” and “Uses Permitted on Special Authorization” sections of the Zoning Bylaw and specify criteria for the placement of meteorological information gathering (MET) towers. The amendments read:
In Section 1.2: Definitions, add the following new definition:
Wind Monitoring or Meteorological (“MET”) Tower: A temporary tower equipped with devices to measure wind speeds and direction, used to determine how much wind power a site can be expected to generate.
In Section 3.3: Uses Permitted on Special Authorization, add the following new subsection:
3.3.11 The construction and operation of a Wind Monitoring or Meteorological Tower, not to exceed 200 feet in height, to be used for a period not to exceed eighteen months; provided, that a MET Tower shall be set back a distance equal to two times the height of the MET Tower from the nearest property line, and shall be fenced in order to prevent unauthorized access. The Board of Appeals may impose additional conditions to:
(i) protect public safety and prevent adverse effects on the neighborhood,
(ii) minimize impacts on scenic, natural and historic resources of the town,
(iii) ensure that the MET Tower will be properly maintained and repaired, and
(iv) provide adequate assurance that the MET Tower will be removed at the end of the permit period.
Purpose of the proposed amendments: Two organizations, the Springfield Water & Sewer Commission and Citizen’s Wind, have approached the town expressing their desire to erect temporary meteorological information gathering towers in several areas of town for the purpose of evaluating the potential for wind energy generation. The current Zoning Bylaw does not allow this use. In the interest of evaluating the potential for alternative energy generation, the Granville Selectboard and the Planning Board are proposing to amend the Zoning Bylaw to allow this use. A vote on this proposal will take place at the May 10th 2010 Annual Town Meeting. Adoption of any zoning bylaw amendment requires a 2/3 majority vote at a Town Meeting.
This bylaw amendment would NOT allow construction of windmill towers and associated utility connections. This proposal, if adopted, would only allow MET tower construction through a special permit granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Any wind tower placement plans would require an additional zoning bylaw amendment to be passed by a 2/3 majority vote at a Town Meeting. There is currently NO proposed amendment to allow wind towers in Granville.
A typical MET tower is approx. 200’ high with a base diameter of 10”. It would be supported by numerous guy wires and have a variety of sensors and instruments attached. Recorded data from these instruments would be gathered for a period of at least 1 year to assess the potential for placement of one or more utility style wind generators.