Subcommittee recommends solicitor's redline of Framingham motorboat, personal watercraft ordinance for full council

The Rules, Ordinances and Ethics Subcommittee of the Framingham City Council voted unanimously to recommend the city solicitor’s redlined version of Order 2024-081 to the full council. The order would amend Framingham’s ordinances (chapter 215) to limit the use of motorboats and personal watercraft on bodies of water under 75 acres that are wholly within Framingham.

Subcommittee members agreed to strike their prior draft recommendation in favor of the solicitor’s version, which the chair described as matching the subcommittee’s intent but with additional legal clarity. The maker of the original council request (Councilor Liora Malik) said the solicitor’s edits were acceptable. The motion to recommend the solicitor’s version was made, seconded and approved unanimously.

Members discussed how the item will appear on the full council agenda. Several members asked staff to limit the materials provided to the council to the solicitor’s redline, the accompanying solicitor’s memo and the original ordinance request, rather than including multiple background documents that could confuse reviewers. Subcommittee members also asked staff to ensure that the sizes of Framingham bodies of water (including which are under or over the 75-acre threshold) are included with the materials so councilors and the public can see which waters would be affected.

Ending: The subcommittee closed its business after approving the solicitor’s version by unanimous vote; the item will be scheduled on the full City Council agenda with a concise packet of materials.