[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6085098,"mediaKeyId","2904851-8024e27101814ba90f476df73e7256bb","parentId",2904851,"title","Millis planning board approves two special permits, continues one hearing; conditions set for restaurant and brewery projects","audioSeconds",1153,"startMs",3116000,"endMs",4269000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904851-8024e27101814ba90f476df73e7256bb&start=3116&end=4269","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904851-8024e27101814ba90f476df73e7256bb/thumbnail_3116000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6085098/Massachusetts/Millis-planning-board-approves-two-special-permits-continues-one-hearing-conditions-set-for-restaurant-and-brewery-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085098-fcb80c73636994d839b84e0b064539da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040581&Signature=fbieHI-13bvAJF0aJ26--NiIkthx3~HdRoqrZiRV9vBPc~DcXJmYyfZmI530mUUasAeFu1A1LrpoCPBByMBHiczCs8BQ5Re~kwuW7qkrN9N-OCwMGVeuLBQ4QxquGPOh-n5xSkZ5Uk6mRsAxq2Ukew91Jtw7hQe~ghFnV2Mpry9TV~sum~Tixdd-uPxhoWpyjLdmlicH-3XFLSvULNDlAlOiUKq2nBKskYQMY-iagqi55x9z-VOASQn4VoNsuFHoW2dbwfKTrzUAPuVJlKC7M3cWq-vvfi9Lh-BFIGDNSVIBcB8xi4OTB9SkGhyfI-ELB5qVbl2zLDCgoc3crviMjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Millis, MA","date","2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Town of Millis Planning Board voted April 8 to approve two special permits and to continue a third public hearing to May 13.

Dog-park application continued: The board continued a special-permit with site-plan-approval hearing for a proposed private dog park at 131–380 Main Street (applicant: David L. Lapp, Lapp Dog LLC) at the applicant’s request; the hearing was continued to May 13, 2025 at 7:35 p.m.

35 Main Street (restaurant) approved: The board approved a special permit with site-plan approval for demolition of an existing commercial building and construction of a new restaurant at 35 Main Street (applicant: Nancy Cushman, Skippy’s on the River). The approval included standard conditions plus three special conditions discussed at the meeting: (1) inspection of the existing sewer manhole, grease trap and pump chamber before and after construction (in coordination with the Board of Health); (2) the applicant must return to the board with any proposed signage (wall or freestanding) for approval; and (3) installation of a “no parking” sign at the existing boat ramp, as discussed at prior meetings. The board required submission of as-built drawings and an asphalt plan prior to occupancy and clarified that site conditions (e.g., wetlands, sewer capacity) and necessary municipal approvals must be satisfied before final occupancy. The board discussed a timing limit (24 months vs. one year) for substantial completion; members agreed the 24‑month standard used in other permits was acceptable but asked staff to confirm language and that the decision include a one-year extension clause if needed. The motion to approve carried on an “Aye” vote.

Flooding and operations: The board added a condition to address operation during flooding: if site access is blocked (for example, if the road is closed or the building cannot be circumnavigated), the restaurant must suspend in-house dining; limited takeout or curbside operations may be allowed if safe and permitted by other town departments. Board members asked that the condition define what constitutes “substantial flooding” in the permit language to avoid enforcement confusion.

725 Main Street (craft cidery / microbrewery) approved: The board approved a special permit for reuse of the existing Curtin Warehouse at 725 Main Street for a craft cidery/brewery (applicant: Shannon Edgar, Storm Alongcider Inc.). The applicant waived site-plan review for exterior changes, and the board included a loading/parking control condition requiring signage for nine parking spaces opposite loading doors to minimize interaction between truck deliveries and customer parking. The board discussed signage, a proposed wall mural (applicant will return with a separate application), and the applicant’s plans for limited special events; any outside tented events or activities beyond the building footprint would require additional permits. The transcript records the applicant saying they hope to begin fermentation in June but noted mechanical and permitting steps remain.

Votes: The board made and seconded motions to close the respective public hearings and to grant approvals or continuations; votes were recorded as “Aye.”

Background: Public notices for each matter were filed with the town clerk and posted on the Planning Board web page. The hearings and decisions referenced Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 40A §11 for special-permit procedures.

