Lee Planning Board Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Lee Planning Board met on June 8, 2026, called to order under MGL c.38 Sec. 20, with new member Tim Seuss welcomed. The board reorganized its leadership, approved prior minutes, endorsed a Form A boundary adjustment, heard a preliminary parking expansion proposal from Sharp, and discussed zoning and state permitting for battery energy storage systems.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of the May 11, 2026 meeting were approved as submitted, with board compliments on their quality.
• Correspondence was noted from Great Barrington (public hearing for variances for Shelter Farm LLC on Grobert Road) and from the Town of Lenox (special permits related to an SDR, same matter).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Norbert Johansson of South Lee asked the board to consider liquid-air energy storage as an alternative to lithium batteries, describing it as safer, non-toxic, and free of exotic metals. He said three New England companies work on the technology, offered to share information, and stated he was not representing a lobby.

Discussion Items

• Form A - 140 Wood Duck Road: Surveyor Patrick McClogan requested endorsement of Form A for property owners Rebecca and Abdullah to adjust the lot line near the private cul-de-sac so a lot constrained by ledge can meet setbacks. The homeowners association signed the application. After discussion of private-road implications and setbacks, the board voted unanimously to endorse the Form A.
• Sharp parking expansion - 480 Pleasant Street: Mike Coolie of First Engineering and Alicia Rossi presented an informal concept for about 100 additional parking spaces on two lots Sharp purchased at the end of Marble Street. The plan includes pervious pavement, a small bridge over an intermittent stream, landscaping, lighting, and a walking path; it would consolidate access to improve the Route 102/Marble Street intersection. The proposal would require a special permit because parking in the R20 zone requires one, plus site plan review and Conservation Commission review due to wetlands. Board members voiced strong support for Sharp as a successful local manufacturer and encouraged the applicants to submit a formal application for a special permit hearing.
• Zoning update and use-table work: Brooke reported that the town is still waiting to hear on an EEA technical assistance grant, and that zoning consultant CJ will convene a working group later in June to continue drafting a table of uses. A special town meeting has not yet been scheduled, and the board discussed whether clean-energy work may delay the use table.
• Battery energy storage systems (BESS) and consolidated permitting: The board reviewed state draft model bylaws, example town bylaws, and the state’s new consolidated permitting timeline (optional readiness July 1, mandatory October 1). Brooke proposed consolidating solar, wind, battery storage, and similar facilities into one clean-energy chapter. Board members cautioned against adopting the state model wholesale, asked for quantitative fire-risk data, suppression methods, separation distances, and air-emissions information before setting setbacks, and supported exploring community benefits agreements, visual renderings, landscaping, and wildlife-habitat features such as raised fencing. The board also noted that projects above 25 megawatt-hours are state-permitted and that the existing BESS moratorium expires November 14. Fire Chief Brown was suggested as a technical resource for the next discussion.
• Other staff updates: Brooke noted a tree-planting ceremony at 300 Stockbridge Road (50 sweet gum trees honoring Lee babies), the opening of a mowed path and parking at Cornhill Farm Park, a $250,000 MassDOT grant for a Berkshire Bike Share program with about seven locations, pending grant applications for downtown revitalization and habitat management, and the current short-term rental registry count of 45 properties, with four new unregistered properties to receive notices. The board also briefly discussed state seasonal-community designation and whether minimum frontage requirements may affect housing affordability; no action was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Buck Donovan was elected chair and Peter was elected vice chair for the upcoming year; both votes were unanimous.
• Minutes of May 11, 2026 were approved unanimously.
• The Form A at 140 Wood Duck Road was endorsed unanimously.
• No vote was taken on the Sharp proposal; the board invited a formal special permit and site plan review application to be scheduled.
• The board asked Brooke to prepare a letter recommending the Land Use Department as the local consolidated permitting representative for the Select Board.
• BESS bylaw discussion is expected to continue at the July 13, 2026 meeting, with fire safety input to be brought in; no bylaw changes were voted.