Mansfield Planning Board Unanimously Backs Site Plan Review Overhaul for Town Meeting

MANSFIELD — March 23, 2022 — Mansfield Planning Board votes 7-0 to send site plan review overhaul to Annual Town Meeting. The board unanimously supported an amendment to Chapter 230, Section 5.3 of the zoning bylaw that would replace the town's existing site plan approval process with a framework distinguishing minor projects — those under 5,000 square feet — eligible for staff-level administrative review from larger major projects requiring full board consideration. Land-use consultant Judy, who drafted the revised language, told the board the goal was to "clarify what are the things that the board looks for when it looks at site plans coming in for approval" and to create a process "a lot of towns are kind of moving toward." The amendment also relocates submission requirements — specific plan types and document counts — from the bylaw into separately adopted planning board regulations the board can amend by public hearing without returning to Town Meeting. Town Counsel's recommended revision to Section G and language requiring applicants to record approved decisions at the Registry of Deeds after the 20-day appeal period were incorporated into the final motion. One public commenter, Jill Keyes of 11 North White Street, questioned whether the 5,000-square-foot threshold is appropriate for non-residential uses in residential zones and whether architectural character can be a factor in denials.