Information for Meeting of Planning Board
Tuesday April 09, 2013 8:00 PM EDT

Berlin Planning Board
Public Hearing
Berlin, Massachusetts 01503

The Town of Berlin Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. at the Berlin Town Offices, 23 Linden Street, Berlin.  The purpose of the public hearing is to provide interested parties with an opportunity to comment on proposals to amend the Town of Berlin Zoning By-Laws pursuant to M.G.L. c.40 A section 5 to be acted upon at the Annual Town Meeting to be held May 6, 2013.  The proposed amendments to the Zoning By-law would be:

Article 37. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Berlin Zoning Bylaws by adding under Sec. 540 Home-Based Contracting Business, the following Sect. 540.9 Duration of Special Permit:
540.9 Unless an earlier expiration date is specified by the Zoning Board of Appeals in a special permit all special permits issued under this bylaw shall expire automatically upon the expiration of five years from the date of issuance.  Prior to expiration the applicant may apply for renewal of the special permit for another five year period, said application to comply with all the provisions of Section 540 of this bylaw.  Upon expiration of a special permit, which has not been renewed, the applicant shall disassemble and remove any materials or equipment related to the Home-Based Contracting Business in its entirety within thirty days of the expiration of the special permit.
  
Article 38. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Berlin Zoning Bylaws by adding to Section 653 Accessory Buildings and Structures, the following sentence after the current 653.1.
“If the detached accessory building is a one story building to be used as a tool and storage shed, playhouse or similar use, and the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet, the rear yard minimum requirements may be reduced to twenty (20) feet.”

Article 39. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Berlin Zoning Bylaws by adding under Article 9: Signs, the following section as 933 Political Signs:
“933.1  Such temporary signs shall conform to Section 914.1
933.2  Such signs can be put up or placed no earlier than six (6) weeks prior to the election and must be removed within seventy-two (72) hours of the close of the polls.”

Article 40. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Berlin Zoning Bylaws by deleting the second sentence under Section 1234 Required Site Plan Contents and replacing it with:
 “All site plans shall be presented on standard 24” by 36” sheets and in electronic  format  and shall be prepared at sufficient scale to show: “and in the Section titled “Electronic Submission Requirements for Subdivision, ANR, and As-Built Plans” add the words “Site Plans”.

A full copy of the proposed Zoning by-law amendments are on file with the Town Clerk for review during normal Town Clerk office hours or at www.TownofBerlin.com.