Lee Planning Board Meeting - October 27, 2025

The Lee Planning Board met on October 27, 2025 (note: the transcript contains a statement that "today's date is the 20th," creating a discrepancy with the provided meeting date). The meeting covered approval of previous minutes, a Form A lot line adjustment, a minor site plan review for a fitness center addition, and a detailed discussion of a comprehensive zoning use table update.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes of September 20 and September 22, 2025.
• Correspondence was noted as having nothing new.

Discussion Items

• Form A for 160/180 Laurel Street: Mike Schaefer from Huntley Associates presented an ANR plan to adjust the lot line between 160 and 180 Laurel Street, creating Lot A (to be combined with 160) and reducing the remaining lot to approximately 17,751 square feet. The board discussed minimum lot size requirements with town water and sewer (50% reduction allowed per zoning footnote) and noted a shed near the new boundary that the applicant agreed to move. The board voted to endorse the plan conditional on the shed being relocated to comply with the 10-foot setback. The survey revealed a historical deed error affecting the northern neighbor, but the boundary is not contested.
• Minor Site Plan Review – Soul Sports and Fitness (925 Pleasant Street): Justin and Ashley Soles, owners, and their engineer presented a proposal to add a 40' x 60' open-space rear addition to their existing fitness facility. The addition would be set back from side property lines, with no work in the floodplain (Conservation Commission approval obtained). Parking was a key concern; the engineer showed a conceptual layout for up to 30 spaces, though the owners stated peak usage rarely exceeds 15 clients. The board noted that no defined parking ratio exists for this use. Discussion also covered lighting, landscaping, existing building non-conformities, and a foundation permit issued at the applicant's own risk. The board accepted the application as a minor site plan and voted to approve it conditionally.
• Zoning Use Table and Bylaw Update: Andy McKeever (Berkshire Regional Planning Commission) presented a draft table consolidating all uses from the current zoning bylaw into a single reference. The board engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about simplifying terminology, removing redundant uses (e.g., senior housing subcategories), transferring special permit authority from the Zoning Board of Appeals to the Planning Board, addressing missing uses like battery energy storage and EV charging, and revising the Adaptive Reuse Overlay District (ARAD) thresholds. Members expressed interest in a joint meeting with the ZBA to discuss jurisdiction changes. The board agreed to continue refining the table and definitions, targeting a town meeting warrant article by March 2026, with a second phase for accessory uses and additional substantive updates.

Key Outcomes

• Form A endorsed with condition to move the shed to meet setback requirements.
• Minor site plan for Soul Sports and Fitness approved with condition that a detailed dimensioned parking plan (including driveway, spaces, and handicap access) be filed with the board.
• Planning Board will invite the Zoning Board of Appeals to a future meeting (tentatively November 10, 2025) to discuss transferring special permit authority for certain uses to the Planning Board.
• The board will continue work on the use table and related definitions, aiming for a town meeting amendment in spring 2026, while also preparing a bylaw for battery energy storage systems given state deadlines.
• A discrepancy was noted between the official meeting date (October 27, 2025) and a comment in the transcript stating "today's date is the 20th." This may be a transcription error or refer to a different document date.