10 December, 2014
The Board of Health met on December 8th, 2014. During the meeting, they discussed old business, pressing issues for the upcoming year, and held a public hearing for 196 Lumber St.
The board started with old business, mainly to tie loose ends before the end of the year. Ed Wirtanen, the public health administrator, told the board that there are several applications in limbo because the board failed to approve their requests during 2014 due to noncompliance. The board was concerned that these unapproved requests could become a hazard if the houses were ever sold, and made it a priority to reach out to these applicants so they can re-hear their cases.
The board discussed new business, setting 2015 meeting times and approving the budget. They discussed a report by E.L. Harvey on Hopkinton's annual waste tonnage. They also discussed the results of a federal inspection on Hopkinton Gas, which resulted in a federal tobacco sales violation. Mr. Wirtanen stressed that they were only given a warning, and this was only at the federal level, not state or local. Mr. Winshman, the chair, said that a recent local inspection had turned up no negative results.
The only public hearing of the night was for 196 Main St. The owners were seeking to finish their basement, but were trying to avoid a deed restriction. Under Hopkinton bylaw, the openings between rooms must be at least 8 feet wide for the area to be considered an "open floor plan" and count as one room. The couple was seeking to not increase their room count, but did not want to extend the proposed wall openings in their basement to 8 or more feet wide. These restrictions are in place, in part, to avoid overtaxation of septic or sewer systems; if there are too many "rooms" in one house, there is a potential for too many people to live in the house than the system can handle. The board members drew proposals for a revised floorplan for the basement, hoping to help the homeowners find a middle ground between their desired project and a forced deed restriction. Ms. Belesi advised the homeowners to return with a final version of these revised plans when the board meets again on December 22nd.
The Board of Health next meets on December 22nd, 2014.
