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September Town Meeting Eyed

By Scott MacKeen
Staff Writer
7/1/10
The Board of Selectmen is eyeing a fall Town Meeting date to deal with zoning issues, a new liquor license and potential budget cuts.

Selectmen said June 24 they are tentatively setting Sept. 20 to convene Town Meeting, a date they have been considering for a few weeks. They plan to take up the warrant articles this month and close the warrant by mid-August.

“We need to say tonight we’re thinking seriously about having a Special Town Meeting,” said Selectmen Chair Marion McEttrick.

One article would be a request by the owners of Ichiro Sushi in East Milton Square for a beer-and-wine license. The restaurant owners want the license so they can serve sake. The owners brought their request to the board, saying they have had many requests to serve sake.

Selectmen expressed general support of the idea.

“Your reputation is very good. You run a clean operation,” said Selectman John Shields of the restaurant, located at 538 Adams St.

McEttrick said the request is understandable, as the Abby Park restaurant just a few doors down has the ability to serve alcohol. Town Administrator Kevin Mearn said the request from Ichiro originated two years ago, but officials asked the restaurant to hold off as they were busy considering other liquor licenses at the time.

Selectmen voted to include the request in a warrant article for the next Town Meeting.

The process to acquire a liquor license in Milton is a long one, as McEttrick explained. First, Town Meeting has to authorize the town to file a home rule petition with the State House. If the bill is approved and signed into law by the governor – a process that can take many months – Selectmen must hold a public hearing before taking a vote. Final approval of the license comes from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.

“It can take quite a while,” said McEttrick.

Meanwhile, according to Shields, “I think we’re going to need to have a [fall] Town Meeting just for the budget,” something the town has had to do the past two years to execute adjustments midyear.

In attempt to shrink budget gaps, the state has reduced its financial support to cities and towns and is expected to do so again for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1.

The only question is when and by how much.

“We have been proactive and not reactive” in reacting to budget cuts the past two years, said Shields.

Town Meeting may also be asked to implement the new state “stretch code,” which would set building-code requirements for new residential and commercial construction over 3,000 square feet, as well as additions and renovations.

Part of the Department of Energy Resources’ Green Communities Program, the stretch code encourages environmentally friendly construction by requiring that all buildings “minimize life-energy costs.” The goal of the program is to have municipalities reduce energy costs by 20 percent over a five-year span.

Under the code, those looking to build in town may pay more toward the purchase of energy-efficient materials, but the long-term savings make it a worthy undertaking, Town Planner Bill Clark said.

“Yes, you’re paying a little bit more. But your payback comes on the utility-bill side. You’re getting a longer period of return,” he said.

Another Town Meeting article connected to the Green Communities Program would set as-of-right zoning at the old landfill site off Randolph Avenue, where a wind turbine is going up.

As-of-right zoning sets an “expedited permitting” process on green-energy projects by requiring that they gain approval within one year of the initial application. Under the zoning, such projects require only site plan approval and not a special permit, as is currently the case.

The building commissioner would grant final approval based upon the same criteria considered in the Planning Board permitting process, according to Clark.

As-of-right zoning means that a specific site or sites chosen may be developed for the intended purpose described in the bylaw without the need for a special permit, variance, amendment, waiver, or other discretionary approval. However, the development is subject to site-plan review to determine conformance with local, state and federal laws.

The measure would require a two-thirds Town Meeting vote.

Another measure, also a zoning change, would set a 14-foot height restriction on building accessories such as garages, sheds or barns on private properties. Only structures built within a 35-foot setback area from the property line would fall under the zoning, Clark said.

He said the town is currently in court with two different homeowners who have built large accessory structures the town feels negatively impacts neighboring properties.

In one of the cases, he said, a State Street resident added a second story to a garage for office space.

“That’s not really the intent of our bylaw,” said Clark.

The Selectmen next meet Monday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 525 Canton Ave.