What’s next: Applicants must comply with permit conditions (inspections, signage, as-built plans, and capacity determinations where sewer or septic are applicable). The dog-park hearing will reconvene on May 13, 2025.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Millis, MA - Planning Board 4/8/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 8 meeting the Planning Board approved special permits for a restaurant at 35 Main Street and a craft cidery/brewery at 725 Main Street, continued a dog-park application to May 13, and recorded several site-specific conditions including sewer inspections, signage review, and flood-related operational limits.","taxTitle","Town of Millis, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",54409,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6085102,"Millis planning board recommends ADU bylaw changes, sends amended draft to town meeting",165,27000,192000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904851-8024e27101814ba90f476df73e7256bb&start=27&end=192","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904851-8024e27101814ba90f476df73e7256bb/thumbnail_27000.jpg","/articles/6085102/Massachusetts/Millis-planning-board-recommends-ADU-bylaw-changes-sends-amended-draft-to-town-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085102-49e547e1da7d82bf9afea911b2b7c2cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771040581&Signature=I26Z21s706zxeVnu8xiHhVI96MNlT-UM6lgESkqX-rjDf4-8Y6shTEXK34DoFB-q3PQGfL3BeU2dYFFWdl3zPsVF1iSzAsz7V4Qzo1eBSpBZ9yttjgEPnJ58lMkJ9xPaxi2UHfkKuvrkOm2OXBmbY9q5yOOnSvNYjWflGYuf2rA9NVVOMoK8Z91oXrMjlk-v2IH7xKnFl-Uflm3PXdrWrqlxVlmn8GaoMrYtlW8Yn29BcyE7AH4C1iDjV9Bv2LTtKgJRyrF0hyNlLTsXsWHQWkKaWIfEfdWnTUrQQxAX86GGg~CxlZsKJJwjPjHx2mwVxRlUT1pspfMHedIFMPXYBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Millis Planning Board on April 8 closed a public hearing and voted to send a revised accessory dwelling unit (ADU) zoning bylaw to the annual town meeting with two edits that the board said preserve local review while complying with state requirements. Richard Nichols, chair of the Planning Board, made the motion; the vote to forward the article carried on an “Aye” vote.

The proposed warrant article replaces the town’s existing “accessory family unit” wording with an “accessory dwelling unit” definition and aligns Millis’s bylaw with state ADU requirements. The draft sets a 900-square-foot cap for an ADU, makes the first ADU a right in residential zones subject to site-plan review, and preserves limited local control over placement, parking, setbacks and other design details. The board added language clarifying that a second ADU could be allowed only by special permit.

Why it matters: the state requires communities to allow ADUs by right, and many towns are revising zoning to comply while retaining neighborhood protections. The board said the changes aim to expand housing options while avoiding confusing overlapping rules from older bylaw language.

Planning staff and counsel told the board the amendments are largely a template that was customized for Millis after review by town counsel and the Attorney General’s office. “A lot of towns… either didn’t regulate it at all or some towns would just have a single line,” a staff member summarized while explaining the need to reconcile old in-law apartment rules with the new state framework. The discussion repeatedly returned to one practical tradeoff: allow one ADU by right, and give the town a path to permit a second unit under case-by-case special-permit review.

Board members also debated operational details that will appear in the bylaw and in the site-plan checklist. Key provisions discussed at length:

- One ADU by right; a second ADU may be allowed by special permit. A board member proposed adding a single sentence to the draft (A2) stating “a second ADU may be allowed by special permit,” which counsel said is consistent with state guidance. The board approved language instructing staff to prepare that wording for the warrant article.

- Size and grandfathering. Existing in-law apartments permitted under older special permits retain their grandfathered status; they will not automatically be reclassified to the new 900-square-foot ADU standard if they exceed the new cap without a change to their permit or deed restriction.

- Short-term rentals. The draft prohibits ADUs from being used as short-term rentals defined under state law (rentals of 30 days or fewer). Counsel explained the draft uses the state definition, which refers to rentals of 30 days or less, and the bylaw text therefore referred to “less than 31 days.”

- Parking. The board reviewed a proposed rule that would not count tandem parking (cars parked bumper-to-bumper on the same driveway) as meeting required parking for ADUs in many cases. Supporters said the provision protects future occupants and minimizes conflicts between owners and tenants; opponents said it can be onerous in neighborhoods with small driveways and winter street-parking bans. Board members agreed to keep the tandem-parking prohibition as drafted, noting it can be revisited at a future town meeting if needed.

- Nonconforming structures and district limits. The draft allows ADUs as a permitted use in residential districts and as a possible special-permit use in other districts, but the definition remains explicit that an ADU must be accessory to a principal single-family dwelling unit to avoid enabling nonresidential properties to claim ADU status.

- Site-plan review and technical checks. Even where an ADU is permitted by right, the board will require site-plan review focused on a limited set of criteria (parking, setbacks, compatibility, septic/sewer capacity, and similar issues). The board discussed that septic capacity, sewer capacity determinations and wetlands constraints remain separate approvals and are not automatically granted by a planning-board site-plan decision.

Board chair Richard Nichols moved to close the public hearing and to send the article to town meeting with two edits: (1) revise section A to allow ADUs in other districts by special permit, and (2) add an A2 clause allowing a second ADU by special permit by the Planning Board. The motion was seconded and passed on an “Aye” vote.

What’s next: Staff will prepare final warrant language with the two edits and circulate it to the board and town counsel. The complete draft was posted with the town clerk and is available on the Planning Board web page; the board noted any further bylaw changes would require a future town meeting vote.","After a public hearing April 8, the Town of Millis Planning Board voted to send a revised accessory dwelling unit (ADU) zoning bylaw to town meeting with two amendments: allow first ADU by right with site-plan review and permit a second ADU only by special permit.","actionData","errors"]

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Millis planning board approves two special permits, continues one hearing; conditions set for restaurant and brewery projects

Millis planning board recommends ADU bylaw changes, sends amended draft to town meeting