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Woburn Planning Board adopts universal five-minute limit for public testimony in hearings
Summary
After debating legal risk and practicality, the Planning Board agreed to a universal five-minute time limit for public testimony at all public hearings and asked staff to update the procedural rules and return the revised language in January.
WOBURN, Mass. — The Woburn City Planning Board on Dec. 10 debated and resolved language for public comment procedures in draft procedural rules, choosing a uniform five-minute time limit for individual public speakers at all public hearings.
Board members and counsel framed the discussion around the SJC decision in Baron v. Kalinda, which limited a chair's authority to stop speakers absent a clear, content-neutral rule. Planning Board members Claudia Bolgan and Carolyn Turner presented two alternatives in draft language: an ad-hoc chair-discretion approach and a universal time limit that provides a clear "safe harbor" for chair actions. Counsel and staff recommended a universal limit to reduce legal exposure while preserving public participation.
After extended discussion about whether the limit should be 10, 5 or some other number, and whether applicants and proponent presentations should be treated differently, the board agreed to fix the public-speaking limit at five minutes, remove variable chair-only reductions from the draft, and provide a clear written alternative (submission of additional written testimony to the Planning Board office or by email). Staff will update the procedural rules (section 4.5F) and present the redlined version at the January meeting for formal placement on a future agenda.
