The Board may hire outside consultants to aid in accomplishing these tasks. The purpose of the sub-division control law is to protect general safety, convenience and welfare of residents by regulating the design and construction of ways and insuring proper sanitary conditions and sub-divisions. Due regard must be given to the provision of adequate access, lessening of congestion, reducing danger to life and limb, securing safety from fire, flood and other emergencies, compliance with zoning regulations and the coordinating of ways in a sub-division with each other and with other public ways. A sub-division is a division of a tract of land into two or more lots, the frontage of which is not on a public way or a way in an approved sub-division or a way in existence when the sub-division control law became effective in the town having, in the opinion of the Planning Board, sufficient width, suitable grades and adequate construction to provide for the needs of vehicular traffic in relation to the proposed use of the land abutting thereon or served thereby.
Copies of the Sub-Division Control Law are available for sale at the Town Clerk's office.
State law also requires that the Planning Board hold public hearings with regard to proposed adoption and/or amendment of zoning by-laws and report with recommendations to the town meeting. No public way in town shall be laid out, altered, relocated or discontinued unless it has first been referred to the Planning Board and the board has reported thereon. No plan of any land may be recorded in the Registry of Deeds without first bearing the endorsement of the Board as to whether or not the plan shows a sub-division.
The Planning Board does not have the authority to alter the existing zoning requirements in regard to frontage and areas as it relates to any lot or in any other manner. The Rehoboth Planning Board employs a part time Town Planner who reviews existing Planning Board Rules and Regulations, zoning by-laws and the Sub-Division Control Law and drafts proposed amendments to these. The Planner also reviews all plans submitted to the Planning Board and makes recommendations on each.
|
