Published in the November 6, 2020 edition.
WAKEFIELD — Voters will be asked to deal with 11 articles when the fall Regular Town Meeting convenes this Saturday at the field house at Wakefield Memorial High School.
Town Moderator William Carroll will gavel the meeting open at 8 a.m. Seating in the field house will be socially distanced and outdoor seating will be provided for those who prefer it. Masks will be required unless one cannot be worn for medical reasons.
Under Article 1, voters will be asked to hear and accept Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio’s recap of the FY 2020 (last year’s) budget.
Article 2 will ask Town Meeting authorize the Board of Assessors to use $2 million in Free Cash to balance the Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
Under Article 3, voters will be asked to authorize the borrowing of $2 million for a feasibility study concerning the proposed reconstruction of the Wakefield Memorial High School. The High School has been accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s funding program. The feasibility study is part of a process required by the MSBA to determine Wakefield’s eligibility for funding.
Article 4 asks that the town accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, allowing a veteran whose domicile is held by a trustee, conservator or other fiduciary for the veteran’s benefit to claim the same real estate tax exemptions to which such veteran would be entitled if he or she owned the domicile outright.
Under Article 5 voters will be asked to accept the provisions of Mass. General Laws exempting from real estate tax the domicile of surviving parents or guardians of soldiers, sailors and National Guard members who died in active service or as a result of such service.
Article 6 is a citizen petition asking Town Meeting to amend the Zoning Bylaw to allow the Zoning Board of Appeals to grant to banks in the business district special permit relief from certain dimensional requirements of the Zoning Bylaw. In granting such relief, the ZBA would also be required to determine that the granting of a special permit will not adversely affect the health, safety, convenience, character or welfare of the neighborhood or the town. Articles seeking to amend the Zoning Bylaw require a two-thirds majority of Town Meeting voters.
Article 7 will ask Town Meeting to vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or borrow $2,150,000 for the purpose of settling a claim asserted by The Woods, LLC with respect to environmental contamination allegedly caused by the town on certain real property known and numbered as 94 Butler Ave.
Article 8 is sponsored by the Environmental Sustainability Committee and seeks to amend the town’s General Bylaws to prohibit the use of foam polystyrene food containers and packaging by food service establishments and the sale or use of those products by any business in the Town of Wakefield. The article would establish fines for violations. The first offense will result in a warning. The second offense carries a fine of $100. The third offense will result in a fine of $200. Fourth and subsequent offense would carry a $300 fine. Each day a violation continues will constitute a separate offense. Enforcement will fall to the Town Administrator or his or her designee. The Town Administrator may grant waivers based on hardship or other reasons set forth in the proposed bylaw.
Article 9 is also sponsored by the Environmental Sustainability Committee. It would amend the General Bylaws to expand the current plastic bag ban to include restaurants. It also bans thicker plastic bags, which were previously exempt. In addition, if this article is approved, restaurants would not be allowed to offer single-use plastic drinking straws, stirrers or cutlery to customers but may furnish them if specifically requested by a customer.
Article 9 also sets forth a schedule of fines for violations. The first offense will result in a warning. The second offense carries a fine of $100. The third offense will result in a fine of $200. Fourth and subsequent offense would carry a $300 fine. Each day a violation continues will constitute a separate offense. Enforcement will fall to the Town Administrator or his or her designee. The Town Administrator may grant waivers based on hardship or other reasons set forth in the proposed bylaw.
Articles 10 and 11 are proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw spearheaded by the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt and seek to limit development around the Lake.
Article 10 is a citizen petition that would amend the Zoning Bylaw’s Table of Use Regulations to prohibit residential uses in the Limited Business zoning district including assisted living facilities, garden apartments, attached dwelling complexes and mid-rise apartment buildings.
Article 11 is another citizen petition. It seeks to amend the Zoning Bylaw’s Table of Use Regulations to prohibit certain residential uses in the Limited Business District by prohibiting mid-rise apartment buildings. Article 11 would further add text to restrict residential development to 14 units per acre of lot area in the Limited Business District.
As amendments to the Zoning Bylaw, articles 10 and 11 would require a two-thirds majority for passage.
The full text and further information on all Town Meeting articles is available on the town’s web site at wakefield.ma.us/.
