The notice you received in the mail tells you when the public hearing is scheduled. It is also published in the legal notice section of the local newspaper. At the first hearing, the applicant will present plans and explain what is proposed for the Board and the audience. The Board will ask questions. Generally where clarification is needed. There will be an opportunity for those in the audience to ask questions or offer opinions. Comments may also be submitted in writing. Since the Board often hears several projects in an evening, hearings last a specified period of time. At the end of this time, the hearing may be either closed or continued.
Occasionally, for simple projects, hearings can be completed in one night and are closed; meaning that no further testimony is taken. More often, hearings will be continued with direction given by the Board to the application on revisions to the plans or information that is needed. Continued hearings may be several weeks or months in the future depending on how long it takes the applicant to gather the required information and the Board's workload.
Occasionally, the hearing process is delayed due to weather, the absence of a Board member or at the applicant's request. To verify that a hearing is being held on a scheduled date, you can call the Planning and Community Development office.
If a Public Hearing is continued or delayed, abutters notices will not be sent back out. Please refer to the Agenda Center and Bulletin Boards.