Planning Board approves home-occupation for local plumber, schedules special-permit hearing for Valore Laser Boutique

At its April 22 meeting, the Hampden Planning Board approved a home-occupation permit for Mason Lewis (Ridge Line Plumbing & Heating) and set a target public hearing date for Valore Laser Boutique after reviewing required filings.

Home-occupation approval: Mason Lewis told the board he intends to operate a one-person plumbing business from his home as an office base, with no exterior storage, no on-site customers expected regularly, and no hazardous materials. Board members reviewed the town’s home-occupation standards (Section 7.12) — which limit employees to one person, prohibit nuisances (noise, odor, dust, etc.), and forbid exterior storage and signage — and then moved to approve the permit; members voted in favor.

Valore Laser Boutique scheduling: An applicant representing Valore Laser Boutique described an appointment-based medical aesthetic clinic (procedures described as laser hair removal, facial rejuvenation, vein removal and microneedling) and said business hours would generally be Tuesday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with limited Saturday hours. The applicant said the lease starts next month and requested a public hearing for a special permit; the board discussed notice and publication requirements, certified abutter lists (the assessor’s office provides certified lists and charges a $35 fee), and the special-permit fee ($100). The board agreed to target July 22 for the hearing if the applicant files a completed application, certified abutter list and fee in time for advertising (two consecutive weekly publications are required).

Quotations from the meeting: Mason Lewis said, “I’ve been plumbing for about 12 years now and ... it’s time to go out on my own,” describing the home-occupation as principally office-based. The Valore applicant explained the clinic’s scope and schedule and noted the lease start; board staff summarized the paper-notice and certified-abutter timeline.

Next steps: Staff will accept the Valore application and certified abutters list; if received in time for the publication schedule, the board will publish notices on July 2 and July 9 and hold the hearing on July 22. The home-occupation approval for Mason Lewis is final subject to any standard filing procedures.