Hanson Planning Board Schedules Stormwater Overhaul Hearing for August

HANSON — July 14, 2025 — Hanson Planning Board schedules August public hearing on stormwater bylaw overhaul aimed at MS4 compliance. The board voted unanimously July 14 to advance amendments to general bylaw Article 3-21 that would require new development projects of one acre or more to adopt low-impact development practices, meet phosphorus and nitrogen removal standards, and file five years of maintenance reports with the town — changes driven by EPA and MassDEP requirements under the small MS4 permit in effect since 2018. A public hearing is set for August 25, with a placeholder on the October special town meeting warrant, which closes August 8. The board also unanimously approved an approval-not-required lot reconfiguration and a positive adequate access determination for Elms Place LLC on a private way off State Street, conditioning the access approval on widening the travel way to 15 feet with reprocessed asphalt prior to occupancy. Town Planner Tyler Bouchard told the board he was prepared to pursue legal action against the unnamed engineering firm behind the years-delayed High Street Park redesign, saying "I would never recommend this company to do any work for the town of Hanson ever again," and received unanimous board backing to make one final outreach attempt before escalating.