The Select Board on Jan. 7 reviewed a draft warrant for a Feb. 3 special town meeting and voted to send most proposed articles to the Finance Committee but removed one controversial zoning proposal after neighborhood opposition.

The warrant contains a mix of housekeeping finance items and zoning and bylaw amendments. Staff recommended—and the board voted to forward favorably to Finance Committee—routine articles including appropriation of unpaid FY24 bills, acceptance and appropriation of Transportation Network (ride‑share) receipts into the senior transportation fund, updates to a periodic inspections bylaw to align with the state building code, a bylaw tightening around electronic leashes and dog control, an update to the kennel definition (increasing the by‑right threshold), revisions to garage definitions and to signage and outdoor lighting rules, and an updated floodplain bylaw consistent with FEMA and 310 CMR requirements.

The most contested article was Article 6, which would have extended the Tapleyville overlay district across the rail trail to include parcels at 141 and 146 Pine Street. Planning staff and the consultant said the overlay is intended to preserve neighborhood‑scale commercial uses and discourage large multifamily developments; they noted that under current zoning the preexisting commercial uses on those parcels could be subject to a lower bar for conversion to other nonconforming uses. Several neighborhood speakers asked the board to remove Article 6 from the warrant to allow time for traffic, parking and density impact studies and to let the community review potential sales and development plans for adjacent parcels. After public comment and Select Board discussion, a board member moved to remove Article 6 from the warrant and that motion passed (one abstention recorded). The board voted to close the warrant on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 4 p.m.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded at the Jan. 7 meeting)

- Approval to send Article 1 (unpaid FY24 bills) to Finance Committee: forwarded favorably.
- Approval to appropriate Transportation Network receipts ($22,288.70) to Senior Transportation: forwarded favorably.
- Approval of periodic inspections bylaw updates (Chapter 9B): forwarded favorably.
- Approval of dog control/electronic leash bylaw update: forwarded favorably.
- Approval of kennel definition change (increase threshold): forwarded favorably.
- Approval to forward garage definition and use table changes: forwarded favorably.
- Floodplain bylaw update (FEMA‑reviewed text): forwarded favorably (subject to FEMA map timing). If FEMA’s new map date is not received in time, staff said the article may be deferred.
- Groundwater protection district map update (deleting a northeastern area no longer active as a well source): forwarded favorably.
- Signage and outdoor lighting bylaw updates: forwarded favorably.
- Article 6 (Tapleyville overlay expansion to include 141 and 146 Pine Street): REMOVED from the warrant for further study after substantial neighborhood concerns.

Ending

The Select Board closed the warrant for submission by the Jan. 8 deadline, with most articles forwarded to Finance Committee. Staff will post the final warrant and supporting materials and continue outreach on Article 6 with neighborhood stakeholders; several items require further timing coordination with state agencies (for example FEMA maps) before an article can be finalized.