Mayor Calls For Planning Board Alternate Member

BRAINTREE, MA — Mayor Joseph Sullivan is calling for the addition of a new associate member to the planning board.

Under the proposal, the associate would serve as an alternate in the event that one of the five members of the board is unable to attend a meeting or partake in a vote due to a conflict. In an April memo to the town council, Sullivan wrote that having an alternate member would make it easier to satisfy the supermajority requirement, which needs four out of five board members to approve a special permit.

"Currently, whenever there is an application that requires a series of hearings over an extended period, it can be difficult to ensure that at least four or five planning board members are present at each hearing. It sometimes becomes necessary to postpone hearings when one or more of the planning board members is unable to attend, simply to maintain the eligibility of at least four members. This situation delays action on applications, which is frustrating for both applicants and the planning board," Sullivan wrote.

As is the case with the other planning board members, the alternate member would be appointed by Sullivan. The alternate's vote would be limited to special permits.

The town council is scheduled to take up the proposal at their July 9 meeting.

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