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Select Board places movable tiny-home petition on June 29 special town meeting warrant after contested discussion
Summary
A petition to allow movable tiny homes as a special-permit accessory dwelling prompted extended debate about procedure and public notice; petitioner Amy Turnbull presented modifications and the board voted to include the articles on the June 29 special town meeting warrant so voters can decide.
The Dalton Select Board voted June 22 to place a petitioned article on the June 29 special town meeting warrant that would amend local bylaws to allow movable tiny homes by special permit, after a lengthy debate over whether the matter should be heard at a special meeting or deferred to the annual town meeting.
Amy Turnbull, the petitioner, attended and presented two proposed "insubstantial modifications" to the warrant language: one correcting which section should list the special-permit authority and the other removing a reference to the International Residential Code Appendix Q to avoid confusion about inspection standards. Turnbull said she worked with the regional planning commission on wording and that she could offer her suggested edits at the meeting. "I have done my due diligence," she told the board.
Several select board members, including John, objected to bringing a controversial zoning change to a special town meeting, arguing such items merit fuller public attention at the annual meeting. Opponents said a special meeting with a small turnout could overturn existing mobile-home zoning that restricts placement to mobile-home parks. Supporters and the town attorney, by contrast, said procedure required placing the article on the special-meeting warrant because of a prior administrative error and that voters should be allowed to decide.
Board discussion also clarified that the petitioned article would allow movable tiny homes only by special permit, not "by right," and that special-permit review would include public notice and planning-board oversight. The board ultimately approved the warrant as presented so the matter can be debated and decided at the June 29 special town meeting.
The petitioner said she intends to attend the town meeting to explain the proposed language and to offer her modifications on the floor if appropriate. The board encouraged affected residents to follow the special-meeting materials that the town will publish in advance.
