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Select Board actions at a glance: noise waiver, sewer-fee waivers, habitat restriction, parking and letters of support
Summary
At its May 13 meeting the Select Board approved a National Grid noise-waiver for night work, granted sewer-connection fee waivers for eight income‑restricted units at Sparks Avenue, accepted an affordable-housing restriction for Habitat for Humanity at 20 Nancy Lane, designated no-parking on Lovers Lane corridor, and authorized a letter supporting an NP&DC Safe Streets grant.
The Select Board took several discrete procedural and policy actions during the meeting on May 13. Key outcomes are summarized below.
Votes at a glance
- National Grid noise-waiver (South Beach St at Whalers Lane): The board granted a temporary waiver of the downtown noise bylaw between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. to permit night work to repair a switching transformer; the motion carried unanimously (5–0) with the condition that the utility coordinate with businesses and post dates in advance.
- Sewer connection and capacity fee waivers — 18–26 Sparks Ave: Staff requested waivers for sewer connection and capacity fees for the eight units restricted to 80% AMI at the Sparks Ave rental project (part of a 32-unit development). The board approved the waiver consistent with prior practice and requested a future policy review on whether year‑round restricted units warrant a broader policy change; vote unanimous (5–0).
- Acceptance of affordable-housing restriction — 20 Nancy Lane (Habitat for Humanity): The board approved and executed an affordable housing restriction for four Habitat for Humanity homeownership units restricted at 80% AMI; motion carried unanimously (5–0).
- Lovers Lane no-parking designation: DPW requested no-parking on both sides of Lovers Lane (and connected segments) to protect new drainage and bike-path work associated with a larger corridor project. The Select Board approved the request unanimously and DPW will install signage.
- NP&DC USDOT Safe Streets grant letter: The board authorized the chair to sign a letter of support for a grant application to test rumble strips and speed‑reduction pavement markings; motion carried unanimously.
Other procedural approvals included routine minutes and warrants noted during the meeting. Several board members and staff said policy review (including whether driveway approvals should change eligibility for on-street parking permits) should return to a future agenda or workshop for public input.
What’s next: Staff will implement signage and notifications for the approved night work waiver and Lovers Lane no-parking designation, proceed with waiver accounting for the Sparks Avenue units and record the Habitat restriction; administrative follow-up and policy workshops on parking and sewer-fee policy were discussed for later sessions.
