What will the public hearing be like?

The Board Chair will open the hearing by reading the application or legal advertisement into the record. The applicant (or his/her representative) is called to make a presentation to the Board. Correspondence received from Town staff, boards, and/or committees is read into the record as well as any correspondence from abutters. The Board members may ask questions of the applicant and may ask for comments from the Planning Department's staff. The Chairman will then ask if any member of the public woud like to speak. When the Board feels they have received all material and comments necessary to make an informed decision, it will close the public hearing. Once the public hearing is closed, no new information should be considered.  The Board will then discuss and deliberate the case and material received. A decision is usually made by a vote of the Board members the night that the public hearing closes or possibly continued to the next meeting to allow time for staff to prepare a written decision for the Board’s review. All meetings are open to the public.

Once the Board votes on the application the written decision is prepared, signed, and submitted to the Town Clerk to begin the 20-day appeal period. Abutters are notified of the Board’s final decision and notified of the appeal period.