Erving Planning Board Advances ADU Rules, French King District Debate

ERVING -- October 15, 2020, Erving Planning Board advances zoning rewrite covering ADUs, French King district, and a state floodplain mandate. Meeting remotely on October 15, the board, led by member Mike Schaefer in the chair role, approved minutes from three prior sessions and reached informal consensus that attached accessory dwelling units should be allowed by right in all zoning districts, while detached ADUs would require a special permit everywhere in town. Members debated retaining the French King district as a distinct zone, agreed multi-family housing there should be by special permit, and flagged redundant drive-through language for review by town counsel. Assistant Town Planner Mariah flagged a state-required floodplain bylaw update, telling the board "we're forced to do this, we don't have a choice," with members agreeing she would read through the state model language before the November 19 regular meeting.