Above: The fate of the historic Burnett estate is still to be determined. (Photo contributed by Kate Matison)
This morning the Planning Board met to follow up on the Approval Not Required (ANR) application for 84 Main Street. According to Town Planner, Jennifer Burney, the initial ANR has been withdrawn.
If that didn’t happen, action would have been required by 12:30 pm today. Otherwise the application would have been considered “constructively approved”.
Burney confirmed that they are expecting a new application and plans from the owners this week. That should allow the town to restart the clock on the 21 day process.
Last week, the board learned that the estate owners want to pursue the ANR application that had been submitted by developer Robert Moss. If approved, the plans allow for demolition of the stone house built by Joseph Burnett in 1850. Plans call for the home to be replaced by three english-style cottages. The proposal has drawn criticism and controversy.
Owners Jon Delli Priscoli and his wife Jennifer recently announced that they hoped to work with the community to help preserve the estate. When Moss failed to meet a condition in the P & S agreement, the owners opted not to extend the deadline. Instead they are in discussions with selectmen about the fate of the estate.
But while they do that, they want to “protect their interests” by pursuing the ANR approval.
At last week’s meeting, the Planning Board planned to ask counsel if the owners need to resubmit the application under their own name. This morning the board met to follow up.
At this point, the Planning Board is tentatively looking to schedule a meeting for Monday on the matter. That will depend on the timing of the application submission. (Stay tuned.)
Updated (7/29/14 4:00 pm ): I corrected the potential meeting date.
