Hatfield Planning Board Reviews Zoning Rewrite Draft
Hatfield's Planning Board spent two hours previewing a ground-up rewrite of the town's zoning bylaw and launched work on a new state-required housing plan.
Planning Board · Meeting of October 7, 2026
Hatfield's Planning Board spent two hours previewing a ground-up rewrite of the town's zoning bylaw and launched work on a new state-required housing plan. Chair Stephanie Slysz presided as consultant Wayne Feiden of the UMass Center for Resilient Metro-Regions walked members through draft sections consolidating zoning administration and merging Town Center, Town Center Business and some overlay districts into a single "Village Center" zone. The board agreed building inspectors, not the planning board, should remain the sole zoning enforcement authority, with violations capped at $300 a day under state law.
RKG Associates principal Eric Halverson introduced the six-month, state-mandated housing production plan, noting the town has roughly $300,000 in Community Preservation Act funds available for affordable housing. The board approved its September 9 minutes unanimously and adjourned at 8:07 p.m. No zoning votes were taken.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,270 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of October 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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