Planning staff previews town-meeting warrant: ADU rule changes, zoning edits and transportation updates

Planning staff gave the Westborough planning board an overview of town-meeting warrant articles and ongoing transportation and housing work during the Feb. 4 meeting.

Jenny, planning/community development staff, said the state's "Affordable Homes Act" took effect on Feb. 2 and requires municipalities to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by right in single-family districts. Westborough's proposed bylaw would expand local rules to permit detached ADUs while keeping the town's current limit of 1,000 square feet or 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area — whichever is smaller. The draft also preserves the local ability to require a special permit for ADU proposals that exceed dimensional limits and allows the municipality to continue to prohibit short-term rentals for ADUs, consistent with state law. "The bylaw as written reflects what is required by the legislation," Jenny said; she reminded the board that the public hearing on the ADU article will be Feb. 25 and that the Attorney General's office is reviewing draft language.

Jenny also outlined a warrant article to revise zoning sections 5.3 and 5.4 and the table of uses to correct inconsistencies, move special-permit authority for municipal projects in the M1 district to the planning board or zoning board of appeals, and allow customary uses (for example, seasonal Christmas tree sales) that the table had mistakenly prohibited. She said redlined changes are included in the posted article.

Other warrant items described included acceptance of 190 and 212 Oak Street as a gift (the conservation commission declined to take the parcels) and a request to authorize the select board to accept a sidewalk easement at 2 Bridle Lane as a condition of a prior site plan review.

Kristen provided transportation and housing updates: two MassDOT projects (a Safe Routes to School shared-use path on Fisher/Gibbons at 25% design and a TIP project scheduled for 2029 along Route 30), the installation of 12 "vulnerable road-user" signs around town, and a WRTA follow-up report recommending short-, medium- and long-term transit route adjustments. On affordable housing, she said the trust is advancing small projects: 3 Baylor (a new three-bedroom house pending permit and erosion-bond payment) and site-testing for 6 Beach Street and the High Street Extension.

Staff announced a wayfinding/branding public meeting Feb. 24 and said downtown plan outreach with a hired engineering consultant will start in early summer. Board members were encouraged to email questions ahead of the public ADU hearing and to review redlined warrant articles posted with the agenda.

What happens next: the public hearing for zoning and ADU articles is scheduled for Feb. 25; staff will present a more detailed report to the select board on Feb. 11.