LYNNFIELD — The Select Board will finalize the Town Meeting warrant at its next meeting on Monday night.
“This meeting is just an opportunity for the board to review the warrant and decide which of the articles it will support,” said Town Administrator Rob Dolan. “It’s routine as this year it’s really only about the Richardson Green property and the tree-preservation bylaw, as the other articles are routine concerning transfer of funds.”
Only four articles were submitted to the board. Article 1 seeks to transfer funds to pay overdue bills of the prior fiscal year, while Article 2 seeks a transfer of funds to supplement certain accounts in fiscal year 2022.
The third article — the tree preservation bylaw — was submitted by the Planning Board.
The board submitted a similar article at a Town Meeting held last fall, but it was withdrawn after residents expressed their opposition and confusion with the proposal. Since then, the board has reworked the provisions of the bylaw, significantly scaling back the original provisions.
“We think now we have addressed all the concerns that have been brought to us by the Select Board and constituents,” Planning Board Chair Brian Charville said.
The bylaw applies only to “building activities,” Charville added.
“The only tree removal that would be regulated with this (bylaw) is tree removal that is done related to a new subdivision, new home construction, a site plan ― which typically is for commercial property (and) not residential ― or a special permit granted by the Planning Board,” he said.
Charville said the board made these changes because they had heard concerns that the bylaw shouldn’t apply to the average homeowner who is performing simple tree upkeep.
Director of Planning and Conservation Emilie Cadamartori said the Planning Board met with the Select Board to address its concerns over the bylaw.
“We made a few more adjustments after listening to the Select Board and after the board didn’t support it for the June Town Meeting, we had more time to understand the feedback the public was giving us,” she said. “This bylaw is substantially different than prior versions so we are hopeful.
“This is a beginning but people need to realize that this bylaw only came into existence because the public came to us asking, ‘Why aren’t you doing something about this?’ People asked us to do something about the fact that people were removing trees. We just didn’t think this up on our own, people asked us to do something about the loss of these trees.'”
The fourth article is a petition submitted by developer Angus Bruce, seeking the rezoning of the Richardson Green parcel on Main Street. Specifically, Bruce is looking to change the zoning from a residential to elderly housing district. The current zoning only permits single-family homes.
At the Planning Board meeting Wednesday night, Bruce said he is proposing a new development, which would consist of a 54-unit, 55-plus housing project for seniors on part of the property; about 10 acres would be given to the town as open space. A project rejected by the town two years ago called for single-family houses on the parcel.
The revised project will provide access to the property at the rear of the parcel via a road and will also offer five parking spaces. The plan calls for bringing in a 1,700-foot water main from the Lowell Street intersection with several fire hydrants. Bruce said one of the proposed units will be reserved as affordable housing for a veteran.
Bruce said the town will benefit from the “millions” of dollars of revenue his project will create, which said would include a $20,000 impact fee per unit, excise and real estate taxes, as well as added fire safety with new fire hydrants.
Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin said that Bruce’s petition automatically goes on the warrant due its status as a citizen’s petition; the developer will appear at a future meeting of the Select Board, he said.
The Planning Board will also conduct a public hearing on Bruce’s proposal, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Maney Room of Town Hall.
Bruce acknowledged the fact that the project may be “moot” should the town decide to exercise its right of first refusal on the property.
“If the town exercises its right of first refusal, this plan is moot?” Charville asked.
“Yes, if they buy it, it is a moot point,” Bruce said.
The Town Meeting will be held in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium at 7 p.m.
