Lakeville Zoning Board Resets Rocky Woods Hearing After Membership Drops to Three

LAKEVILLE — June 9, 2026 — Lakeville's Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to reset the Simmons Hill LLC comprehensive permit hearing, known as Rocky Woods, after board membership fell to three of five required members. Chairman John Oliveri explained that one member resigned after moving out of town, a second has been recused for a conflict of interest since the hearing began, and a third had missed two sessions — one more than the town's adopted Mullins Rule allows. Town Counsel Jay Tallerman outlined the board's established mini-reset procedure, under which the hearing is re-noticed as if new, all prior evidence is folded back into the record at the first new session, and reconstituted membership can participate. Attorney Robert Mather, representing applicant Simmons Hill LLC, submitted a signed letter consenting to the reset and waiving the 180-day decision deadline under MGL Chapter 40B, with the clock restarting from the opening of the re-noticed hearing. The board also waived refiling fees for the applicant. Oliveri said the first new session is not expected before August, and all abutters will receive formal re-notice.