COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
THE TRIAL COURT
LAND COURT DEPARTMENT
DEW DEVELOPMENT, LLC, 1380 BEDFORD STREET, BRIDGEWATER, MA 02324 v. TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER PLANNING BOARD, STEPHEN ELLIOT, ROBERT IAFREATE, THOMAS PRATTI AND DENNIS KEOUGH, AS MEMBERS OF THE BRIDGEWATER PLANNING BOARD
19 LCR 183a
MISC 06-333587
PLYMOUTH, ss.
April 22, 2011
Cutler, J.
JUDGMENT
In this action, Plaintiff Dew Development, LLC (“Dew Development”) appeals, pursuant to G.L. c. 41, § 81BB, the November 13, 2006 decision of the Town of Bridgewater Planning Board (the “Board”) disapproving the Plaintiff’s application to develop a seven-lot subdivision, to be known as “Dew Drop Estates.” The Board’s decision recited three reasons for denying subdivision approval. On January 11, 2008, the Court (Lombardi, J.) issued an Order allowing summary judgment in the Plaintiff’s favor as to two of the three reasons for disapproval recited by the Board. The Judge, however, denied summary judgment to both parties as to the validity of the third reason, leaving for trial the single issue of whether the Plaintiff’s proposed subdivision plan complies with the minimum “sight distance” requirement contained in the Bridgewater Subdivision Rules and Regulations.
The trial on the remaining issue was held on August 3, 2010. For the reasons set forth in the Decision issued by the Court (Cutler, J.) on April 22, 2011, the Plaintiff has failed to meet its burden to establish that the Plan it submitted to the Board complied with the minimum 200-foot sight distance requirement set forth in Section IV.C.4 of the Board’s Subdivision regulations, as cited as reason No. 2 in the Board’s decision. Therefore, where the Plan plainly shows less than 200 feet of sight distance in at least one respect, and because the Plaintiff did not request or receive a waiver from the minimum sight distance requirement, this court will not disturb the Board’s decision denying subdivision approval.
Accordingly, the Plaintiff’s Complaint is hereby DISMISSED.
SO ORDERED.
By the court (Cutler, J.)