Town manager outlines planning-board notification practice, FY26 budget timeline

Town Manager Rodney delivered two administrative updates to the Select Board: a memorandum on public-notice practices for land-use applications and a calendar for the FY26 budget and town-meeting schedule.

Rodney read a memorandum from Aaron Henry, director of land use and community services, explaining that state law requires notices for planning, subdivision, special permit, variance and conservation filings. The board was told the town's staff has historically used a uniform 300-foot notification radius for all filings (even when the conservation statute requires only 100 feet) and that staff sometimes includes additional, technically nonrequired "interested" recipients within that 300-foot circle.

Rodney said staff had received feedback on notifications and proposed a follow-up: convene staff to develop ways to expand and clarify notification going forward, separating legally required party-of-interest notice (statutory 14-day notice to parties of interest) from broader community outreach and notification.

He also presented the FY26 calendar: Select Board budget review on Saturday, March 15; select board warrant review April 1 (and April 3, if needed); Finance Committee budget review April 14, 16, 17; Finance Committee warrant review April 28 and April 30; and Annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 19, 2025. He reminded the public that special-town-meeting caucuses and nomination papers for the annual election have set dates in early February. Rodney said staff would return with a proposal to expand notification methods.