What is the application procedure?

Applying for Site Plan or Subdivision approval involves the following steps:

1. A pre-application meeting with staff (this is not required but is encouraged, particularly on large, complicated, or sensitive projects).
2. Submission of a complete application by the deadline date (28 days prior to Planning Board meeting)
3. Notification to applicant if proposal does not meet requirements.
4. A Technical Review Committee (TRC) meeting with City departments, attended by agent, or by applicant if there is no agent.
5. Filling out and mailing of notices to abutters (via certified mail) by applicant.
6. A public hearing before the Planning Board.  All parties, including agent, applicant, abutters, and other interested parties with standing, may speak.
7. Planning Board acceptance of application as being complete and consideration of requests for waivers.
8. Planning Board action to approve (almost always with conditions), deny, or continue application to a subsequent meeting.  Final action is usually taken after only 1, 2, or 3 meetings.
9. Parties seeking to appeal any final Planning Board action must petition the superior court within 30 days of posting of the decision.