Woburn City Council: votes and referrals from March 18 meeting

The Woburn City Council voted on many routine and substantive items at its March 18 regular meeting. Below are the formal outcomes recorded during the meeting, summarized for clarity. (This list includes actions taken on agenda petitions and formal votes recorded in the public record.)

Votes at a glance

- Ceremonial: Two resolves recognizing recent Eagle Scout attainments (Lucas Crispo and Connor Wilson) — council adopted both resolves by voice vote.

- Finance referrals: Transfers to salary accounts — orders to transfer $40,000.81 and $129,190.23 were each referred to the Committee on Finance (motions and seconds; voice votes carried).

- Code and salary: An order to amend Woburn Municipal Code section 2‑180 (non‑union salaries) was referred to the Committee on Ordinance, Charter and Rules (motion carried).

- Property deeds/easements: Orders to grant by deed Lot A on Forest Park Circle to Judith Balistrieri and Lot B to William and Lisa Booker were referred to the Committee on Infrastructure and Public Lands; an order to grant a five‑foot easement at 38 Central Street was similarly referred (motions carried).

- Special events and permits: The Boys & Girls Club special event permit for a road race and health walk on May 4, 2025 (Charles Gardner Lane and area streets) was granted (motion carried). Several new special‑permit petitions were referred to public hearings, including 1 20 Commerce Apartments LLC (120 Commerce Way), A & A Window Products (7 Constitution Way, amendment), Moving Abna Bazaar Inc. (335 Washington Street), and a municipal special permit request at 2 Henshaw Street (City of Woburn) — motions to refer to public hearing carried.

- Planning/referrals: A proposed zoning amendment on outdoor dining and related changes (petitioned by Councilor Demers et al.) was referred to public hearing and to the Planning Board (motion carried).

- 288 Mishawam Road (Bright Path childcare / minor modification): The council granted a minor modification to remove condition 15 (related to school‑zone signage) after the applicant reported traffic commission review and requested the change (motion and vote carried).

- City Hall annex, 6 Common Street (municipal use special permit): The council opened a public hearing, heard from the city solicitor and a neighbor (Pastor Freddie Bafuka) who requested deed‑restriction protections. The council voted to condition the special permit on honoring deed restrictions (including “office use only,” limits on hours and height constraints referenced in the deed), and then closed the hearing and granted the special permit (vote recorded: 8 in favor, 1 opposed on record).

- Fire Station, 38 Central Street (municipal use special permit): The public hearing was opened and closed with public comment in favor from an abutter; the council granted the special permit provided an easement to the neighbor is executed and recorded (motion carried).

- Spray Park bathroom building (60 Green Street) – municipal use special permit: The council opened and closed the public hearing and granted the special permit (motion carried).

- Chelsea Glenbrook LLC (200 Bedford Road) — special permits under multiple sections (including non‑conforming structures): The council accepted the planning department’s favorable recommendation and granted special permits with the stated conditions (motions carried).

- Tesla petitions (300 Mishawam Road and 425 Washington Street): Petitions and related Eversource/Anstar location work were continued to the May 6 regular meeting for additional materials/continuances at petitioner request (motions carried to continue).

- Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) zoning amendment (state model language / 760 CMR guidance): The council referred the draft ordinance to the Committee on Ordinance, Charter and Rules and continued the matter to allow committee review and updated state guidance to be incorporated; councilors asked staff and the city solicitor for updated language prior to the committee meeting (motion carried).

- Central Square Overlay (Gustavo Realty): Planning Board recommendation received; public hearing continued to April 15 for petitioner to submit a revised response (motion carried).

- Committee reports and administrative actions: Finance committee reports adopting transfers to settle a fire‑union contract ($740,283.75 transferred from unreserved fund balance to pay a contract settlement) and another transfer totaling $62,700 were adopted; a lease with Cummings Properties for temporary relocation of Fire Station #4 (4F Henshaw Street) was approved; multiple appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions were referred to the appropriate committees or approved per committee report (motions carried).

- School committee presentation and modulars: The council received the School Committee PowerPoint and made it part of the permanent record; the council then placed the matter on file and requested additional cost/site/technical analysis before any capital appropriation (motion carried).

Procedural notes

Many items on the agenda were routine referrals to committee or public hearing; several contested items (notably the Central Square overlay and the school modular proposal) generated extended public comment and were continued for further study. Where recorded, vote tallies were included in the meeting minutes (for example the City Hall annex special permit vote, 8‑1).

Ending: The council handled a mix of routine referrals and contested hearings; where petitioners sought continuances (Tesla, AnStar) or were asked for revisions (Central Square), the council continued the matters to future meetings and requested supplemental materials and committee review.