Taking Action On Unfinished Subdivisions

The Seekonk Planning Board is in the process of reviewing incomplete subdivisions throughout town and will be considering formal enforcement/ default findings for a number of these developments at their September 12^th meeting. 

According to Town Planner John Aubin, the Planning Board met with Town Counsel to review their options with regard to enforcement over several of their last meetings. 

 “Under Massachusetts Law the duty to present a newly developed road for acceptance as a public way is upon the developer of that roadway or their successor(s) in interest in the land comprising the road,” Aubin explained. “Until the acceptance process is completed and roadway is laid out by the Select Board and accepted by Town Meeting, the Town has limited ability to legally enter and conduct any work towards completing, repairing, or maintaining public improvements.”

In a joint meeting with the Select Board on June 21, Aubin warned about the future of Chelsea Drive: “Ultimately that roadway is going to fail. The trees are going to get so big that they’re going to impact the stormwater drainage there.”

Aubin said the Planning Board is working to notify the developers of and residents within these developments of any known deficiencies and the fact that their roads are not accepted as public ways. 

“The Planning Board has also reached out to the Select Board and Board of Assessors with regard to the land comprising the roadways in order to assess potential acquisition of necessary public interest (ownership) in the roadway parcels,” Aubin said. “It is hoped that these efforts will result in either encouraging or compelling the completion of any incomplete public improvements and deferred maintenance and facilitate the ultimate presentation of the roadways in question for formal acceptance by Town Meeting.”