Item Coversheet


Town of Arlington, Massachusetts


ARTICLE 18
Warrant Article Title:
VOTE/ESTABLISHMENT OF TOWN COMMITTEE ON RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Warrant Article Text:
To see if the Town will vote to establish a Committee of the Town Meeting to examine the current issues related to residential development in the R0, R1, R2, R3, and R4 zoning districts. These issues shall include, but not be limited to, effects on the neighborhood during teardown and construction activities; new construction impacts on neighborhood character/environment; permanent negative 5 impacts on abutters; loss of healthy tree canopy; and exacerbation of particular negative impacts on abutters with existing non-conforming lots. Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Town Moderator, and consist of not less than 5 nor more than 9 members. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the appointed members. Members of the Committee shall be residents of the Town, a majority of whom shall be persons who are not Town employees and/or have no financial interest (either directly or indirectly) in the development, building, or real estate communities. The Committee’s objectives will include development of recommendations for proposing new zoning and general bylaws and/or amendments, as applicable, to provide long-term mitigation of the significant issues identified; or take any action related thereto.
Requested by:
(Inserted by the Select Board at the request of Paul Parise and ten registered voters) 
Report Excerpt:
The Select Board commends Mr. Parise and other proponents of this article for continued advocacy on issues of residential development in Arlington. As the Select Board understands it, the goal of this article is to re-establish a version of the “Residential Study Group” created at the 2016 Town Meeting, but with a more limited membership. The Select Board’s primary concern is that the subject of the proposed committee’s work is precisely the role of the ARB as the Planning Board. Hence, the proposal is essentially to create a new committee to engage already existing boards and committees like the ARB and the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee.
Vote Language:

That no action be taken on Article 18.

 

(5 – 0)

Additional Materials:
Select Board Report