Framingham Planning Board opens public hearing on 109-page subdivision rules rewrite

FRAMINGHAM -- March 2, 2017, Framingham Planning Board unanimously approved four land-use actions and opened a public hearing on a sweeping 109-page rewrite of the town's subdivision rules Thursday. The board voted 5-0 to endorse an approval-not-required lot division at 85 Carter Street, splitting a 17,000-square-foot parcel into two conforming lots for new single-family construction by neighboring buyers; voted 5-0 twice to grant waivers and site plan approval with conditions for a new building addition and loading dock at 120 Alexander Street; and voted 5-0 twice to approve new signage and a minor facade modification at Shoppers World, 1 Worcester Road, allowing the former Sports Authority space to be split into two retail units including Sierra Trading Post with a front sign of 157 square feet, well within the reduced 200-square-foot limit that applies to the smaller divided unit. Planning Board Administrator Amanda Loomis walked members through the first three sections of the subdivision regulations draft, the first comprehensive update since 2008, flagging new sections on street acceptance, performance bonds, and technology-neutral stormwater standards; member Colton raised a specific objection to the draft's reference to the 1929 National Geodetic Vertical Datum, calling it outdated and a source of real-world surveying conflicts across town agencies. The public hearing was continued to March 9, 2017.