Plympton Zoning Board Extends 40B Hearing Deadline to March 31 Over Peer Review Dispute

PLYMPTON -- December 17, 2025, Plympton Zoning Board extends 40B comprehensive permit hearing to March 31 after peer review impasse. The board voted unanimously at its December 17 meeting to push the public hearing completion deadline from February 13 to March 31, 2026, after the applicant objected to both hydrogeology peer review firms that had submitted proposals, alleging bias against one and excessive cost against the other. Consultant Greg Driscoll said additional firms would be contacted and told the board, "I would absolutely say you need more time because at this rate, even if you were to go with GEI as of today, they were still planning on sometime like early January to get their report in." Alternate member Dave Alberti was seated as the evening's third voting member after a regular member was disqualified for excessive absences. The board set follow-up hearings for January 14, focused on selecting a peer reviewer and reviewing department head comments, and February 4, when updated waiver requests revised to reflect current Board of Health regulations are expected. A separate appeal filed December 8 by a party identified as Mr. Opechinski, challenging a zoning enforcement officer's cease-and-desist order for tree removal, was tentatively scheduled for a January 14 public hearing pending legal notice publication deadlines.