Groveland City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
Site Plan Review
§ 50-13.1 Purpose.
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.
§ 50-13.2 Applicability.
[Amended 5-24-2021 ATM by Art. 12; 4-29-2024 ATM by Art. 16]
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.
§ 50-13.3 Application and review procedures.
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]
§ 50-13.4 Preparation of plans.
A.
Pre-application (optional). Applicants are invited to submit a pre-application sketch of the proposed project to the Planning Board and to schedule a comment period at a regular meeting of the Planning Board. Site plans shall be submitted on 24-inch by 36-inch sheets. Plans shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer, registered land surveyor, architect, or landscape architect, as appropriate. Dimensions and scales shall be adequate to determine that all requirements are met and to make a complete analysis and evaluation of the proposal. All plans shall have a minimum scale of one inch equals 40 feet.
B.
Application. Applicants shall submit site plans prepared by a registered professional engineer, registered land surveyor, architect, or landscape architect, as appropriate. Site plans shall be submitted on 24-inch by 36-inch sheets and at appropriate scale for the size and complexity of the project. The minimum scale shall be one inch equals 40 feet.
§ 50-13.5 Contents of plan.
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.
§ 50-13.6 Waiver of site plan review.
[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.
§ 50-13.7 Approval.
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.
§ 50-13.8 Limitations.
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.
§ 50-13.9 Fees.
The Planning Board may require the payment of reasonable administrative fees and technical review fees for site plan review.
§ 50-13.10 Administration.
A.
The Planning Board shall establish and may periodically amend rules and regulations relating to the administration of this article, including additional regulations relating to the scope and format of reports required hereunder.
B.
The Planning Board shall establish and may periodically amend a schedule of fees for all applications under this article. No application shall be considered completed unless accompanied by the required fees.
C.
The Planning Board shall be responsible for deciding the meaning or intent of any provision of this article which may be unclear or in dispute.