NAHANT — The Planning Board met Tuesday evening to discuss upcoming hearings the board will have with the Short Term Rental Committee and a citizens group in March.
Both groups seek to change some of the town’s bylaws, which will be discussed in further detail at the hearings. The citizens group will present an alternative proposal to that of the committee.
“I received from the town administrator the amendments to the zoning bylaws,” Planning Board Chair Robert Steinberg said. “I also received the formal citizens petition and we will need to have hearings on both matters.”
The two amendments to the zoning bylaws were sent in Feb. 15 from the Short Term Rental Committee and the citizens group. The hearings will occur March 13 and March 14.
Wayne Wilson, Nahant’s building inspector, will attend the short term rental hearing on March 13.
“For the Short Term Rental Committee, which is a town-approved committee to make recommendations with respect to all aspects of short term housing including zoning, I have asked Wayne … to explain how and why they came to the conclusions they came to, why they’re recommending them, and what impact they think this their proposal will have on the town,” Steinberg said.
Dan Dolce of Nahant will be presenting on March 14 on behalf of the citizens group, Steinberg said.
“I asked Dan Dolce to do the same thing (as Wilson) and also explain what occurred that causes citizens group to feel that they should file citizens petition … just so we understand what the general thinking in terms of why they proceeded the way they did,” Steinberg said.
Steinberg added that he also asked Dolce about the impacts his groups proposal would have and why they think it is better than that of the committee.
Steinberg has also asked for Town Counsel Dan Skrip to attend both hearings.
“There are going to be legal issues and legal questions,” Steinberg said. “I was a lawyer 25 years ago but it’s not a municipal lawyer, that’s a whole special set of laws, so I can’t anticipate what they’re going to be in advance.”
Steinberg also said that the board will submit a notice of both hearings to The Daily Item later this week.
Steinberg also announced at the meeting that marijuana bylaws have been submitted to Town Clerk Diane Dunfee. He said that a notice to the public of this will be sent out this week.
“We just want to send out a general notice that we have issued regulations for marijuana establishments,” Steinberg said.
Correction: Due to incorrect information on Nahant.org, this article previously labeled Robert Steinberg as secretary of the town’s Planning Board. Steinberg is chair of the Planning Board.
