Attendance an issue at Swampscott planning board

SWAMPSCOTT – Developers and members of the Planning Board shared frustration in procedural “bureaucracy” as preliminary discussions intended to facilitate and assure a project’s approval have been hampered by board members not attending meetings.”I think a genuine point is made that if we have to go through this [discussion] all over again ? it’s just bureaucratic,” said Planning Board Member Sylvia Belkin at the board’s Monday evening meeting.Developers met with the board in August as well as Monday night to discuss their intent to construct a 4,022-square-foot single-story commercial building at the Humphrey Street site of the 10,735 square-foot residential and commercial building that was burned in March. Before filing their application for a required site plan special permit – triggered by the proposal’s size – the developers’ attorney Kenneth Shutzer requested certain requirements be waived due to the proposal’s reduced size, “redundancies” and optional elements in the application.At their August meeting, board members Sylvia Belkin, Angela Ippolito and George Potts said they wanted to discuss potential waivers with the rest of the board. Developers returned Monday night hoping for that discussion. But only three of the five board members attended. Jeffrey Blonder had said at the last minute that he was unable to attend, but Potts had not said he would not attend, board Chair Patrick Jones said.Shutzer said the meeting was helpful, but expressed concern that the developers would be presented with objections when they sought approval next month.”All I need is five members from you, though I think it’s helpful to discuss this so that we know” what to file, Shutzer said.Jones said that he would circulate a letter to the board members cataloguing the board’s discussion about the proposal prior to the next meeting and develop a checklist of items required for a site plan special permit.