BUCKLAND — The Planning Board has scheduled a public forum to discuss potential zoning bylaw changes that would impact housing development in town.
“(The changes) mostly involve the possibility of creating accessory apartments in town, and also infill of small lots, particularly in the village district,” explained Michael Hoberman, co-chair of the Planning Board. “And there are also a couple of scenarios for cluster and cottage developments — houses placed relatively close together in the village district.”
The idea, he said, is to encourage an “efficient use of space” and to “maximize preservation of open space.”
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. A link will be provided on the town website at bit.ly/38KByNY.
“The more people who attend, the more input the Planning Board will get into some possible bylaw changes,” Hoberman said.
He said the Planning Board is consulting with Alyssa Larose, senior land use and natural resource planner with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), who received a grant to cover assisting the board.
The December forum comes as a follow-up to an October 2019 public forum, during which a presentation of the different proposed changes was made to the public.
According to minutes from the meeting, public comment at the time included questions about the impact of infill on the village; the impact of affordable housing on the tax base; and a suggestion to include an occupancy limit on accessory dwellings.
“Like everything else,” Hoberman noted, “our process was interrupted by the pandemic.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne