Rochester’s Board of Selectmen on Monday approved postponing the Special Town Meeting originally scheduled for January 6 to January 27.
Town Administrator Cameron Durant said the change to the later date was an easy decision for the board to make after noting the articles for the meeting need more preparation time. He said the public needs the proper notification period before the Planning Board holds its public hearings on the proposed warrant articles, and the Bylaw Review Committee requires more time to craft its own proposals.
The final approval vote included the motion that the special town meeting also be extended to January 28 if the meeting needs more time to vote on its articles or if there is an inclement weather delay.
The board then approved referring the articles proposed for the meeting to the Planning Board for public hearings. One such article revises the town’s battery energy storage system regulations. Durant said this bylaw was approved at a previous town meeting, but the town needs to tweak its language, adding protection of water resource areas.
Another article revised was the Solar Screening bylaw. “It will create standards for blocking the view of solar arrays from residential and natural resource areas,” Durant said.
The articles being proposed by the Bylaw Review Committee that the board referred to the Planning Board Monday regard new regulations for accessory dwelling units and short-term rentals and tweaking the regulations for use variances. Durant said the state has passed a law allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on residential properties by right. “We need to get ahead of this issue,” he said. The new town-imposed regulations and restrictions, he said, would limit the number of ADU units in town. Registration and review by the Building Commissioner will be required, “creating revenue opportunities for the town,” he said. Abutters will also have to be notified when such a rental plan is being proposed.
In other action, the board signed a $23,736.57 change order for the Cranberry Highway Overlay District Infrastructure Improvements project, for the construction of curbing and sidewalk along the district.
In response to the fact plans are in the works to replace it with a totally-new playground, the board declared the current Gifford Park playground equipment as surplus so it can be torn down and auctioned off. Acting Chairman Adam Murphy and fellow Selectman Paul Ciaburri agreed that the Highway Department shall dismantle the old equipment and store the pieces in the Highway Barn. Then, the pieces will be auctioned through a sealed bid process, to begin on November 18 and extend to December 2 when the bids will be opened.
The board accepted SEMASS donation fund requests, specifically $800 for Snipatuit water monitoring equipment and $8,000 for town hall monument brick work. Durant noted Town Planner Nancy Durfee has been using SRPEDD-loaned equipment for water monitoring and the agency now wants that equipment back.
Durant reported that meeting packets and agendas will now be available the day of said meeting on the town website. He also noted there is now a Photo Contest on the website urging residents to send in photos for it.
The select board did not set a new meeting date before adjourning to hold an executive session.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
by Michael J. DeCicco