TOPSFIELD CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING RULES

The following rules apply to all Conservation Commission meetings and hearings.

  1. Applicants and members of the public: If you wish to speak, please raise your hand and wait to be recognized by the Chair. Thank you.
  1. The Chair determines Order of Presentation of Items on the Agenda.
  1. Public Meetings (e.g. RDA). Only Commission Members, the Administrator, and the Minutes Secretary are entitled to speak during a public meeting. However, a brief presentation is usually requested of the Applicant/Representative. Input from abutters or members of the public is at the discretion of the Chair.
  1. Public Hearings (e.g. NoI, ANRAD). The Chair will ask for a brief presentation by the Applicant/Representative. The Chair may set a time limit for this presentation. The Chair will then entertain questions from Commission members, and after that, from abutters and other members of the public.
  1. Town/ General Business. Unless otherwise stated at a meeting, only Commission Members, the Administrator, and the Minutes Secretary may speak. If you wish to address the Commission during the Town / General Business portion of the meeting, please raise your hand and wait to be recognized by the Chair.
  1. Appropriate items for discussion are limited to issues jurisdictional under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, MGL c. 131 § 40, and Topsfield’s Wetlands General Bylaw, Chapter 62. In the interest of time and relevance, discussion of unrelated issues, such as aesthetics, shall not be allowed.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

Revisions to the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act Regulations, 310 CMR 10.00 became effective March 1, 2005. The standards to establish standing to file an adjudicatory appeal have been tightened. In order to show standing as a basis for such an appeal, ten-citizen groups, aggrieved persons, and abutters need proof of prior participation (a person(s) needs to have submitted written comments during the hearing process).

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

Topsfield MEETING RULES.doc 3/8/2005